Denshattack is exactly the sort of bold, unique, over-the-top nonsense that was rife in the PS2, Dreamcast era, and I love it for that alone.
This silly arcade action title revels in its bonkers premise and frenetic style, and it’s impossible not to get caught up in the fun. How could anyone resist a game in which you drive a train at ridiculous speeds across impossible tracks, pulling off the kind of tricks you’d expect from Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater?
That skateboarding series is a clear touchstone for Denshattack, which also borrows from Sonic the Hedgehog as well as anime and, more broadly, Japanese culture. Sprinkle on top a colourful, Jet Set-inspired aesthetic and a soundtrack that matches its high energy, and you have a unique and vibrant Y2K cocktail.
Across a surprisingly lengthy campaign, you embark on a journey across a version of Japan that’s suffered a climate crisis, dividing society between those living in domed cities and others who remain on the outside.
It turns out some of these people have formed gangs engaging in an outrageous extreme sport, Denshattack, and you play as the optimistic Emi who seems to have a natural talent for tricking trains like it’s nothing.
Levels are varied; there are races, score attacks, and larger areas with multiple objectives to complete, while others are simply about reaching the end. Whatever the core goal, you’re encouraged to reach it fast and with style, pulling off tricks at all opportunities without crashing.
There are also several sub-missions in each stage, asking you to find collectibles, perform specific tricks, find hidden exits, and much more. While they usually only last a couple of minutes, each stage is packed with stuff to do.
The game does a good job of pacing out new mechanics, too. Even towards the end, you’ll still be seeing new things you can do with your train, and it keeps the adventure feeling fresh despite its 10-15 hour runtime.
In fact, Denshattack’s main issue is the sheer volume of stuff it throws at you during levels. Controls can feel a little too complex, especially at the beginning, but there’s more to it than that.
Drifting, changing tracks, jumping, and performing air tricks is already plenty to deal with, but near the end you’re also grinding on rails, pulling off manuals to extend combos, drifting across multiple tracks, hanging from monorails, and more.
None of this is too difficult to pull off, but memorising all the various inputs can feel tough when you’re doing so at high speeds, with splashy effects and a shaky camera emphasising the action but perhaps getting in the way sometimes. Fortunately you can tone that down.
Once you do get comfortable with what Denshattack asks of you, it feels extremely satisfying, and it’s a chaotic blast when you’re on a roll. It just might take a bit of time to acclimatise.
Those who persist will be rewarded with an arcade-like experience containing some brilliant moments. There are some really unique stages, including boss encounters that up the ante and test your skills.
Again, it’s hard not to be charmed by the unapologetic silliness on display. Yes, you’ll flip your train like a skateboard, but you’ll also use it to pilot various other vehicles and do battle with outrageous giant machines.
In addition to the various mechanics it teaches you, Denshattack gives you a variety of trains to drive, each of which has benefits and drawbacks. One might pull off tricks faster, but the tradeoff is a shorter manual duration, for example.
There are lots of them to unlock, and it’s worth trying a few out to find one that suits you best. I personally used the default train, mostly, but later would use one that bumps up grind trick scores but also makes doing so more hazardous.
The game just has such an infectious energy. While it can be overwhelming sometimes, the gameplay is so riotous and gleeful in its execution.
The presentation feeds into it as well. The cel-shaded, cartoonish visuals and funky soundtrack are great and suit the game’s madness perfectly.
Aside from a couple of rare, minor bugs, the game also handles itself very well, with no noticeable performance issues during my playtime.
Conclusion
Denshattack is a blast. While it may present a steep learning curve at the beginning, its unique, arcadey gameplay rewards skill and quick thinking in a way that feels old school and fresh at the same time. From its silly, train-tricking premise through its challenging, fast-paced action and colourful presentation, it’s a cohesive game that delivers big fun at every turn in the track.
