Metal Stoker

Metal Stoker

Overview & History

Released exclusively in Japan in 1991 for the PC Engine by Face, Metal Stoker: The Back Street Burger is a wildly eccentric top-down vehicular combat game that stands out in the TurboGrafx-16 library. Blending post-apocalyptic sci-fi action with bizarre fast-food motifs, the game places players in the cockpit of a heavily armed combat buggy navigating dystopian urban ruins. While it never received an official Western localization during its era, it has since achieved cult status among retro enthusiasts for its chaotic cooperative multiplayer mode, distinct aesthetic, and high-octane vehicular skirmishes against mechanized mutant hordes.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike standard vertical or horizontal scrolling shoot 'em ups, Metal Stoker features a free-roaming, top-down perspective reminiscent of arcade classics like Ikari Warriors, but entirely focused on armed car combat. Players must drive through destructible labyrinthine city blocks, rescue stranded citizens, and obliterate relentless waves of enemy tanks, turrets, and bio-mechanical bosses. The core mechanic revolves around dynamically upgrading your vehicle's arsenal by collecting power-ups scattered across the warzones. You can equip flame-throwers, homing missiles, heavy armor plating, and proximity mines to alter your combat capabilities. Navigating the tight streets requires constant tactical movement, as enemy crossfire can easily trap your buggy, and environmental hazards can damage your vehicle chassis before you reach the stage boss.

Keyboard Controls

• Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Move
• Action Keys: Attack / Jump
• Enter: Start / Pause