Twisted Metal: Head-On: Extra Twisted Edition

Twisted Metal: Head-On: Extra Twisted Edition brings the handheld hit from the PSP to the PlayStation 2 and expands it with content that didn't fit on the handheld. The core campaign and vehicle roster remain the same, but the console version was built to take advantage of the home PlayStation's performance and add an extra layer for players who knew the original PSP version and wanted to see how the same story looked on the big screen.

Behind the port was studio Eat Sleep Play, founded by former series creators including David Jaffe, and the release was paired with the standalone playable Twisted Metal: Black Online, making the package two games in one box for the price of one. Extra Twisted Edition adds new unlockable characters and vehicles, full cinematic cutscenes replacing the static PSP animations, and adjusted arenas taking advantage of the PS2's higher performance for more detailed environments, denser explosion effects, and more vehicles shown on screen at once without slowdown. Online multiplayer through PlayStation 2 servers offered an experience that the handheld version couldn't provide at the same quality due to technical limitations and the weaker network infrastructure of handhelds at the time. The bundled game Twisted Metal: Black Online also allowed players familiar with the console classic to return to its arenas in online multiplayer, making the release a worthwhile choice for fans of the older, darker entry in the series as well. Visually, the edition stays faithful to the original, but the PlayStation 2's higher resolution and more stable frame rate give the battles a smoothness that the PSP's smaller display and weaker hardware couldn't offer to the same degree, which was appreciated especially by players who knew the handheld version and wanted to see the same battles in a sharper, smoother form on their living room television.

Why play it: For players who know the PSP version and want the experience with full cinematic sequences, added characters, and online battles that the handheld version didn't offer.