You guys' stories are great. Loving it, I'm easily able to relate all the way through them.
Twisted Metal 2 hands down was my first, the only vague, vivid memory of the first times I ever played it was on a PlayStation 1, on I'd say a '13 inch TV with cranks on the side. I had to have been a couple of years old at best. I played as Sweet Tooth a LOT, I also cheated because I was a kid, I wasn't good at games yet. (I also have memories here and there playing it cooperatively with my big sister, she was a huge Twister fan and she still is)
I remember getting "Twisted Metal 3" at a birthday party of mine, I was in kindergarten at the time, and thinking for what it was, it was okay. (Obviously since I was like most kids at the time and was like "hey it's called Twisted Metal, it's on the PlayStation, it exists") I have memories of actually, on a very guilty pleasure basis, enjoying a few things here and there, but also thinking. "What did they do to Needles Kane? WHY are they calling him by his vehicle's name?!" Still played as him frequently though, amusing how his special was similar to Shadow's in TM2. (Believe me I still prefer Sweet Tooth's special in TM2)
All I honestly can do is give "TM3" is a nod to having multi-tap, console linking, and trying to be different from the first two, and having a relatively good soundtrack. (Other than that, still sucks compared to all the other Twisted Metal games of all time)
I don't recall when exactly I got "Twisted Metal 4", I mean I thought the ability to make your own vehicle was cool, and the saving, and the secret levels, and the soundtrack. But god almighty even I thought at such a young age it was appalling what they did with the non-secret vehicle choices and the actual characters themselves. Only idea I found interesting in the game's so-called "story" was Needles taking over the contest, that, and being able to play as Calypso for once. That was probably about it.
So pushing aside the infamous 989's, next came Twisted Metal: Small Brawl. I first played it in a kiosk in a 'Fred Meyer's' that used to be pretty close to my house. Give or take probably a birthday or Christmas or something I can't recall, I got a copy of it.
So many things I loved about it, but even at the time I was like: "Why is this rated T? Really?" I couldn't really see the ability to have three or four players in "TM3" and "TM4" as something cool because I didn't even HAVE a multi-tap at the time, nor enough controllers.
Taking a break from the games, I remember vividly a few Halloweens where I would be Needles Kane, or at the time "Sweet Tooth."
Anyway, I just thought it was really cool to see instead of real people driving real vehicles fighting each other, there was the kids controlling the RC cars (I wanted to do the same thing in real life, but at the time I wouldn't have thought about how expensive, dangerous, and possibly illegal that'd probably be)
God almighty I loved the soundtrack, from the remixed versions of the original tracks from TM1 and TM2, to some of the original ones. I also loved the Endurance Mode feature, I was obsessed with Moscow/Gridiron Gore's BGM, and I still kind of am today.
Then I can't remember exactly which I got first, I think I was in second grade when we got our family PlayStation 2. I don't recall whether I got Twisted Metal 1 first (I bought it at a Game Crazy used for a couple of bucks, loved it) or if I got Black. (I got that during one of my birthdays, I remember vividly my father telling me not to open the present yet, to shake it, and guess what was inside) But regardless I loved Black, despite how god damn hard it was for me at such a young age, so I used GameShark 2 with it when I played through it. (as Sweet Tooth of course)
You can bet I ate up his Special attack, despite still loving his TM2 special the most, I didn't like his special in TM1 much but it's not one of his worsts. (His special in "TM4" my god... What a joke...)
I had a long hiatus when it came to getting new Twisted Metal games due to something happening to my father in 2002. (I won't go into details, it's personal, and I respect my families privacy)
So yes unfortunately I never got a PSP nor Head-On, And no, I never got a chance to play Twisted Metal Black: Online when it was still online. (I never had a broadband adapter) I still have yet to play it, but believe me when I get a chance. You can bet your ass I will.
