Trucking along

I feel like I haven’t reviewed a single monster truck game in over a decade, and now I am reviewing two of them within the same month. Monster Truck Championship came out last year on previous generation consoles, but now we have the updated versions hitting next-gen (I still have a hard time calling them current-gen since no one can buy them) consoles. It is also fitting that each of these two games feel like half of the other. Where one excels, the other falters. Monster Truck Championship takes a more direct approach, giving me the modes and styles of play I want from this type of game, but sacrifices licensing and other pieces in the process.

MSRP: $39.99
Platforms: XSX (reviewed), XSS, PS5
Price I’d Pay: $29.99

Monster Truck Championship comes from the Polish team behind the recent (and surprisingly excellent) Terminator game as well as 2014’s Rambo. Much like Steel Titans it uses the dual analog steering control where the left stick controls one set of wheels, while the right stick controls the other. Handling feels good here. These trucks have a nice weight to them. Tipping them over is always possible, and Teyon has done a great job of mixing simulation with a more accessible feeling to make driving these beasts enjoyable.

The modes here are pretty standard. Career mode is where I spent most of my time since it offers up some decent progression and a collection of different modes. There are standard races, drag races, and freestyle options to keep things fresh. I found myself enjoying the races more than anything simply because the tracks were interesting. Freestyle mode didn’t do much for me, as performing tricks in these large vehicles is not really my (monster) jam. Completing events earns players technicians which will improve performance on the trucks. It is all standard racing game career mode fare, but this time with behemoth trucks.

The Xbox Series X upgrades for this version are par for the course. The game now runs at a native 4K and features 60fps action. Outside of that there isn’t much here in the way of updates. What is even more disappointing is that this game does not support Smart Delivery. That means if you bought the game on Xbox One, you now must repurchase it on Series X to get these minimal upgrades. If you already own it, they are not worth a double dip. I get the reasoning behind it, but it also makes it a much harder sell to anyone that already invested in the original release.

For those new to the series though the game is packed with content. While there are no licensed trucks the customization is fantastic. There are plenty of courses to race on and the variation of modes is great. I do wish this upgrade came with more to offer than just a resolution bump that is negligible. I also feel like the original game could have run at 60fps on One X, so again without Smart Delivery this feels like a minimal update at best.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.

Good
  • Controls feel great
  • Varied events
Bad
  • No licensed trucks
  • Not Smart Delivery
7
Good
Written by
Ken is the Editor-in-Chief of this hole in the wall and he loves to troll for the fun of it. He also enjoys long walks through Arkham Asylum and the cool air of Shadow Moses Island. His turn-ons include Mortal Kombat, Metal Gear Solid and StarCraft.