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Excitebike 3D Classic to be offered free with 3DS eShop update

by JC Fletcher on Apr 26th 2011 11:30AM

When Nintendo finally flips the switch on the 3DS eShop, it's got a pretty solid plan for enticing users into the service. During an investor briefing, president Satoru Iwata announced that Nintendo plans to offer a free downloadable version of Excitebike through the eShop, for a limited time starting at launch.

It won't just be Excitebike -- it'll be 3D Excitebike. This freebie will be 3DS owners' first experience with the "3D Classics" line, in which classic games are updated with new 3D effects. So when some anonymous racer knocks you off your bike, it'll be more ... exciting. Iwata didn't specify a region for this release, so there is a possibility that it might be restricted to Japan.

Source: Nintendo

Tags: 3d-classics, 3ds, ds, eshop, excitebike, nintendo, satoru-iwata

Reader Comments (38)

I can't believe how much I still love this game. Nice little perk, but it better be available outside of Japan!

@Uncle Jesse

I didn't play it too much, but I had a lot of fond memories of Motocross Maniacs for the original Gameboy. Would love to see that in 3d! It has loops and stuff but felt very much like excitebike. Anyone else remember it?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3002/2878889135_eb55c6bff4.jpg

Awesome.

This will be the first 3DS game released I really want to play.

@FriedConsole

10-4.

@Urethra Alfredo
10-97

@Banksyliveraa

10-10-220

Cool! So is this a 3D version of the Nintendo Excitebike? Either way its a free game, so cool on Nintendo for that. Now we just need a firm release date and a date on Link to the Past and Super Mario World :p

I'd honestly be surprised if this wasn't part of the NA launch of the eShop, too.

Here's a few follow ups: Will the 3DS version include the course creation capabilities that the NES/FDS version did (the NA version had code hooks for the disk drive but obviously did not use it)? If so, will course sharing be done through StreetPass or SpotPass? Will the visuals be based on the NES version or the SNES/Satellaview updated version-- or, hopefully, will there be a way to switch between them? What about DLC (weekly free courses, maybe)?

I know, I know, I shouldn't expect answers to these, but hey, someone needs to ask, right?

@John Z

Well, the Wii VC release had course creation and NES visuals, so I'm gonna guess the 3DS version will too. We'll hafta see.

3D 8-bit... so sexy

Yowza, that's mega good!

The ultimate sweetener.

Free stuff, no strings attached.

@Red Deer Except for that $250 3DS you need to play it.

@glibglop

This comment astounds me. Should they just beam it directly into your brain or something? When a game comes out do you say, "It's not $60, it's $360 because you need a console to play it on!"?

@Acosta02

You forgot the excess of the endless electricity bill you need in order to power the machine in question...
Hell, in some cases you still have the cost of the petrol needed in order to power the transport needed in order to go and purchase the game, then the extremely hard manual labour required by the legs and arm muscles in order to pick up the game, open the case and place the game inside the machine after the journey home in order to play the game...

Lets just thank god in this case only need to pay for an internet connection in order to download the game and then have the patcience to wait for my goods.

>_>

ber ber bee, berr berr beeee,
Ber Ber Beh, Ber Berr BEEEE

Bena bena bena beh, Duh nah nuh
Berna dun dun Dun-eeh!

I've got Excitebike on NES and even the e-Reader. This will be awesome. Marry me, Nintendo. Oh wait, Nintendo is owned by a guy, so that could be kinda gay... Well, we'll just continue being best friends.

Its free bc it probably sucks. Crap did I just troll? Stupid Nintendo brings the worst out in me.

Excitebike suck?

You are crazy, and a troll.

I love excitebike but that doesn't mean the 3d will be great. I can already play excitebike on the go with my phone.

@Maximo

This version doesn't involve you being a thief and an asshole though, so there's that.

@asdfgha. To the scrap heap with you, adbot.

My body is....

Wait.

Ok.

READY!!!

So we keep hearing about all these great things coming with the eShop update, yet they are mum on when we will actually see this update

@nick91884

March 27th.

@EndynOmni

Ignore that very stupid and useless comment.

A 3D Punchout or super punchout would be welcome.

@TwEE

No, that would be way too intense.

...Intensely awesome!

I like how Joystiq didn't put in the crucial fact that this is only announced for Japan, and likely only going to be released in Japan, until the very last line of the article.

Oh Joystiq. You tease.

This piece of news definitely sounds sweet.

Hopefully, this free game will also happen in the United States as well (I'd expect they'd do so, given how the first update included a 3-D music video by OK Go).

@TnAdct1 Remember, that music video will vanish when the next update is shipped out. This free game may be Nintendo's apology for having to take it away.

@Gameface252

Nothing against OK Go, really, but nobody should have to apologize for taking away that awful video. Worst 3D on the system.

I really hope it isn't Japan only. I played the NES version a bit, but for me it was all about the Gameboy version of excitebike. Loops, powerups, etc. It was an amazing game. I want to play that one in 3d!

It could be worse....the US could get Excitebike 64 3D.

Gimmie some of that.

WaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAA-gurblgurblgurbl.

Breaking News

Excitebike 3D Classic to be offered free with 3DS eShop update

Reader Comments (38)

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 11:33AM Uncle Jesse said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 2:14PM Poor Tom said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 11:34AM jph89 said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 11:34AM SmashZilla said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 11:35AM FriedConsole said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 11:43AM Urethra Alfredo said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 11:51AM Banksyliveraa said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 12:49PM Acosta02 said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 11:36AM sammo21 said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 11:47AM John Z said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 2:57PM Bighouse said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 11:47AM DarkSonata said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 11:49AM Banksyliveraa said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 11:51AM Red Deer said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 12:26PM glibglop said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 12:51PM Acosta02 said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 1:29PM Red Deer said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 12:00PM Nofriendo said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 12:01PM TCJJ said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 12:05PM Maximo said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 12:06PM Drakkenfyre said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 12:09PM Maximo said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 12:38PM A Sandwich said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 12:18PM Mrguy you know that guy said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 12:20PM Mrguy you know that guy said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 1:02PM nick91884 said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 1:36PM EndynOmni said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 1:37PM EndynOmni said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 1:15PM TwEE said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 1:17PM Raffi256 said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 1:18PM Raffi256 said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 1:27PM Alexisonfire said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 2:51PM TnAdct1 said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 8:37PM Gameface252 said

Posted: May 3rd 2011 1:51AM Bighouse said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 2:03PM Poor Tom said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 2:27PM andrewpoe said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 3:32PM ColorblindMonk said

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