Excitebike
Excitebike is a 1984 racing game developed by Nintendo for the NES, an early launch-era title that put players in control of a motocross rider navigating obstacle-strewn dirt tracks. Its side-on view and emphasis on jumps and hazards gave it an approachable, arcade-like feel.
Players had to manage their bike's temperature, avoiding overheating from prolonged turbo use by cooling on stretches of track, and angle their rider correctly in mid-air to land jumps smoothly without crashing. A built-in track editor let players design and race their own custom courses, an unusually forward-thinking feature for the time, though the original release could not save creations to cartridge.
As one of the console's foundational titles, it holds a fond place in NES history and its riders later cameoed in other Nintendo games and crossover series. The original has been re-released on classic-game services, and its simple, satisfying racing still holds up as an accessible pick-up-and-play title.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to Excitebike, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
| Alternative | Price | Steam Deck | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lonely Mountains: Downhill Indie | € 19,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch |
| Trials Rising | € 19,99 | Steam Deck Unsupported | PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch |
| Urban Trial Tricky Indie | € 19,99 | Steam Deck Untested | PC, PlayStation, Switch |
| Trials Fusion | € 19,99 | Steam Deck Playable | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |
| Nintendo Switch Online | € 19,99 + in-app purchases | Not on Steam | Switch |
Lonely Mountains: Downhill Indie
€ 19,99A relaxing indie downhill biking game with skill-based riding.
Lonely Mountains: Downhill runs on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet.
Trials Rising
€ 19,99A modern physics-based motocross game with track creation tools.
Trials Rising runs on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet.
Urban Trial Tricky Indie
€ 19,99Arcade side-on stunt riding, quick to pick up and built around one-more-go runs.
Urban Trial Tricky runs on PC, PlayStation, Switch. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, Xbox.
Trials Fusion
€ 19,99Physics-driven side-on motorbike courses, with a track editor in the Excitebike tradition.
Trials Fusion runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, Switch.
Nintendo Switch Online
€ 19,99 + in-app purchasesThe NES original Excitebike is available via the subscription app.
Nintendo Switch Online runs on Switch. Not available on PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox.
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