Excitebike is a side-scrolling racing game in which the player takes control of a motocross racer. The game features two gameplay modes named Selection A and Selection B. Selection A is a solo race run, while Selection B puts the racer against computer-controlled opponents. The objective of the game is to finish in third place or higher in a preliminary race to qualify for the Excitebike championship race.[4] The A button accelerates the bike, while the B button activates a turbo boost that enhances the bike's speed, but overheats the engine if it is used for too long, forcing an immobile cooldown period.[5] The engine's temperature can be reset by driving over arrows located along the course.[4] The player can use the directional pad to shift between lanes, as well as shift the racer's balance midair after a jump.[5] Landing squarely on both wheels allows the racer to maintain their momentum, while an uneven landing will result in a loss of speed or a crash.[4] Excitebike features a Design Mode that allows players to create their own tracks using 19 types of hurdles.[6] The Design Mode features options to save and load created tracks that are inoperable in Western releases as they were designed for the Famicom Data Recorder, which was unreleased outside Japan.[7]