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Today, November 10, 2025, Twisted Metal celebrates its 30th anniversary. Below, we look back at the evolution of the entire series, from games to comics to crazy TV spectacle.
I first played Twisted Metal in 1995, the year it debuted. I was 11 and played it at one of those store kiosks where you chose one of eight games to “demo” – usually the first level of each game or part of one. My parents and sister must have been somewhere else that day, shopping or running errands, because I probably played the Twisted Metal demo more than 10 times.
I remember starting with Sweet Tooth, which is the default on the character selection screen. I remember switching to Hammerhead and settling on it, which allowed me to outrun opponents. But what I remember most is how appropriately twisted and illegal this game felt – like we were seeing something illegal and underground that we weren't supposed to see.
I've never experienced anything like this. And while many franchises have gone on to become more popular and successful than Twisted Metal, none have been weirder or filled with cool personalities.
Here, in honor of Sweet Tooth's three decades of existence, is a chronological history of the Twisted Metal franchise, from the first game through the final season of Peacock. Time to play.
