Metacritic Games

Excitebike 64 (Nintendo 64)

Nintendo
Racing, Driving
Players: 4
E (Everyone)
Developer: Left Field
Released May 2, 2000

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

88 / 100

Critic Reviews

100 Hot Games
All in all, this is an absolutely top class package.
100 Daily Radar
We predict with confidence that Excitebike 64 will go down in gaming history as the best motorcycle game ever.
100 Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)
It's tricky. Plunge in with the right attitude though and this will keep you happy for months.
97 IGN
It takes it all to the next level with a fantastic 3D engine, delightfully realistic physics, intuitive control, brilliantly detailed graphics, ingenious subtleties and tons of options.
97 Gaming Maxx
With a small drawback if you're coming to this game for the music, it is the best cycle game out there, not to mention one of the best N64 racers there is.
95 Game Fan
In addition to the superb animation, the game sounds awesome... Its dirt bikes actually sound like the real thing--none of that high-pitched tin squeal you'll find in other sub-par racers.
92 TotalGames.net
The tracks are stunning and the physics engine manages to feel realistic, but also work perfectly as a game.
91 Antagonist -- Ant.com
Excitebike 64 is to "Jeremy McGrath" what Grilled Filet Mignon is to Chilled Pickled Hog's Feet.
91 Core Magazine
N64-owning racing fans owe it to themselves to pick up Excitebike 64, as do all gamers who appreciate control schemes that reward repeat playing.
90 Nintendojo
Serious air is the truth with this bad boy. You better have skipped lunch if you're going to get on this wild ride!!
90 CheckOut
A near flawless game that never tries to get too fancy for its own good. It's simple and simply awesome.
90 CNET Gamecenter
This is the best racing game on the Nintendo 64. Period.
90 Electric Playground
Added bonuses like the inclusion of the original side-scrolling turbo-cooling itty-bitty-bit masterpiece plus a tremendous hybrid of classic and new with 3D-ified straight and narrow, linear and delineated track design adds great gobs of icing to the cake.
90 Electronic Gaming Monthly
As fun as the original Excitebike (8-bit Nintendo), and it even has a custom track editor. [Jan 2004, p.189]
90 Game Critics
The game isn't perfect—I would have liked even more tracks to race on as well as a few more racers—but there is no arguing the excellent gameplay.
90 Nintendorks
Mahvelous. Those graphics are freakin' mahvelous.
88 GameSpot
Some will cry about the frame rate, and some will wish the game featured real riders, but even these woes are forgotten when the game itself is so scrumptious.
85 GameShark
The control isn't the easiest to get the hang of, there were times I thought about snapping that little analog stick right off the controller!
82 Da Gameboyz
Add to the mix a host of extras like special tracks, detailed graphics and a couple of big air tricks and you've got a pretty entertaining little racing game.
80 All Game Guide
The best thing about Excitebike 64 is that the races are fast and fun. If you use turbo properly, the races will move along quickly with lots of big air. Even though only six riders total are in the pack in the one-player mode, the artificial intelligence is setup so that a cluster of riders will be relatively close to each other.
80 GamePro
Bursting with awesome extras, Excitebike 64 should be more fun, but it just manages to be okay.
75 Gaming Age
Gamers who seek a racer that offers speed thrills will not find what they desire in ExciteBike 64.
70 Games Domain
It takes some effort to get into, but it's worth it in the end when your reward for sticking it out are some exciting nail-biting races.
65 Happy Puppy
The control's not user-friendly from the get-go; you'll need time and patience to hang with the big boys.

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