Kirby Air Riders offers an impressive roster of 21 unique characters, each with their own special abilities and playstyles. While you start with a handful of familiar faces like Kirby, King Dedede, and Meta Knight, unlocking the full roster requires dedication and skill across all four game modes. How to unlock all characters in Kirby Air Riders is a common question among players, and this comprehensive guide will walk you through every unlock method, provide strategic tips, and help you build your complete character collection efficiently.
Unlike many racing games where unlocks are straightforward, Kirby Air Riders presents a complex system where characters can be unlocked through multiple methods across different game modes. This design ensures that players engage with all aspects of the game, from high-speed racing in Air Ride mode to the strategic machine-building in City Trial and the story progression in Road Trip mode.
Understanding Kirby Air Riders’ Unlock System
Before diving into specific character unlocks, it’s essential to understand how the game’s unlock system works. Kirby Air Riders features four distinct game modes, each with its own checklist of challenges and unlock objectives:
The Four Game Modes:
- Air Ride: Traditional racing with up to 6 players
- Top Ride: Top-down perspective racing for up to 8 players
- City Trial: Battle arena mode where you build machines before competing
- Road Trip: Story mode with roguelike elements and challenge encounters
Each mode has its own checklist card that tracks your progress and shows unlock requirements. The beauty of this system is that many characters can be unlocked through multiple methods, giving you flexibility in how you approach building your roster. For example, some characters might be easier to unlock in City Trial for some players, while others might find the Road Trip method more accessible.
Complete Character Unlock Guide
Let’s break down every character and their specific unlock requirements across all game modes. This comprehensive list will help you plan your unlocking strategy and focus on the methods that best suit your playstyle.
Starting Characters (Available From Beginning)
These four characters are available right from the start, giving you a solid foundation to begin your Kirby Air Riders journey:
Kirby
- Best Stat: Lift
- Special Ability: Ultra Sword – Unleash a series of slashes with your giant blade
- Unlock Methods: Available from start in all modes
King Dedede
- Best Stat: Top Speed/Offense
- Special Ability: Jet Hammer – Activate the jet engine hidden in your hammer and rocket forward
- Unlock Methods: Available from start in all modes
Meta Knight
- Best Stat: Balanced
- Special Ability: Night Wing – Unfurl wings for a huge boost
- Unlock Methods: Available from start in all modes
Waddle Dee
- Best Stat: Grip
- Special Ability: Golden Waddle Dee – Become golden and shiny as you race ahead with increased speed
- Unlock Methods: Available from start in all modes
Intermediate Character Unlocks
These characters require specific challenges but are relatively accessible for players progressing through the game:
Bandana Waddle Dee
- Best Stat: Grip
- Special Ability: Spear Cyclone – Twirl your spear in front of you as a shield or above you as a propeller
- Unlock Methods:
- Road Trip: Clear 3 Top Ride challenges
- City Trial: Destroy 2 boxes within 30 seconds of match start
- Top Ride: Clear Top Ride challenges 3 times total
Chef Kawasaki
- Best Stat: Max HP
- Special Ability: Superspicy Cooking – Serve spicy curries all around you to make rivals spew flames
- Unlock Methods:
- Road Trip: Clear 3 Air Ride challenges
- Air Ride: Eat Onigiri from teahouse in Mount Amberfalls stage
- Top Ride: Win Mountain with 5+ second lead
Knuckle Joe
- Best Stat: Offense
- Special Ability: Knuckle Rush – Charge up energy, then unleash a powerful uppercut
- Unlock Methods:
- Road Trip: Power up all stats to 1 or higher
- City Trial: Steal a machine another rider is actively riding
