Games

Kirby Air Riders Version 1.1.1 Day One Update Brings Online Mode, Team Battle, And Replay Videos

21 November 2025
Nintendo Switch 2
13 min.
WhatsAppMessengerLinkedInRedditPinterestBufferSMS
Kirby Air Riders Version 1.1.1 Day One Update Brings Online Mode, Team Battle, And Replay Videos

Summary:

Kirby Air Riders is not just rolling out on Nintendo Switch 2 with a shiny new star-shaped ride, it is also arriving with a substantial version 1.1.1 update that changes how we race from the very first boot. Online mode is finally live, letting racers jump into lobbies and paddocks from all over the world instead of being limited to local play. At the same time, City Trial receives a fresh Team Battle format that turns every round into a tug of war between squads rather than a pure free for all. Air Ride fans can experiment with a new Relay Switch rule set, handing their machines off mid race and forcing everyone to plan lineups and timing. On top of that, we gain the ability to convert replays into video files, post runs for others to watch, train Figure Player partners with Kirby amiibo, and take part in Daily Air Ride schedules and limited time events. Road Trip has been tuned, My Machine can now be made private, and a long list of bug fixes tightens online stability, matchmaking, and progression. All together, version 1.1.1 makes Kirby Air Riders feel like a complete, online ready racer from day one rather than something that needs months of follow up patches.

Kirby Air Riders version 1.1.1 sets the tone for launch day

The version 1.1.1 update arrives alongside Kirby Air Riders itself, which means that from the very first race we are playing a far more feature rich build than the one that was pressed onto early cartridges. Instead of booting into a racer that feels oddly isolated, we see menus that already mention online play, Daily Air Ride schedules, and limited time events. That kind of launch day update can feel like a chore to download, but here it earns its keep with tangible additions. Online lobbies, City Trial Team Battle, Relay Switch in Air Ride, replay video conversion, and amiibo powered Figure Player training are not small bullet points, they shape how we will spend dozens of hours with the game. If you pre loaded, version 1.1.1 is simply waiting on the boot screen, and once it is installed the checklist fills out with new tasks while Road Trip and My Machine options behave in more refined ways. Instead of thinking of this as a patch that plugs holes, it is easier to see it as the true starting line for Kirby Air Riders on Nintendo Switch 2.

Online mode finally lets every racer join from anywhere

One of the most important changes in version 1.1.1 is that online mode is now fully integrated into the multiplayer menus and each mode’s entry screen. We no longer have to wonder if online will arrive later or worry about separate downloads; it is simply there as an option every time we choose how to race. From the Multiplayer menu, online can be selected directly, and every mode that supports it presents online as a natural choice right alongside local options. The checklist even gains an Online entry, which acts as a reminder that there are new goals tied to connected play. This structure makes it feel simple to drop into a quick session after work or late at night, even if no one else in the house is around to pick up a controller. For a racer that leans so heavily on chaotic tracks, power ups, and shared City Trial chaos, this shift from purely local to fully online on day one may be the single biggest upgrade in the patch notes.

Checking connection status and avoiding unstable paddocks

Alongside the simple presence of online mode, version 1.1.1 also tries to protect everyone from the kind of unstable lobbies that can ruin the mood. If a player’s connection is very shaky, they can no longer host paddocks or create new races inside those paddocks. That might sound strict, but it is designed to keep an entire room from stuttering just because one person’s Wi Fi is barely hanging on. Those players are still welcome to join paddocks and races hosted by others, which means they can continue to play without dragging everyone down. We can also check our own connection quality through Multiplayer options, which removes some of the mystery from random lag spikes. If the game tells us our connection is unstable, we know to move closer to the router or switch to a wired setup instead of blaming the servers. It is a small bit of transparency, yet it nudges us toward healthier online sessions where paddocks stay lively instead of repeatedly breaking apart.

