Before getting to Monster Jam Showdown, the game, we first have to attend to the Disney live-action Monster Jam movie starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson revealed at Disney's D23 event. While there's yet no trailer for the upcoming action flick, at least we saw glimpses of the actor going up on stage to reveal he's starring in it. This can only mean two things!
First, the budget will likely be insane, given that they got the WWE superstar in a leading role. Second, Spoiler Alert! The Rock will ultimately win at the end of the movie, no matter what, because of the alleged "no lose clause" in his contracts. However, until the film hits, we have the Monster Jam Showdown video game to look forward to, which will be released in less than two weeks.
If you have never dabbled in the series before, as the name implies, Monster Jam Showdown is an off-roading monster truck interactive experience. The team behind it is Milestone S.r.l., mainly known for its other racing titles, including MotoGP 24, Ride 4 and 5, Hot Wheels Unleashed, and Unleashed 2 - Turbocharged. Not unlike 2006's PS3 exclusive, Motorstorm, which also featured monster trucks, in MJ Showdown, finishing in first place isn't your only objective.
You must collect as many points as possible through various methods like jumping off ramps, drifting, overtaking other vehicles, destroying objects, clean driving, and more. You will also intentionally crash into your opponents, but sadly, it doesn't go the extra mile like Motorstorm did back in its heyday. This means you won't be wildly ramming into other players only to see them drive off cliffs into oblivion in an exploding ball of fire and gasoline for your sick satisfaction. Ah, those were the days...
Photo: Milestone S.r.l.
MJ Showdown has 10 game modes, where you can tackle some online, offline, and in split-screen mode. The Head-to-Head, Circuit Racing, Freestyle, Best Trick, and Figure & Racing modes can be played in all three variants. The rest don't have split-screen, like Horde, which is available online and offline. Extreme Freestyle and Extreme Head-to-Head can only be played offline, while the remaining Treasure Hunting and Survivor modes are strictly online.
The off-road racing game has a catalog of 66 official trucks where you'll find 40 in the base game, but the remaining 26 will come through free or premium (paid) DLCs. These include real vehicles from the sport's present, as well as historical trucks and some toy models. Customization fans can adorn their favorite monster trucks with over 140 liveries. The Zombie skin looks the most fun.
The single-player campaign, the Showdown Tour, is the main pillar of the experience. It features 130+ events involving speed and skills, but more importantly, it was designed with a sandbox-like approach in mind, meaning you can tackle events in whatever order you want.It will surely divide many fans because it lacks classic linearity. Some players enjoy a more hand-tailored experience, while others cherish the chaos of personal choice. Regardless, it involves eight game modes with three original environments.
The events are divided into Stunt, Short, and Racing categories. When you play one type of event, you'll unlock more of the same vein. However, these events have multiple game modes where you'll visit all three environments involving maps like stadiums, open-air arenas, or circuits.
Photo: Milestone S.r.l.
This should keep you from getting bored of the same old routine, because the playstyle and challenges evolve along with everything else around you. The landscapes sound enchanting. You'll be racing in Alaskan glaciers, the Death Valley desert, or the Colorado forests. Be mindful of the sandstorms, thunderstorms, and blizzards, though.
After winning event after event, you will be rewarded with medals, granting you access to the Showdown Events, which unlock higher-difficulty events of the same type. Here, you can unlock new vehicles by battling Monster Jam drivers in boss battles. Remember that, much like Maximus Decimus Meridius from Gladiator, you must entertain the crowd, not just cross the finish line first. Get more air using ramps and destroy whatever you see in your path.
While consoles have an open-ended hardware configuration, PCs vary, so here's what your rig needs to play it properly, according to Steam:
Minimum
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS:Windows 10 x64
- Processor:Intel Core i5-4590 or equivalent / AMD FX-9590 or equivalent
- Memory:8 GB RAM
- Graphics:GeForce GTX 1050 Ti (4096 MB) / Radeon RX 570 (8192 MB)
- DirectX:Version 12
- Storage:16 GB available space
Recommended
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS:Windows 10 x64
- Processor:Intel Core i7-12700K or equivalent / AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D or equivalent
- Memory:16 GB RAM
- Graphics:GeForce RTX 3080 Ti (12288 MB) / Radeon RX 6950 XT (16384 MB)
- DirectX:Version 12
- Storage:16 GB available space
Photo: Milestone S.r.l.
Starting from August, expect a bevy of fresh content for the post-launch experience each month until March 2025. More DLC could arrive after March, but there's no official word on it at the time of writing. So here's what you should be looking forward to:
- August - Experience Multiplier
- September - Soldiers & Pirates
- October - Free Pack 01
- November - Grave Digger Legacy
- December - Aloha Expansion
- January - Off the Leash, Free Pack 03
- February - Always On Duty, Free Pack 04
- March - Free Pack 05
Monster Jam Showdown costs $50, and aside from mobile, it's coming out on every major gaming platform imaginable, like PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC through Steam and Epic Games Store. There's good and bad news about the online component; it does indeed have crossplay, except for the Switch. The official release date is August 29, but Early Access holders get to play it three days earlier, on August 26, through the $70 Big Air Edition, including the Season Pass.
While it's not Wreckfest 2 in terms of vehicle physics simulation and ultra-reaslistic body deformation, Monster Jam Showdown doesn't need to be. It's its own unique thing, which fills a much-needed spot on the market. The game's relaxing nature makes it fun for the entire family, so kids and adults alike can enjoy it.