Rick
- Best Stat: Top Speed
- Special Ability: Rip-Roaring Rick – Hop off your machine and switch to full-speed dash on foot
- Unlock Methods:
- Road Trip: Enter the shop 3 times
- Top Ride: Win Mountain with at least 5 seconds between you and 2nd place
Waddle Doo
- Best Stat: Grip
- Special Ability: Beam Blast – Fire a powerful beam attack
- Unlock Methods:
- Air Ride: Complete Floria Fields without crashing into enemies
- Top Ride: Hit a rider with Course Quaker
Advanced Character Unlocks
These characters require more skill and dedication to unlock, often involving specific challenges or advanced techniques:
Lololo & Lalala
- Best Stat: Balanced
- Special Ability: Block Slide – Throw sliding blocks to frustrate and slow opponents
- Unlock Methods:
- Road Trip: Defeat 10 riders riding star-type machines
- Air Ride: Complete Crystalline Fissure within 3:30
Susie
- Best Stat: Top Speed
- Special Ability: Roboboosters – Ignite high-tech boosters and rocket forward
- Unlock Methods:
- Road Trip: Hit 3 enemies with single attack
- Air Ride: Perform perfect landing 5 times in single race
Rocky
- Best Stat: Max HP
- Special Ability: Meteor Rocky – Fly up into air, then crash down as mighty meteorite and explode
- Unlock Methods:
- Road Trip: Open treasure chest on the road
- Top Ride: Use 30 items total
Cappy
- Best Stat: Grip
- Special Ability: Super Starman – Soar high in sky with rainbow-colored cloak
- Unlock Methods:
- City Trial: Clear without getting power-down items
- Top Ride: Complete Flower lap within 30 seconds with Warp Star
Expert Character Unlocks
These are the most challenging characters to unlock, requiring advanced skills or significant time investment:
Taranza
- Best Stat: Top Speed
- Special Ability: Spider Shots – Fire balls of sticky spider silk to tangle up rivals
- Unlock Methods:
- Air Ride: Ride 5,489 yards on Beanstalk Park
- City Trial: Win a short race
Daroach
- Best Stat: Balanced
- Special Ability: Sneak Attack – Vanish and strike from shadows
- Unlock Methods:
- Air Ride: Find and defeat special enemy Gemaine
- Top Ride: Win after lapping another rider
Marx
- Best Stat: Grip
- Special Ability: True-Form Marx – Reveal true nature and jinx rivals you touch
- Unlock Methods:
- Road Trip: Spend 300,000 Road Miles
- Air Ride: Complete Free Run lap without dropping below 19 mph
Magolor
- Best Stat: Offense
- Special Ability: Magolor Cannon – Rocket forward by firing beam of light behind you
- Unlock Methods:
- City Trial: Enter all secret rooms
- Top Ride: Send same rider flying 2 times with Drill Driver
Gooey
- Best Stat: Grip
- Special Ability: Mock Dark Matter – Fire six shadowy bolts
- Unlock Methods:
- City Trial: Get 2,000 points in Skydive 1 match
- Top Ride: Win after getting swept in tornado 3 times on Air
Starman
- Best Stat: Grip
- Special Ability: Super Starman – Soar high with rainbow-colored cloak
- Unlock Methods:
- City Trial: Fall for 6 seconds after only boosting once
- Top Ride: Complete 4 laps in lead position on Crystal
Scarfy
- Best Stat: Grip
- Special Ability: Scarfy’s Losin’ It – Let terrifying rage loose and run wild
- Unlock Methods:
- Air Ride: Defeat enemy Scarfy on Waveflow Waters without making it mad
- City Trial: Destroy rider’s machine within first 60 seconds
Noir Dedede (Secret Final Character)
- Best Stat: Offense/Top Speed
- Special Ability: Shadow Ride – Slip past rivals like shadow and leave them trapped in darkness
- Unlock Methods:
- Road Trip: Beat story and get true ending
Strategic Tips for Efficient Character Unlocking
Unlocking all 21 characters requires strategic planning and efficient play. Here are proven strategies to maximize your unlocking progress:
Focus on Road Trip Mode First
Road Trip mode is often the most efficient way to unlock multiple characters early in the game. The story progression naturally leads you through various challenges, and many character unlocks are tied to story milestones or cumulative achievements like spending Road Miles.
