Parents Video Game Reviews for Families- Excite Bike 64

Excite Bike 64

Overall: A-
Violence: A-
Sexual Content: A
Language: A
Drugs/Alcohol: A

Platform reviewed: Nintendo 64
Publisher: Nintendo
ESRB rating: E

In one of my favorite TV commercials, a rowboat floats lazily in the middle of a tranquil lake. Its two occupants (seated at opposite ends of the craft) are spending some quiet time fishing on what appears to be an overcast evening. This peaceful setting is suddenly interrupted by a droning noise, followed by a rider-less dirt bike plummeting from the sky, barely missing the fishing vessel as it plunges into a watery grave. One of the fishermen leans over in stunned disbelief, staring at the ripples generated by the crash... seconds later, a rider falls into the boat, causing the leaning fisherman to fall overboard. The announcer says, "Excitebike 64. Get. Serious. Air." And I'm hooked.

Excitebike 64's moto-cross (MX) action features some basic options found in many racing games: Tutorial mode can be used to practice bike maneuvers; Exhibition Race offers a quick racing fix for up to four players; Time Trial will have you competing against the clock and, if you wish, a ghost racer (a character saved from previous races); and there's also one that allows track customization.

But the main event is Season Mode... a single-player game which allows you to advance through three increasingly difficult rounds (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) consisting of five tracks each. And whether you're racing indoors in Kyoto, Japan, or jumping canyons somewhere in a desert--there are many opportunities for airborne acrobatics. In addition, achieving specific goals along the way will unlock extra courses and bonus modes.

Your virtual MX'er is selected from a list of six candidates. Carefully consider the task at hand while choosing a rider, since each has differing talents when it comes to landing, cornering, jumping, and speed. You'll find that bikes handle fairly well no matter which character you choose, but where the computer controlled riders are concerned... well, that's a different story. Rarely do these CPU bikers fall, but when they do, they seem to catch up a lot faster than you ever could. With the Drone option turned on these opponents often veer into your path and, depending upon your reaction time, will cause either pile-ups or hair-raising close calls.

Once you've grown tired of eating dirt and inhaling exhaust fumes on the MX circuit, some of the game's bonus modes will provide a refreshing change. Although every character is capable of mid-air stunts like bar hops, nac nacs, and fender kisses, each one has a specialty stunt up their sleeve which come in handy for everyone's favorite hot-dogging event, the Stunt Competition. Another huge hit with the crowd is the Hill Climb--which in my case could be renamed the downhill tumble. There's even a game of motorbike soccer, a desert run which requires you to put out bonfires, and the 16-year-old original NES Excitebike version.

Parents will be happy to note that, aside from minimal violence due to contact with other riders, there are no apparent concerns with this game (just make sure your virtual biker takes time out every now and then to get a breath of some real air). Oh, and if they actually own a dirt bike... you may want to share this little tidbit: Those Nintendo commercials come with the disclaimer "Don't try this at home."

Jim Fleming