Denshattack! review – time to get on board with kickflipping trains
Denshattack! is a new video game from Barcelona-based developer Undercoders that reimagines extreme sports action on trains, blending the trick-based mechanics of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater with the counter-cultural spirit of Jet Set Radio. Set in a dystopian, post-climate-disaster Japan where wealthy citizens shelter in corporate domed cities, the game follows aspiring "Denshattacker" Emi as she battles rival gangs performing tricks on the ruins of the country's rail network. The Guardian's review praises it as colourful, weird and exhilarating, noting that its outlandish premise is matched by surprisingly hardcore, substantial gameplay.
The game is available on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2. It gradually introduces mechanics over several hours before opening into races, score attacks and challenge levels, with boss battles against creations such as a tunnelling mole-train and a vinyl record-powered castle cited as highlights. Levels draw heavily on Japanese culture, referencing kabuki theatre and the manga Initial D, while rival characters reflect various eras of Japanese subcultural misfits. The reviewer particularly praises how classic skating-game mechanics feel reinvigorated when applied to trains, calling the combo-chaining gameplay hard to fault.
In short
- Denshattack! mixes Tony Hawk's-style tricks with Jet Set Radio's rebellious tone
- Set in dystopian future Japan, players kickflip trains as gangs battle
- Reviewed as colourful, exhilarating and surprisingly hardcore to play
Explained simply
Denshattack! is a new video game developed by Barcelona-based studio Undercoders that combines extreme sports action with train-based gameplay. The game is set in a dystopian future Japan where climate disaster has forced wealthy citizens into corporate domed cities, with players controlling a character named Emi who performs tricks on the ruins of the country's railway network.
The game draws on established gaming conventions, blending the trick-based mechanics familiar from skateboarding games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater with the visual style of action games like Jet Set Radio. It is available across major platforms including PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2.
The gameplay incorporates Japanese cultural references, including influences from manga and kabuki theatre, with rival characters based on various Japanese subcultural styles. The game gradually introduces mechanics over several hours, eventually opening up races, score attacks, challenge levels and boss battles set across its train-based world.
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