Twisted Metal is a series of vehicular combat video games originally developed by SingleTrac and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Each game in the series revolves around demolitions derbies where competitors use weapons including ballistic projectiles, machine guns, and explosives.

In almost all of the games, the host is a man called "Calypso"; in the series' fourth installment, perennial contestant Sweet Tooth briefly takes over.

Twisted Metal 2 on PC is built on an earlier version of the game (minor details of some levels disappeared) but it doesn't require a 3D accelerator video card and played well on computers with lower processing capabilities.

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 Incog Inc. Entertainment, and signed with Sony to develop another installment of the series on the PlayStation 2, Twisted Metal: Black.

In February 2008, Eat Sleep Play, a new development studio formed by David Jaffe and Scott Campbell, released Twisted Metal: Head-On for the PlayStation 2.

Other bonus content includes: a code to download the soundtrack (a timed offer which has since expired); a half-hour documentary on the series with some of the original developers called "Dark Past"; a rough playable portion of an unfinished and unreleased third person action game starring Sweet Tooth (controllable for the first time ever on-foot and outside of a vehicle); and the never before seen original live-action ending videos of all the characters from the first Twisted Metal, directed by Jaffe.

[4] Artwork of the cancelled game was released by David Jaffe at San Diego Comic-Con; it showcased concept arts of locations such as a destroyed Mount Rushmore as well as a giant crater.

In February 2012, Sony Pictures Entertainment was bringing Twisted Metal to theaters by hiring Brian Taylor to write and direct the film.

[7] Five years later in September, Brian Taylor confirmed that Sony had passed on the Twisted Metal film, feeling the series fanbase did not warrant the higher budget it would have cost to realize it.

[8] Twisted Metal was the inspiration for Slaughter Race, a fictional video game featured in the Disney animated film Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018).

[9][10] In March 2019, Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra spoke about developing a television adaptation of the Twisted Metal franchise, during a presentation for investors at a special event.