However! Your powerups reset to zero at the start of each level. Also if your car gets destroyed but you bail out before it explodes, and survive long enough to get a new car (usually very difficult), it starts out with zero powerups.
The mortar and hammer powerups are the most important; the mortar lets you fire much faster, and the hammer halves all damage you take. But when you're full on powerups, other instances of them turn into 2,000 point bonuses which really help your score.
The randomness of Speed Rumbler really appeals to me. It seems impossible at first, but if you keep focusing on making progress, dodging threats and getting powerups, you start getting father than you thought possible at first.
I only bought three games this time. The first package I paid for the whole damn thing to mostly play a few games over and over (esp 1943). This time I figure, eh, just get what I know I'll play.
RT @NewYorker
The oldest video games are now about 70 years old—and their stories are disappearing. http://nyer.cm/8SJ9ocM
It's time for MST Club. Tonight's episode is a sleazy slimy classic, 1002 GIRL IN GOLD BOOTS. Join us at EAT! Episode begins at 9 PM ET (in about an hour and 40 minutes), at https://cytu.be/r/Metafilter_MST3KClub.