Denshattack!: Review of a game that lets you skate with a train

Denshattack! seems like the brainchild of a madman with an absurd idea: to turn trains into an arcade game that mixes the spirit of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Jet Set Radio, and classic SEGA titles from the golden age.
Developed by Undercoders and published by Fireshine Games, the title takes the player to a dystopian version of Japan where large cities are protected by enormous domes while old railway lines have become the battleground for rebels, gangs, and fans of the so-called “Denshattack”.

The protagonist Emi is a young courier who delivers ramen using a small train. After discovering the world of clandestine Denshattack competitions, she decides to test her talent by challenging the best pilots in the country and opposing the powerful Miraido corporation. The plot is not the most memorable aspect of the experience, but it effectively serves as a glue between races, offering charismatic characters and a light, energetic tone rich in references to Japanese pop culture.

The game's true strength is its gameplay. Driving a train is a bit like having a skateboard on your feet: you jump between parallel rails, perform grinds, wall runs, aerial acrobatics, drifts, and trick combinations reminiscent of the best arcade skateboarding games. The control system is immediate to learn but offers considerable depth for those who want to achieve the highest scores. Each level quickly becomes a hunt for the perfect path and the most spectacular combo possible.
From a level design perspective, the tracks are full of alternative routes, secret sections, obstacles, and spectacular sequences that keep attention high.

With over sixty levels, Denshattack! offers a surprising amount of content for the asking price. Some more advanced areas can be particularly challenging, and sometimes the mission structure tends to repeat itself, but the continuous introduction of new ideas almost always manages to keep the player's curiosity alive.
Artistically, the game also hits the mark. The graphic style recalls anime aesthetics and that of early 2000s SEGA video games, with vibrant colors, eccentric characters, and environments full of personality. The soundtrack perfectly accompanies the action, helping to create a rebellious and frantic atmosphere that becomes a fundamental part of the game's identity.

What unfortunately is only partially convincing is its repetitiveness. There are sections where the loop is continuous if you can't read the environment correctly, but above all, some of the challenges are objectively a bit too crazy even within the madness that one must already take into account for the game itself. Jokes aside, it's really a lot of fun, but speed and precision are fundamental components to keep in mind.