The course is relatively simple, being an oval like Baby Park, except larger. The course has many ramps and mud patches like the original Excitebike. The course changes layout every time it is used. This is produced by a large array of different layouts in segments and rearrange around the track. The time trial is standardized though.
The course has an opening animation in the countdown. The bars lower, allowing the players to drive. This is based on the starting from the Excitebike games.
Music[]
The music for Excitebike Arena was arranged by Shiho Fujii and is based on the Excitebike title theme.
According to Kosuke Yabuki, there are 200 different layouts.
This is one of the 3 new courses in Mario Kart 8 that don't use anti-gravity, the others being Animal Crossing and Super Bell Subway. It is also one of the 3 courses that doesn't have any transforming segments, with the others being Yoshi Circuit and SNES Rainbow Road.