Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Those words were music to every 8-year-old’s ears in the 1980s. I’d usually catch the commercials during Saturday morning cartoons, though I never had the chance to see a Monster Jam in person. That didn’t stop me from being a die-hard Gravedigger fan.
But those childhood dreams were fulfilled, because at PAX West, I finally got to play Monster Jam Showdown. Honestly, I had my reservations—after all, some of the previous entries in the series fell a bit flat. But this one genuinely surprised me. Developed by the team behind Hot Wheels Unleashed, it quickly became clear that this game was on the right track.
Monster Jam Showdown features several game modes, including short races in stadiums, long-form races out in the wild, and stunt matches where the goal is to achieve the highest score. The game also offers a variety of locations to race in. At PAX West, I played in an arctic area, a mountainous region, and a desert environment.
There appeared to be a career mode, but I didn’t have the chance to fully explore it during my time at PAX. However, I did notice that the experience points I earned during matches contributed to leveling up my truck.
One thing I really appreciated was the attention to environmental details. For example, when it rained, raindrops would splash against the screen, adding to the realism. And whenever my truck took damage, pieces flew off, which made the experience feel even more immersive.
After playing it at PAX, I didn’t feel an immediate urge to go out and buy the game. However, if rental stores were still around—which I really miss—this would have been the perfect weekend rental.
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