However, if I recall. I got Twisted Metal Head On: Extra Twisted Edition I'd say several months after it came out (I was in seventh grade if I recall, due to just remembering I played it with a former best friend of mine. I brought it to his house and let him play it with me. We did the co-op and he chose Mr. Grimm because "Ghost Rider" and I was like "Really? Really?" Then I remember he sucked ass, not surprising since Mr. Grimm is for SKILLED experienced TM players, then he rage-quitted and I laughed and we played something else), and an awesome Logitech Wireless PS2 controller I still own and use today. One of my few, only GOOD memories with GameStop. (I bought the two items with my birthday money, and they were priced pretty good)
You can bet I ate it up, and loved it. Though I played on Super Easy (and I've had my sister play it cooperatively with me as Twister at least once or twice) I at LEAST didn't use cheats like I did when I was younger. Hell, I think I stopped cheating with video games for the most part after I wrote a personal strategy guide in I'd say fourth grade maybe on how to beat the PlayStation version of Doom 2's MAP01 on Ultra-Violence without cheating. But I digress.
I'd say before or during the time Twisted Metal PS3 was coming/came out, I discovered the PC version of Twisted Metal 2 kudos to you guys. I shared it with a couple of friends, played it with them, enjoyed it, and also installed it on a few VERY cheap low-end spare computers in my house and played it with my cousins.
My only experience with Twisted Metal PS3 was at my cousin's house. I mean I've heard what I've heard when it came out in 2012, was really annoyed to no end that they called it just "Twisted Metal" with the argument being: "Hey, you released Twisted Metal in 1995 you douches, stop being trendy hipsters!"
God I couldn't stand it at the time, it was VASTLY different from the former, and I'd say this was only a year or two ago I played it. (Just hear me out, and I admit I don't have much defending points since I didn't experience much of the game)
One of my biggest gripes were the fact that advanced attacks could be simply done by one press on the d-pad (The Twisted Metal games needed to get a little easier here and there on some aspects but NOT to that point)
I played as Sweet Tooth, (no shit lol) and tried Talon. I honestly felt very "meh" about the whole experience, but I'm still thinking if I ever come around to getting the money to buying a PS3, and TMPS3. I'll give it a much more elaborate, and more warranted chance. I'm sure the online kicks ass. I've watched a few videos and it piqued my interest. (Yes it's twenty-fucking-fifteen and I still don't have a PS3, I also still don't own a PSP, nor a copy of Head-On. Shit happens)
On a concluding footnote here, I must say. I will NEVER stop loving Twisted Metal as a whole, I will NEVER forget the wonderful memories I've had. I will NEVER stop playing the games (even TM3 and TM4 if I'm THAT bored, I need a good laugh once and awhile and an effective reminder of just why and how shitty they were!)
I really hope the rumored Twisted Metal PS4 becomes a reality, and I hope it blows our minds just as Black did in 2001, and Twisted Metal 2 did in 1996, and hell, even as Twisted Metal 1 did in 1995.
I really hope to see "Twisted Metal 3" and "Twisted Metal 4" be picked apart by very strong sanitation latex gloves, whilst wearing rad suits, and the very RARE good things will be considered in perhaps a remake of the two games into GOOD games. Call it "Twisted Metal 3 and 4 done right" perhaps.
If we aren't satiated, nor satisfied by the rumored Twisted Metal PS4, or it doesn't happen. We can always further consider seeing and trying our damned hardest in making that REAL "Twisted Metal 3" we all wanted.
Reference:
http://tm2alliance.yuku.com/We just like I say in the thread "[TM2 PSX... HACKING W/O GS/AR?!]HOLY SHIT!" We just need to consider making our OWN "Twisted Metal 3" and try our damned hardest to take what was awesome about the first two games and such, and make something even MORE awesome out of it.
EDIT: Forgot to mention, NEVER forget there IS in fact a PC version of Twisted Metal 1.
http://www.theisozone.com/downloads/pc/windows-games/twisted-metal-1-pc-cd/