Here’s a game that doesn’t go off the rails. Denshattack is the latest creation from Undercoders studio. Available since July 15, 2026, this 3D action-platformer is one of those unique gaming gems you absolutely have to try. Imagine you’re a skateboarder who swaps his board for a locomotive weighing several metric tons, and you’ll get a sense of the completely out-there concept behind this brightly colored game.
Inspired by Jet Set Radio and the great classics of Japanese animation, Denshattack is set in a dystopian, futuristic Japan where the national rail network has been fully privatized by a megacorporation called Miraido. Under the pretext of protecting the population, this sprawling conglomerate has sealed off the largest cities, branding all residents outside these domed cities as outcasts. It is against this backdrop that Mad Max-style individuals have launched a rebellion in the form of a movement aimed at destabilizing the ruling regime.
This underground resistance takes the form of rebels who hijack trains to customize them and turn them into machines that race at breakneck speed across Japan. Denshattack is a bit like the developers took the visual style of Jet Set Radio and transplanted the gameplay of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater into a rail-based format. The result is completely wild, as you take the controls of a train hurtling at breakneck speed, performing all sorts of aerial stunts and tricks worthy of a skateboarder. It’s all wrapped up in stunning cel-shaded graphics, with an art style reminiscent of the cult classic Dreamcast game.
From the remote regions of Kyushu through Tokyo and on to Osaka, the game offers around sixty levels, each with its own rules and objectives, for hours of fun. In addition to its outstanding art direction, the game features a soundtrack composed by some of the greatest composers of recent years, including Tee Lopes, Ryō Nagamatsu, Richard Jacques, and Kōta Takahashi.
Why Should I Download Denshattack?
Denshattack is a game that’s easy to understand but requires skill to master. Each level offers a series of objectives to complete: reaching a certain score, finishing a course within a time limit, completing various acrobatic challenges, collecting items scattered along the tracks, or competing against an opponent in a wild race. The train is controlled like a futuristic skateboard. You accelerate, brake, jump, perform spins, slide along railings, bounce off walls, and string together aerial tricks to rack up scoring combos. The longer the combo lasts, the more points you earn.
The game’s subtlety lies in not breaking your chain of moves to achieve the highest possible scores. Between races, you can customize your train and upgrade its various abilities using enhanced mechanical parts. Boss battles, meanwhile, add variety to your progress and encourage you to rethink your strategy. It’s clever, well-executed, and the pace keeps you hooked.
You might think the game would get boring after a few levels, but the studio Undercoders has been very clever in how it’s developed its universe. The variety of levels is clearly one of Denshattack’s strengths. The adventure takes players on a journey from the south to the north of the Japanese archipelago, roughly following the route of Japan’s historic major rail lines. You start in the remote countryside of Kyushu—specifically in Kōchi Prefecture—before gradually making your way north to Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto, and finally Tokyo for the grand finale.
Visually, the range of scenery is absolutely stunning. The rural areas of Kyushu unfold into bucolic landscapes bathed in light, featuring rice paddies, bamboo forests, fields dotted with Shinto shrines, and old, abandoned train stations. There are even surreal sequences where the train transforms into a boat to brave waves worthy of the greatest surfers or into a Ferris wheel hurtling at full speed through urban settings. What’s truly impressive is that the developers have managed to bring this social divide—between the people living under the domes and the outsiders considered outcasts—to life through a Japanese countryside depicted as natural landscapes set against the backdrop of a much more electronic, controlled, and consumerist urban life.
Is Denshattack Free?
Denshattack is a game offered at an affordable price, allowing as many people as possible to enjoy it. If you have Xbox Game Pass, you can download the game right now or play it via the cloud without paying more than your subscription.
What Operating Systems Are Compatible with Denshattack?
Denshattack is a game available on many platforms, which is a real boon for anyone with a computer or a console. You can download it on Windows PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Denshattack is available in the Xbox Game Pass catalog, both on console and on PC via the Xbox app.
What Are the Alternatives to Denshattack?
Released in August 2023 by the Dutch studio Team Reptile, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is undoubtedly the most direct competitor to Denshattack currently available. It draws inspiration from Jet Set Radio and plunges you into the fictional city of New Amsterdam, where you must string together tricks, slides, and graffiti while skateboarding, rollerblading, or riding a BMX. The cel-shaded art style is very similar to its inspiration, and the music is composed by Hideki Naganuma, the longtime composer for Jet Set Radio.
Developed by the British studio Roll7 and released in February 2022, OlliOlli World offers a 2D side-scrolling experience set in the imaginary land of Radlandia. Players chain together tricks, slides, and jumps in colorful, charming environments. The controls are simple, but the gameplay is deeply engaging, which will delight fans of a good challenge. It’s a great way to keep the fun going after Denshattack, whether you’re a beginner or a skateboarding pro.
We’ll wrap things up with the excellent remaster of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2. Bringing together the first two installments of the cult classic series, this game updates the graphics and content for an unforgettable experience. It features all the skateparks from the original series, completely remade, along with optimized gameplay and a soundtrack enriched with about thirty previously unreleased tracks. It’s the perfect choice for anyone who loves stringing together aerial combos and is passionate about chasing high scores.
