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Excitebike

NES

NES

Design your own motocross course for a different racing challenge every time! This thrilling Nintendo Programmable game lets you vary the obstacles, change the sequence of events, and increase the racing challenge time and time again! You'll start out in a Nintendo designed preliminary race, a...

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Developer
Nintendo R&D1

Released on
1984

Size
1 Player

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Racing

Publisher
Nintendo

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Design your own motocross course for a different racing challenge every time!

This thrilling Nintendo Programmable game lets you vary the obstacles, change the sequence of events, and increase the racing challenge time and time again! You’ll start out in a Nintendo designed preliminary race, and move through a series of increasingly difficult challenge races! You’ll face crazy curves, hairpin turns, daredevil jumps, and some very fierce motocross competition, as you race your bike towards the checkered flag. This thrilling test of driving strategy and skill will keep you riveted to the screen for hours!

Excitebike

Overview & History

Developed and published by Nintendo, *Excitebike* roared onto the Family Computer in Japan in 1984 before making its iconic debut on the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1985. Designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, this seminal motocross racing title eschewed traditional narrative or storyline campaigns in favor of pure, arcade-style sport simulation. Instead of fighting villains or rescuing princesses, players battled the clock and unforgiving terrain. Its revolutionary inclusion of a "Design Mode" allowed players to construct their own customized dirt tracks, setting a groundbreaking precedent for user-generated content in home console gaming.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The core objective in *Excitebike* is to qualify for the Championship race by beating the target time across two distinct game modes: Selection A (solo time trial) and Selection B (racing against AI opponents). The gameplay revolves around mastering physics and maintaining momentum over a side-scrolling, multi-lane track littered with mud puddles, small bumps, steep hills, and massive ramps. A unique core mechanic is the management of the motorcycle's engine temperature. Players can accelerate normally, or engage a "turbo" boost for maximum speed. However, prolonged use of the turbo overheats the engine, causing the bike to stall temporarily and forcing the player to wait for it to cool down. Steering requires precise aerial control: while airborne, players must shift their weight using the controls to tilt the bike forward or backward. Landing at an improper angle causes a devastating crash, throwing the rider off the bike and eating up precious seconds as they frantically run back to restart.