Overview
Super Joe is on a mission to save his friends and family, and he only has 24 hours to get the job done. To do so, he must become "The Speed Rumbler," which involves driving around in a fast and armored vehicle with various weapons...much to the dismay of his adversaries. The game stars Super Joe, who is also a character in several other Capcom titles like Commando, Mercs, and Bionic Commando. It is unclear from what story is presented in this game whether or not this is in the same universe as those other games.
The Speed Rumbler was somewhat ahead of its time when it released to arcades in 1985. It combined the popular shoot 'em up genre with the top-down driving/racing mechanics of games like Spy Hunter, resulting in a new action game hybrid that would inspire games like Grand Theft Auto decades later.
Gameplay
The majority of the game is spent in the signature battle car. It controls from a top-down perspective and can turn on a dime to return fire to enemy soldiers and vehicles. Should the car become damaged and about to explode, Super Joe can abandon it and proceed on foot, though it only takes one hit on foot to kill him. While outside the car you have access to your gun and a rolling dodge move. Should Super Joe live long enough an ally will bring him a new car.
Ports
Speed Rumbler was released on the Commodore 64, and a version was said to be in development for the NES, but it was never released. Emulated arcade versions of the game appear in Capcom Classics Collection Volume 2 for Xbox and PS2 and Capcom Classics Collection Remixed for the PSP. The game was also released for the PSN and XBLA online services.
External link
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