Denshattack! Review: The Wildest Train Ride You’ll Ever Take (And Yes, It Kickflips)
Look, I’ll be honest with you—I went into Denshattack! expecting a fun gimmick. A game where you drive a train that does skateboard tricks? It sounded like one of those weird indie ideas that either crashes spectacularly or becomes a cult classic. Two days after its July 15 launch, I’m here to tell you it’s the latter. This thing is an absolute blast, a love letter to early 2000s arcade chaos wrapped in cel-shaded Y2K anime vibes, and somehow it all just works.
I’ve sunk about 12 hours into it already (main story plus some obsessive high-score chasing), and I’m nowhere near done. If you loved Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater back in the day, or got hooked on the flow of Jet Set Radio, or just want something that feels like a forgotten Dreamcast gem, buckle up. Or, well, hop aboard.
The Premise: Trains, Rebellion, and Pure Chaos
Denshattack! drops you into a colorful dystopian Japan where climate apocalypse has forced the elite into massive domed cities. Out in the wastelands, rebels and outcasts have reclaimed the old railway lines for underground racing duels called Denshattack. You play as Emi, a ramen delivery girl who gets pulled into this world after crossing paths with a eccentric photographer/journalist named Fernando. What starts as simple deliveries turns into a full-blown revolution against the shady Miraidō corporation.
It’s not trying to be The Last of Us with trains. The story is light, breezy, and full of charm—think Saturday morning anime energy with snappy dialogue, memorable rival gangs, and escalating absurdity. Each region of Japan (urban sprawls, volcanic areas, coastal routes, meadows) is controlled by a different gang with its own aesthetic and leader. You’ll race them, befriend some, and take down others in boss fights that get increasingly unhinged.
One early boss, Yoshie of the Dashing Queens, had me laughing out loud as her mecha-magical-girl train setup unfolded. The voice acting (both English and full Japanese dub, switchable on the fly) is excellent, especially with the influencer collabs adding fun flavor.
The world feels alive in that classic arcade way: vibrant billboards you can wallride, destructible obstacles, secret paths, and collectibles tucked everywhere. It’s not an open world, but the levels have enough branching and verticality that replaying them for better scores or missed items never feels like a chore.
Core Gameplay: Tony Hawk Meets Bullet Train
The magic of Denshattack! is in how it layers its mechanics. At its base, it’s a high-speed rail runner. You’re barreling down tracks at ridiculous speeds, leaning the train with the analog stick (or gyro on Switch 2), drifting through curves, and braking or boosting at the right moments. It has that rhythm-game flow state where everything clicks—reading the environment, anticipating jumps, chaining movements without thinking.
Then comes the trick layer. Your gravity-defying train can ollie, kickflip, grind rails (obviously), wallride, spin, and pull off combos that would make Tony Hawk jealous. Pulling off a big trick chain mid-air while launching off a ramp feels incredible. The controls are tight and responsive across platforms. I played on PC and tried the Switch 2 version briefly—both hit a solid 60 FPS with minimal issues post-launch patches.
Levels mix pure racing (get to the end fastest), trick challenges (max score in a set area), boss battles, and hybrid objectives. There are over 60 stages across 8 regions, plus training grounds. Boss fights stand out—they’re spectacle-heavy, forcing you to use everything you’ve learned: dodging attacks while maintaining combos, targeting weak points by grinding specific tracks, or surviving environmental mayhem like erupting volcanoes or ferris wheel unicycle sections (yes, really).
Customization is deep. You tweak your train’s appearance, stats, and even special moves. Unlockable skins include community designs and influencer ones (Ironmouse, RTGame, IRyS, etc.). It’s satisfying to chase better parts and builds for tougher challenges.
The scoring system rewards style and risk. Multipliers build with longer combos, but crashing resets momentum. Mastering when to play it safe versus going for a massive air trick is addictive. I spent an hour alone on one level trying to perfect a route that let me chain a 500k+ score.
Visuals and Audio: Pure Nostalgia Fuel
Undercoders nailed the aesthetic. Bright cel-shaded graphics, chunky 3D models, and that distinct Y2K/Dreamcast glow make everything pop. Cities bustle with detail even as you blaze past at 200+ km/h. Effects during big tricks—particle explosions, speed lines, screen shakes—are over-the-top in the best way.
The soundtrack is a standout. Led by Tee Lopes (Sonic Mania, TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge), with contributions from Ryo Nagamatsu (Splatoon, Mario Kart), Richard Jacques (Jet Set Radio), and the legendary Takenobu Mitsuyoshi (Daytona USA). It’s a mix of energetic electronic, rock, and J-pop that perfectly matches the action. The music swells during combos and shifts for different regions. You can even buy the OST separately.
Sound design shines too—clacking rails, whooshing air, satisfying grind noises, and voice lines that hype you up or trash-talk rivals. Japanese voices add authenticity, and the option to mix and match is welcome.
Performance and Platforms
Launching on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, and PC (with day-one Game Pass on Xbox/PC), Denshattack! feels polished. The delay from June to July paid off.
On PS5 and Series X, it’s buttery smooth at 60 FPS with gorgeous visuals. PC (I ran it on a mid-range rig) scales well. Switch 2 version holds up impressively in handheld and docked modes, though with some minor graphical downgrades that don’t hurt the fun. Steam Deck verified too.
Load times are snappy, and the game feels responsive. Minor launch bugs (a couple of clipping issues, one UI hiccup) have already seen hotfixes. Nothing game-breaking.
Replayability and Depth
This isn’t a 5-hour game. Main story might take 8-10 hours if you rush, but 100% completion or high-score hunting could double or triple that. Leaderboards, daily challenges, and post-game content keep it alive. Multiplayer? Local and online races and trick battles add competition, though the single-player campaign is the star.
The skill ceiling is high. Beginners can enjoy the story and basic runs, while experts will obsess over combo routes and perfect times. It captures that old-school arcade “one more try” magic perfectly.
Minor Gripes
It’s not flawless. Some levels feel a bit samey in the mid-game before the wilder set pieces kick in. A few boss patterns are punishing on higher difficulties until you internalize them. The story, while fun, is predictable. And the price ($19.99) feels fair, but some might want more post-launch content announced.
These are nitpicks. The sheer joy overrides them.
Why It Works
Denshattack! succeeds because it commits fully to its ridiculous premise without irony overload. The developers clearly love trains, extreme sports games, and Japanese pop culture. It’s made by people who played with toy trains as kids and thought, “What if this thing could do a 720?” The result is pure, unpretentious fun in an era where many games chase trends or bloat.
It reminds me why I fell in love with gaming: that rush when mechanics click, a killer soundtrack pumping, and a world that makes you smile. In a summer packed with big releases, this little indie stands tall.
Final Verdict
Denshattack! is one of the most delightful surprises of 2026. It’s confident, colorful, chaotic, and endlessly replayable. Whether you’re a speedrunner, trick enthusiast, or just want a vibrant escape, it delivers.
Score: 9.2/10 – “Off the rails in the best possible way.”
If you have a platform it’s on (especially Game Pass), download it now. Tell your friends. The trains are waiting, and they’re ready to flip, grind, and rebel. Choo-choo, mothertruckers.
