Excitebike is a side-scrolling motocross racing game designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and published by Nintendo for the NES, the first game in the Excite series and an NES launch title. Players race over ramps and hurdles across five tracks, managing an engine-temperature turbo, adjusting mid-air landing angles, and sideswiping rivals. It includes a track editor for building custom courses.
How To Play Excitebike
Control
Action
D-Pad
Change lanes (up/down); adjust the bike’s angle in the air (left/right)
A Button
Accelerate
B Button
Turbo boost (faster, but overheats the engine)
Select
Menu / track select
Start
Start game / pause
About Excitebike
Release date
Famicom (JP): November 30, 1984 · NES (NA): October 18, 1985 · NES (EU): September 1, 1986
Developer
Nintendo R&D1 (design by Shigeru Miyamoto)
Publisher
Nintendo
Platform
NES / Famicom; also VS. System / PlayChoice-10 arcade
Genre
Racing (motocross)
Series
Excite (first entry)
Modes
Single-player, multiplayer (alternating)
Also known as
エキサイトバイク (Ekisaitobaiku) · VS. Excitebike (arcade)
Sheldon has spent over a decade immersed in retro gaming, from NES classics to arcade gems. He's deeply passionate about preserving gaming history and helping others rediscover these timeless titles. When he's not gaming, Shaun writes about the evolution of video games and their cultural impact.
