************************************
*  EXCITEBIKE 64 FAQ/WALKTHROUGH   *
*  By: superstar64                 *
*  a.k.a.   Jordan Stopciati       *
*    (js_sstar64@hotmail.com)      *
*                                  *
*  VERSION 2.21                    *
************************************

As for updates:
 2.21 - Yet another Q&A, and yet another code.
 2.2 - Modified a question for the Q&A's, and a few more codes.
 2.1 - My e-mail address has changed. Please see above.
 2.0 - A huge update, there are now track maps for EVERY course 
(excluding the special courses, which I'm not going to bother doing) 
and some more useful information. Plus a couple of more Q&A's. Version 
3.0 will have suggested times and yet even more stuff, and that'll 
probably be the last major update.
 1.0.1 - Updated the Legal Stuff section...I had to indicate which 
sites were allowed to have it. It only took two days for two sites to 
approaching me in asking for it!
 1.0 - FAQ is completed way ahead of schedule, I should really get it 
uploaded now...version 2.0 will contain track maps and maybe even more 
stuff. But I'll add it if it's backed by popular demand... (July 29, 
2000)
 0.1  Turning the preliminary information into a full-fledged 
FAQ/Walkthrough, which should be done in a few days, if I can squeeze 
out enough time...besides, my braces are getting tightened tomorrow. 
And it's not pretty. (July 26, 2000)
 
-----------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS

-1.0 - Updates
0.0  Legal Stuff
1.0  Formatting
2.0  Game Synopsis
3.x  How to Play
  1  Controls
  2  Riders
  3  Modes
4.0  Season Mode
5.0  Tracks
6.0  Special Tracks
7.0  Track Strategies
8.0  Track Shortcuts
9.0  Big Tips
10.0 - Q&A
11.0  Some More Legal Stuff
12.0  Credits, Self-Promotion, and Everything Else To Close This Off
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
0.0  LEGAL STUFF

Yes, legal stuff. Please read this before you read this FAQ, this will 
express your distribution rights with this document.

First of all, please DO NOT rip off ANY of this document and express it 
as your own. If there is any information you wish to use, please, when 
you write up your stuff, give me credit. You wouldn't want to get your 
stuff ripped off, would you? Think the golden rule. This document is 
COPYRIGHTED! The minute I type something original on this computer, 
it's copyright, and I didn't even fill out a form.

Second, this site is ONLY allowed on the following sites:
 - www.gamefaqs.com (ALWAYS comes first)
 - www.gamesdomain.co.uk
 - www.gameadvice.com (my FAQ is listed under the following sites:)
   - www.gamewinners.com
   - vgstrategies.about.com 
It is not allowed to be put on ANY other site at the time being. 
However, if you ask, I'll let you put it on. Every time I revise the 
FAQ, I will send it to you. (Note: if you find this FAQ on ANY site 
other than GameFAQs or the sites above, please contact me and I will 
deal with it personally.)

Third, use this FAQ at your own risk. Most likely, 99.99% of all people 
reading this FAQ will most likely live a normal life and not have any 
of the problems shown below. However, there is a small percentage that 
will have problems. I can not be held responsible for any of the 
following caused by the usage of this document:
 - Nintendo 64 or Excitebike 64 Game Pak damage. The cost of such 
repairs is considered your responsibility.
 - Injury or death sustained while connected with the use of this 
Excitebike 64 FAQ/Walkthrough/. This includes everything from bruises 
to getting electrocuted by a lightning bolt and being pronounced brain 
dead on the spot.
 - Extreme frustration, resulting from not being able to beat a game.
 - Being grounded, arrested, or the victim of some sort of punishment.
 - All other unsolicited events, including severe events.

Therefore, if you have a problem due to this FAQ, don't sue me. There 
is also an extremely, extremely small possibility that you will star in 
a sitcom role about talking animals (0.00001%). But if the latter 
happens, sue anyone you want (but not me).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
1.0  FORMATTING

Yes, formatting. I order these numbers to cometh and line up with these 
asterisks... (P.S. "Cometh" is a sort of Shakespearean way of saying 
"come", don't ask why I'm getting fancy)

1234567890
**********

Do they line up? If they do, then it's okay. But if they don't line up, 
you are going to have a pretty darn bad time reading this. This FAQ is 
written in 72-character format in Word 2000 (rich text file, which cuts 
down file size quite a bit).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
2.0  GAME SYNOPSIS

You shouldn't always base whether you're going to buy or rent a game on 
just reviews from web sites, but this is one of the big exceptions. 
Here are some of the quotes I've seen from various reviews:
 "This game could surpass Wave Race 64 as the best racing game ever..."
 "Why yes, this game does kick butt..."
 "Excitebike 64 came out of nowhere..."
Does that tell you anything about this game? If it doesn't, you 
shouldn't be playing games at all. If you see a game that's rated 10 
out of 10 all over the place, don't wait any longer. Beg and grovel to 
be able to go out to Wal-Mart and put down any price for this game. 
Excitebike 64 is one of those few games that are deserving of awesome 
compliments. Let's see what we've got here: six fictional riders, 
twenty tracks (9 outdoor, 11 indoor), a Season mode, plenty of special 
tracks, and even the original Excitebike! Ahhh...the original 
Excitebike  not that I've played it up to now, but when I played it, I 
found it pretty cool. Now here's the scores I give:

 - The numeric score: 10 out of 10
 - The grade: A+
 - The thumbs: Two thumbs up
 - The buy/rent: Buy!!!

Get out there, buy this game, then come back and start your engines!

Game Statistics:
 Name: Excitebike 64
 Production: Nintendo
 Developer: Left Field
 Size: 128 megabits (16MB)
 Controller Pak: yes (40 pages for ghost save, 4 for track save)
 Rumble Pak: yes
 Expansion Pak: yes (graphic improvements)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
3.0  HOW TO PLAY

The next section explains the controls, the riders, and modes in the 
game.

3.1 - CONTROLS
 Racing = L = turbo (get some extra speed)
          R = slide, drift, tricks
          Start = pause game
          Control Stick < > = turn
          Control Stick < > + \/ = sharp turn
          Control Stick \/ /\ = adjust angle while in air
          Control Stick \/ + Z or L = pop wheelie
          Control Stick + R = turn in the air
          C /\ = camera angle
          C > = on-screen displays (tap to rid of 1 display at a time)
          C \/ = tricks
          C < = look behind you
          Z = turbo
          B = brake, reverse while stopped
          A = accelerate
 Menus = Control Stick = highlight selections, scroll
         Start = confirm selection
         B = go back to previous menu
         A = confirm selection and move on

3.2 - RIDERS

 "Jumpin'" Jim Rivers
Age: 25   
Hometown: Seattle, WA    
Specialty: Superman: C \/ + 12 to 6 clockwise
Quote: "It's not whether you win or lose, it's about how high you can 
fly!"
Landing: 6/10    Cornering: 6/10    Jumping: 6/10    Turbo: 6/10

Thought: Pretty average rider. Have you noticed that all three 
attributes are six out of ten?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 "Tricky" Ricky Stern
Age: 14   
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA  
Specialty: Kobe 360: C \/ + 6 to 6 clockwise (before getting airborne)
Quote: "Better have extra film in your camera 'cause it's showtime, 
baby!"
Landing: 10/10   Cornering: 8/10    Jumping: 10/10   Turbo: 2/10

Thought: Awesome. Turbo doesn't really matter, because if you're using 
your speed wisely, you can get up to 75 MPH on some courses with this 
rider. Still, I've gotten to 80 with other riders. (My best speed is 83 
MPH).

