Gunman Taco Truck is an action-packed drive across the post-apocalypse United States to reach the safe haven of Winnipeg, Canada, where there are no taco trucks and your family’s taco business can thrive. Getting to the safe towns is hectic but your truck is armed with weapons that blast mutants into taco fillings.
The game blends together two distinct and engaging gameplay styles. During the highway driving sections, players must rapidly click and shoot a variety of mutated enemies and obstacles that approach their taco truck. This creates a frenetic "shoot 'em up" experience as players must quickly and accurately eliminate threats to avoid damage. Players can choose between manual clicking or an automatic firing mode, though the manual mode allows for more precision and scoring. Successful shooting allows players to collect meat and scrap materials from defeated enemies. When the player's truck reaches a new town, the gameplay shifts to a resource management and simulation style. Here, players must buy ingredients, prepare tacos, and serve them to the hungry survivors in each location. This section tests the player's ability to quickly and accurately construct tacos to customer specifications, while also carefully managing their limited supplies of ingredients, fuel, and scrap. Each town offers a different selection of available ingredients, forcing players to plan ahead and purchase the required components before moving on. Serving quality tacos earns the player money, which can then be spent on upgrading their taco truck, purchasing more fuel, or stocking up on ingredients for the next town. Failing to provide the right tacos can result in angry customers and lost revenue.
The game features a rogue-like structure, where each playthrough is procedurally generated with randomized routes, enemy placements, and ingredient availability. This creates a high degree of replayability, as no two runs are exactly the same. The permanent death mechanic means that when the player's taco truck is destroyed, they must start over from the beginning, though they may retain certain persistent upgrades or unlocks. This encourages players to carefully manage their resources and make strategic decisions to optimize their chance of survival on each attempt.
The game is presented in a vibrant, retro-inspired pixel art style that evokes classic 8-bit and 16-bit games. The visuals, combined with a lively soundtrack and sound effects, help establish a quirky, humorous tone that makes the potentially grim apocalyptic backdrop feel more lighthearted and enjoyable. The game's writing and dialogue also contribute to its offbeat charm, with the player character and various NPCs delivering amusing exchanges and one-liners.