Pro Tip: Prioritize challenges that unlock multiple objectives simultaneously. For example, entering the shop three times (for Rick) can be combined with other shop-related challenges.
Master City Trial’s Secret Rooms
City Trial holds some of the most challenging but rewarding unlocks. The secret rooms are particularly important for characters like Magolor. There are six secret rooms that appear during special events in City Trial:
- Floating Island – High area requiring skill to reach
- Underground Bunker – Accessible through hidden passages
- Rooftop Garden – Requires precise jumping or flight
- Submerged Chamber – Found underwater areas
- Hidden Warehouse – Located in industrial zones
- Sky Palace – Only appears during certain weather conditions
Pro Tip: During City Trial events, walls will temporarily disappear, revealing these secret rooms. Mark their locations and return when events occur.
Exploit Top Ride’s Short Races
Top Ride mode offers some of the quickest character unlocks due to its short race times. Characters like Cappy and Starman can be unlocked in just a few well-executed races.
Pro Tip: Focus on courses where you have natural advantages. For example, if you’re good at technical courses, prioritize Crystal and Flower courses for related unlocks.
Use the Checklist System Strategically
The game’s checklist system is your best friend for efficient unlocking. Each mode has its own checklist that shows unlock requirements and hints for nearby objectives.
Pro Tip: When you unlock a square on the checklist, adjacent squares will turn red and provide hints about their requirements. Use this to plan your next objectives efficiently.
Understanding Character Color Variations
Beyond the base characters, Kirby Air Riders features color variations for all 21 characters. These aren’t just cosmetic—many alternate colors come with unique abilities that can significantly impact gameplay.
Kirby’s Extensive Color Options
Kirby has the most color variations, each with unique abilities:
- Blue Kirby: Snow Bowl ability – turns into large snowball for speed boost
- Red Kirby: Fire ability – leaves trail of fire behind
- Yellow Kirby: Electric ability – shocks nearby opponents
- Green Kirby: Leaf ability – creates protective leaf barrier
- Purple Kirby: Sleep ability – can put opponents to sleep
Other Characters’ Alternate Colors
Most other characters have at least one alternate color, though with fewer ability variations:
- Dedede Variants: Different hammer types with varying power levels
- Meta Knight Colors: Alternate wing designs with slight speed differences
- Waddle Dee Colors: Different speed and handling characteristics
Pro Tip: Unlock alternate colors by completing the same unlock objectives multiple times. Each character’s color variations have different completion requirements.
Best Characters for Different Playstyles
While all characters have their merits, some excel in specific situations. Here’s our analysis of the best characters for different playstyles:
Best for Beginners: Kirby
Kirby is the perfect starting character with balanced stats and the powerful Ultra Sword ability. His all-around performance makes him forgiving for new players while still being viable at higher skill levels.
Best for Speed: Rick
Despite being a heavy character, Rick’s special ability allows him to transform and achieve incredible speeds. His top speed stat makes him ideal for players who prioritize raw velocity.
Best for Combat: Knuckle Joe
With the highest offense stat and a powerful uppercut special ability, Knuckle Joe dominates in combat-focused races and City Trial battles.
Best for Technical Players: Meta Knight
Meta Knight requires precision but rewards skilled players with excellent maneuverability and the versatile Night Wing ability. Perfect for technical courses where control matters more than raw speed.
Best for Chaos: Scarfy
Scarfy’s rage ability can be unpredictable but devastating in the right hands. Ideal for players who embrace chaos and want to disrupt opponents’ strategies.
Common Unlocking Challenges and Solutions
Players often encounter specific challenges when trying to unlock certain characters. Here are solutions to the most common unlocking roadblocks:
City Trial Secret Rooms Won’t Appear
Problem: You can’t find the secret rooms needed for Magolor’s unlock. Solution: Secret rooms only appear during specific events. Wait for the “walls disappear” event and explore thoroughly. The floating island room appears most frequently during clear weather conditions.