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 Sarah "Sugar" Hill
Age: 28
Hometown: Miami, FL
Specialty: Cordova: C \/ + R + 12 to 6 counter clockwise
Quote: "They call me Sugar, but it's winning that's sweet!"
Landing: 8/10    Cornering: 10/10   Jumping: 8/10    Turbo: 4/10

Thought: Her ratings are actually similar to Ricky Stern's. Therefore, 
this makes her also a good choice.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 Bobby "Big Dog" Malone
Age: 16
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Specialty: Lazyboy: C \/ + 12 to 6 counter clockwise
Quote: "The Big Dog's bike is badder than his bark, so I let my riding 
do the talkin'."
Landing: 4/10    Cornering: 4/10    Jumping: 2/10    Turbo: 10/10 

Thought: Not the best rider, but does work for special courses like the 
Hill Climb (see special courses) where landing, cornering, and jumping 
are less of a concern.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 Nigel "The Duke" York
Age: 28
Hometown: London, England
Specialty: Double Can Can: C \/ + R + Right + Left
Quote: "Technique, discipline, and control are the key, and I have all 
three!"
Landing: 2/10    Cornering: 2/10    Jumping: 6/10    Turbo: 10/10

Sort of like Bobby Malone in a way. He's also a good choice for the 
hill climb, but not for the regular courses.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 Vicky "The Vixen" Steele
Age: 19
Hometown: Houston, TX
Specialty: Fender Grab: C \/ + R + 6 to 12 counter clockwise
Quote: "I hope no one gets in my way, 'cause if they do, they're gonna 
be eatin' my exhaust."
Landing: 4/10    Cornering: 6/10    Jumping: 6/10    Turbo: 8/10

She is most likely the best rider. First of all, landing and jumping 
ratings are good enough, second of all, cornering is so-so, and her 
turbo is good. She'll get you through the normal courses and the 
special courses as well.

3.3  MODES

Season: Start with the Novice Season in the Bronze Round and win rounds 
by placing in races and scoring points (1st - 5 points, 2nd - 3 points, 
3rd - 2 points, 4th - 1 point, 5th - 0 points, 6th - 0 points). You 
don't necessarily have to win all five races in the round to win. You 
just need to finish the round with the most points (however, it would 
be good if you could win all the races.)

Exhibition Race: Choose a track from any round that you have unlocked 
in Season Mode and take yourself for a spin on that track. (All indoor 
courses are three laps, all outdoor courses are two laps.) There is 
nothing at stake in this race and you will not earn or lose anything.

Time Trial: It's just you and the track. If you have a Controller Pak, 
you can save your "ghost" (i.e. a replica of your run) to the 
Controller Pak. You need at least 40 pages available, though. Then, if 
you set a top three time or best lap, you can save it to the Game Pak 
for posterity.

Special Tracks: (see later) After you complete some rounds in Season 
Mode, you will unlock special tracks. At first, only the Desert and 
Stunt tracks are available to you.

Options: Set your options in the game: volume, stereo/mono sound, hi-
res (expansion pak only), credits, etc.

Custom Tracks: Create a new track or race on a saved track. You can 
save one track to the Game Pak or use 4 pages to save up to 16 tracks 
on your Controller Pak.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
4.0 - SEASON MODE

This section of the FAQ/Walkthrough (typing all this is getting very 
boring) explains the season mode in detail: everything from the 
tutorial all the way to everything that's unlocked: here we go.

 TUTORIAL (Note: I describe new controls like this: 
   CS - Control Stick (L - left, R - right, U - up, D - down)
   LB - L button                 RB - R button
   A - A button                  B - B button
   Z - Z button

  1a  Acceleration (A), braking (B), turbo (Z), reverse (B stopped)
  1b  Turns (CS L and R), sharp turns (CS L and R + CS D)
  Test 1  Basics. Goal 12 seconds.

  2a  Power slide (CS L and R + RB)
  2b  Brake slide (CS L and R + RB + B)
  Test 2  Turns. Goal 16 seconds.

  3a  Basic jumping and air adjustment (CS U and D)
  3b  Speed adjust on jumps (no new controls)
  Test 3  Jumps. Goal 15.5 seconds.

  4a  Turbo boost over jumps (CS D + Z)
  4b  Air turns (CS L and R + RB)
  4c  Less speed on jumps (no new controls)
  Test 4  Advanced jumps. Goal 21 seconds.

  5  Taking out opponents (clip their front tire with your rear tire, 
but be careful not to hit their rear tire though - you'll see your 
rider wave bye-bye if you do it right)

  FINAL TEST  Goal is 56 seconds.

  Wheelies (Z + CS D)
  Stunts (see "Stunt Course" in "Special Tracks")

  Finish tutorial: unlock NES Excitebike.


 NOVICE DIFFICULTY (80cc)

 (Please note: course descriptions don't come until later. I'm just 
going through the rounds right now. Usually, when you beat a round, you 
will unlock the next round, but any exceptions are shown below the 
corresponding round. You start with the Bronze Round in Novice. Once 
you beat that, you get Silver, beat that, you get Soccer AND Bronze 
Amateur, and so on...)

  Bronze Round
    - Kyoto, Japan (3 laps)
    - Mountain Quarry (2 laps)
    - Houston, TX (3 laps)
    - Lefty's Mill (2 laps)
    - Orlando, FL (3 laps)

  Silver Round
    - Nashville, TN (3 laps)
    - Canyon Chasm (2 laps)
    - Long Island, NY (3 laps)
    - Congo Course (2 laps) 
    - Las Vegas, NV (3 laps)

  Finish Novice: unlock Soccer and Bronze Intermediate.


 INTERMEDIATE DIFFICULTY (125cc)

  (Note: In this difficulty, you're going to see your bike get a little 
faster, if you can get it to that speed, not to mention that the 
computer opponents will get more aggressive.)

