Video sourced from the GAMEAY YouTube channel. © 2026 Off by One Games.
In Trash Day, you play as a fluffy raccoon kicking over trash cans, collecting loot, and hauling a little utility wagon on a long-distance hiking trip.
The game supports both single-player and co-op modes. Its Steam page currently targets a 2026 release window, though a specific date hasn’t been set yet.
Raccoons always evoke a love-hate relationship. With their fluffy bodies, signature black eye patches, and nimble paws, they look incredibly cute and sharp. But that cleverness is exactly what causes headaches for humans—from turning neatly packed trash into a total mess and nesting in attics to posing a threat to pets.
As the protagonist, that fluffy raccoon design was definitely one of the reasons I picked up the demo. On top of that, a favorite childhood instant noodle brand of mine had a cute cartoon raccoon on the packaging, which gave me a soft spot for these little creatures early on.
Armed with that childhood nostalgia, I jumped into the single-player demo, and the overall vibe was surprisingly relaxing.
Used under fair use for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.
While it’s a different genre from Over the Hill—which I played recently—it gave me that same immersive, back-to-nature feeling. Even though you are playing as a raccoon, the experience feels much more like a hiking trip, just with the added task of helping these little guys gather items to trade at vending machines.
Since it’s a game, there are naturally obstacles and challenges. You have to dodge hornets, guard dogs around camps, and bear traps left by humans. Getting caught in these will injure or even kill your raccoon, so you have to tread carefully.
While controlling the raccoon is key, managing your utility wagon is just as important. It’s nowhere near as agile as your character, and it easily takes damage on rough terrain—wheels can pop off, and side panels can break.
Even if you don’t crash it, the bolts securing the wheels gradually loosen over time, requiring you to pull over periodically for maintenance.
Aside from foraging through trash, you can scavenge campsites for repair materials (like wooden planks and power wrenches) and high-value collectibles. Donuts are also crucial, serving as health-restoring snacks for your raccoon.
At the end of each level, you reach a checkpoint where you can sell your scavenged junk for cash to buy food, cosmetics, tools, and repair supplies.
The road is also blocked by various physical obstacles. While your raccoon can easily hop over rocks or scramble up slopes, hauling the wagon through them is a different story. Fallen trees have to be cleared, and rocky gaps require you to bridge them with wooden planks, which can be surprisingly tricky.
Thanks to the game’s physics, planks don’t always land exactly where you want them. Even when they do, rolling the wagon over them can shift the boards, causing a wheel to get stuck and forcing you to set it up all over again.
And even with a bridge in place, a single raccoon just doesn’t have enough muscle power in solo play—especially with a loaded wagon—forcing you to unload your cargo and use downhill momentum just to squeeze through.
I actually got stuck at one sequence of obstacles for nearly 20 minutes trying to get the wagon across. No matter how I positioned the planks, I couldn’t pull it up the slope on my own.
Eventually, I realized I had to back the wagon up onto the opposite slope first, then use a combination of gravity and pulling power to brute-force it over. If you play in co-op, having everyone push together would make these moments a breeze.
The demo is relatively short, and the path eventually ends at a wall with a prompt stating the game is still under development. Interestingly, I managed to bypass the barrier using a nearby slope—the wagon couldn’t make it, but my raccoon hopped right over.
Past the wall, I found a fire lookout tower. Climbing to the top gives you a gorgeous view of the entire island and the path you just traveled.
Eventually, I hit the edge of the map where the world simply ends, but there was a visible seam in the geometry. Jumping into the void looped me right back to the starting sign, which was a fun little detail.
The overall gameplay experience was very smooth, and I didn’t run into any major bugs. The map boundary gap isn’t really an issue either, considering the “under development” sign was right there.
All in all, I think this is a perfect game to play with family or friends. It’s super laid-back, and the co-op mode should offer plenty of lighthearted moments.
Note: This review is based on the Trash Day Demo; the final release version may vary.
About the Author
