VGFacts

In volume 3 of Classic Gaming by gamesradar+, Martin Edmondson, creator of Destruction Derby, said that the idea of the game when his father took him to watch real life stock-racing. This later caused an “unhealthy” obsession of smashing cars. In fact, Martin would observe the damage made on a car that was about to be towed away after a round.

He wanted to make the game in the most realistic way possible and later developed the game shortly after the first PlayStation console launched.

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The game was initially intended to be called “Demolition Derby,” but due to legal issues, the name was changed to “Demolish ‘Em Derby.” The name was changed again to “Destruction Derby” because Martin Edmonson said that the second name was too complicated, and the fact that, in the U.S., some motorsports are called “destruction derbies.”

There almost was a level editor mode. Not too much information has been said about what this mode could have included. Because the game was built on an 8x8 grid, and due to time constraints, the idea was scrapped.