Denshattack! is so chock-full of ridiculous moments that it’s hard to single out one that stands above the rest. I mean, we’re talking about a game where a train hitches a ride on a runaway Ferris wheel, and that seems like a fairly normal occurrence by the end of the adventure. If I had to pick one moment to sell you on it though, it’s Denshattack’s unexpected musical boss fight.
[Ed. note: This article contains spoilers for Denshattack!]
The battle takes place at the end of Chapter 7. After racing through the Kantō region of Japan, you come face to face with Suzuna Sei in the “Rainbow Hero” stage. Sei is a musician whose career stalled after an unsuccessful run as a child star. She instead turned to Denshattacking, leading a musical gang that runs the railways. At the start of the duel against her, Sei explains that she can control magnetic currents with her music.
That power opens the door for a showstopping boss fight inspired by Guitar Hero. In it, you’re dropped on a set of rails laid out like a fretboard, and you need to pass through energy notes. You’re basically playing Guitar Hero, but with a skateboarding train that hops between rails. The fight even incorporates your Akira slide ability, as you need to skid sideways to hit notes stretched across two tracks. All of that happens to the high-energy track “I’m the Music,” a hair metal hyperpop jam that fully slaps.
The Sei fight stands out for two reasons. For one, it just kicks ass. It’s a left-field ode to Guitar Hero that’s executed to perfection, and it makes great use of Denshattack’s soundtrack. What’s not to love?
More notable is that it’s emblematic of Denshattack’s true superpower. When I first heard the game’s elevator pitch, I assumed it would be a one-trick pony. A kickflipping train made for one hell of a visual, but I figured that gimmick would get old fast — especially over an eight-hour game. What I didn’t anticipate was that developer Undercoders would have no shortage of ideas of how to twist that hook beyond “Tony Hawk skating with a train.” You’re introduced to a fresh idea every few levels, whether it’s swinging from cranes or competing in Mario Kart-like races.
Never in a million years would I have predicted it to break out a rhythm game interlude, but it’s an inspired idea that makes perfect sense in context. Creative moments like this that recontextualize the skating fundamentals at every turn are what make Denshattack! more than a funny gimmick. So much attention went into cracking how to make on-rails gameplay feel like an unpredictable roller coaster ride from start to finish, and levels like “Rainbow Hero” pay off that design philosophy exceptionally well.
You can experience that moment for yourself, as Denshattack! is now available on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. And don’t worry: there are way more unexpected moments like that waiting to surprise you.