Local wireless and LAN keep couch sessions and events alive

Online may grab the headlines, but version 1.1.1 does not forget the roots of the series, where four friends crowded around a TV and yelled at each other while whipping around corners. Local wireless and LAN play are now available through the Multiplayer menu, under Local Wireless. That means groups with multiple Switch 2 systems in the same room can link up without monopolizing a single screen, while bigger gatherings or events can use LAN setups for low latency races across many stations. It keeps Kirby Air Riders flexible enough for both family living rooms and tournaments where organizers want reliable connections that do not depend on household internet. For players who miss the feeling of GameCube era link up play, seeing Local Wireless right next to online is reassuring. It tells us that even as the game embraces global matchmaking, it still respects that some of the best moments happen when everyone is close enough to hear each other complain about a badly timed bomb or a missed shortcut.

Relay Switch changes how Air Ride races feel

The Air Ride mode receives one of its most interesting twists in the form of a new competitive format called Relay Switch. Instead of each player sticking with one machine from the starting line to the checkered flag, this rule set encourages handing off machines during the race, almost like a relay team passing a baton. That simple change has big consequences for strategy, because now we think about who should start on which machine, who takes over at certain segments, and how to manage risk when a slower but tougher ride might be better for a tricky stretch. Relay Switch also rewards teams that communicate clearly, since mistimed swaps or confusion about who is up next can wreck a carefully planned run. For long time fans who know every corner of the tracks, this is a fresh way to re learn lines and experiment with machine combinations that might have seemed suboptimal in standard races. It turns Air Ride into more of a cooperative puzzle, where coordination matters just as much as raw reflexes.

Team Battle brings coordinated chaos to City Trial

City Trial has always been about wandering a shared map, hunting for parts, and then crashing into a final event together, but version 1.1.1 layers a new flavor of pressure on top by adding a Team Battle format. Instead of every player fending for themselves, we now form teams that share goals and bragging rights. During the exploration phase, that means squads can fan out to gather parts more efficiently or stick together to bully opponents away from valuable power ups. When the final battle begins, Team Battle turns what used to be a chaotic free for all into a coordinated brawl where protecting weaker machines or focusing fire on key rivals can decide the outcome. The format especially shines online, where friends can hop into a lobby together and strategize over voice chat, but it also adds a new dynamic to local sessions where siblings or roommates form temporary alliances. For anyone who loved City Trial but wished there was a more deliberate way to play it with friends, Team Battle is the answer sitting right there in the mode select screen.

Daily Air Ride and limited time events keep the schedule packed

Beyond permanent modes, version 1.1.1 introduces Daily Air Ride and limited time events that sit on the main menu as their own paths into the game. By choosing Daily or Events, we discover rotating challenges that highlight specific tracks, machines, or rules. That steady rotation gives us a reason to drop in every day, even if we only have time for a few races, because there is always some new twist or reward waiting. It also helps the community focus its attention, since players who log in around the same time are likely to queue for the same Daily or event targets. For Nintendo, this is a clever way to keep Kirby Air Riders feeling alive for months without relying only on big expansions. For us, it is a gentle nudge to avoid falling into the habit of playing only one track or mode, because Daily Air Ride will sometimes push us toward parts of the game we might otherwise ignore. That mix of novelty and structure is a nice fit for a racer built around breezy, pick up and play sessions.

Small habits that help you clear Daily and Event goals

Rotating schedules can be exciting, but they can also feel a little overwhelming if we are not careful. A few simple habits make it easier to keep up with Daily Air Ride and limited time events without turning the game into homework. Checking the Daily menu as soon as we start playing sets the tone for the rest of the session, because we immediately know which tracks or machines are featured and can plan around them. Grouping several Daily or event runs into a short block also helps, since we warm up on the same ruleset and improve quickly instead of bouncing between unrelated modes. It is also smart to treat events as a chance to try machines or builds we would normally avoid, both because checklists often encourage variety and because we might find a new favorite. Finally, remembering that not every Daily has to be cleared keeps things healthy; skipping a day when real life is busy is better than forcing a run while tired. With that mindset, the schedule becomes a playful rhythm instead of a chore.