Can’t Complete Perfect Landings
Problem: Struggling with Susie’s perfect landing requirement. Solution: Practice on courses with clear landing zones like Skyah. Approach landing zones at moderate speed and aim for the center of landing pads. Use gentle brake taps rather than hard braking.
Road Miles Accumulation Too Slow
Problem: Marx’s 300,000 Road Miles requirement seems impossible. Solution: Focus on longer Road Trip routes and prioritize challenges that award bonus miles. Use vehicles with higher mileage multipliers and avoid shortcuts that reduce total distance traveled.
Can’t Defeat Gemaine for Daroach
Problem: The special enemy Gemaine is elusive or too powerful. Solution: Gemaine appears randomly on certain courses, particularly Nebula Belt and Beanstalk Park. Use high-offense characters and save your special ability for when you spot the shiny enemy variant.
Advanced Unlocking Strategies
For players looking to optimize their unlocking efficiency, these advanced strategies can significantly reduce completion time:
Mode-Specific Grinding Sessions
Instead of jumping between modes, dedicate entire play sessions to specific modes:
- City Trial Sessions: Focus on machine collection and secret room exploration
- Top Race Sessions: Knock out multiple short race challenges in one sitting
- Air Ride Sessions: Target specific course-related unlocks back-to-back
Challenge Stacking
Look for opportunities to complete multiple objectives simultaneously:
- Combine character unlocks with machine unlocks
- Work on checklist objectives that overlap with character requirements
- Use color variation unlocks to reinforce main character progress
Save File Management
For players with multiple save files, consider dedicating each file to specific unlocking goals:
- File 1: Story progression and Road Trip unlocks
- File 2: City Trial and machine collection
- File 3: Time attack and Top Ride challenges
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to unlock all characters?
On average, completing the full roster takes 40-60 hours for dedicated players. However, this can vary significantly based on skill level and playstyle. Casual players might take 80+ hours, while speed runners can complete it in under 20 hours.
Are there any shortcuts to unlocking characters faster?
While there are no true “cheats,” certain strategies can speed up the process:
- Focus on Road Trip mode early for efficient unlocks
- Use the checklist hint system to identify the easiest objectives
- Prioritize characters with multiple unlock methods to find your best path
Do I need to unlock characters in each game mode separately?
No! Once you unlock a character in any mode, they become available across all game modes. This is why many characters have multiple unlock methods—you can choose the easiest path for your playstyle.
What’s the rarest character to unlock?
Noir Dedede is typically the rarest as it requires completing the entire Road Trip story and getting the true ending. This makes it the last character most players unlock.
Can I lose progress if I switch between modes?
No, progress is saved continuously across all modes. You can switch between Air Ride, Top Ride, City Trial, and Road Trip without losing any unlock progress.
Conclusion: Your Complete Kirby Air Riders Roster Awaits
How to unlock all characters in Kirby Air Riders is a journey that will take you through every aspect of this rich and varied racing game. From the high-speed thrills of Air Ride mode to the strategic depth of City Trial and the narrative progression of Road Trip, each character unlock represents a milestone in your mastery of the game.
Remember that unlocking all 21 characters isn’t just about completion—it’s about experiencing everything Kirby Air Riders has to offer. Each character brings unique abilities and playstyles that can change how you approach races and challenges. The color variations add even more depth, giving you reasons to revisit completed objectives and perfect your techniques.
Whether you’re a casual player looking to expand your roster or a completionist aiming for 100% completion, this guide provides everything you need to build your complete character collection efficiently. Focus on the methods that match your playstyle, use the strategic tips to optimize your progress, and most importantly, enjoy the journey through Kirby’s vibrant racing world.
With dedication and the right approach, you’ll soon have all 21 characters at your disposal, each ready to help you conquer the tracks and challenges that await in Kirby Air Riders. Happy racing!