Denshattack! is about becoming the greatest acrobatic train driver in Japan by competing in over-the-top battles by flipping trains like they're skateboards. Disclosure: a key was provided to GamingOnLinux.
What's the story here? Set in a vibrant yet dystopian future where the ultra-rich have sequestered themselves into impenetrable air-purifying domes, those left in the wasteland have rebuilt the world under gang rule. You'lll face rival gangs, collect upgrades and climb the ranks to become the best in Japan.
It's a game that just sounds completely ridiculous - and it is, but it fully leans into how insane the whole idea of it is and it pays off to great effect. It is quite possibly one of the goofiest games I've ever had the pleasure of playing, and I really do say that with love because it's good wholesome dumb fun of the best kind. If you love arcade-styled games with a bit of Anime flair and plenty of challenges then this is going to be something you'll enjoy.
Tested on the SteamOS Steam Machine - it worked great with Proton 11 and looks fantastic in motion too. No issues with it at all in terms of bugs or performance problems. Very smooth even at 2560x1440 on Very High settings.
Right from the first moment when you slide into the first level you see how the designers had a truly great time making this one - it shines right through with the incredibly vibrant world and it's just wondrous to look at. This is why I love indie teams - making stuff like this that just oozes cool vibes instead of chasing realism. Games are supposed to help us escape, not remind us of how gritty life is and Denshattack! really allows you to get engrossed in pulling off the sickest most stupid looking tricks you possibly can.
While it's easy to say it's something between Tony Hawk with trains and Jet Set Radio, it manages to come off incredibly unique thanks to the rails system. Not just that, but the boss battles too come with their own set of totally nuts design with each being vastly different to the other.
As for the main gameplay, it is quite linear because of the paths through and the level structure. Not that it's a bad thing, and the game does begin to open up a little more as you get through it thanks to some branching paths through the levels (including some secrets to find). They sure did manage to cram a lot into it once you've beaten some levels and managed to go through a few shops.
What really got me is the sheer speed of everything. It's so blazingly fast all the time. The first little bit just teaches you basic controls for a quick delivery, then you're pulled right into fast-paced tricks where you're constantly launching your train into the air while you spin it around, while also trying to drift around corners and swap between tracks to avoid obstacles. There is a lot you need to remember in a short time - but quite accessible thanks to the simple controls. Simple controls don't make me any good at it though - phew, what a thorough challenge it is! So darn fun though to see a train speed into the air, spin and then slam it into the tracks below to avoid a tunnel.
The music as well - gosh, it has an absolute banger of a soundtrack all the way through thanks to bringing in the likes of Tee Lopes (Sonic Mania, TMNT: Shredder's Revenge), Ryo Nagamatsu (Splatoon series, Mario Kart Series), Richard Jacques (Jet Set Radio series, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy) and Takenobu Mitsuyoshi (Daytona USA, Sega Rally Championship) and more. Seriously, the music just pops.
Denshattack! is a game that just never lets up. Even the first proper score challenge battle is completely bonkers. You go from hopping rails to riding your train on top of a giant wheel and then through a volcano. Then right after that the next level has you grinding a train on single rails with you attempting to balance it as you hop between grinding and smashing through parts of a building. Then the very next level goes even more nuts with your train on a boat, doing tricks as you launch it up big waves. Absolutely insane. I love it.
There’s barely ever a moment to think during all the action. I was probably pulling some really strange faces during plenty of the tough bits, I could feel my hands fiercely gripping the controller (as if that would help…), it sure did make me sweat.
See the launch music video below:
Direct Link
Plenty of collectibles to find during each level too. For those of you who love being a completionist there’s various spray cans to grab, which allow you to spend more in the various shops to kit-out your train. And, each level has its own set of challenges and scoring - so you may end up playing a fair bit of each level to get a better score.
From the press release sent to GamingOnLinux: "It’s a dream to bring together our greatest passions in Denshattack!: skateboarding, trains, and Japan!" Said David Jaumandreu, Game Director of Denshattack! "Denshattack! harkens back to the unmistakably bold style championed by some of the Y2K era's greatest games and anime, including the iconic Jet Set Radio, One Piece and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. These were foundational inspirations for how we approach game and character design, and their unabashed celebration of larger-than-life ideas continue to inspire us to this day."
Brilliant. It looks incredible and it makes you smile constantly as you go through it. There's a definite challenge to it from learning to master the tricks to pump up your score to actually beating the interesting bosses. Overall I think it is well worth picking up.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Arehandoro 10 Sep 2026
Totally agree with it too, the gameplay is a lot of fun, and the game overflows with love and quality! It was done by a studio in Barcelona, and it has a couple of Easter Eggs for the Spanish gaming community, if you're into watching streams, too.
I haven't completed it yet, but the challenges so far seems doable. The game have that feeling that it remains accessible to novice, while providing meaty difficulty for people that wants that.
And, who can say no to using a train engine as a skateboard anyway.
Quoting: ArehandoroLovely review!Oh wow, I've just been there, that's interesting.
Totally agree with it too, the gameplay is a lot of fun, and the game overflows with love and quality! It was done by a studio in Barcelona, and it has a couple of Easter Eggs for the Spanish gaming community, if you're into watching streams, too.
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