Arcade Archives TOP SPEED – Drift Back Into the Golden Age of Speed
Arcade Archives TOP SPEED drops you straight into the blistering heat of late‑80s street racing, where nitro fumes, neon reflections, and razor‑tight overtakes define every second. This fresh dive into TAITO’s 1987 classic captures the raw, unfiltered thrill of arcade speed, now sharpened with modern comforts like save states, display tweaks, and global score chasing. As you tear down highways, dodging rivals and hunting that perfect run, the game’s timeless simplicity makes it dangerously easy to sink into. It’s a fascinating look back and forward at pure racing adrenaline.
Arcade Archives TOP SPEED Review Pros
- Awesome graphics.
- 161.7MB download size.
- Platinum trophy.
- Two versions of the game – English (Top Speed) and Japanese (Full Throttle).
- Game settings – Four game difficulties: Easy, Normal, Hard, and Very Hard. Time limit length – 40/50/60/70, nitro stock, demo sound, and continues.
- Can remap the controls.
- Display settings – wallpaper, screen display border, screen filter, and custom screen settings.
- Other settings – quick start, show menu, skip to description toggles.
- Racing gameplay.
- The manual acts as a tutorial and shows text and images.
- Within the settings, you can choose where the game screen sits, the size of it, including full screen, and you can put a border around the game window.
- Four game modes – Original, high score, caravan, and time attack mode.
- Hi score mode is a mode where you play until game over and submit your score.
- Caravan mode has a five-minute time limit, and you don’t get rewinds or state saves.
- Time attack mode is where you try to complete the game as fast as possible; even game overs don’t stop the run and instead keep the time and score, then carry on.
- Clicking into each game mode gives a brief description of the mode, but you can click to not see it again.
- This is Taito’s take on Outrun, so it’s a rolling road, and you can and should avoid other vehicles and time your turns on bends.
- Car-wise, you have a set of nitros to use for a burst of speed, and then you change gears with low and high.
- Locations look fantastic and are very nostalgic when matched with the cars, signs, etc.
- It is a bit harder than Outrun. Or,e as the steering is a bit tighter, and the window for error is bigger.
Arcade Archives TOP SPEED Review Cons
- Doesn’t have any mod cons like accessibility or Colourblind support.
- There are no museum or history pieces about the game, like flyers, concept art or even when it came out, who made it and how it was received.
- Only two plain-looking wallpaper choices.
- The game is inspired by and made as an alternative to OutRun, but the controls are not as tight, and cornering takes a bit of getting used to.
- Restarting after a crash is slow and frustrating.
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Arcade Archives TOP SPEED
Developer: HAMSTER Corporation / TAITO (original)
Publisher: HAMSTER Corporation arcadearchives.com
Store Link:
Arcade Archives TOP SPEED Review
Summary
Arcade Archives TOP SPEED – The Thrills and Highlights of Gameplay Arcade Archives TOP SPEED throws you straight into late 80s street racing chaos, where nitro bursts, tight bends, and rolling road mayhem define every run. You get four game modes, including original, high score, caravan, and time attack, each with its own flavour and challenge. The game keeps things simple but addictive, with gear shifting, nitro management, and that classic Taito take on the OutRun formula. The settings are surprisingly deep, letting you tweak difficulty, time limits, display borders, filters, and even screen placement. It is pure arcade racing that is dangerously easy to sink into.
Arcade Archives TOP SPEED – Where It Falls Short: Key Negatives Despite the strong nostalgia hit, Arcade Archives TOP SPEED lacks modern comforts. There is no accessibility support, no colourblind options, and no museum extras like flyers or concept art. The wallpaper choices are plain, and the controls are not as tight as OutRun, making cornering trickier than expected. Crashes feel punishing thanks to slow restarts, which can break the flow during longer runs.
Arcade Archives TOP SPEED – Immersive Story and Narrative Elements Arcade Archives TOP SPEED does not push a narrative; instead, leaning fully into the arcade spirit. The experience is all about the rush of the road, the locations flying by, and the nostalgic feel of cars, signs, and scenery that instantly transport you back to the era it came from.
Arcade Archives TOP SPEED – Visual and Performance Aspects
The visuals look fantastic for what they are, with bright locations and a nostalgic style that still pops today. The game runs smoothly, and the display options let you tailor the look with filters, borders, and screen sizing. It is a clean, faithful presentation of the original cabinet, with enough tweaks to make it comfortable on modern screens.
Arcade Archives TOP SPEED – Overall Verdict: Is It Worth Playing? Arcade Archives TOP SPEED is a fast, nostalgic blast that captures the raw thrill of classic arcade racing. It is simple, addictive, and packed with modes, but it also shows its age in accessibility and control precision. Still, for fans of retro racers or anyone wanting a quick hit of pure speed, it delivers exactly what it promises.
Back of the Box Quotes:
Arcade Archives TOP SPEED brings retro racing heat with every turn.