   Bronze Round
     - Kyoto, Japan (3 laps)
     - Mountain Quarry (2 laps)
     - Houston, TX (3 laps)
     - Lefty's Mill (2 laps)
     - Orlando, FL (3 laps)

   Silver Round
     - Nashville, TN (3 laps)
     - Canyon Chasm (2 laps) 
     - Long Island, NY (3 laps) 
     - Congo Course (2 laps)
     - Las Vegas, NV (3 laps)

   Gold Round

     - Phoenix, AZ (3 laps)
     - Rainforest Run (2 laps)
     - Madrid, Spain (3 laps)
     - The Gravel Pit (2 laps)
     - Detroit, MI (3 laps)
   
   Finish Intermediate: unlock Hill Climb and Bronze Pro.


 PRO DIFFICULTY (250cc)

  (Note: THINK HARD before you attempt this. Please know that you may 
be angry that you are unable to beat a level. However, that is no 
excuse for having to pay for a dent in a wall, so keep your controller-
throwing incidents to a minimum. Patience will be rewarded, however. I 
have beat it, so why can't you?)

   Bronze Round
     - Kyoto, Japan (3 laps)
     - Mountain Quarry (2 laps)
     - Houston, TX (3 laps)
     - Lefty's Mill (2 laps)
     - Orlando, FL (3 laps)

   Silver Round
     - Nashville, TN (3 laps)
     - Canyon Chasm (2 laps) 
     - Long Island, NY (3 laps)
     - Congo Course (2 laps)
     - Las Vegas, NV (3 laps)

   Gold Round
     - Phoenix, AZ (3 laps)
     - Rainforest Run (2 laps)
     - Madrid, Spain (3 laps)
     - The Gravel Pit (2 laps)
     - Detroit, MI (3 laps)

 (Here's the real tough part. I've got three more rounds to explain, 
but be warned: these are for real professionals only. You should be 
excelling at Excitebike 64 by now.)

   Platinum Round
     - Goldmine Rush (2 laps)
     - Los Angeles, CA (3 laps)
     - Construction Yard (2 laps)
     - Seattle, WA (3 laps)
     - Blizzard Blitz (2 laps)

   Finish Platinum Round, Pro: unlock Challenge Round AND Custom Round 

   Challenge Round
 (Note: This round is a bit different. Instead of being based on a 
points system, it's based on a ladder system. You must place first on 
all five tracks, head to head with another rider, to beat the game. 
Ready? Here we go. Oh, wait. The riders you face will depend on which 
rider you selected at the beginning of the round.)

     - Orlando, FL (1 lap)
     - Phoenix, AZ (1 lap)
     - Las Vegas, NV (1 lap)
     - Nashville, TN (1 lap)
     - Kyoto, Japan (1 lap)

 (Note 2: I'm pretty sure that's the order, but I might have gotten Las 
Vegas and Nashville mixed up. This is coming off the top of my head, so 
bear with me.)

   Finish Challenge Pro: unlock Excite 3-D, three-dimensional version 
of the original Excitebike.

   Custom Round
     - This round is just like the Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum 
rounds, with one exception: you must create your own round.
     - The Custom Round is not unlocked until you beat Platinum Pro.
     - When you first go to the round, you must create one. It can be 
anywhere from one to five tracks.
     - Tracks can be repeated, and can have anywhere from one to six 
laps.
     - Press A to add a track, Z to delete one. Press B to get out of 
Edit mode, and then select "Play" to play your round.
     - You don't get anything by winning the round. You do get a pretty 
darn good lasting appeal, though.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
5.0 - TRACKS

(In version 2.0, I set it up differently so now you have the name of 
the course, the number of laps, then there will be a suggested time in 
version 3.0 or so. I'm just a bit lazy now... ^_^ Then there's a course 
map, where the arrow is the starting line and shows the direction 
you're going in, and finally a course description, which hasn't changed 
since version 1.0.)

 Bronze Round
 ------------ 
Kyoto, Japan ********************* 3 LAP RACE *************************

  ____________
 /       <-   \ 
 |            |
 |            |
 |            |
 \____________/

This course is pretty much a square. Since you don't really have as 
much course to use, you're going to have to get ahead early. It's also 
pretty difficult to squeeze by opponents, because it can be a bit 
cramped, especially going into the first corner, so try to keep from 
falling. Other than that, there aren't very many challenges.


Mountain Quarry ****************** 2 LAP RACE *************************

    _______
   /       \______
  /               |
  |               |  |
  |  _            | \|/
  \_/_\      /\   |    <- Shortcut! (The ASCII isn't too good, though)
      |      | \_/
      |      | 
      |______|

This will be the first outdoor course you race. There are plenty of 
135-degree (eg |\, where you're coming up the straight line) turns and 
plenty of jumps. The "whoops" (small jumps) are the toughest. It's not 
easy to land them without losing speed, so watch yourself. The turns 
are pretty easy, so you should be able to take them well if you know 
your power slide.


Houston, TX ********************** 3 LAP RACE *************************

  _______________
 /   __________  \
|   /          | |
|  /           | |
|  \           | |
|   \______    | |
|          \   | |
|           \  | |
|           /  | |
 \_________/ /||_|
              |

Houston is a relatively easy track. You will see some 180-degree turns, 
but they are gentle, and the only switchback that you will see that 
does have some teeth is the last one. While you're taking it, use the R 
+ B brake turn to get through it. Just don't get yourself all caught up 
in the bank. You will lose time if you suddenly get stuck in there.

 
Lefty's Mill ********************* 2 LAP RACE *************************

          _________
         |__   \__ \
    ________|     \|  <- Shortcut!
   /      <-      ||
   |       _______//
   |      /
   |      | <- Watch logs!
   \______/
      
From pavement to dirt to logs to practically every type of thing you 
can drive on, Left's Mill is quite a unique course. Surprisingly 
enough, it has very few turns. However, here's the tough part. The 
jumps are difficult, and so are some of the course textures. Be careful 
on the logs, first of all. Hitting them at around 50 MPH or so should 
get you across, no problem. If you start to get down into the 20 MPH 
range, you'll have a hard time getting across. 


Orlando, FL ********************** 3 LAP RACE *************************

 ________________
/                \
|                |
|                |
|                |
|      ___       |
|     /   \      |
|    /     \     | /|\
|    \     /     |  |
|     \   /      |
|     /   \      |
\____/     \_____/
  

There is a horseshoe section of the track, started by a left turn and 
then you go through an uphill left, a level right, and a downhill left. 
It's the toughest part of the course, so you will see a couple of blind 
curves coming up.


 SILVER ROUND
 ------------
Nashville, TN ******************** 3 LAP RACE *************************

 ___________________
/                   \
|                   |
|      ______       |
|     /      \      |
|     |      |      |
|     |      |      |
|     |      |  /|\ |
|     |      |   |  |
|     |      |      |
|     |      |      |
\_____/      \______/

 It's all 90-degree angles, but does it make it easy? No. It's sort of 
like the Orlando course, with some more jumps, so you should be careful 
here. Not to mention at the start you need to use an air turn right 
away before you slam right into the bank and wipe right out.


