Top Speed (video game)
| Top Speed | |
|---|---|
 North American arcade flyer | |
| Developer | Taito |
| Publishers | |
| Director | Hiroyuki Sakou |
| Designer | Hiroyuki Sakou |
| Programmers | Kyouji Shimamoto Takeshi Murata Takeshi Ishizashi |
| Artist | Hiroyasu Nagai |
| Composer | Masahiko Takaki |
| Platforms | Arcade, X68000 |
| Release | |
| Genre | Racing |
| Mode | Single-player |
Top Speed , released in Japan as Full Throttle[a], is a 1987 racing video game developed and published by Taito for arcades. It was released in North America by Romstar in August 1987 and in Japan in October 1987.[3][1][2]
Hamster Corporation released the game as part of their Arcade Archives series for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, as well as their Arcade Archives 2 series for the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in February 2026.[4]
Gameplay
It is similar in style to the Out Run games in that it features a fast, red car hurtling through the countryside. The key difference in gameplay is the addition of a nitro boost button.[5]
Reception
In Japan, Game Machine listed Full Throttle on their November 15, 1987 issue as being the second most-successful upright arcade unit of the month.[6]
Clare Edgeley of Computer and Video Games gave Top Speed a positive review, comparing it favorably to Out Run and complimented its graphics and smooth handling.[1] Commodore User, on the other hand, rated Full Throttle five out of ten, calling it a clone of Out Run and comparing it unfavorably to Sega's game.[2]
Legacy
In 2009, Taito reused the Top Speed name for a game intended to be the successor to the Battle Gear series and featuring online multiplayer where players could race against players across arcades.[7] The game was quietly canceled after the location testing concluded.
Notes
References
- 1 2 3 Edgeley, Clare (November 15, 1987). "Arcade Action". Computer and Video Games. No. 74 (December 1987).
- 1 2 3 "Arcades: Full Throttle (Taito)". Commodore User. No. 51 (December 1987). November 1987. p. 148.
- ↑ Akagi, Masumi (October 13, 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971–2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971–2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. pp. 136–7. ISBN 978-4990251215.
- ↑ Yarwood, Jack (February 4, 2026). "Taito's 1987 OutRun Clone 'Top Speed' Makes Its Debut On Modern Consoles Later This Week". Time Extension. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Full Throttle, Arcade Video game by Taito (1987)".
- ↑ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - アップライト, コックピット型TVゲーム機 (Upright/Cockpit Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 320. Amusement Press, Inc. November 15, 1987. p. 25.
- ↑ "Taito reveals Top Speed, racing game with internet play". Arcade Heroes. June 4, 2009. Retrieved October 18, 2025.