Kirby Air Riders brings a huge roster of Machines—some focused on raw speed, others on mobility, and a few intentionally chaotic for players who love mastering tricky handling. With unlock requirements spread across Air Ride, Top Ride, City Trial, and Road Trip, having a structured table makes progression much easier.
Starter Machines
These Machines unlock automatically and help you begin completing checklist-style missions.
| Machine | Unlock Method | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Warp Star | Available at game start | Starter |
| Winged Star | Available at game start | Starter |
| Wagon Star | Available at game start | Starter |
All Machines & How to Unlock Them
This section covers every normal Machine using the simplest and fastest unlock methods.
Standard & Advanced Machines
| Machine | Unlock Requirement (Best Method) | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Wagon Star | Enter the Road Trip shop 15 times | Road Trip |
| Shadow Star | Copy 2 enemy abilities in a single Flower Top Ride race | Top Ride |
| Winged Star | Swap Machines 30 times total | Road Trip |
| Rocket Star | Spend 180 seconds in Top Ride challenges | Road Trip |
| Bulk Star | Use 8 attack items in any City Trial match | City Trial |
| Formula Star | Finish a full Top Ride race without hitting walls | Top Ride |
| Slick Star | Defeat 3 enemies using star-projectile spit attacks | Air Ride |
| Wheelie Bike | Ride 3 different Machines in a single session | City Trial |
| Jet Star | Glide a combined total of 5,000 meters in Stadium challenges | Road Trip |
| Turbo Star | Clear 3 City Trial Stadium challenges | Road Trip |
| Swerve Star | Clear 10 Road Trip race missions | Road Trip |
| Vampire Star | Defeat 15 different kinds of enemies | Road Trip |
| Hop Star | Perform 10 jumps within Top Ride missions | Road Trip |
| Wheelie Scooter | Win an Air Ride race on Floria Fields | Air Ride |
| Rex Wheelie | Defeat 3 enemies with star projectiles in one match | Air Ride |
| Tank Star | Achieve 2 perfect landings in Road Trip challenges | Road Trip |
| Battle Chariot | Hit 2 riders at once with a Sensor Bomb | Top Ride |
| Chariot | Finish Flow map in under 1 minute (single lap recommended) | Top Ride |
| Paper Star | Glide continuously for 3 seconds in Crystalline Fissure | Air Ride |
| Bull Tank | Purchase for 10,800 Miles | Shop |
| Transform Star | Hit map switches twice to raise platforms in Cyberion Highway | Air Ride |
| Flight Warp Star | Mode-exclusive; unlocked through City Trial access | City Trial |
| Compact Star | Default Machine in City Trial | City Trial |
Legendary Machines (City Trial Only)
These Machines cannot be permanently unlocked and must be assembled from parts or unlocked via Road Trip endings.
| Machine | Unlock Method | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Dragoon | Collect 3 Dragoon Parts from red boxes (City Trial) | Temporary per attempt |
| Hydra | Collect 3 Hydra Parts from red boxes (City Trial) | Temporary per attempt |
| Gigantes | View Road Trip normal ending | Then appears in City Trial |
| Leo | Defeat true final boss + complete 140 Checklist tiles | Becomes available in City Trial |
Which Modes Should You Focus On First?
1. Road Trip — Best for Bulk Unlocks
Road Trip allows you to complete many Machine-related milestones through missions, glides, races, and challenge types.
If you want to unlock a lot quickly, start here.
2. City Trial — Best for Item-Based and Machine Swap Unlocks
Single-session chaos makes it easy to gather items, change Machines, defeat enemies, or complete swap-based goals.
3. Top Ride — Best for Precision Unlocks
Some Machines require careful driving (no wall hits, ability copying, timed laps). Pick slow, stable rides here.
4. Air Ride — Best for Glide or Enemy-Based Unlocks
Good for Machines that need clean glides, aerial time, or enemy KOs.
Pro Tips fort Players
- Use Starter Machines to Complete Checklists: Warp Star and Winged Star can handle most early unlock requirements without upgrades.
- Increase Item Spawn Rates When Allowed: Helpful for machines like Slick Star, Battle Chariot, and Bulk Star.
- Add Extra Laps for Combat-Based Unlocks: More laps = more enemies = faster clearance for combat unlock Machines.
- Don’t Forget the Miles Shop: Late-game Machines like Bull Tank are sometimes easier to purchase than earn.
Kirby Air Riders rewards players who explore every mode, and Machines are a major part of that progression. With the table-heavy structure above, you can follow the fastest route to unlocking every Machine—including the City Trial legendary builds like Dragoon and Hydra. Play Now!
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