There’s a certain generation that grew up not wanting to be a reality TV star or content creator, but have an actual job, like being a train driver.

Here’s a game that allows you to be just that, but this is no sim, and you won’t be slowing down, bringing passengers onto platform 4 at Euston Station.

It’s set in the future, where you play young Emi, a train driver delivering ramen in Japan. The country is now full of domed cities, thanks to climate change, and are governed by the evil Miraido corporation.

She gets involved in the sport of Denshattack, which sees her performing crazy stunts in her engine. She’s gets a taste for it, and decides she wants to be the best, and is prepared to go on a journey through her homeland to reach her target.

But along the way, she meets various gang leaders, who convince her that she’s on the right track to strike against the tyranny of Miraido, and with their help, they can battle them out of existence.

At a glance you could easily mistake it to be a Jet Set Radio clone, with its garish cel-shaded graphics, but you would be very much mistaken.

Denshattack! is a game like no other. It borrows from other genres, such as skateboarding games, but the end result is truly unique. Every level is a speed run, which may not appeal to some, but trust us, its gameplay is truly exhilarating.

It’s beautifully balanced too, with the opening levels serving as tutorials for what’s to come. This involves jumping, moving from track to track, avoiding obstacles and hitting switches to continue your route. Even during these early levels it can seem a little overwhelming, but once you pick up your controller you will have a hard time putting it down.

You will crash, a lot, but it’s part of the learning process, and you are put back where you crashed to try that section again. And when you get it right next time, there is a sudden rush of achievement for doing so. But don’t get too cocky, as the next level is just around the corner.

And as you progress, the game throws even more things at you to learn and remember, but it never feels overwhelming, making the journey an incredible one.

It brings totally new meaning to on-the-rails gameplay, especially as you spend so much time off of them, doing incredible tricks.

It constantly tests your reflexes as you have to remember which controller input does what while on board a runaway train at breakneck speeds, but it’s all sublimely intuitive.

Although it shares its look with the classic Dreamcast game – and even pays homage to it by having you collect spray cans - its DNA is similar to the original Burnout games, as you race along a pre-determined track – albeit one with branch elements throughout. It is, without doubt, a throwback to intense arcade games, with its impressive sense of speed at all times, making it a heart-pounding experience.

And considering that every level is a speed run – although the time you do it in is probably the least important of your tasks, as just completing is reward enough - there is a surprising amount of depth to it.

There are nine regions to explore, and within each level there are eight dares; these vary from level to level, and you can complete the level without completing the majority of them, but the replay value on all levels is insane, acting as built in achievements/trophies, which completists will love.

And then there’s the variety within the levels, some are high-points based from tricks, some are thrilling races to be won, and they also throw in quirky boss battles for good measure.

It may sound as if it’s for hardcore gamers, and with so much going on, it may be off-putting, but with our gaming skills diminishing with age (sad but true – sigh), we managed to keep up with it, and never felt that the challenge in front of us was unachievable. If anything, it made us want to play it even more to get it right.

On top of that it has an enjoyable story, wacky characters, and a kick-ass soundtrack that you won’t mind listening to when you’re playing the game, over and over. And trust us, you will.

It’s not often that a game comes along and blows our proverbial socks off, but Denshattack! did exactly that.

It has a thrilling intensity, exploring a colourful world at speed, and has the kind of just-one-more-go addictiveness the likes of which we haven’t experienced in years. In short, it’s mind-blowingly good.

It’s clearly been made with a whole lot of love, and the outcome is one of the most creative, engaging and rewarding games released in some time.

Now being fortunate enough to review games, we take care to give a balanced reflection of the games we play, which means taking any downsides they may have into consideration. But as try as we might, we could only find one fault with Denshattack!, and that’s that we want more of it – now!

If you yearn for driving a train through an extraordinary world, doing crazy stunts and collecting bits and pieces at breakneck speeds along the way, you’re on the right track with this one.