Monster Jam Showdown

Release Date: August 29, 2024

Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC

The newest game in the Monster Jam series, Showdown is exactly what it says on the label: you drive around massive monster trucks across several different game modes and three major locations. There are 1v1 races, traditional multi-truck races, and a destruction mode that rewards you for—you guessed it—demolishing shit.

During my Summer Game Fest hands-on, I struggled a bit with steering my monster truck, and flipped over a lot. Luckily, there’s a simple “respawn” button that blinks you back a few feet and sits you upright, but I did not do well in any of my races because I couldn’t keep the damn thing from tipping over. I was told that I could use the right joystick to better control my truck, as Showdown has independent suspension, but that just made me even wobblier.

I can see Monster Jam Showdown being a fun game to pick up and play with friends while having a few brewskis, and for fans of the series, this will probably satisfy them, but this isn’t really my jam. Teehee. — Alyssa