Canyon Chasm ********************* 2 LAP RACE *************************

           __
          / \\
  |\     /   \\   <- Several jumps here - remember to land ON THE
  | \   /     \\       BOTTOM SIDE
  |  \_/       \\
  |             \_      <- Tunnel area
  | /|\           \__
  |  | /\_          /
  |   /   \_       /
  |  /      \   __/
  |_/  /|\  |_ /
        |   |_/
   Canyon jump

This course requires you to ALWAYS land on the bottom side of a jump! 
It works a lot better than trying to go up the hill. It doesn't work, 
which you should know by now. The course can get very tricky, because 
you're going on sand. When you reach the two forks you find in the 
course, take the right one, because it's easier to handle. Once you 
reach the tunnel, hit 70 MPH in the straight section, but stay in the 
middle of the road. Slamming into a beam will only make you very 
frustrated. At the sharp turn, try power sliding through it, then 
quickly aligning and power sliding right to prepare for the next part 
of the course. Finally, there's the canyon, which is wide enough to 
make any sane stuntman think "I'm outta here!" But you have to finish a 
race, so get up to about 65-70 MPH (holding the Control Stick back) and 
you should get across with no problem.


Long Island, NY ****************** 3 LAP RACE *************************

            ______
           /      \
       _   |      | <- Tunnel area
      / \  |      |
     /   \_/      |
     |            |
     |    ______  /
     |   /      \/
     |   |
     |   \_______________
     |                   \
     |___________________/
           ->     /|\
                   |  Tough start

The start is very tough, because you can't get going fast enough to 
clear the set of small jumps. Since they chew up your speed, you'll 
have to find a way to get enough speed to clear them AND try to keep 
your rivals behind you. There are some turns that look like this (see 
below):

----------\
________   -
        \  \
------  |  |
|    ___| /
|   /    /
|  /    /
| /    |

I guess the bad thing about having to work with ASCII is that your 
diagrams all look pathetic. With these turns, you'd want to cut through 
the chicane part of the turn, then power slide through the rest (see 
the line through the track, that's the path you should follow). It 
works. There is a part of the course that goes through a tunnel, but it 
isn't very tough. Just so you know. :)


Congo Course ********************* 2 LAP RACE *************************

           ____________
          /            \
          |            |
Jungle ->  \           /\_____
Area        \         /       \
           /        /___  ___/  <- Shortcut! (The left path)
           |  |         \/ 
           | \|/         |
           |             |
          _/       ______/
        _/        /
       /          |
       \_________/ 
     
 This is probably one of the more interesting courses: one of my 
favorites. Anyway, the jumps will be pretty much the same throughout 
the course, so you shouldn't really have to refine your strategy. One 
big tip: towards the end, once you reach the jungle area, stay in 
control. Keep towards the center, because the beams will take you out 
in a second. As for the final corner, take the right side, but take a 
bit slower, because you don't want to fly off the lip of the rock. You 
may be able to speed past a few opponents if you're smart.


Las Vegas, NV ******************** 3 LAP RACE *************************

  ____________         _
 /            \       / \
 |            |       | |
 |            |       | |
 |            |       | |
 |        /|\ |       | |
 |  _______|__|_______|_|
 | /          |       |
 | |          |       |
 \_/          \_______/

This course is definitely not easy. If you're in the Novice, Amateur, 
or Pro difficulties, you'll most likely be looking for a win on this 
course to seal the round up. If you make a mistake, you're pretty much 
screwed up. So you should be sure you take the jumps right AND watch 
out for the tire archways. They can take you out in a hurry.


 GOLD ROUND
 ----------
Phoenix, AZ ********************** 3 LAP RACE *************************
 _   _   _
/ \ / \ / \
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | * | <- Start (no room for directional arrow) goes upwards from
| | | | | |    starting point
| | | | | |
| \_/ \_/ |
|         |
\_________/

This course is actually not too tough. If you take the jumps right, you 
might have a chance at a win here. The course doesn't have too much 
difficulty, except for some jumps with water, but using the turbo boost 
should get you over. Even the 180-degree switchbacks you should be able 
to take without a problem.


Rainforest Run ******************* 2 LAP RACE *************************

               /\____/\_
               |        \_
     /\        |          \_
    /  \       |           _|
   /    \_     /          /
  /       \   /          /
 |         \_/          /
 |                     /
 |                    /
 |  _______          /
 | /  <-   \        /
 | |        \______/
 \_/

The start on this course is actually very easy. Hit your turbo, stay 
centered, and you should be able to get this right. When you start, 
take the right route and go over the water. On the second lap, take the 
bridge. Once you go through the castle area, be careful through the 
bridge, because you really don't have much room. There shouldn't be 
much else to say, except you should take your jumps wisely. One mistake 
can really get bog you down, and you might just have to surrender your 
lead. Try to keep in contact with the ground as much as you can. The 
course is very long, so you should keep your concentration.


Madrid, Spain ******************** 3 LAP RACE *************************
  ______        _______
 /      \      /       \
/       |      |       |
|       |      |       /
|    ___|______|______/
|   /   |      |    _
|   |   |      |   / \
|   |   \      //|\| |
|   |    \____/  | | |
|   \______________/ |
|____________________/
Two time-saving tips: First of all, for the split section a few corners 
into the race, where one part of the track has a type of jump and 
another part of the track has another: take the right side if you can, 
because it comes right after a 90 degree right turn. Power sliding 
isn't a good idea there, so try the sharp turn, and hopefully it might 
work. As for the guardrail splits, take the inside and get into a 
slide. Some opponents take the outside, but make sure you don't jump 
right over the guardrail and into the outside lane.


The Gravel Pit ******************* 2 LAP RACE *************************

        __        _______/\   _____
       /\ \      /         \/      \
      /  \ |    |                 /
     |    \\    |                |
     \_    \\   |                |
       |    \   /                |
       |     \_/ __              |
       \        /  \             |
        \      /___|             /
         \    /    \____________/
          \  /           ->
           \/
     
What a tough course. Yes, I mean it when I say "tough". It may not seem 
too difficult when you look at the track map, but it can turn into 
murder. First of all, when you reach the winding canyon part of the 
track, it's difficult so try to keep yourself on the track. As for 
other parts of the track, watch that you don't screw up on jumps, but 
there are two pretty darn good shortcuts. After you reach the 
"picturesque jump", where you jump really, REALLY high and you can see 
plenty of the horizon, your speed will be around 75 MPH. Be careful 
though, because you'll need to use the brake slide to get across the 
next bend.