Replay video conversion and sharing with the community

One of the flashiest additions in version 1.1.1 is the ability to convert replays into video files and share them with other players. Replays can be turned into videos by selecting Record in the playback settings for temporary saves or stored replay data, and once the conversion is complete they can be posted from the Details screen inside the Replay menu. That transforms impressive City Trial finishes, clutch Relay Switch handoffs, and silly Road Trip mishaps into clips that can live beyond a single session. It also gives more structure to learning from others, because we can quietly watch how skilled players take specific corners, manage boosts, or route their City Trial scavenging runs. Spectate mode makes this even better, since we can jump into replays through the Multiplayer menu and treat them like a built in highlight channel. For a series that has always traded on spectacle, being able to capture and show those big moments is a natural evolution that helps Kirby Air Riders feel more like a game that occupies a space in our social feeds, not just our living room.

Why a microSD Express card is required for replay videos

Replay video conversion comes with one big requirement: a microSD Express card must be in the system for the feature to work. At first glance that might feel like a hurdle, but it makes sense when we think about how much data a stack of high resolution clips can eat up and how quickly the system needs to read and write those files. The built in storage already has to juggle game installs, updates, and save data, so offloading heavy video files to faster external storage helps the whole system breathe. For us, it is a quiet reminder that if we plan to record a lot of highlight reels, investing in a microSD Express card is almost as important as picking a main machine in game. The upside is that once the card is in place, the process is straightforward: convert from replay, let the system handle the encoding, and then share the video without worrying about storage warnings every other day.

Training Figure Player racers with Kirby amiibo

Another fun addition in version 1.1.1 is the ability to train FP, or Figure Player racers, by using amiibo from the Kirby Air Rider series. These digital partners can be developed by holding an amiibo over the reader, either through the Other Games amiibo menu or directly on the machine or rider selection screen before a race. Over time, Figure Players learn from the races they participate in, reflecting decisions and tendencies that make them feel a little more like ghost versions of real rivals. That means solo players gain more interesting opponents, while groups can create signature FP rivals that carry a group’s style even when someone is offline. Amiibo owners have another reason to pull their figures off the shelf rather than letting them gather dust, and it gives collectors a practical payoff beyond display value. Training FP racers also gives us a way to practice new machines without committing to ranked online matches, since we can see how our choices stack up against steadily improving AI that is tuned by our own play patterns.

My Machine privacy settings and Road Trip balance changes

Version 1.1.1 also spends time on small quality of life improvements that quietly affect how comfortable we feel bringing our favorite setups online. The My Machine feature, which stores our preferred builds, can now be set to Private so that those machines are hidden from other players and cannot be used in online mode. This matters if we like to keep a clever build under wraps or simply do not want strangers copying our exact loadout. The multiplayer options include a Share My Machine toggle that lets us set privacy for all machines at once, while each machine can also be adjusted individually from its list screen. On top of that, Road Trip has been balanced to smooth out rough edges in long form play. The goal here is not to rewrite the mode, but to keep streaks from feeling unfairly punished by odd difficulty spikes or awkward machine matchups. Together, these changes make Kirby Air Riders feel more respectful of both our time and our preferences, which can make the difference between sticking with Road Trip for an extra hour and putting the system to sleep.

Why Road Trip tuning matters for long drives

At first, Road Trip might look like a simple sequence of races, but anyone who has sunk time into it knows how frustrating it can be when a great run gets derailed by a single badly tuned stretch. Version 1.1.1’s balance pass aims to reduce those moments without flattening the mode into something toothless. Slight adjustments to difficulty flow, machine availability, and event patterns help Road Trip feel more like a fair test of skill and planning instead of a gauntlet of random spikes. For long sessions, that matters a lot, because it encourages us to chase better routes and smarter machine choices rather than blaming the mode itself when things go wrong. By making Road Trip a little less punishing and a bit more predictable in its rhythm, the update encourages players who might have bounced off early to give it another shot. That kind of tuning rarely shows up in trailers or marketing blurbs, yet it often does the most work in keeping a game glued into everyday routines.

