SingleTrac Retro Games Collection

The studio's most significant contributions are to the Twisted Metal franchise. For the original Twisted Metal in 1995, players piloted an array of armed vehicles—from a souped-up ice cream truck to a menacing bulldozer—in demolition derby-style combat. The objective was survival, using machine guns, rockets, and unique vehicle-specific weapons to eliminate opponents. Twisted Metal 2 followed in 1996, expanding the arenas to locations like Paris rooftops and Amazonian jungles, and refining the combat mechanics. Beyond this core series, SingleTrac also developed Critical Depth for the PlayStation, a submarine combat game where players navigated underwater environments in advanced submersibles, engaging in strategic torpedo warfare.

What characterized SingleTrac's output was the focus on mechanical mayhem and the distinct personalities of their vehicle designs. The feel of controlling and weaponizing these machines, set against arenas designed for destruction, was central to their games. For Twisted Metal, this meant mastering maneuvers like the jump and boost to dodge incoming fire or gain a positional advantage, all while managing an arsenal of projectiles. The visual style often leaned towards gritty and sometimes bizarre aesthetics that complemented the destructive gameplay.