FlatOut

FlatOut (a.k.a. FO or FO1) is a racing video game developed by Finnish Bugbear Entertainment and published by Empire Interactive and Vivendi Universal Games in 2004 and 2005. Gameplay in Flatout places emphasis on demolition derby-style races, and features a sophisticated physics engine. 16 different cars are included, each with 5 different skins for them.

Modes in FlatOut include standard lap races, in either open environments or stadium laps, and demolition derby deathmatches, in which the driver of the sole-surviving vehicle declared the winner; both modes pit players against 7 computer-controlled opponents. The game also includes special events which require the player to toss the driver off of his/her vehicle and meet certain requirements. In career mode, pick up your future top racer from the junkyard. Winnings come in the form of cash, which allows players to purchase vehicle upgrades and new vehicles.

FlatOut is noted for its extensive use of physics in vehicle damage and collisions; dents on vehicles may vary based on the type of accident, object and angle of impact (falling objects, for example, will damage mostly the upper areas of a car), while many roadside items react better to collisions from other vehicles.

Ragdoll physics is also present in the game, with drivers capable of being tossed out of their car after high-impact crashes. This feature is extensively used in several special events, when the player is required to "toss" a driver to a specific distance, height, or target.

During an update in 2007 FlatOut was made backwards compatible with the Xbox 360

Sequels
A sequel, FlatOut 2 was released first, in Europe, on June 30, 2006. A larger variety of vehicles (including contemporary cars and pickup trucks) are included. The North American version was launched on August 1.

Bugbear released FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage for Xbox 360, in 2007. The PC version was released on August 1, 2008.

On May 4, 2010, it was announced that Team6 would be making a new version of FlatOut for the Wii. The game will feature four game modes: Racing, Trash, Arena and Stuntman. It is unknown whether it is a sequel or spin-off of the series.