Amazing Accessibility Features in Kirby Air Riders: A Significant and Rare Step for Nintendo

Kirby Air Riders, set to launch for the Switch 2 on November 20th, is a notable addition to the gaming world, especially with the unveiling of an impressive array of accessibility features during a Nintendo Direct event hosted by director Masahiro Sakurai. This move is considered significant and rare for Nintendo, a company long known for overlooking these design aspects in its main titles. In fact, video game accessibility features are crucial for ensuring an inclusive and enjoyable gaming experience for everyone, enabling players of all abilities, including those with special needs, to fully participate and enjoy games and navigate them, thereby promoting equal opportunities and significantly broadening the player base. (PBS NewsHour, 2023) (Eye-Able®, 2025)

Key Accessibility Features in Kirby Air Riders

Features available in Kirby Air Riders include:

• Button remapping: Directly within the game, a significant improvement compared to previous Switch 2 games that required adjusting these options from the system settings. This feature allows users to customize their control experience to suit their individual needs, enhancing flexibility and comfort during gameplay.
• Text size adjustment: Crucial especially when playing on the smaller Switch 2 screen in handheld mode, ensuring readability for all players.
• Colorblind filters: Helping players with this condition distinguish between game elements more clearly.
• Preset HUD options: Allowing players to customize the display of on-screen information according to their preferences.
• On-screen outline toggle: Useful for improving the clarity of important elements.
• One-handed playability: Broadening the range of players able to enjoy the game.

Anti-Motion Sickness Features and Visual Adjustments

Furthermore: Sakurai paid special attention to combating motion sickness. Players can add on-screen markers, change the field of view to reduce the sensation of movement, or turn off camera shake and tilt entirely. Visual accessibility presets ranging from "None" to "Medium" and "Strong" are also available. These combined features aim to reduce visual strain and improve the gaming experience for individuals sensitive to rapid motion in games. (AccessibilityChecker, 2025)

A Look at Nintendo's Path and the Future of the Industry

The inclusion of these features: and their announcement before the game's launch, is a significant benefit for players, especially those with special needs. However, we should not be overly optimistic that this represents a broad shift in Nintendo's overall approach. Past experiences have shown that such initiatives are often driven by specific development teams or directors with a personal interest in accessibility, like Sakurai. For instance, other first-party Switch 2 games lacked accessibility features, and the industry generally saw a decline in this area after the achievements of games like The Last of Us Part II. Nevertheless, it's important to note that many other games continued to offer excellent accessibility features. In 2021, a notable improvement in accessibility features was observed, with games like Forza Horizon 5 (with an American Sign Language interpreter mode) and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (with game speed options and contrast modes) offering innovative solutions. Additionally, many games focused on customization options such as button remapping and audio-visual adjustments, underscoring a continuous interest in improving diverse player experiences. (GamesHub, 2022) (TestDevLab, 2025)