Overview
Hit the turbo. Watch the temperature. Excitebike delivered satisfying motocross racing with a critical resource management twist—overuse the turbo and your engine overheats, forcing a trackside cooldown. The included track editor let players design their own courses, pioneering user-generated content on the NES.
Fast facts
- Developer: Nintendo R&D1.
- Designer: Shigeru Miyamoto.
- Innovation: Built-in track editor.
- Temperature: Engine management mechanic.
Racing mechanics
| Element |
Function |
| Acceleration |
A button |
| Turbo |
B button (builds heat) |
| Lane switching |
Up/down movement |
| Wheelies |
Control landing angle |
Temperature system
| State |
Effect |
| Cool |
Full turbo available |
| Warming |
Approaching danger |
| Overheated |
Forced trackside stop |
| Cooldown |
Wait to resume |
| Arrow tiles |
Cool engine instantly |
Track elements
| Obstacle |
Challenge |
| Small ramps |
Minor jumps |
| Large ramps |
Big air |
| Mud |
Slows bike |
| Speed arrows |
Boost and cool |
| Other riders |
Collision hazard |
Track editor
| Feature |
Capability |
| Design Mode |
Build custom tracks |
| Elements |
Full obstacle set |
| Testing |
Play your creation |
| Saving |
Famicom Disk System only |
Game modes
| Mode |
Description |
| Selection A |
Solo time trial |
| Selection B |
Race against CPU |
| Design |
Track creation |
Landing mechanics
| Angle |
Result |
| Level |
Clean landing |
| Nose down |
Crash |
| Wheelie |
Speed boost |
Legacy
| Influence |
Area |
| Track editors |
User content standard |
| Resource management |
Strategic racing |
| Excite series |
Excite Truck, Excitebots |
See also