Janitor Derby is an indie casual simulation racing game for PC that blends roller skating physics with mop-based cleaning in a competitive multiplayer format. Players take on the role of a determined janitor who tackles messes while racing against others or working through a career progression. The core loop centers on mastering dual controls for movement and cleaning tools in lively store environments filled with obstacles and dynamic messes.
Gameplay
The gameplay emphasizes two interconnected skills that players must handle simultaneously. Skating involves alternating pushes to gain speed, carving around corners, and braking to avoid collisions with shelves or other hazards. The mop functions as a separate physical object that players swing in arcs, where its momentum causes it to lag, swing, and bounce realistically off surfaces. Careful, deliberate strokes prove most effective for removing grime, with visible fading patches rewarding thorough work and section clears granting bonuses.
Environments feature reactive elements that complicate the task. Customers introduce new dirt, litter, and spills, while forklifts, sawdust, paint, and other hazards create obstacle courses. Trash requires physical transport to bins, where proper disposal increases score multipliers. Power-ups alter core physics rather than providing simple boosts, including options like Mop Skates, Mega Mop, the Industrial Buffer, Caffeine Break, and the Wet Floor Sign. In one location, an Industrial Scrubber becomes available for extended use in the garden center.
Game Modes
Derby mode supports two to four players in a three-minute score chase that incorporates combos, power-ups, trash multipliers, and a jumbotron for replaying wipeouts. Shift Mode offers solo or co-op play through a story-driven career, where completing shifts leads to paychecks spent on upgrades in the Janitor's Locker for improved mops, skates, and customer interactions. Clean Sweep serves as a speedrun challenge against a fixed mess layout with leaderboard tracking, while Co-op Clean Sweep extends this to two to four players working together for the fastest completion.
Environments and Progression
Six distinct locations form the backbone of the experience, starting with everyday retail spaces like SudsMart and the Mall Food Court before expanding to Big Bolt Hardware, MegaMart, and the Fancy Hotel. A bonus shift takes place on the Mars Colony under low gravity conditions. Narrative elements appear as brief story cutscenes before each shift, tracking the janitor's advancement through a series of exasperated messages from Dispatch.
Multiplayer support includes online lobbies that can be public, private via join code, or password-protected, alongside LAN options. Full gamepad support with rebindable controls rounds out the accessibility features.
Is It Worth Playing?
Janitor Derby appeals to players who enjoy casual physics-driven games with light competitive elements or cooperative challenges. The dual-skill skating and mopping system creates a distinctive loop that rewards practice and coordination, particularly in group settings where interference adds tension. Shift Mode provides a structured solo path with upgrade progression, while the various race and speedrun modes suit those seeking quick sessions or leaderboard competition. As an upcoming title with no released version yet, it lacks player reviews or long-term update details, but the verified mechanics suggest strong potential for fans of simulation and racing hybrids that emphasize creative tool use over traditional speed alone. Those drawn to inventive indie experiences with replayable short matches or career-style progression will find the most immediate fit.
