Source: http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/25754/excitebike-will-be-a-free-3ds-download/

Nintendo will release Excite Bike as a free download when the handheld gets its eagerly anticipated firmware update in May.

The firmware update will also bring the 3DS Virtual Console which will give gamers the opportunity to download old Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Gear games.

Excitebike (NES, 1986)

You'll also be able to download 3D Classics and to celebrate Nintendo is releasing a free 3D Classics of Excite Bike, the classic 1986 NES game. The 3D Classics range will feature old Nintendo games that have been remastered for 3DS. 

Nintendo has also confirmed at its Nintendo's Tokyo earnings briefing (which is taking place now) that the Virtual Console will kick off with Game Boy and Game Boy Color games but the company is looking into releasing games from other platforms.

What other games would you like to be remastered for the 3D Classics range? 

While this is good news,  I'm more excited by the fact that the 3DS VC will contain 'other platforms', which I'm hoping will in time include the GBA.  Your thoughts?

To be honest I would be quite disappointed if 3DS in some time won't get the same VC platforms the Wii currently has. There is no reason why Nes, Snes and Genesis games wouldn't work on it. N64 games are a bit more problematic since the 3DS hasn't got as many buttons, stll If they want to they could make them work adding some virtual buttons on the bottom screen. Or maybe they just want to remake them just like they did with Zelda and Starfox.

That's good that the game will be free. The 3DS is my first handheld system in a very long time,so how would you connect to all of this stuff on the system,when it comes out in May. Do I just go to some random resturant and hope I've hit some free wi-fi hotspot. I don't know anything about how that stuff works. I hope they bring all of the classics to the 3DS.

It's a good incentive to get people to visit their eShop and test these 3D remakes, it's similar to those 1000 points they gave to first buyers of the DSi.

I just want the store up! T_T