Technologies

Kirby Air Riders Global Test Ride: When Does It Start, How to Participate and More

Nintendo’s next racing game will have a free demo for anyone interested in trying it out.

As the year nears its end, Nintendo still has a couple of major titles coming out for the Switch 2.

One of them, Kirby Air Riders, is set to release on Nov. 20, but you don’t have to wait until then to get a feel of the game. There will be an online global test for players interested in the racing game featuring the popular Nintendo mascot.

The Kirby Air Riders: Global Test Ride takes place on Nov. 8-9 and Nov. 15-16, spanning several sessions that will last 6 hours each. Those who partake in the test will be able to check out three of the courses for free before the game is officially released.

Details about the global test came out last month during the Kirby Air Riders Direct #2. Game director Masahiro Sakurai showcased the new game, a follow-up to the 2003 GameCube game, Kirby Air Ride. Although the new Kirby Air Riders shares a similar feel with Mario Kart, where different characters race around a track on various machines, this game does things differently.

A Road Trip mode, for example, lets players compete in challenges and races while learning more about the story of why Kirby and friends are on this journey. Swap Relay is a new kind of race where players switch machines while racing. There’s also the VS. Boss mode, where players team up to take down huge bosses.

Kirby Air Riders features 16 courses for players to race in, and numerous customizations are available for every player’s machine.

When does the Kirby Air Riders: Global Test Ride start?

Nintendo planned for the Kirby Air Riders global test to take place over two weekends in November. Each session will last only 6 hours through the weekend.

Here are the days and times for the test:

Nov. 8 at 12:00 a.m. PT until 6:00 a.m. PT
Nov. 8 at 4:00 p.m. PT until 10:00 p.m. PT
Nov. 9 at 7:00 a.m. PT until 1:00 p.m. PT
Nov. 15 at 12:00 a.m. PT until 6:00 a.m. PT
Nov. 15 at 4:00 p.m. PT until 10:00 p.m. PT
Nov. 16 at 7:00 a.m. PT until 1:00 p.m. PT

What will I be able to play during the Kirby Air Riders: Global Test Ride?

During the test, players will have access to three Air Ride courses: Floria Field, Waveflow Waters and Mount Amberfalls. For those who want to keep the game among friends, there is the Paddock, which acts as a lobby to set up matches. The test will limit the racers to 16, but when the game goes live, that number will increase to 32.

The test will also feature a Lessons mode to help you learn how to play the game. City Trial is another mode available during the weekends. In City Trial, players roam around the city of Skyah, where they can collect power-ups to improve their machine’s stats or find a new machine to ride.

What do I need to participate in the Kirby Air Riders: Global Test Rise?

Those interested in participating in the online test will need a Switch 2. The test will be available to download on the Nintendo eShop on Nov. 7. A Nintendo Switch Online membership or a trial membership is needed for City Trial, while Lesson and Air Rides can be accessed without a Switch Online subscription.

When does Kirby Air Riders come out?

Nintendo will release Kirby Air Riders for the Switch 2 on Nov. 20 for $70.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Dec. 12 #649

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Dec. 12, No. 649.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle will appeal to literature lovers and English majors (like me). Some of the answers are difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Shakespearean titles.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Famous plays.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

MUST, CANT, RANT, RACE, CARE, CHARD, CHANT, HARD, SIDE, HIDE

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

MERRY, SHREW, TEMPEST, TWELFTH, MERCHANT, MIDSUMMER

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is THEBARD. To find it, start with the T that’s four letters down on the far-left row, and wind across.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Toughest Strands puzzles

Here are some of the Strands topics I’ve found to be the toughest in recent weeks.

#1: Dated slang, Jan. 21. Maybe you didn’t even use this lingo when it was cool. Toughest word: PHAT.

#2: Thar she blows! Jan.15. I guess marine biologists might ace this one. Toughest word: BALEEN or RIGHT.

#3: Off the hook, Jan. 9. Similar to the Jan. 15 puzzle in that it helps to know a lot about sea creatures. Sorry, Charlie. Toughest word: BIGEYE or SKIPJACK.

Technologies

I Love Super Mario Bros Wonder and It’s at a New All-Time Low, but Only for Today

One of the most inventive Switch games made is down to just $40 right now.

The holidays are nearly here, and that means it’s time to lock in and sort out the gifts you need to get. If you’re looking to buy something the whole family can enjoy, then looking to the best gaming gifts makes perfect sense. There are some amazing deals on right now, and if you’re buying for someone with a Switch, this one is a must-have.

Woot has a deal that knocks the amazing Super Mario Bros Wonder down to $40, which is the lowest price it’s ever been. This is a whimsical and wonderful platform game that’s going to have you all laughing out loud in each level, but the deal is only on until the end of the day. So, if you want it, don’t wait around.

Super Mario Bros Wonder takes the classic platformer and puts an incredible twist on it in every single level. The story has you following Bowser as he causes chaos in a new kingdom, but with Wonder Seeds all over the place, reality itself often ends up changing. It’s a fun and intensely silly affair, and you can even play it with up to four players, making it the perfect game for the holiday season.

This being the lowest price we’ve seen for this amazing game easily makes it one of the best Nintendo Switch deals. It’s going to end tonight, though, so if you want it, get it quickly.

Why this deal matters

Super Mario Bros Wonder is undoubtedly one of the coolest Mario games we’ve had in a very long time, and one of the best games released for the Nintendo Switch. It’s rare to see first-party Nintendo games go on sale with this much off, so this is a very rare chance.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Dec. 12

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 12.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.