Retro Game: Vs. Excitebike

Overview

Vs. Excitebike is the enhanced and definitive version of the beloved motocross racer, released for Japan's Famicom Disk System. While it retains the core mechanics that made the original a classic, this edition adds several game-changing features that fans outside of Japan wouldn't experience for decades. The most significant additions are a true simultaneous two-player split-screen mode and the ability to save custom-made tracks, making it the complete package that the original cartridge promised.

Background

Released in 1986, Vs. Excitebike was designed to take advantage of the Famicom Disk System, a peripheral for Nintendo's console in Japan that used rewritable floppy disks. This technology allowed for larger games and, crucially, the ability to save data. This solved the biggest frustration of the original NES version, where tracks created in Design Mode were erased as soon as the console was powered off. The "Vs." branding was used by Nintendo for its arcade titles that were often enhanced versions of their console games, and this version brings that competitive spirit home with its head-to-head multiplayer.

Gameplay

The fundamental gameplay of Vs. Excitebike remains the same addictive formula: players race to beat the clock while managing engine heat and controlling the bike's pitch to ensure smooth landings over jumps. This version, however, introduces the titular "Vs. Excite" mode. In this mode, two players can compete directly against each other in a split-screen race, a feature sorely missed in the original international release. The game also features a revised single-player mode with qualifying rounds and bonus "miracle rider" challenges. The most significant upgrade comes to Design Mode; thanks to the Famicom Disk System's rewritable media, players could finally save their custom track creations to the disk, allowing them to build a library of their own challenging courses to race on later.