Making a surprise return from the original entry on the Nintendo GameCube, Kirby Air Riders is yet another mascot racing game set to release on the Nintendo Switch 2.
With that said, what about the prospects of the new game coming to the Nintendo Switch 1? Games like Pokémon Legends: Z-A have made their debut on both console generations. Is the same happening here?
Here is the answer to whether or not Kirby Air Riders will be on Nintendo Switch 1 or if it is a Switch 2 exclusive.
Is Kirby Air Riders on Nintendo Switch 1?
Unfortunately for those who have not upgraded their console yet, Kirby Air Riders is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, and it is not releasing on Nintendo Switch 1.
With the Switch 2 releasing just earlier this year, why would Masahiro Sakurai’s latest game not be available on the original Switch? Most of it likely comes down to performance. On the Switch 2, Kirby Air Riders may not be the most impressive graphically, but it runs at 60 fps, which might not be the same situation on the original console.
Of course, newer hardware is always more powerful than what came before, so we could definitely see a world where Sakurai and/or Nintendo wanted his first release since Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to be as smooth-running as possible. The Switch 1 is a great console, but its history of poor performance is well-known, even in Nintendo games.
Will Kirby Air Riders Ever Come to Nintendo Switch 1?
While it is certainly possible that Kirby Air Riders one day comes to Nintendo Switch 1, it’s not something we would bet on.
As mentioned above, the Switch 2 is, simply put, a more powerful console, and we’re not game developers ourselves, but we would wager a guess that the Switch 1 can’t handle Kirby Air Riders quite as well.
Another thing to keep in mind is whether or not Sakurai and his team at Bandai Namco would want to put in the resources to port the game over to the original Switch post-release. You would imagine that the focus would be on supporting the game that is already available and then moving on to the next project.
Are you bummed out that Kirby Air Riders is a Switch 2 exclusive and likely won’t ever release on the original Nintendo Switch? Vent your frustrations in the comments or on the Insider Gaming forum.
Did you see the latest footage for Kirby Air Riders at the Nintendo Direct? View it here. You can also get a Kirby emote in Fortnite.
John has been covering the game industry since 2017, covering all kinds of games and topics in that timespan. He loves his Nintendo games and enjoys achievement hunting as well.…
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