DiRT: Showdown is the next installment in the DiRT racing series. Unlike its predecessors, it is less of a rally game. It focuses more on short-circuit courses with spectators, a commentator, a wider variety of vehicles, and gameplay emphasizing action. The primary gameplay mode is accessed through a tour system consisting of a series of competitions and events. Becoming victorious in these events grants access to other challenges and awards prize money that can be used to purchase new vehicles or improve existing ones. In addition to the traditional racing format, several tracks have an abundance of debris, drivers have access to boost, and competing vehicles frequently need to be damaged. In contrast to the previous games, most cars are made up. Only a few occasions are appropriate for the use of actual autos.
The primary gameplay modes can be grouped into one of these four categories: Racing, Demolition, Hoonigan, and Party*. The competition consists of a variety of various events, such as traditional circuit racing, point-based racing in which a circuit is divided into sectors and points are awarded to the driver who completes each industry in the quickest amount of time, and elimination racing in which a timer counts down until there is only one driver left in the race. The course is typically littered with various obstructions and debris in this mode.
The objective of Demolition is to eliminate your opponents, either in a standard bowl head-to-head (referred to as “Rampage”) or on an elevated track (referred to as “Knock Out”), where other cars can be knocked off the track. There is also a game called Hard Target, which is a survival mode, and another one called 8-Ball, a circuit race with many crossovers where cars might crash. Both methods have the player’s car being targeted by the other competitors.
The Gymkhana mode from DiRT 3 is most comparable to Hoonigan’s version. The game aims to rack up points by completing tricks on your own (Trick Rush) or in competition with another player (Head 2 Head). The third game style is Smash Hunter, and its objective is for the automobile to destroy only the bricks of the same color as its team while avoiding the other colors.
The Party feature is exclusive to multiplayer modes. It has a method known as “Smash and Grab,” in which a team must work together to acquire and guard loot. When an opponent hits the car, you automatically lose it. The game Transporter is a standard version of Capture the Flag, whereas Speed Skirmish is a race against the clock in which the checkpoints can be completed in any sequence.
The game supports two players simultaneously in a split-screen mode and up to eight online. It also comes with the Racenet social service, allowing users to track statistics. It also has a Crashback replay function, enabling users to record crashes and upload them directly to YouTube.