Twisted Metal is a vehicular combat game for PlayStation featuring intense arena battles against multiple opponents. Players select from 12 unique vehicles, each with distinct drivers and special abilities. The gameplay involves navigating expansive arenas filled with weapon pickups and repair stations while battling enemies, culminating in a final showdown against the previous champion, Darkside.
Twisted Metal consists of a series of arena-based battles against an increasing number of opponents in increasingly large arenas. These battles culminate in a face-off with the winner of the previous year's competition, Darkside, who drives a large armored car which fires multiple missiles at once.
Players can choose one of 12 different vehicles with which to enter combat. Each vehicle has a distinct driver and special move. The controls consist of accelerator, brake, `tight turn` (essentially a handbrake) and turbo on the face buttons, with main weapons and machine gun selection and control on the shoulder buttons.
Arenas are populated with weapon pickups to re-supply missile stocks, repair stations for repairing damage to your car, pedestrians, and course stewards armed with either machine guns or missile launchers.