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Boost (move)
| Boost (move) | |
|---|---|
 Video clip of Kirby using the Rocket Star to Boost and perform a Boost dash in Kirby Air Ride. | |
| Details | |
| First game | Kirby Air Ride (2003) |
| Latest game | Kirby Air Riders (2025) |
| User(s) | Every Air Ride Machine (except the Wagon Star and Meta Knight in Kirby Air Ride) Every rider's Special (except Night Wing Meta Knight and Rip-Roaring Rick) |
A Boost (often known as Boost Charging in Kirby Air Riders) refers to the act of building up and releasing an Air Ride Machine's charge for a sudden burst of speed in Kirby Air Ride and Kirby Air Riders. Most machines are capable of Boosting, though the charging rate and the speed of the subsequent boost dash are unique to each vehicle.
Boost[edit]
To perform a Boost, the player must press and hold the A button to cause their machine to brake (or drift). As long as A is held, the machine will slow to a stop and begin charging the Boost Gauge.
While Boosting, the machine will slide across the ground. This will cause it to interact with terrain and features; certain switches and features can be Boosted on to interact with them. Additionally, the combined friction of the terrain and machine will determine how quickly the machine stops. Terrain like the ice in Frozen Hillside or machines like the Slick Star have notably low friction, so the machine may slide forward without stopping, affected by slopes and terrain.
If Boosting while turning, a machine will drift. This allows the vehicle to maintain its speed while building up charge. However, in modes like City Trial, this may make collecting items difficult. At the very start of a Boost, most vehicles are given vastly increased turning speed, so alternatively, repetitively tapping the A button can allow for very sharp cornering, at the cost of not charging up a Boost dash. If the player stops turning, the machine will enter a break and come to a stop quickly.
If the player Boosts while in the air, they will perform an Instant Drop. For as long as the A button is held, the machine will lose horizontal speed and rapidly descend to the ground. This is useful for quickly descending while avoiding the penalties of a rough landing.
In Kirby Air Riders only, Boost Charging will prevent the machine from falling off ledges.
In Kirby Air Ride only, star-type machines must use Boost to interact with Dash Panels.
Boost dash[edit]
For as long as the player is holding A and Boosting, the Boost Gauge (at the bottom right of the player's screen) will charge. Once the gauge is full, the player can then release the A button to perform a Boost dash. If the gauge is not full, even by a little bit, the Boost dash will be significantly weaker. If the player holds A too long, the machine will emit smoke and the charge will be lost.
The Wagon Star, and the Wing and Steel Ball Copy Abilities are completely unable to charge the Boost Gauge or perform a Boost dash. They can still hold A to get the effects of Boosting, but will not charge while doing so. Picking up the No Charge item will also temporarily apply this effect to any machine.
On the contrary, the Bulk Star and Hydra rely entirely on Boost dashes to move. Rather than expending all of their Boost Gauge in a single moment, the gauge will slowly drain while propelling the machine forward. If the Boost Gauge runs low, the machine will begin to slow to a stop and be unable to move.
While Gliding, the Boost Gauge will also fill up slowly. If the player lands smoothly, it will be released as a Boost dash, while if the player lands roughly, the charge will be lost. The speed it fills while gliding is unique to each vehicle and is a separate stat than their ground charging speed. Notably, the Jet Star and Shadow Star charge very fast while airborne, while the Rocket Star and the Hydra do not charge at all.
The machine with by far the most powerful Boost dash is the Rocket Star which — once released — causes the machine to move faster than any other unpatched machine.
In City Trial, Charge Patches increase the rate the Boost Gauge fills while charging, while Boost Patches increase the speed of a machine's boost dash. Boost patches (in Air Ride) or Weight patches (in Air Riders) will also cause the vehicle to slow down faster while Boosting, which is almost always helpful for collecting items.
In Kirby Air Ride, the body of the machines will glow brighter depending on how much they've charged. This is the only way to see the machine's charge level in Top Ride. Additionally, the special character Meta Knight cannot Boost Dash.
In Kirby Air Riders, during Top Ride, the Boost Gauge appears as a small meter underneath the player.
Trivia[edit]
- The Boost stat and Boost Patch are referred to as "Acceleration" (カソク) in the Japanese versions. Regardless, this stat affects both Boost dash speed and acceleration speed.
- When attempting to complete a Checklist objective that requires the player to finish a task without boosting, pressing the boost button at any time even while the player is in a situation where they're incapable of boosting (such as riding the Wagon Star) will invalidate the objective.
Names in other languages[edit]
Boost[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | プッシュ pusshu |
Push |
| Traditional Chinese | 增壓 zēng yā |
Boost |
| Simplified Chinese | 增压 zēng yā | |
| Dutch | Boost | - |
Boost dash[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | チャージダッシュ chāji dasshu |
Charge Dash |
| Chinese | 蓄力 xù lì |
Build Up Strength |
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