Denshattack Understands Speed More Than Sonic The Hedgehog

Whenever someone tells me one of their favourite games is a 3D Sonic title, I am convinced they are lying straight to my silly little face. Listen, I understand millions out there are incredibly fond of the Blue Blur because they either grew up with the games or cartoons, love the selection of excellent 2D entries, or perhaps have a soft spot for Ben Schwartz, as I do. There are plenty of reasons to love the little guy. The vast selection of 3D offerings is not one of them. Many are terrible and misunderstand what made the original games so great.

I understand why they exist — Sonic is a huge brand designed to earn money from audiences young and old alike. Heck, he was designed by Sega in the first place to compete with Mario in both America and Japan as an equally compelling platforming mascot. It worked, resulting in great games, piles of merchandise, tie-ins, spin-offs, and more. And that was just the 90s.

He only grew more popular as the new millennium began, and gaming began to embrace an all-new dimension. 3D was on the rise, and Sonic had to join in on the fun.

Sonic Adventure Will Always Be A Core Part Of Video Game History

Sega

And he did so in incredible fashion thanks to Sonic Adventure on the Sega Dreamcast. It was a visually spectacular experience with an unrivalled sense of speed that showed how a video game legend could flawlessly make the leap to the third dimension. At least, it gave off such an impression if you didn’t have a controller in your hand. I’ll never forget the opening levels that feature Sonic sprinting across a sandy beach and onto a deck that is then obliterated by a school of oncoming killer whales. It became an instantly iconic image that expressed such speed, scale, and potential for the character as he took on this new form.

But even back then, compared to masterpieces like Super Mario 64, Sonic Adventure did not feel good to play. Jumping was floaty, and movement was erratic, and don’t get me started on the combat. Its sequel would have just as many iconic gameplay moments like City Escape, but many of the gameplay problems remained. Revisiting these games and many that would follow today just isn’t especially fun unless you’re truly taken by the feelings of nostalgia.

Sonic running away from the Deadly Six in promo art for Sonic Lost World.

Strangely enough, I have a soft spot for Sonic: Lost World because it was willing to do cool and unexpected things with the level design. There hasn’t been another game quite like it since.

One thing that holds back every single 3D Sonic title, whether it be Adventure, Heroes, or even Shadow, is how lousy they are at maintaining the momentum its titular character has always been known for. The rush of speed is always temporary because there is nothing I can do to stop whoever I’m controlling from launching into a projectile that is impossible to predict at the best of times. I lose my rings, pick them all up, and embark on this awkward journey all over again.

Combat only works because of homing attacks, and anything aside from that feels terrible. Frontiers got pretty close to redefining the formula for this new era, but it also feels like a tech demo in ways only a sequel can rectify.

Denshattack Does Everything That 3D Sonic Can’t

The player rushes towards a boss in Denshattack.

This is where the recently released Denshattack from developer Undercoders comes in, and how it takes many of the design conventions that Sonic helped pioneer in the 3D space, right before improving upon them in every way possible. In this game, you control an absurdly fast train capable of jumping, drifting, grinding, flying, diving, and so much more across a visually gorgeous anime-inspired take on post-apocalyptic Tokyo. Each level is blisteringly fast while tasking you to race enemies, complete objectives, or simply reach the end while striving to score as many points as possible. I would even argue it’s faster than our boy Sonic.

You lose momentum much like you do in Sonic, but within seconds, you are transported back onto the track thanks to a generous checkpoint without losing a single lick of speed. A tiny little score penalty might be issued, but otherwise, I can soar along courses without feeling like a clumsy fool at all. No stopping and starting, trying to get my bearings as the awful nature of the controls is made clear, nor any encounters with enemies that only serve to ruin the sense of pacing. It feels like going fast brings with it tangible rewards and satisfaction rather than a swift promise of barreling into a wall.

Denshattack also boasts ample variety in its stage design and biomes, similar to zones in a classic Sonic title but with engaging characters and narratives to boot. I hate to drag Sonic through the coals like this, and adore games like Mania and Generations, but for decades, it feels like we’ve been kidding ourselves into believing his 3D outings are a mixed collection of fundamentally flawed experiences that have never figured out how to make speed work.

If you feel the same way, I can’t recommend Denshattack enough. It has wonderful music, a gameplay formula that never ceases to amaze, and characters I immediately fell in love with. Part of me believes Sonic Frontiers 2 will blow my socks off, but for now, this is a much better and far less frustrating option.