You can choose from one of six riders, each with his own handling characteristics. Such is not the case, as the game plays like a dream. Ultimately, the greatest fear with the announcement of Excitebike 64 was that it would be a derivative rehash of modern cycle racers. Yes indeed, all of the unadulterated gameplay and panache of the NES Excitebike is yours for the taking - provided you finish the season-mode tutorial - and the track editor even lets you save your tracks in the NES game, a feature that wasn't available in the US version of the original. If that weren't enough, you can also unlock the original Excitebike. If you have the guts to finish all that, then you can take on the special tracks, an assortment of quirky side games - such as a bonfire-filled desert course, the stunt competition, a game of motorbike soccer, or the hill climb. Nintendo delivers with a 20-track season mode, a 17-track tutorial, a variety of exhibition and time-trial modes, and a level editor. Now though, the franchise is seeing its rebirth in the 3D dirt-bike extravaganza, Excitebike 64. Simply put, Excitebike was a class A title with a reputation that remained untouched for 15 years. One title released during that time was a side-scrolling motorcycle game titled Excitebike, which featured simplistic and addicting gameplay and a plethora of unique courses. In 1985, Nintendo released the NES, and with the help of Mario and Zelda it reinvigorated the industry. Don’t forget to rate and subscribe.Ĭheck back next week for entry #32 on the Definitive 50 N64 games.In 1984, the gaming industry was all but dead, in shambles after a war waged by Coleco, Atari, and Intellivision. Let me know what you think of Excitebike and the Definitive 50 in the comments section below. The series, or at least its name, was again reborn on the Wii with ExciteTruck and ExciteBots. ![]() The Excitebike franchise lay dormant for another generation with the GameCube, unless you count its presence in Animal Crossing or the NES Classic on GBA. Two to four players can face off on their bikes to shove a giant soccer ball around a field and try to score on oversized nets.Įxcitebike also includes a track editor, so you can build your own courses of devilish jumps and villainous turns. ![]() As with the rest of the game, these are technically demanding to pull off, but nailing them, and getting good, is all the more satisfying for it.Īnd yes – I did say Soccer. Tricks are performed by combining the down C and R buttons with various control stick movements. Of course, points are also awarded and tallied. Stunt Course provides the open space and big jumps necessary to pull off all of the game’s best moves, although tricks can be performed throughout the game. The Desert track is a special, randomly generated, and wide open course in which you compete to reach a series of 10 camp fires that act as markers. These include Desert, Stunt Course, Soccer, Original Excitebike, and Excitebike 3D, a classically themed Excitebike course, built and played in Excitebike 64 style. There are also several special tracks available – two to start, and more can be unlocked as you work through Season Mode. The game boasts an impressive 20 tracks, playable across three difficulties in Season Mode. It’s a great mechanic, and one straight from the original Excitebike. Then, in the midst of the game’s numerous jumps – over every manner of hill and muddy slope, you’ve got to carefully lean back for extra air, or turn downward to catch the next slope at the right angle so you don’t lose precious speed and start falling behind. You need to maintain constant awareness of impending turns, encroaching opponents, and your own bike’s engine temperature. The game’s unforgiving physics and controls require some getting used to, but mastery will have you deserving your very own No Fear jacket. ![]() The companies’ collaborative efforts are probably best remembered for Excitebike 64, which brought the famous Excitebike NES game into the polygonal era.Įxcitebike 64 is a highly technical motocross game that demands players embrace the culture of 90s era EXXXTREME sports, and live it digitally. Left Field Productions worked on a variety of sports titles for Nintendo systems in the late 90s and early 2000s, and Nintendo briefly bought a piece of the company in 1998, before selling it back in 2002. The list so far: The Definitive 50 N64 Games
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