Twisted Metal
Developed by - SingleTrac
1995

Twisted Metal first debuted on the original Playstation in 1995. Jaffe and his team were called SingleTrac back then. The main story of the game centered on a city-wide competition (called Twisted Metal) run by a man who called himself Calypso, and is set in Los Angeles 2005, this being the 10th annual competition. To whome ever wins, Calypso will grant the winner any wish they desire. Typically though he would warp their wishes and give them exactly what they asked for. He resides deep in the heart of the city sitting on a thrown of broken car parts. The competition consisted of 12 contestants -

Sweet Tooth - Needles Kane, a psychotic clown who has escaped from the LA Mental Hospital. He drives a beat up ice cream truck and uses Flaming Ice cream cones as his special attack. He entered the tournament to find his best friend...who ended up turning out to be a paper lunch bag named Harry.

Yellow Jacket - Charlie Kane, a retired race car driver. He drives a yellow taxi and use flaming Molotov cocktails as a special attack. He entered the tournament to discover the whereabouts of his son. Incidentally, It is revealed that the man driving the Ice cream truck, whom he fought and killed him during the competition, was his son.

Darkside - Mr. Ash, a dark mysterious "creature" who drives a large, black semi- truck and uses a blue "beam", known as the Death Blast as his special attack. He entered the contest to reclaim what is rightfully his - a demon known only as "Black" that Calypso stole. Under Calypso he acted as a bodyguard while Calypso himself used his power to create and essence of Twisted Metal.

Warthog - Commander Mason, an old Army commander, hired by the government to enter the contest. He drives a armored Hummer outfitted with top-secret weaponry. He was tasked with winning the contest and acquiring a certain "item" of valuable importance - a flight recorder box. On it is a recording detailing that an alien craft shot down and crashed the aircraft. However, there was one other who was after the box...

Crimson Fury - Agent Stone, an agent working for an underground organization. He drives a red red sports car, the fastest vehicle in the tournament, and uses a red laser as a special attack. Working against the government, Agent Stone was also tasked with acquiring the flight recorder box. Instead of concealing the truth he wished to share it with the world.

Pit Viper - Angela Fortin, a mysterious woman who has entered the competition for simply cold hard cash. She drives a rugged dune buggy and uses an acidic blast as her special attack. However, her ending wish wasn't only money, it was Calypso himself. Upon receiving the money, she draws her gun and takes out everyone, save for the mysterious Black, who drifts away in the background. It turns out she is a special agent hired by the city to end the Twisted Metal tournament.

Hammerhead - Dave and Mike, two high-school dropouts who have stolen a monster truck and out to have some fun. With it's awesome crushing power, what better attack could you want? They have entered the contest for just one thing - a new set of treads...

Spectre - Scott Campbell, a lost spirit who only wishes to be alive again. He drives a 1965 white sports car and uses phantom burgs missile - a missile that can pass through any wall or barrier - as his special attack. Upon winning the contest, it is revealed that Campbell has been a restless spirit for 5 years after being stabbed to death by a clown at the circus. Calypso grants him his wish, and he is once again alive.

Mr. Grimm - the Grim Reaper himself, he is out for the one soul that he has been unable to collect for over 100 years. He drives a lightning fast black motorbike and harnesses the souls of the dead as his special weapon. The one prize he desires is Calypso's soul, which he ultimately collects upon winning the tournament.

Roadkill - Captain Spears, he is a man who is living with the grief over the loss of is platoon during the jungle wars of South America. He drives a rusty old car pieced together from used car parts. He launches long steel rods at 100 mph as his special attack. Upon winning the competition, he asks to be sent back in time to rectify the events of the past. Unfortunately for him, he is killed almost instantly after being returned to the past.

Outlaw - Sgt. Carl Roberts, an honest member of the LAPD who has entered the tournament in hopes of ending it once and for all. He drives a standard patrol car with an omnidirectional tazer on the top as his weapon of choice. As he wins the tournament, he asks for the tournament to never be held again. Calypso gives hi. His word that once he drove out of the garage he would re-emerge into a world free of the pain he causes. And o
He does indeed. As he drives back onto the streets, he and his vehicle are plunged into outer space.

Thumper - Bruce Cochrane, a man from the suburbs who wants nothing more than his family and friends to be safe from the constant gang battles. He drives a pink 1964 Impala with a dangerous flamethrower fitted to the front. Upon winning the contest, he explains what he wants, that he has been fighting for 10 years for the safety of his neighborhood. Although skeptical, once he returns home, he finds Calypso was true to his word.

Minion - not a selectable driver per se, Minion is the final boss of the game, and the ultimate challenge atop the roofs of LA. He is a massive black tank who has each and every contestants special abilities at his disposal.

The first game had the most diverse set of pick ups than any of the other game - missiles (regular, power, homing, freezing), mines, spikes, catapults, rear flames, oil slicks. To say the least, the game had a diverse collection of weapons

There were 6 battlegrounds in all: an underground arena, the Warehouse District, the highway ("Free For All), River Park, Cyburbia, and the rooftops. Each arena increased with combatants each time - from 1 to 3 to 5 to 6 to 8, Cyburbia being the most difficult arena to overcome. The rooftop only had 3 other combatants due to Minion being your ultimate test.

Thats about all I can spill on TM1. It's sequel, Twisted Metal 2: World Tour, was released only a year later. I will divulge that game tomorrow