Denshattack
She's multi-track drifting!
Why
- Never stops adding new mechanics, but somehow never overwhelming
- Easy to complete but tough to master
- Instant revives a-la Celeste are a great fit given the pace of gameplay
- Top-notch style and soundtrack
- Extremely tropey shonen storyline is a great fit
Why Not
- You can beat stages with slow reactions, but it'll feel pretty bad until you learn them
- Hard to read dialogue during the action (100% my fault for using Japanese audio)
Impressions
Denshattack is Unbeatable crossed with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, but you're a train. The story unfolds over time-attack style rounds which start off pretty over the top before ending with a bang Gurren Lagann would be proud of. Just making it through the levels isn't too tough since crashing just respawns you a second or two back down the track, but the real game is chasing gold medals earned through a combination of trick points, time to finish and level-specific dares.
Having said that I wouldn't obsess over your scores right from the start; get some experience and different train options under your belt first while enjoying the insane flow of the story rather than bashing your head against early levels going for gold. New techniques you pick up later in the story can sometimes be used in earlier levels to great effect, and by the end you'll be so good that getting gold on earlier levels is a breeze.
Overall a spectacular, manic game that's really fun to play and especially great if you can only play in short bursts. I finished it almost entirely while The Wife was in the shower, and it'll continue to occupy that hallowed gaming time well into the future as I go for medals. Definitely give it a try if it looks interesting.