I'm pretty sure all but exactly one Nintendo fan had a big ol' goofy grin on their face when the upcoming Switch 2 game Kirby Air Riders was announced. It's a successor to a cult classic racing game from 22 years ago, Smash Bros. legend Masahiro Sakurai is back at the helm, and heck, it's Kirby on a hoverboard - what's not to like?
Well, from the perspective of someone working on their own independent Kirby Air Ride spiritual successor, there's quite a lot not to like about this situation, and that's exactly the position indie dev Isaac Kasdorf has found themselves in. See, Kasdorf has been working on Robo Ride & Glide, which is explicitly described as a "Kirby Air Ride Successor," since at least June 2024 according to its Steam update history. And now that Nintendo itself has announced an official successor, well, I can only imagine it puts a lot of pressure on Kasdorf to deliver something truly special.
The indie dev has been posting a series of increasingly unhinged tweets in reaction to the Kirby Air Riders announcement. One tweet reads: "If you're a true 'two cakes' believer make sure to wishlist Robo Ride & Glide! I can promise my game will be significantly less than $80," a stinging reference to the upsetting fact that Nintendo is indeed charging $80 for some games, including Mario Kart World (Kirby Air Riders doesn't have a price listed yet).
The next is a funny, but sad meme seemingly created by Kasdorf, which I'll leave here for your viewing convenience:
pic.twitter.com/HUgTc6a6XOApril 2, 2025
Another tweet/cry for help reads: "My game is going to have to do something really special to sell more than negative 3 copies now."
And finally, here's a tragic play-by-play of Kasdorf's reaction to the Kirby Air Riders announcement in their own words:
"Me watching the direct:
Mario kart open world? Wow
kirby air ride not in gamecube nso?
DELTARUNE!
who cares
Is that a smash bros dlc?
Wait..
KIRBY AIR RIDE?!?!
*vomits violently*"
In all seriousness, Robo Ride & Glide looks like an extremely cute little game with its own very distinct vibe, and I have no doubt in its ability to hover right alongside its admittedly formidable competition. That's actually not true as I haven't had the chance to actually play either game, but Ride & Glide's recent trailer looks great.
