The story starts on New Year's Eve in the year 1999 with the player lounging around in his room generally doing nothing early in the morning. After turning on his computer, he suddenly acquires information that the strategic defense satellite "Colosseum" has picked up some nuclear weapons being fired. These nuclear weapons are being fired at a rapid pace between two forces (presumably the Americans and the Russians). Without knowing it, World War III is breaking out in front of the player. All the major cities in the world end up getting catastrophically damaged; including Paris, New York City and Washington, D.C.. A nuclear blast mysteriously sends the player back to December 22, 1989; with only two days remaining until the official launch of the satellite system. The nuclear war will not be prevented and civilization will destroy itself unless the player can manage to get the TM Network band to a concert for world peace even if he has to drive a truck to get them to their destination.