Denshattack! Review
Played on XBOX Series X|S | Original Release Date 15 July 2026 | Review Date 11 October 2026
OVERVIEW
In a small Japanese village, an order of ramen needs to be delivered across a post-apocalyptic wasteland where trains are the only remaining form of transport. Enter Emi: a local train driver who fires up her engine and sets off on the delivery of a lifetime. Unbeknownst to her, this delivery will spark a journey of self-discovery, friendship, and her ultimate destiny to become the greatest Denshattack champion there ever was. What’s a Denshattack!? I’m still trying to figure that out myself. But after nine chapters of twitchy, fast-paced gameplay—featuring countess reverse-flip kicks, grinding off the nose of a swordfish, and fighting on a giant Guitar Hero-style landscape—I still have no idea. What I do know is that I’m bloody glad I bought a ticket for this ride.
STORY
In the world of Denshattack!, Japan has collapsed under the weight of climate change, the yakuza, and greedy megacorporations. Across the country, climate-controlled domes house the uber-rich, keeping them safe from the poisoned atmosphere and the outsiders. The Miradio Corporation keeps citizens "safe and happy" by controlling all train lines and suppressing the rebel Denshattack! gangs roaming the wasteland. You see where this is going: the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and the people rise up to take down the man! A story as old as time.
There isn’t tremendous depth beyond this premise, but there doesn’t need to be. Each chapter introduces a new character who either helps Emi on her quest or tries to stop her in her tracks. Every character brings a distinct style and attitude that feels well-written and grounded in the game's absurd world. There are even a few genuinely touching moments between the crew, but let’s be honest: we’re mostly here to do sick tricks with trains.
GAMEPLAY
At its core, Denshattack! is Tony Hawk meets Wave Race meets 90s anime meets kaiju battles. The absurdity of that sentence completely sums up the experience. It’s bonkers, makes zero sense on paper, yet somehow delivers on the wild premise of: "What if a train was a skateboard, and a crew of anti-establishment train-skaters had to save the world?"Its fast, twitchy gameplay is balanced by a massive library of tricks, a steady drip-feed of new mechanics to master, and epic boss fights that test your skills right to the finish line.
Early in my playthrough, I realised something quickly: I was never going to be good at this game. But I never felt punished for it either. There’s enough grace and forgiveness baked in for terrible players like me to make progress, alongside plenty of high-skill challenges for hardcore gamers looking to master every track.
Think you can clear a level with zero crashes? Go for it. Pull off a 60+ trick combo? Have at it. Uncover a secret exit by landing an impossible trick? Show us what you've got. At the end of each stage, you’re scored with a Gold, Silver, or Bronze medal à la Bayonetta or Devil May Cry. I still don’t fully understand how the scoring system calculates points, but for you combo-chasing nerds out there, you’ll have a field day picking it apart.
One recurring challenge is completing a level without crashing. I managed this exactly once. One time. But it was easily my proudest moment with the game—I got in the zone and freaking nailed it! The other standout accomplishment (yielding a lovely Xbox achievement) was taking first place in every mandatory race level. Given how tough those felt, I reckon that officially makes me a hardcore gamer, right?
All of this is to say that, no matter your skill level, Denshattack! meets you where you’re at. Fall off the track, and you instantly respawn a short distance back to keep the action moving. Later levels place respawns right before tricky segments; while wiping out repeatedly is frustrating, it always feels fair because it was your fault. I failed over and over on almost every track, to the point where I wanted to throw in the towel, but I never did. The game makes you feel incredible when you finally crack a section, asking only that you stick it out to reach the next platform.
However, a few mechanics feel noticeably less polished. The ski-lift mechanic, in particular, feels way too loose and janky. The speed at which you snap onto the lift—and then have to swing left and right while dodging obstacles before flinging yourself off—is pure chaos. Most of the time, landing on the next track felt like sheer luck. But when I did land it? Damn, it felt good. That’s the beauty of it: I didn’t care that I was bad at it because the satisfaction of succeeding was so high. The same goes for the gravity mechanic during a brutal late-game boss run—I won’t spoil it here, but it certainly provoked plenty of coluorful expletives from my sofa.
As you progress, you'll unlock different trains to pilot. Each comes with unique perks balanced out by debuffs. Beyond simply reaching the finish line, levels are packed with collectibles that unlock parts of a fan-zine written by one of the supporting characters. It’s a great incentive for completionists, and the fanzine art is cool enough that I’m secretly praying for a physical release.
For my part, once I experienced each level and its over-the-top set pieces, I was content. I didn't feel compelled to chase gold medals or 100% the collectibles—just getting across the line to see the story through was enough. Replay-ability will come down to what kind of gamer you are, but the option for depth is definitely there.
GRAPHICS
I was originally drawn to Denshattack! purely by its aesthetic—shiny, pretty things! It’s a gorgeous game that blends classic 90s anime flair with crisp, modern graphical flourishes. I’m a total sucker for games that nail their visual identity and fire on all cylinders. The environmental variety keeps things fresh, and the dynamic camera work captures mid-air tricks and boss encounters in ways that had me grinning ear-to-ear.
Thankfully, it doesn't just look great—it sounds absolutely sick, too.
SOUND
This soundtrack slaps. The main theme had me bopping along throughout my entire 10-to-12-hour playthrough. The upbeat, high-energy soundtrack perfectly mirrors the frantic pace on screen, with several levels cleverly syncing the music directly to the gameplay action. The end-credits track is a real standout, bringing the journey home in style. Throw on a decent pair of headphones and let it pull you in—it gets you properly locked into the zone.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
Denshattack! feels like the video game manifestation of playing with Hot Wheels and toy trains as a kid. All the absurd flips and tricks I used to imagine in my head have found a home in this stylish, addictive package. It’s been a long time since a game made me laugh out loud, shout expletives in frustration, scream with joy after landing a trick, or simply vibe to the soundtrack along the way. It works brilliantly as a quick pick-up-and-play experience for casuals, yet offers serious depth for players wanting to master its trick mechanics. It doesn’t land every trick it attempts, but with a fantastic cast, a heartwarming story, and one of the best OSTs of the year, it’s a brilliant romp from start to finish.
OUT OF SYNC GAMING REVIEW SCORE | 8 out of 10
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