Patch

Patches (or Power Ups) are special items that appear in City Trial mode in Kirby Air Ride. They come in different colors and appearances that indicate what parameter they will power up. Their general purpose is to upgrade Kirby's Air Machine to heighten the player's chances of winning the Mini-game that is played after the map. They only appear in Blue Boxes and Green Boxes. But there are Red Boxes that can hold copy ability patches, or parts of a Legendary Air Ride Machines. If a power up is gray, it will downgrade Kirby's machine. There are three types besides ability Patches, one type stays on Kirby's machine for the entirety of the trial, a type that either maximizes or minimizes the machine's stats for a short moment, and the last gives Kirby a makeshift power, such as giving him a powerful cannon or letting him chuck Gordos.

The only ways to lose Patches are to either destroy Kirby's Air Machine or take a great amount of damage. In most cases only Type #1 Patches can be lost this way.

Type #1
These are the patches that stay on Kirby's machine until the end of the trial unless he get attacked a lot. They come out of Blue boxes, along with recovery items.

Offense
This Patch raises a machine's offense. Offense is important for disabling other machines faster and causing greater damage. This power-up is handy on stronger machines like the Shadow Star, or the Swerve Star for quick winning in a melee.

Defense
This one raises a machine's defense. Defense is good for withstanding high amounts of damage. A machine with good defense and health often prevails over the others. Its appearance is based off of a shield, an item used for protection. Putting this power up on a machine like Bulk Star, or the Rex Wheelie will make the player very hard to take out, especially in a melee.

Top Speed
This one raises a machine's top speed. Top Speed is good for winning drag races and avoiding opponents. It goes well with the Boost power up. Its appearance is based off of a meteor shooting at full speed. The player should get this power up to stars like the Winged Star to help with drag races.

Turn
This one aids a machine's handling. Turning is important for going past sharp corners and turns, as well as avoiding damage from the environment. Its appearance is an arrow turning at 360 degrees. When the player hops on a Star that doesn't turn well, like a Slick Star or a Swerve Star, the player should get plenty of these to make it handle better.

Charge
This one raises a machine's charging speed, making it charge faster. Charging is good for accelerating quicker and winning races. It is best combined with a Boost Patch. It is based off of a battery. The player should apply this to stars like the Bulk Star to make accelerating and winning a drag race a lot easier.

Boost
This one raises how much speed a machine gets when it lets out a boost after charging. Boosting is good for accelerating to top speed faster than normal. It looks like a dash panel. This power up should be applied to stars like the Formula Star for drag racing.

Glide
This one raises a machine's aerial game. Gliding is good for getting to places easier. If the player lands perfectly after gliding, he/she will get a slight boost of speed. When the player gets this power up, his/her weight will go down for his/her machine. It appears to be a pair of wings. The player should apply this power up to stars like the Rocket Star for excellent air time in the Air Glide Stadium. It is important to combine this with speed.

Weight
This one raises a machines weight. Weight is important for fast falling and prevents the machine of the player from being knocked back far when hit with an attack. When the player gets weight, he/she downgrades his/her air time. It appears to be a weight. This power up was made for bikes and stars with poor aerial game like the Rex Wheelie and the Bulk Star. Combining this with defense is important.

HP
This one raises a machine's stamina. It is one of the rarest and most important power ups in the game. Stamina is very important to a machine; if the machine's stamina is depleted, it will explode, and the player will have to find a new one. It appears to be a heart shape. The player should either give this to weaker machines like the Winged Star to make it more balanced, or give it to something with a naturally high HP to make them an absolute tank.

All
The All Patch raises every stat on a machine by one. It is the ultimate Patch, and is the rarest of them all. Only a few of them appear in an entire run through of City Trial. Most of these patches can be obtained thorugh the events that occur throughout the city such as the Dyna Blade and U.F.O. events.

Type #2
These types temporarily increases or decreases a machine's stat, depending on the symbol and coloration. These come from Green boxes.

Offense Max
This one maximizes a machine's offense. This should be used to quickly destroy other machines and boxes with ease before it wears off.

Defense Max
This one maximizes a machine's defense. With this, the player briefly doesn't need to worry about damage before it wears off.

Charge/Boost/Top Speed Max
This maximizes both a machine's charging speed, top speed and boost. The player can zoom around to get fast to places he/she want to go to before it wears off.

All Max
This rare and glorious patch maximizes every stat on a machine for a brief period of time. It combines the power and benefits of each of the Patches mentioned above. It, like the regular All patch, can be used in any situation.

Type #3
These are the types that do nothing to the machine's stats, but temporarily gives Kirby a special ability.

Cannon
This one gives Kirby an orange cannon that he holds above his head and fires continuously until the time frame runs out. The player can easily break boxes and destroy other machines with this.

Panic Spin
This makes Kirby spin his machine out of control until the time frame runs out. This ability, although it somewhat hinders handling, also makes Kirby inapproachable and it becomes easier to destroy other machines and break boxes.

Sensor Bomb
Kirby will receive one mine to plant in the ground. If an unsuspecting victim goes over it, it will detonate on the victim nearly or completely demolishing the victims' health and possibly destroying the machine. The player needs to remember where he/she planted the mine so that he/she doesn't fall into his/her own trap, though. The bomb will detonate by itself after a period of inactivity with the mine.

Golden Spikes (A.K.A. Gordos)
Kirby will receive three Gordos to throw at his opponents. Once thrown, they will grow to a titanic size and linger in the spot he threw them to for a brief period of time, then they disappear. They are one of the most feared and destructive power ups and can destroy a machine as heavy as the Rex Wheelie in as little as a single hit.Sometimes, a little small spiny,you will throw it does massive damage but it's very small.

Invincibility Candy
Kirby will become invulnerable to all attacks. The player can use this to ride through a blast radius or a bunch of golden spikes and make it out virtually unscathed.

Type #4
These Patches also have nothing to do with the machine's stats. These are copy ability Patches. Because there are no enemies who give any copy abilities in City Trail, Kirby must rely on these small Patches that he finds in Red Boxes to gain his powers.

Bomb
This Patch bestows the Bomb ability when obtained.

Fire
This Patch bestows the Fire ability when obtained.

Freeze
This Patch bestows the Freeze ability when obtained.

Sleep
This Patch bestows the Sleep ability when obtained.

Wheel
This Patch bestows the Wheel ability when obtained.

Wing
This Patch bestows the Wing ability when obtained.

Plasma
This Patch bestows the Plasma ability when obtained.

Tornado
This Patch bestows the Tornado ability when obtained.

Sword
This Patch bestows the Sword ability when obtained.

Needle
This Patch bestows the Needle ability when obtained.

Mike
This Patch bestows the Mike ability when obtained.