Detroit, MI ********************** 3 LAP RACE *************************
              _
             / \
             | |  _
             | | / \
         /|\ | | | |
          |  | | | |
             | | | |
  ___________/ | | |
 /             \_/ |
 \_________________|_____
                   |     \
  _________________|_____/
 /                 |
 |                 |
 \_________________/           

There are plenty of switchbacks at first, so it's not too bad, but all 
of the skills that you've learned  everything  you will have to put 
to use right here. Once you reach the red tent area, know you're 
approaching a portion of the track where the track narrows towards the 
middle, then widens for the rest of the 180-degree turn. Other than 
that, good luck.


 PLATINUM ROUND
 --------------
Goldmine Rush ******************** 2 LAP RACE *************************
        _
       / \ <- No barrier!
       \  \__           _
      _/     \_________/ \   <- Canyon area
  _  /                   /
 | \/                   /
 /                     /
 \                    /
  \                  /
  |_                /   /
    |              /  |/_
    \  ___________/
     \/
         /|\
          |   Ghost town area, two shortcuts
        
 
The level may not seem so difficult at first, but it's actually very 
difficult. First of all, there is a log across the track while you're 
still in the ghost town, so you have to actually go around it. A little 
farther on, there is an area where you can fall off the track (eg no 
barrier), and even farther on the track is very narrow, when you go 
through the canyon after the huge jumps going over seemingly bottomless 
pits. Just ride wisely and you should be fine.


Los Angeles, CA ****************** 3 LAP RACE *************************

     _______________   _
    /      _________| / \
   |      /           | |
   |      |           | |
  _|______|___________|_| /|\
 / |      |     ____  |    |
 | |      |    /    \ |
 | |   ___/    |    | |
 | |  /        |    | |
 | |  |        |    | |
 | |  \        /    | |
 \_/   \______/     \_/                     

This track is what motocross SHOULD be! It contains a heck of a lot of 
switchbacks and turns, plenty of jumps. But you should be able to take 
the lead if you're smart going into turn one, so hope that you can get 
it all right. All your skills will need to be utilized here, so you 
might want to take a few runs through the course before you decide to 
make the commitment in Season mode.


Construction Yard **************** 2 LAP RACE *************************
   _____________________
  /     ______          \   <- Several routes along this path in the        
  |    /      \         |      underground area
  |    |      |         /\
  |    |     / \        | \
  |    |     \ /        | |
  \____/      X         | |
             / \        | |
4 SHORTCUTS >\ /        | /
 TOTAL        X         //
             / \       //
             \ /      /
              \______/      
          

This is another one of my favorite courses. First of all, the first 
turn is tricky, because you need to stay right without getting off 
course, which slows you down dramatically. Then, there's the junction. 
It crosses over itself twice before the track meets again! And it is 
tough, because there's plenty of water when you're in the tunnel part 
of the track. As you learned in the Mountain Quarry, water slows you 
down, but you can take the jumps and avoid it altogether. There are two 
or three paths to take in the Construction Yard at any given time 
(there is usually one path, but it separates quite a bit.)


Seattle, WA ********************** 3 LAP RACE *************************
                 _____
                /     \
       /\       |     |
       ||       |     |
       |\_______|___  \
       |        |   \  \
       |        |    |  |
   ____|________|___/   |
  /    |        | /|\   |
  \____|________|__|____/
       |        |
       /        \
    __/          \__
   /                \
   |                |  <- Outside portion of the track
    \______________/        

This course takes up so much room; it can't fit inside the stadium! 
Literally, I'm not kidding! After turn one, you'll hit this big jump  
and it can get a little tricky, because you might have to make an air 
turn to land it. It takes some finesse to land it right. There are 
plenty of switchbacks, jumps, and turns to be found, and towards the 
end the course will run beside the parking lot. Nothing to it  just 
make sure you adjust your angle of attack and everything all the time 
when in the air. It is critical that you do so.


Blizzard Blitz ******************* 2 LAP RACE *************************

 ____________
/            |
\            |
|\           |
| \          \__
\ |             \
 \|             |
  |             /
  |\           |\
  / \          | \
  \ |          | /
   \|           \|
    |            \
     \            \
      \___________/

This is another interesting course, because it takes place outside in 
the winter. First of all, the hardpack is actually not a bad texture to 
race on. But you will find some pretty tough jumps. Once you exit the 
tunnel, hit your turbo because you're going right across some ice 
floes. Then, another bridge: if you hit it at 70, you'd better get 
ready for an air turn. Then comes a tough kink where you have to stay 
in control. Then, there's the snow. It'll slow you down, and let me 
tell you: I hate it. There are two junctions on this part of the track, 
and then finally, the last bridge. Just make sure you're lined up 
right, and then all you have to do is skid across the ice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
6.0 - SPECIAL TRACKS

Desert ************************** PUT OUT 10 CAMPFIRES **************** 

This course is probably the neatest concept EVER thought up, next to a 
track generator. It is literally never-ending and randomly generated, 
so every race is unique and could call for anything. You have to put 
out campfires (eg. drive over them). Once you drive over your goal, a 
yellow arrow in the bottom left of the screen will point you towards 
your next goal. In essence, it's ten different races: from the start to 
campfire one, from campfire one to campfire two, and so on...


Stunt Course ********************* SCORE AS MANY POINTS AS POSSIBLE ***

This small arena contains a bunch of jumps. Time to get all crazy with 
stunts. You have two minutes to rack up a sick score by performing 
stunts (the racers' specialty stunts are shown, and you can pull them 
off by selecting them and using the controls.) However, you can't do 
anyone else's stunts, but there is a cheat that you can turn on to 
allow you to.

  No Hander: C\/ + Down + Up
  Fender Kiss: C\/ + Up + Down
  Nothing: C\/ + R + Down + Up
  Saran Wrap: C\/ + Right + Left
  Bar Hop: C\/ + 6 to 3 counter clockwise
  Nac Nac: C\/ + 9 to 6 counter clockwise
  Heel Clicker: C\/ + 6 to 12 counter clockwise
  Cliff Hanger: C\/ + R + 6 to 12 counter clockwise

Points will range in scores from 500 to 3000 points. However, if you 
start doing them too often, they will start to decrease in value (not 
unlike Tony Hawk's Pro Skater), so vary your tricks. If you've got 
enough air, you can link different stunts together and get mega points.


Original Excitebike ************** COMPLETE COURSES IN FASTEST TIME ***

Back to 1985, everyone. Unlocked when you complete the tutorial, this 
will give you some time travel back to the NES days. My friend 
remembers playing this game  and he did verify that the whole thing 
was replicated. I'm just going to write up a FAQ in a FAQ about the 
game:

 START: selection, pause game.
 A: acceleration.
 B: turbo.
 Up/Down (on ground): switch lanes.
 Left (on ground): pop a wheelie.
 Left/Right (in air): adjust bike angle.

The last two are a necessity if you want to get by in the later levels. 
Not to mention that you also have a track editor available to 
you...here's the controls.

 Left/Right: selection of items (A-S).
 B: place item.
 A: move forward.

