vehicular combat

Hybrid Extreme Racing [PS1 — Beta]

Hybrid Extreme Racing was a vehicular combat game in the vein of titles like Twisted Metal, Vigilante 8, and Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012. Little is known about the game beyond a print ad found in Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine, and the fact that it was slated for release around 2001, exclusively for the PS1. The game was being developed by Mattel Interactive, a company more famed for its Barbie games.

What set Hybrid Extreme Racing apart from its competitors was its unique dual gameplay system. In certain segments of the game, your car could transform into an airship, allowing you to either engage enemies or complete some missions. The game also promised extensive vehicle customization, giving players the ability to upgrade their cars into the ultimate destruction machines.

Eventually, the name was changed to Hot Wheels Extreme Racing after Mattei Interactive went bankrupt. THQ ended up releasing the game in 2001 as Mattei Interactive planned from the beginning. A print ad was preserved to show the game’s original name.