OK, so IGN Cube announced last night that Left Field Studios is working on an all new Courtside game that may or may not involve Kobe Bryant and will be playable at E3 2001. That's great news in itself buuuuuut IGN Cube also mention Left Field studios have a second game in development for GameCube. This "mystery game" will be unveiled in tonight's update, with IGN Cube claiming, "we think you will be pleased." Spare us the melodrama guys!!! It's Excitebike, right? I mean, what other games have Left Field done? Let's see now... Kobe Bryant's Courtside 1, Kobe Bryant's Courtside 2 and, hmmm, didn't they do one other game? Oh Yeah! Excitebike 64!

We're not just pulling this guess out of our rump either. Jump back to May of last year; prior to IGNCube's existence and a time when the world knew the system of our dreams only as "Dolphin." Back then, IGN64's Matt C. had an interview with Left Field wherein this revealing exchange transpired:

IGN64: Now that Excitebike is out, what are you going to be working on next? Another N64 game perhaps?

Michael: No, we're probably going to be working exclusively on Dolphin stuff. Which is all I can say I'm afraid. But we'll probably be sticking with sports. We've done, as you know, Kobe 1 and 2, and Excitebike, so we'll stick with sports and concentrate on what we know.

IGN64: Hopefully a Dolphin version of Excitebike.

Michael: It'd be interesting to see what we could do actually. You know, just with the extra processing power we could put a ton more bikes on-screen and you'd really get a feeling of working through the pack. It could be cool.

"It could be cool" indeed, and sounds like Michael of Left Field already had something in mind for a NGC Excitebike -a game that would definitely fall under "sticking to what they know." This was a lonnnnnnng time ago too, giving several months for this hypothetical project to take form.

Of course, this isn't overwhelming evidence--it's anecdotal stuff mixed with common sense. If I'm wrong, I'll have a whole carton of eggs on my face but I almost hope it's something less obvious… As is, IGN's pathetic guessing game allows me to say "Excitebike for GameCube, you heard it here first!" -and I'm probably not lying. =P

There's always the slim chance that it won't be a new Excitebike… Yet what does IGN Cube think would please me more than news of an Excitebike GC? A new Kid Icarus? Maybe a new Punch-Out?? (Which would be more likely, since it's Sports, Left Field's forte). Sure, it's unlikely but only something like updates of these classics could top news of a new Excitebike being made for GameCube!

And what news it (almost) is! Excitebike 64 was a game Nintendophiles clamored for since day one and what we eventually ended up getting surpassed every expectation. Left Field Studios did an absolutely fantastic job with Excitebike 64, making one of the best all-around racers in years. By far, the folks at Left Field Studios aren't the only ones who are imagining the possibilities of a NGC sequel...

Get excited, call me crazy or share your own theories in the Talkback. Still, I say that it's only a matter of hours before IGNCube fesses up about Excitebike for GameCube. And if it turns out I got you all excited for nothing, I'll owe you a Coke.