Nintendo Dossier: Excitebike: World Rally Review

Hey hey hey Circuiters. I got bored of Nintendo Weekly, so I have passed it off to another writer. You can expect more regular updates of it now! But that means I now have a column to do, which is where the Dossier comes in. As a journalist, I receive all sorts of tips, hints, and otherwise. It's part of the job. I also receive women. That's not part of the job. Every week we'll pull out a new file from the dossier, and see what it includes. And no, it won't be a news roundup (that'll stay on Nintendo Weekly). Let's kickstart it with a review - Excitebike: World Rally.

The guys and gals at Monster Games have been working hard this year. First, they create one of the finest Arcade Racers I have ever played, Excitebots: Trick Racing. Then, they dapple in WiiWare with what is labeled as a remake of the original Excitebikes; I argue that it is an entirely new game.

Much like the original, Excitebike blurs the line between racing and everything else. In both titles, you aren't exactly looking to "win the race," you are simply trying to get the fastest time possible on two lengths of track. This, of course, means hitting your fellow racers can be disastrous to your time. In addition to other racers, terrain changes may hinder your progress, but can also create shortcuts.

Also similar are the controls, emulating the NES version so closely that on the time screen, said controller appears next to your time. The basic controls are acceleration, switching lanes, turboing (a double-edged sword), and performing wheelies.

Turbos, like the original, are regulated by a gauge on the lower right hand of the screen. If you let your engine get too hot your bike will stall, reducing your time. Shaking the Wii Remote is your only option to get back in the game. Of course, before this happens, you can cool down. The first way is traditional - hit the lovely arrows on the track and your engine will start anew. What makes this an entirely new game is the evolutionary process. The second method, my favorite part, is taking fellow racers out by attacking their front wheel. Not only does it make the game feel more in depth, it also serves to reduce your heat for god knows what reason.

Wheelies have also evolved, just like a good Pokémon. Now you can choose to wheelie right over the other racers if they get in your way, saving you precious seconds and from the imminent disaster switching lanes can cause. This was not in the original, but definitely should have been. Wii controls let you really get into the wheelie, as well. One of the two default control options has you activating a wheelie by tilting the Wii Remote. It truly becomes one of those racers you lean into with this addition.

Racing on, we should cover the tracks. Tracks are far more numerous than the original - which offered only a handful. For the most part, the differences are minute at a glance, but I am sure you will all gravitate to different ones. I, for one, like Canada. But there is a world full of options for you... really.

Graphically, every aspect of Excitebike is simple. While the devs have upped the ante past strictly 8-bit, this retro revival continues to show that it is, in fact, a new title. Our little biker buddies look fairly modern. Foliage and vegetation look sharp, while other background effects are convincing, considering the roots of the game. The sound also retains a semi retro/semi modern feel, but it isn't exactly a compilation of the best tunes we have heard on WiiWare. Nonetheless, they get the job done, which is saying something.

There is a wealth of features that make Excitebike: World Rally shine as well. First is the always popular stage creator that existed in the first. This is, sadly, one area I can't say the devs truly advanced,  as I find it as confusing as ever. You can replicate the gist of the stages you see and make some interesting ones yourself (even with some environmental effects), but it isn't terribly exciting. What does make it fun, though, is the ability to send them over WiiConnect24. As of now, I have not received any stages, but I can say the premise is there.

That is only one online option. The best is the multiplayer. Connecting with up to three other players, Monster took a page out of Mario Kart Wii's books. You have the choice of racing with friends (pah! friend codes!), or finding random players online. Suddenly Excitebike shifts gears from "sorta racer" to a full fledged racer, as the element of computers is non-existent. One of the perks of playing with friends is using a custom built stage – that’s integration. The servers haven't been incredibly taxed thus far, so play is smooth and consistent. I have yet to have trouble connecting with someone and races have been nice and smooth. Unfortunately, Monster, through another "only god knows why" moment, failed to introduce local multiplayer. I am not sure if they were high, ran out of space, or were just plain silly, but it is rather disappointing that this classic can't be shared in the same room. Oh well.

You'll still be playing through all of this. World Rally offers plenty of reason to do so. By integrating a ranking system (C for crappy, B for blah, A for acceptable, and S for super), Monster incorporated unlockable content. This is mostly two parts - more stages, or more bikes/color palettes. For those bawwing at this point, don't. This is a huge improvement over the original, which leads me to again assert it should never be considered a remake. For those masters out there, landing an S rank across all stages reaps a special reward. Have fun with it.

When the dust is settled, Monster Games delivered a smash hit. How Nintendo kept this under wraps until just before its release is beyond me, as Excitebike: World Rally is among the best racing titles on Wii, and shows WiiWare off wonderfully. By no means is World Rally a remake. I assure you, it stands on its own two...tires masterfully. Developers need to take note of World Rally and Mega Man 9, as these titles describe perfectly what gamers want - more retro goodness. With fantastic online advancements like no other, nice graphics and sound, and a low price, Excitebike should be racing to your Wii. Or, you could blow 10 bucks on this. World Rally is a must buy!

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