Nintendo Issues Kirby Air Riders Free Content, Yours Until Christmas

In an attempt to add even more customisation to our Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 handhelds, Nintendo has announced another batch of free downloads which will be available until Christmas.

Whereas last month saw Nintendo celebrate all things Super Mario with its latest batch of free downloads, this month we are able to show our love to our favourite little pink blob Kirby.

To celebrate the launch of Kirby Air Riders which arrives on 20 November, Nintendo is giving Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 users the chance to decorate their profile in commemoration.

Developed by Bandai Namco Studios, Kirby Air Riders is a spin-off title from the beloved Kirby franchise and a sequel to 2003’s Kirby Air Ride.

Our very own Sam Cawley was lucky enough to review Kirby Air Riders ahead of its launch and called it “The Switch 2’s Best Racer”.

“Kirby Air Riders may fall short in terms of track selection compared to Mario Kart World, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t the best racing game released this year, and one of the best first-party Nintendo games to launch on the Nintendo Switch 2,” he wrote.

“It’s easy to learn but difficult to master gameplay loop will leave you desperate to improve, and City Trial provides the perfect playground to practice in, keeping you entertained for hours on end.”

So, if you are looking forward to the release of Kirby Air Riders today and want to decorate your Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 in solidarity, you can take advantage of this batch of free downloads.

Nintendo

Shared on the NSO Icon Alerts Twitter account, there are 25 new character icons to download including Kirby, Knuckle Joe, Gooey, Rocky and many more.

Additionally, there are eight new backgrounds and even four frames to add that extra bit of je ne sais quoi to your profiles.

The icons, backgrounds and frames are free to download and keep up until 25 December but will rotate weekly so just keep an eye out for when they roll back around.

How to redeem

To redeem any of these freebies, head to the Nintendo Switch Online app and select the “Missions & Rewards” tab.

Once here, you will be able to grab them for 5-10 Platinum coins each but this virtual currency is easily stacked by purchasing or playing games on the Nintendo Switch so there is no doubt you have some saved up.

The catch is that you will need to be a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber but this can be any tier.

So there you have it! Celebrate the launch of Kirby Air Riders in style with this free batch of customization options.