"What the Car?" Wins Best Mobile Game at Gamescom Latam 2024

Last week, the inaugural Gamescom Latam event in Sao Paulo, Brazil, showcased the vibrant gaming scene in Latin America while celebrating global industry achievements. A highlight of the event was the game awards, presented in partnership with the BIG Festival, which featured a dazzling ceremony to announce the winners.

The awards spanned 13 categories, with finalists selected by a panel of 49 judges. Attendees at the Sao Paulo Expo had the chance to play all nominated games at a prominent booth, where mobile and PC games were seamlessly integrated, emphasizing the equal importance of mobile gaming in today's market.

Among the awards, the "Best Mobile Game" category caught our attention, and it was won by Triband ApS' innovative title, What the Car? This game, previously highlighted by our own Jupiter Hadley in her list of ten under-the-radar gems, is now gaining well-deserved recognition. Its win at Gamescom Latam might just propel it into the mainstream, prompting us to update our list of lesser-known games.

While What the Car? took home the top prize, it's important to acknowledge the other strong contenders in the category:

• Junkworld – Ironhide Game Studio
• Bella Pelo Mundo – Plot Kids
• An Elmwood Trail – Techyonic
• Sibel's Journey – Food for Thought Media
• Residuum Tales of Coral – Iron Games
• SPHEX – VitalN

The other winners at Gamescom Latam 2024 also deserve recognition:

• Game of the Year – Chants of Sennar - Rundisc
• Best Game from Latin America – Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure – Furniture & Mattress
• Best Brazilian Game – Momodora: Moonlit Farewell - Bombservice
• Best Casual Game – Station to Station – Galaxy Groove Studios
• Best Audio – Dordogne - UMANIMATION and UN JE NE SAIS QUOI
• Best Art – Harold Halibut – Slow Bros. UG.
• Best Multiplayer – Extremely Powerful Capybaras – Studio Bravarda and PM Studios
• Best Narrative – Once Upon A Jester – Bonte Avond
• Best XR/VR – Sky Climb - VRMonkey
• Best Gameplay – Pacific Drive – Ironwood Studios
• Best Pitch from Regional Game Development Associations – Dark Crown – Hyper Dive Game Studio

If you're eager to experience the award-winning What the Car?, it's available on the App Store via Apple Arcade, a subscription service priced at $6.99 per month (or your local equivalent). You can start playing by clicking the download button below.