Bug fixes and stability improvements that smooth out every mode

Behind the headline features, version 1.1.1 carries a long list of bug fixes that address issues across online play, paddocks, City Trial, Quick Race, Team Battle, Air Ride Relay, Local Wireless sessions, Road Trip, and even the checklist system itself. Online matchmaking has been adjusted so that matches start properly and do not hang forever on search screens. Paddocks that previously refused to progress after specific operations now behave, which keeps lobbies from feeling cursed. Joining friends in City Trial, Quick Race, or Team Battle no longer risks freezing progression when certain actions are taken, while single console multiplayer Air Ride Relay sessions are protected from the freezes that could cut them short. Figure Player usage in Local Wireless no longer locks the game, and rare issues that left Road Trip stuck have been addressed. Even checklist tasks that failed to mark as complete despite meeting their conditions have been fixed. Those notes might not be as flashy as new modes or replay videos, but they are the glue that lets every other feature work consistently, turning Kirby Air Riders version 1.1.1 into a stable platform for future seasons, events, and potential balance updates.

Conclusion

Kirby Air Riders version 1.1.1 is more than a routine launch day patch; it is the build that defines how the game will be remembered in its early months. Online mode, local wireless and LAN options, Relay Switch, and City Trial Team Battle reshape how we race with friends and strangers alike. Daily Air Ride and limited time events give us a steady flow of reasons to come back, while replay video conversion, Spectate, and sharing tools help the best moments travel far beyond a single session. MicroSD Express support, amiibo powered Figure Player training, My Machine privacy options, Road Trip tuning, and a careful sweep of bug fixes all work together to make the experience feel sharper and more respectful of our time. Whether someone is jumping in for a few Daily runs or planning marathon Road Trip drives, version 1.1.1 ensures that Kirby’s latest adventure on wheels starts strong and feels ready for whatever Nintendo decides to add in the future.

FAQs
  • How do you access online mode in Kirby Air Riders after installing version 1.1.1?
    • Online mode can be accessed directly from the Multiplayer menu or from the mode select screen for modes that support it. Once the update is installed, an Online option appears alongside other multiplayer choices, and the checklist is updated with an Online entry to reflect new goals tied to connected races.
  • What is the Relay Switch format in Air Ride?
    • Relay Switch is a new competitive format in the Air Ride mode where teams pass control of machines between racers during a single event. Instead of one player using the same machine from start to finish, teammates take turns, which encourages planning around track segments, machine strengths, and careful timing of handoffs to keep momentum going.
  • How does Team Battle change City Trial matches?
    • Team Battle divides players into squads for both the City Trial exploration phase and the final event. Teammates can coordinate part gathering, defend each other from rivals, and focus their efforts during the closing challenge. The result is a more structured and cooperative version of City Trial that rewards communication and shared strategy instead of pure free for all chaos.
  • Why do you need a microSD Express card for replay video conversion?
    • Replay video conversion creates large video files that need fast and reliable storage. Kirby Air Riders requires a microSD Express card so that these files can be written and read quickly without overloading internal storage that is also responsible for game data and system tasks. With an Express card inserted, replay conversion and playback operate smoothly and leave more space on the main storage pool.
  • What kind of issues does the 1.1.1 update fix in Kirby Air Riders?
    • The 1.1.1 update fixes a variety of problems, including unstable online matchmaking, paddocks that would not progress, freezes during Air Ride Relay on a single console, and crashes tied to Figure Player usage in Local Wireless. It also resolves rare cases where Road Trip could become stuck and corrects checklist tasks that did not complete even after meeting their conditions, making every mode feel more reliable overall.
Sources
WhatsAppMessengerLinkedInRedditPinterestBufferSMS