
I don’t see the racer as a realistic possibility, but I am surprised we’ve got so little content from Excitebike. It’s hard to see that coming from a character who lacks a name, face, or dialogue, especially since there’s so little else for him to use. Whether it’s Duck Hunt’s notorious (albeit changed) laugh, or R.O.B.’s kind of melancholic eyes, there’s a personality imbuing each one, something to energize them.
#EXCITEBIKE SPEEDRUN FULL#
The two feel oddly similar to the Light Gun games’ representation in Duck Hunt, albeit with the more unique character not being from the more well known game as well.įinal Thoughts: Putting aside their iconography and history and moves, I think it needs to be noticed how full of character the retro fighters are. It’s also one that’s got a bit more personality with its wasteland goofiness, which is worth considering. Outside of his truly memorable 8-bit sprite, he’s not the kind of character who really drives strong feelings or excitement.Īlso, while as a game Excitebike is more iconic in a general sense, Mach Rider is probably more well known among Smash fans its theme still carries a surprisingly heavy weight. The biker has even less distinct a personality than most of the early NES lineup the game was always much more about the tracks than the people riding over them.

#EXCITEBIKE SPEEDRUN SERIES#
I’m not sure how well it would actually work, but there’s potential for some truly bizarre ideas there.Ĭons: Excitebike is one of those series that’s iconic without really being feverish, probably because it’s not character-driven.

And summoning ramps for jumps and recovery could be used on (or by) opponents. Wheelies wouldn’t just be a taunt or trick, they’d be a necessity. Despite losing its Assist Trophy status, the racer was one of the few characters to get a trophy in both Smash 4 versions.Īs a fighter, there’s something to be said about the possibility of a character who can’t depart his ride, and would have to stay in constant motion. At the very least, it’s been referenced in far more games. The biggest thing racer has over Rider is prominence Excitebike got sequels while Mach Rider didn’t, and the former’s definitely more iconic. He’s often viewed as a rival to the other NES-era biker series considered for the position Mach Rider, and they’re often stacked against each other. Pros: The racer (then just known as “Excitebike”) was one of the characters Sakurai considered for the general NES representative in Melee, before ultimately choosing the dearly departed Ice Climbers. Some fans want its iconography included on the roster, and have been stumping for its inclusion.

It’s an important part of Nintendo’s most important era, but surprisingly it’s been given very little representation in Smash - just an early Assist Trophy in Brawl, part of the original “Famicom Medley,” and two trophies throughout the series. Though containing no adventuring or enemies, Excitebike is a very important NES title that was a substantial part of racing games, which were developing slowly in the medium. But what made the original game so distinct was in its details: it was an early 2.5D game with foreground and background space, and it featured a mode for building customizable new tracks. This unnamed racer (who most fans call the “Excitebiker, akin to the Villager’s being called the “Animal Crosser”) competed in motocross races, complete with ramps and opponents. The Character: No plot with this guy, but he’s certainly an icon - that sprite is one of the more well known in the NES era.