Select CL to clear something, and END to place the finish line. Then 
select laps (1-9).

What about the modes? Here they are:
 Selection A: All alone on the track, no one with you. Squeeze by the 
third-place time to advance. Here are the times. The best time doesn't 
really matter, but the third-place time is the time you'll have to do 
better than to advance to the next track. Once you have a time slower 
than the third place time, you are out. Pass all five tracks and you 
win. Note: The third place time is always eight seconds slower than the 
best time. Usually, your times will get five seconds closer to the cut 
after every race, due to the increased difficulty.
     Track     Best      Third
       1     1:16.oo    1:24.oo
       2     1:24.oo    1:32.oo
       3     1:22.oo    1:30.oo
       4     1:12.oo    1:20.oo
       5     1:04.oo    1:12.oo
 Selection B: Nearly the same as Selection A, except there are other 
riders with you. Clip another rider's front tire with your back tire to 
reset your temperature gauge (you can also hit one of the chevrons on 
the track). Just don't hit another rider's back tire.
 Design: Design a track. You can save it to the Game Pak or Controller 
Pak.

That was a long description of the original Excitebike, wasn't it? 
Check out www.gamefaqs.com for FAQs on the game. Last time I checked, 
they had two of them.

  
Soccer *************************** OUTSCORE THE OTHER TEAM

Unlocked after you beat Novice, this is an awesome multiplayer feature. 
Two or four players can play soccer with a huge soccer field, a huge 
soccer ball, and motorbikes. Just ram the ball to get it going. Whoever 
scores the most goals in two three-minute halves wins the game. If it's 
a tie after full time, a two-minute overtime period will start...if 
it's still a tie, the game is a draw. If the tie is broken at the end 
of the overtime period, that team wins. No tips, really. Just have fun. 
Bring Super Smash Bros., Mario Party, and/or GoldenEye over and you'll 
have the perfect multiplayer bash.


Hill Climb *********************** GO AS FAST AS POSSIBLE UP THE HILL *

The Hill Climb is unlocked after you beat Intermediate. The objective 
is...to...sweat...and...strain...to...get...up...that... steep...hill. 
It's difficult, and it's divided into three stages. If you fall, which 
can happen, you'll have to go back to the start of the stage you were 
attempting. You start with 2:00.oo on the clock and one minute is added 
after you reach stage two, and another minute after you reach stage 
three. Check www.nintendopower.com for movies on how to beat the Hill 
Climb  it's pretty useful. Other than that, here are some tips:
    - Try to avoid the edge of the mountain. Don't even try to fly. 
Even though you might think you can do that, you're going to find out 
the hard way it's not a hot idea. You'll just wipe out.
    - Wheelies and turbo are the key to getting it, especially on the 
first stage. The second stage relies more on skill, and the third is 
practically 95% skill. Bobby Malone, Nigel York, and Vicky Steele are 
all suited to this level.
    - Read the terrain beforehand. Unless you're certain you have 
enough speed to get up a steep ridge, don't try it. Sometimes, speed 
isn't the best idea. Slow but steady (especially in the third and final 
stage) is the way to go.
    - "You know, it would be fun if we really could do this..." A 
friend of mine, who shall remain nameless.


Excite 3-D *********************** COMPLETE COURSE IN FASTEST TIME ****

This level is awesomely cool. Hmmm, "awesomely cool." I don't think 
I've ever used that phrase before. Okay. You have to beat the Challenge 
Round of the Pro difficulty to get this. It isn't easy, but the fact 
that there is only one course stinks. Oh well, you can't have 
everything...anyway, the same rules from NES Excitebike will apply! 
Avoid those oil slicks, and do wheelies (you should know how to do them 
by now). Also a neat feature: tap C-up for an "isometric view". Don't 
know what that means? It's a side view, sort of like in the original 
Excitebike. Explanation done, that's all for special courses.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
7.0 - TRACK STRATEGIES

This section of the FAQ/Walkthrough explains the strategies you should 
use for each of the tracks.

BRONZE ROUND
   - Kyoto, Japan: The jumps are pretty easy, so you shouldn't have any 
real problems. Just try not to slide into the wall.

   - Mountain Quarry: Always land on the backside of all the jumps. You 
should also use wheelies to go through the water, too. It will slow you 
down to around 25-30 MPH if you decide to plow through it.

   - Houston, TX: At the final jump before the sharp 180-degree 
switchback, try not to go too high: yes, you can crash into the lights 
(!)

   - Lefty's Mill: Keeping your speed up should get you through the 
course easily.

   - Orlando, FL: When the course dips down, keep towards the right 
side. If you stray too far to the left, you'll fall out of the course.

 
SILVER ROUND
   - Nashville, TN: Use that Air Turn right away, but look out for the 
double-tiered jump...and be smart on the jumps. 

   - Canyon Chasm: Take the inside path on the forks. Landing on the 
downside of jumps is CRITICAL to a win.

   - Long Island, NY: At the start, if you can get away easily, don't 
tilt your bike back too far after the first too jumps. You'll fall on 
the third one. Stay in control at all times.

   - Congo Course: Watch that river. At the final big jump, land on the 
downside of the jump before it and make the air turn to get over the 
river. It's pretty useful. Try to gain position through the jungle area 
and for the final corner (by taking it easy, not burning it!)

   - Las Vegas, NV: As long as you don't screw up by burning out your 
turbo, you should be able to get it right.
 

GOLD ROUND
   - Phoenix, AZ: Take the jumps in a smart way. You should be able to 
get it all to stack up. Just don't make a mistake.

   - Rainforest Run: The course is muddy, so be very, very careful. 
During the first part of the course, the S-curves shouldn't be too bad. 
Remember, S stands for straight. The jumps can really screw you up if 
you make a mistake.

   - Madrid, Spain: Take the right set of jumps on the split section, 
and always use the inside of all the guardrail-split curves.

   - The Gravel Pit: Try jumping off to the side of the big jumps after 
turn one. There is a narrow road there that will lead you back onto the 
main track.

   - Detroit, MI: This course is extremely hard. You will have to stay 
in control at all times so you don't do anything wrong.


PLATINUM ROUND
   - Goldmine Rush: Be careful around the log and the well while you're 
in the ghost town area. Then, watch the cliff while you're in the 
steady right turn, and also watch those two jumps that seem to go over 
bottomless pits. Over this last section, stay in control: it's very 
narrow.

   - Los Angeles, CA: Take the turns as well as you can, and make sure 
you tap in all of your skills.

   - Construction Yard: During the first turn, keep to the right so you 
don't hit an obstacle in the middle of the course. As a matter of fact, 
there's machinery all over, right where you don't want it. Stay in 
control.

   - Seattle, WA: After the first turn, use the air turn to skip the 
second turn and go back on the course. You have to be really smart to 
pull it off. It takes a few tries to master.

