Best games from the 2026 Tribeca Games festival

Each run only lasts about a minute, though you can extend your time with power-ups scattered throughout the level. During a run, you’ll see a randomized set of objectives in the top-right corner: stuff like “hit 5 parked cars” or “drive through a billboard” or “drive backwards for 10 seconds.” As you complete one, another takes its place. The more of these mini objectives you complete, the more Truck-kun is able to help Clarissa. It’s always a thrill to drive with reckless abandon in a video game, and it’s even more pleasant when there’s a bunch of cute environmental and character designs to enjoy while you’re doing it.

Rockbeasts

I’m a sucker for a good management sim, but they tend not to be the most aesthetically pleasing games. Rockbeasts, developed by indie studio Lichthund and published by Team 17, is shaking up that convention. In it, you manage a midwestern ‘90s garage band in pursuit of fame and/or artistic glory. And, oh yeah, every character in the game is some kind of humanoid animal. Your band consists of four members — the jaded guitarist Paz, the introverted drummer Keith, mouthy vocalist Vern, and awkward bass player Carlton.

Even in its opening moments, Rockbeasts does an admirable job of making these characters feel like someone you know and a group that has history with each other. As the manager, one of your first tasks is to name the band. (The dialogue assumes you picked something foul-mouthed, but I actually named my crew “The Sassypants Bunch.”) From then on, you’ll need to decide how the band spends each day, whether it’s practicing, promoting shows, or eating at the diner to relax and recharge. Over time, your choices will determine whether the band becomes true grunge rock icons or mainstream sellouts.

The game isn’t all business. When a show rolls around, you’ll choose a song from your catalog and then take part in a rhythm-based minigame during your performance. Make it more complicated, and you’ll earn more experience points. Best of all? The music legitimately slaps. I barely scratched the surface in my Tribeca demo, but I’m excited to spend more time with this one, especially considering the writer previously worked on The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077.