Denshattack Hands-off Preview

Just revealed at Opening Night Live which kicks off Gamescom, Denshattack is a new trick-based score-em-up in the vein of Tony Hawk and old arcade titles – the twist being that we play as a Japanese train as it moves along tracks, pulling off stunts and tricks, and generally racking up score in over-the-top ways. From our brief time with the developers we found ourselves keen to actually get hands on and see how the fast action feels in the hands. 

We mention Japanese trains specifically as not only does “Densha” mean “Trains” in Japanese, but the developers were heavily inspired by Japan’s excellent real network, so much so that they don’t just use landmarks as inspirations but actual train lines in their courses. While that won’t mean much to the likes of myself who has yet to visit Japan, this detail goes to show how much love and care went into respecting and honouring the Japanese trainlines.

With inspirations such as the aforementioned Tony Hawk, as well as the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog, Jet Set Radio, and Japanese arcade title Densha de Go!, the aim is clear: fast paced action with over the top set pieces and bright, bold artwork. Built in UE5, Denshattack looks pretty damn great, bursting with eye-catching colour and detail, and hitting those dopamine receptors just right when the combos start flowing. 

Developers Undercoders tell us they look at the core of Denshattack in two parts; at its core, it’s as simple as getting to the end of the level, through the courses and obstacles. On a higher level comes the high score chasing and combo system, where skilled players can aim greater scores and bragging rights. Of course, this aspect will rely on how fun it is to keep upping the challenge, but this early looks suggest it has plenty of that THPS DNA within to push us further and further.

While some levels are more trick and score based, others encourage exploration, with multiple paths and objectives to tackle along the way. We didn’t get to see too much of this in the presentation, but in a way this appeals to me personally more than simply score chasing. I’ll be very interested to see how this pans out. 

Which is something that’ll be easier to do thanks to it being on Game Pass Day One when it launches. I’m not a huge fan of the ‘perfect Game Pass game’ mantra, but if I had to pick, Denshattack feels like it fits the ethos far better than most titles. It has quick, pick up and play action that encourages repeat plays and score chasing, while coming in with some fantastic visuals and – if the trailer is anything to go by – another great soundtrack to add to the playlist. 

We saw in the trailer multiple trains racing as one of the level types, but sadly Denshattack remains a strictly single player affair. There was also mention of a wide range of train types to play with, and cosmetic only customisation to make the trains your own. 

After this short hands-off demo, I can safely say I’m keen to go hands-on now and see how Denshattack feels to play. If it’s even half as good as it looks, we could be looking at a sleeper hit when it releases.

This game was a hands off preview via Discord. All of the opinions and insights here are subject to that version. Game provided by the publisher.