   - Blizzard Blitz: Have quite a bit of speed going into the snow 
area. Your speed really gets chewed up. Not to mention you should go 
all out over the ice floes and the bridges.


SPECIAL TRACKS
   - Desert: Hit your turbo in the flat areas of the desert. Some of 
the low-turbo riders will not be able to post good times on this 
course, so use a high-turbo rider. When approaching a campfire on a 
hill, approach it slowly, so you don't miss it.

   - Stunt Course: Two minutes to rack up sick points. Get LOTS of 
speed going into big jumps, so you can score big points by linking 
plenty of stunts together. Give yourself enough time to pull it off, 
though. If you aren't able to pull the stunt(s) off before you hit the 
ground, you don't get any points, and you say hello to the dirt in a 
very touching way. Just like Rush 2: Extreme Racing USA's stunt mode.

   - Original Excitebike: Hit the chevrons to lower your temperature 
gauge instantly (and in Selection B, clip a rider's front tire with 
your rear tire). Also adjust your bike so it matches your landing 
slope. If you screw up, you'll lose time.

   - Soccer: Have fun. Who cares about strategy? You decide. Oh, all 
right: just go for the darn ball. In two-on-two, try having someone 
guard the net on each team and of course the other two fighting for the 
ball.

   - Hill Climb: Try not to keep your front wheel up. Don't even try 
it. If you put on a little more throttle while you're going slow, 
you'll flip. Here's a stage-by-stage guide:
      Stage 1 - Just go all out. I've completed this stage in 12 
seconds. Jam your turbo big-time.
      Stage 2 - In the second stage, go all out at first, then ease up 
on speed. Keep to the right, then cut across to the left (where the 
course "juts" out) and push the control stick forward. Then, hit your 
turbo again and stay to the left. You should get to the third stage.
      Stage 3 - Get some speed up, then over the first jump, get up 
there and stay to the left while keeping the control stick upwards. 
With a bit of help from turbo, you should be able to become king of the 
hill.

   - Excite 3-D: Land on the bottom side of jumps. Also, the same rules 
that applied to the NES Excitebike apply here.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
8.0 - TRACK SHORTCUTS, SECRETS, CODES

First, I'll go with codes. I didn't discover these, but these codes are 
ALL on n64cc.com.

SHOWOFF - Stunt bonus. Temperature gauge resets when you pull off a 
stunt.
BLAHBLAH - Big head mode. Riders have big heads.
INVISRIDER - Invisible rider mode. Riders cannot be seen on their 
bikes.
MIDNIGHT - Night mode. The horizon is made black and visibility is 
reduced.
YADAYADA - Mirror mode. Courses are flip-flopped (mirrored). And so is 
your rider. Good thing the controls aren't reversed.
TRICKSTER - All stunts. You can perform any rider's specialty and the 
normal stunts.
PATWELLS - Beat This! mode. Makes the game more difficult.
UGLYMUGS - Superimposes a picture of the developers over the rider 
movie during the credits.
PINHEAD - Small head mode. Riders have small heads.
MOWER - Invincibility mode. You can go through other riders and not 
even crash.
XLURIVER - Transparent rider. Makes you transparent.
IMGOINGNOW - Debug mode. Puts the debug numbers on the top left corner 
of the screen. It's useless unless you're getting into video game 
programming.
ROTCOLS - Weird colour mode. Changes all the colours in the game so it 
looks freaky.
WHEEEEEEEE - Hill Climb downhill mode. Reverses the Hill Climb so you 
start at the top and have to navigate to the bottom. The same rules 
still apply - once you clear a stage, you still get one minute of bonus 
time. Note: you have to have E's all the way to the end after you enter 
in the W and the H on the Cheat Menu. (Contributed by Nightshade)

Now, for shortcuts on the courses:
(NOTE: I was not the first one to find these shortcuts, but they do 
exist. Trust me. I went through all of the shortcuts.)

 - Mountain Quarry: On the long straightaway with the big jumps, look 
for a tunnel on the left side. Duck into it. You'll go into a tunnel. 
It's not much, but you get to skip a corner and shave off a little 
time.
 - Lefty's Mill: Once you reach the tabletop jump before the mill, stay 
left and go onto the grass. Then, go up the path. If you have enough 
speed (30 MPH) you'll go off the ramp and onto the roof of the mill. If 
you goof up, you can bail out, because there is a doorway just beyond 
the ramp.
 - Congo Course: When you reach what looks like a junction on the map, 
go through the pile of logs that cover up a hidden road. It is a little 
bit tricky to navigate, but it does save time!
 - The Gravel Pit #1: On the first lap, a ramp will be blocked off 
towards the middle of the course. On the second lap, the barrier will 
be gone. Build your speed up to 60-65 MPH while taking the outside 
track and rocket up to a shortcut!
 - The Gravel Pit #2: Towards the end of the lap, you will see a road 
branch off at the end of the set of whoops. Enter the road, build your 
speed up to 50 MPH, and fly over the set of train tracks. This shortcut 
rejoins the normal track just before the finish line.
 - Construction Yard #1: At the turn just before the fork, you will see 
some pylons on the right, then a narrow branch-off. Take it. You will 
go onto a dirt path, then come back to the normal track. You'll have 
shaved off a few seconds.
 - Construction Yard #2: Once you reach the fork, go straight ahead: 
between the middle and right signs. If you have hit it at around 50 
MPH, you'll go onto a platform. Hit the next jump at 50 MPH or so and 
you'll go onto a road between the first junction and second junction. 
Then, if you hit the next jump on this road at the same speed, you'll 
reach another road. Go onto it and rejoin the race with the 
construction truck ahead. (Thanks to www.nintendo.com)
 - Construction Yard #3a, #3b: Take the right fork where shortcut #2 
for this course starts, then follow it. Once you reach the final 
junction, build up your speed. You'll go onto a beam, and make a left 
to rejoin the track at the set of jumps. If you miss it, you can go 
through the truck (below it).
 - Construction Yard #4: YOU CAN LINK THE ABOVE THREE SHORTCUTS 
TOGETHER!!! Now that's a real deal!
 - Construction Yard #5: Before you reach the underground tunnel, keep 
straight. Go through the jumps, and when you see the Fox Racing sign, 
go through it. It will smash up and you will uncover a secret tunnel...
 - Goldmine Rush #1: There are two shortcuts on this course, but you 
can only take one per lap. The first one appears after the starting 
line. Hit your turbo, get to around 70 MPH, and go over a house to 
rejoin the track.
 - Goldmine Rush #2: When you see a break in the gate on your right, 
then go for it. Hit your turbo when you're lined up, go for the ramp 
and fly over to the track!
 - Blizzard Blitz: Before you reach the road inside the tunnel, keep 
right and build your speed up. Jump to a ledge to the right, then 
follow the path you see. (At the jump, keep right, so you go to the 
next level. You will rejoin the race after the ice floes.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
9.0 - BIG TIPS

Don't try to pull off any Tony Hawk style grinds on the barriers. It 
doesn't count as part of the track. You'll just fall off your bike.

