Kirby Air Ride contains three modes: Air Ride, Top Ride, and City Trial, each unique to one another. The game features a very simplistic control scheme, which involves (primarily) only the A Button and the Control Stick. The C-Stick adjusts the camera angle and zooms in/out on Kirby. Alternative controls are available, i.e. using the L and R Buttons for boosting and the +Control Pad for steering.