Twisted Metal: Small Brawl (2001). Play online

Summary

Twisted Metal: Small Brawl swaps the heavyweight war machines of the series for a fleet of twelve remote‑controlled toys, each equipped with a standard machine gun and a unique "battery attack" that can grant a temporary shield, freeze opponents, or drop mines. The game’s control scheme leans heavily on the PlayStation’s D‑pad and analog sticks, letting you turbo boost, tighten turns, and switch weapons on the fly, though reviewers noted the handling feels looser than its big‑car forebears.

The single‑player Tournament runs eight bite‑size arenas—from a bustling kitchen to a quirky mini‑golf course—with bosses at the fourth and final stages. Between the Challenge and Endurance modes you can pit any car against selected foes or survive endless waves, while the two‑player split‑screen supports Head‑to‑Head duels, a cooperative campaign run, and chaotic Free‑for‑All bouts that blend humans and AI in a last‑car‑standing scramble.

Released in late 2001 after being teased as "Twisted Metal Kids" at E3, the title drew mixed reviews, earning a 51 / 100 on Metacritic. Critics praised its inventive mini‑scale sets and playful music but slammed the grainy visuals, limited control presets, and lack of the fast‑paced intensity fans expected. Still, the whimsical arenas and battery‑boosted tricks give it a quirky charm that distinguishes it from the rest of the franchise.

Storyline

Twisted Metal: Small Brawl drops the series’ iconic combatants into a surprisingly youthful setting. Familiar faces from previous games appear as kids, thrust into chaotic duels by a schoolyard bully version of Calypso. He forces them to fight across makeshift arenas that look like household rooms and playgrounds, promising to grant the winner’s deepest wish. The battles retain the series’ signature vehicular mayhem, but the environments are scaled down to match the characters’ new ages. In the end, the victor walks away with a wish granted, while the rest learn the hard way that even playground wars can be deadly.