Tip for taking corners smart: Take the brake slide only on the sharp 
180-degree switchbacks where you need to kill your speed. You can also 
do it on the 90-degree turns, but it's not recommended. It all depends 
on the sharpness of the turn.

You can actually hold a wheelie as long as you want. As long as you 
keep the control stick held back halfway, you'll stay on forever. You 
can even make turns! This tip has no use in racing, but it's neat.

Try to keep your bike's temperature in the yellow zone at all times. 
Keeping it in the red is not a good idea, so use your turbo 
judiciously.

More tips to come...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
10.0 - Q&A

GAME QUESTIONS

Q: When was this game released?
A: June of 2000.

Q: Will I like this game for multiplayer?
A: This probably might be a nominee for the fourth Grand Slam of 
Multiplayer spot (over Mario Party, GoldenEye 007, and Smash Bros.) So, 
yes.

Q: Is this the best motocross game ever?
A: Probably. Look out Jeremy McGrath.

Q: Are there any secret riders or tracks?
A: Not that I know of. But trust me, if it gets found out, it will come 
up here.

Q: Should I buy or rent?
A: Hahahahaha! RTF (Read the FAQ)! 

Q: Why are there no GameShark codes?
A: I checked that out, and there are no GameShark codes. Most likely in 
a future update there will be, or there may never be GameShark codes. 

Q: Excitebike 64 sucks.
A: That's not a question. And Excitebike 64 does not suck. Next 
question!

Q: Why does the Expansion Pak put black spaces above and below my 
playing window?
A: UPDATE: I got an Expansion Pak a month ago and I've managed to play 
with it. The answer is, it's supposed to be that way. I suppose all 
they did to make it a high-res mode was put it into letterbox format. 
But I personally think it's a waste, because the framerate is not 
nearly as good in hi-res mode. If you really are getting annoyed with 
it, turn hi-res mode off from the options menu.

Q: I got the message "Warning: Game Pak backup data has been lost." 
after the Left Field Productions screen, and all my game progress was 
gone! Why?
A: I have a feeling it has to do with the Controller Pak. I got one and 
the second time I turned the game on, it gave me that message, and I 
hadn't gotten it before. Don't ask me what, I don't know, but I have a 
feeling it has to do with the Controller Pak. The safest way to go is 
to make sure that your Controller Pak is firmly inserted into its 
proper place.

MORE "PERSONAL" QUESTIONS

Q: Why do you have so few questions?
A: This FAQ is new. If there is a question that comes up commonly posed 
to me, I will put it up here.

Q: Where can I contact you?
A: Take a look at the top of the FAQ. My e-mail address is there. Just 
look at the final part of this FAQ for what you should send to me.

Q: A/S/L? (Your age, your gender, and where you live?)
A: All three of the above are none of your beeswax. Besides, I don't 
think you need to know.

Q: You know, I'd really like to have your FAQ on my site, so what do I 
do?
A: Send me an e-mail requesting which FAQ you want and what sites it 
will be put on. Also enclose an e-mail address which actually works. 
Twice I have encountered this problem. If you don't send me a valid e-
mail, I can't get my FAQs to you. It's as simple as that.

Q: Are you affiliated with Left Field, Nintendo, or any other 
associated company?
A: Yes, somewhat. I am a member of proud video game fans all around the 
world. (You know, that was witty.) And I did subscribe to Nintendo 
Power, but the subscription expired and I didn't pay for the next 
twelve months. It'll probably be all Gamecube anyway.

Q: Can I use your ASCII art (maps)?
A: No. The minimum IQ required to make ASCII art is only 50. I'm 
assuming you don't have an IQ lower than that. Make your own. It's not 
too hard.

Q: You changed your e-mail address?
A: Yup. I wanted to keep personal stuff and GameFAQs stuff separate. So 
send all your e-mail there.

Most of your questions will be answered one-on-one, but if there's a 
question that I feel many others will ask, I will put it up here.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
11.0 - SOME MORE LEGAL STUFF

I'm boring you to death with all the legal talk, right? I have to say 
it! This document is copyrighted and may not be sold, used as your own 
(a.k.a. taking this document and changing the name and e-mail address 
to your own) or anything of the like. If you violate ANY of these, I 
will find out and you can be sued. Hey, how much did you pay to read 
this? Nothing (ummm...Internet fees don't count. Get unlimited access. 
They even have free Internet access now.)

You are not allowed to copy this to your hard drive. Period. If you 
need it as reference, print it out. If your dog eats it, well, too bad. 
This FAQ is only for the use of reference and I do not want it to be 
used for any other reason. More stuff can be found in the legal rights 
above.

What about e-mail? Here's the stuff I WILL and WILL NOT accept:

*** STUFF I WILL ACCEPT ***
 
 - Suggestions. Just don't stuff the box. (I will do my best to 
implement the better ones.)
 - A useful tip or some sort of information I missed. (This FAQ should 
be perfect, because I'm trying to provide you with good info here!)
 - Compliments. (I need those.)
 - A question that isn't answered here. (I'll do my best to answer.)
 - Asking if you can have this FAQ on your web site. (Assuming that 
it's polite.)

*** STUFF I WILL NOT ACCEPT AND WILL DELETE WITHOUT RESPONSE ***

 - Hate mail (it wastes my inbox)
 - E-mail that is in ALL CAPS (you don't need to do that)
 - Silly questions (the answer is obvious)
 - Chain letters (I don't want that kind of stuff)
 - Something else you know will p____ me off (it p_____es me off, I 
refuse to use dirty language)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
12.0 - CREDITS, SELF-PROMOTION...

First, let me just thank the following:

Myself, for taking the time out of summer vacation to write this 
complete FAQ up.
Nintendo and Left Field. I could not possibly have had the opportunity 
to write this up without them. Thank you so much.
Jeff "CJayC" Veasey, the webmaster of GameFAQs.
Nightshade, for the code contribution.
Anyone else I could have missed.

As for self-promotion, this is my VERY FIRST FAQ TO GO ON THE 
INTERNET!!! What a milestone! I also have others, shown below. However, 
I have several reviews on the GameFAQs website, currently I am going to 
expand them to contain more information for more games (45, as a matter 
of fact)!

FAQs for Nintendo 64:
 - Excitebike 64 (this)
 - Super Mario 64
 
Coming soon:
 - Mario Party (N64)
 - Mario Party 2 (N64)
 - F-Zero X (N64)
 - F-1 World Grand Prix (N64)
 - Need for Speed Special Edition (PC)

Thanks for reading! Hope it was useful.

--- This document is copyright (C) 2000 Jordan Stopciati. ---

*** END DOCUMENT ***


