Masahiro Sakurai developing Kirby Air Riders could delay Super Smash Bros. Switch 2 game
Many gamers assume that a new Super Smash Bros. game will take advantage of upgraded Switch 2 specs. However, according to podcaster Reece "Kiwi Talkz" Reilly, the fighting title may not arrive until much later in the console's life cycle. Reilly explains that Director Masahiro Sakurai would only agree to make another Super Smash Bros. title if he could complete Kirby Air Riders first.
Sakurai created the original Super Smash Bros. in 1999 for the Nintendo 64. Since then, he has been essential to the development of four other mainline games in the series. Even so, the popular releases may not be Sakurai's favorite projects to work on. Past Super Smash Bros. entries taxed the Japanese gaming legend to the point of exhaustion. While it may not have been Nintendo's priority, he much preferred to take on Kirby Air Riders first.
Reilly is confident that his source about Nintendo's negotiations with Masahiro Sakurai is correct. On the other hand, he isn't certain how far along the follow-up to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is. Still, Nintendo seems hesitant to make the potential Switch 2 game without Sakurai. Reilly, who has interviewed numerous game developers, suggested that pre-production on the cross-over fighter may not have even begun.
Despite a projected 2025 Kirby Air Riders release, the game remains a mystery. Kirby Air Ride debuted on the GameCube in 2003, offering players an alternative to Mario Kart. Streamlined controls allow gamers to focus on steering and power-ups as they fly through the air. From the available cinematic footage, players have limited insight into what has changed in Kirby Air Riders.
Considering many Nintendo games are taking longer to develop, gamers may suffer a prolonged wait for a Super Smash Bros. Switch 2 game. In the meantime, the company could announce an upgrade pack for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
