Credit is usually given to Yu Suzuki and his Sega AM2 division, the developers of "Out Run", which established the formula of "Rad Mobile"'s gameplay but Suzuki has not listed it in any of his official lists of works. Zach Whalen, an associate professor with the University of Mary Washington, located a segment of text in the game's source code suggesting that Sega AM3 was the actual developer of the game. In a 1991 interview, AM3 head Hisao Oguchi made mention of AM3's involvement in "Rad Mobile"'s development. Sega's AM4 division, at the time a designer of arcade cabinets, had involvement with constructing the game's deluxe cabinet that would bank and turn, and featured functioning brake lights, while the game was also released in an upright cabinet. "Rad Mobile" was Sega's debut of its System 32 arcade system board, Sega's last arcade board to utilize sprites in place of 3D polygons. The game premiered at the Amusement Trade Exhibition in the United Kingdom in January 1991, followed by its release in February. A version of "Rad Mobile" was demonstrated at Japanese trade shows operating in Sega's R360 cabinet, but no record of a release has been found. Later the same year, Sega released "Rad Rally", based on "Rad Mobile" but with changes and the addition of two-player multiplayer. "Rad Rally" was released in a two-seat arcade cabinet.