There are 28 machines and vehicles in Kirby Air Riders, which can be used in the air or on the ground tracks, while some can even switch between the two modes. This guide will provide you with a tier list of the best machines in the game, including their strongest features and some minor drawbacks, too.
Top Machines Tier List for Kirby Air Riders
Tier
Machines
S
Hydra, Dragoon, Gigantes, Leo, Shadow Star, Battle Chariot, Formula Star
Slick Star, Rex Wheelie, Bull Tank, Tank Star, Vampire Star, Paper Star, Transform Star
C
Wheelie Bike, Wheelie Scooter, Chariot, Jet Star, Hop Star
D
Compact Star, Flight Warp Star
S-Tier Machines
Vehicles
Features
Hydra
Has an overwhelming ground speed, attack power, and ramming destruction potential, making it unmatched in battles and drag races.
Dragoon
Dominates gliding and jump events in most races, having a superior flight speed and maneuverability.
Gigantes
This legendary vehicle has massive size and power like a tank, which performs exceptionally well in City Trial.
Leo
Has an all-around balance of speed, power, and handling, but it can be unlocked if you achieve the true Road Trip ending and 140 checklists.
Shadow Star
Gains impressive speed from hitting rivals, with strong gliding and boost potential in City Trial and melee stadiums.
Battle Chariot
Top beginner-friendly machine with exceptional handling and turning that can easily ram opponents in combat modes.
Formula Star
Best option for extreme top speed in a straight line and drag races.
A-Tier Machines
Vehicles
Features
Warp Star
Well-balanced all-rounder with average stats across the board, but definitely a reliable starter machine with no major weaknesses.
Winged Star
A lightweight machine for chaining boosts and soaring over tracks that’s very suitable for glide and jump challenges.
Wagon Star
With generally solid base stats for high speed, grip, and HP, this machine doesn’t require any boosts, yet it can still manage sharp turns via braking.
Swerve Star
Delivers precise zig-zag control by boost-charging in tight corners and twisty tracks, holding that top speed.
Bulk Star
Here’s another tanky machine with high HP, offense, weight, and defense, which is very strong in combat and City Trial, but needs to charge to gain max speed.
Rocket Star
Shoots out an explosive full-charge burst for massive speed surges, delivering a strong performance on straightaways and drags with timing.
Turbo Star
Very similar to Rocket Star, making it a viable alternative in drag races and straights.
B-Tier Machines
Vehicles
Features
Slick Star
Solid glider, only second to Winged Star, with fast charges, boosts, and acceleration, but can be hard to control, especially in City Trial tight spaces.
Rex Wheelie
Here’s a beefy alternative to lighter bikes, which can build up significant speed if you manage to avoid walls due to poor handling.
Bull Tank
Durable and heavy machine that can make quick turns by Boost Dashing, although it has slow acceleration.
Tank Star
Good option for combat and City Trial, but it’s not recommended for beginner players, as it has low base turning and maneuverability.
Vampire Star
Steals abilities and items from rivals on attack, and auto-bites enemies for speed boosts, but relies too much on power-ups only during combat.
Paper Star
Extremely lightweight machine for flights, glides, and jumps, which excels in air-heavy modes and in stadium, but is generally very fragile and has poor ground speed.
Transform Star
Switches between air and ground forms via Quick Spin, which does make it versatile for any track or situation, but requires very good timing to pull it off efficiently.
All other vehicles struggle in most scenarios described above and have lower stats, with some serious flaws like slow speed and limited niche skills.
