Grand Prix arrives alongside GameShare support, balance adjustments, and a long list of bug fixes.
Kirby Air Riders has received its first software update of 2026—and potentially its final major update.
Version 1.3.0 is now live as of January 26, 2026, and it’s a substantial one. The update introduces new gameplay modes, expanded multiplayer options, balance adjustments, and a long list of bug fixes.
Below are the full patch notes, courtesy of Nintendo’s official support page.
Kirby Air Riders: Ver. 1.3.0
(Released January 26, 2026)
General
- GameShare is now supported.
- Players can access the GameShare screen from the title screen and choose between People Nearby or GameChat.
- A new Grand Prix mode has been added for Air Ride matches in paddocks.
- Players compete across multiple races, with winners determined by total points.
- A new paddock rule set, Sub-In Series, has been added.
- Allows continuous matches with players subbing in and out.
- Two players can now participate in paddocks and Quick Matches from a single Nintendo Switch 2 system.
- The “Popular” search condition in the Machine Market Buy section has been changed to “Random.”
- The Transform Star’s bike-type form can now be customized in the My Machine → Apply Decal screen.
- Once a decal is applied to one form, decals on the other form cannot be edited until all existing decals are removed.
- Individual records can now be deleted for each machine in Personal Best.
- In City Trial, the Special gauge will no longer decrease when swapping to or stealing a machine if Special could have been triggered.
- Lock-on range when swapping to a vacant machine in City Trial has been adjusted.
- Players can now discard a Copy Ability in City Trial by tilting the Left Stick down or pressing the Down Button—without triggering Special.
- The game version is now displayed in the lower-left corner after finishing a Time Attack race.
- Disconnecting or withdrawing from a friends-only online paddock will no longer result in penalties.
Balance Adjustments
Rider Adjustments
- Waddle Dee
- Increased Defense while Special is active.
- Bandana Waddle Dee
- Increased Special attack power and range.
- Improved gliding speed and reduced fall speed during Special.
- Waddle Doo
- Increased automatic and Special attack power.
- Expanded attack detection for bullets.
- Gooey
- Extended Special range and improved bullet detection.
- Cappy
- Increased durability of the mushroom cap.
- Scarfy
- Increased HP.
- Boosted Top Speed, Offense, and Defense while angry.
- Reduced damage needed to enter angry state.
- Shorter cooldown before becoming angry again.
- Increased explosion damage and Special range.
- Susie
- Increased HP and Defense during Special.
- Noir Dedede
- Increased Offense and Defense during Special.
Machine Adjustments
- Shadow Star / Jet Star / Vampire Star
- Stronger deceleration when hitting walls with Quick Spin.
- Wagon Star
- Reduced forward acceleration while skidding sideways.
- Improved acceleration from low to medium speeds.
- Wheelie Bike (City Trial only)
- Increased initial Top Speed and Turn values.
- Faster growth for Top Speed and Turn.
- Hop Star (All modes)
- Increased fall speed after midair Boost Charging.
- Expanded stomp attack range and damage.
- Tank Star
- Increased ground Top Speed.
- Faster drift charging and improved Perfect Landing momentum.
- Hydra (Air Ride only)
- Reduced deceleration when colliding with other machines.
Bug Fixes
- Improved online communication stability.
- Fixed multiple crashes, UI display issues, and progression bugs.
- Addressed numerous City Trial, paddock, relay, replay, and machine-specific issues.
- Fixed several camera behavior problems across courses and modes.
- Resolved multiple Copy Ability, Transform Star, and stat calculation bugs.
- Corrected rare online and replay-related errors involving specific characters and events.
(Full detailed bug list remains unchanged from Nintendo’s official notes.)
Important Note
Replays from Ver. 1.2.0 and earlier are not compatible with Ver. 1.3.0.
To keep older replays, convert them to video files before updating by selecting Record in the replay playback settings.
A microSD Express card is required for this feature.
About the Author
Scott (Scotty) Greenhalgh is the founder and owner of Input Lag, an independent Nintendo-focused publication. Scotty brings a player-first perspective informed by years of hands-on experience with Nintendo games to his reviews, rankings, and editorial coverage. His writing focuses on how games feel to play, their long-term value, and the impact Nintendo’s creative and business decisions have on players.
Outside of Input Lag, he also creates Pokémon-focused content online under the name Gr3atScotty.
