Twisted Metal

Twisted Metal is a series of vehicular combat games, spanning nine games on the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and PlayStation 3. It is the longest running PlayStation-exclusive franchise.

Overview
The games in the series center around the eponymous Twisted Metal competition, which is a demolition derby which allows the use of ballistic projectiles, such as missiles and machine guns. The contest is run by a mysterious man named Calypso, who grants the winner one wish, that, in his own words, has no limits on "prize, size, or...even reality."

Twisted Metal (1995)


The first game in the series, which takes place during the 10th annual running of the Twisted Metal competition in Los Angeles, on Christmas Eve 2005. It was released for the PlayStation on November 5, 1995.

Twisted Metal 2: World Tour


The second game in the series, which takes place exactly one year after the events of Twisted Metal, on Christmas Eve 2006. It is also the only game in the series to receive a PC release. It was released for the PlayStation on October 31, 1996.

Twisted Metal III and 4


After [|SingleTrac] stopped developing Twisted Metal due to a contractual dispute with Sony, Sony gave the job of creating the next two games to [Studios|989 Studios]. They are universally seen as inferior to the other games in the series, and the release of them prompted the formation of Twisted Metal Alliance.

Twisted Metal: Black


After developing several non-Twisted Metal vehicular combat games for GT Interactive, a large number of SingleTrac employees left the company to form the gaming studio Incognito Entertainment and signed with Sony. Naturally, Sony offered them the opportunity to develop a new Twisted Metal title and their first game was Twisted Metal: Black for PlayStation 2.

The game has a much darker atmosphere than the first two games, and is the first game in the series to receive an "M" rating from the ESRB. Critics regarded it as the best in the series.

Twisted Metal: Small Brawl


Instead of creating a sequel to Twisted Metal: Black, Incognito took an unexpected turn and created Twisted Metal: Small Brawl for the PlayStation. As a spin-off, it is aimed at a slightly younger audience than previous games, and involves radio-controlled cars, as opposed to full-size cars in the other games.

Twisted Metal: Black Online
An online version of Twisted Metal: Black. It could be obtained for free by mailing in a card that came packaged with the PS2 online Network Adapter. After Sony stopped offering the disc, it was later included in subsequent reissues of Twisted Metal: Black on Greatest Hits, in a 2-disc set.

Twisted Metal: Head-On
The only Twisted Metal game on the PlayStation Portable, Twisted Metal: Head-On is a true sequel to Twisted Metal 2, and is the "real" Twisted Metal 3 for storyline purposes.

Extra Twisted Edition
A port of Twisted Metal: Head-On to the PS2. It contains additional content, such as a documentary looking back on Twisted Metal, and ending movies cut from Twisted Metal, as well as [Metal: Lost|the beta version of the unreleased sequel to Twisted Metal: Black].

Twisted Metal (2012)
Eat Sleep Play created the latest installment for the Twisted Metal series on the PlayStation 3. Released February 14th, 2012 it was available to the entire public. Many who pre-ordered obtained Axel before everyone else. Other versions include Limited Edition, which came with a direct re-port of Twisted Metal: Black. It features the same dark atmosphere as TM:Black, and is noted to have similar style.