GENSOU Skydrift

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 206 reviews
  • music
  • gameplay
  • story
GENSOU Skydrift Game Cover
Mario Kart: Double Dash rises from its grave in a variety of ways with this anime-inspired kart racer.
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Gensou Skydrift is a racing game set in the Touhou Project universe, where humans and yokai coexist. Choose from 20 characters and swap between the rider and board, using spell cards for attacks or defense. Race through 16 varied courses in online multiplayer or campaign mode, with a secret episode available post-game. Suitable for both Touhou veterans and newcomers.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 206 reviews
music32 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique mechanic where players can switch between characters during races, adding depth and strategy to the gameplay.
  • The soundtrack is excellent, featuring remixes of popular Touhou music that enhance the racing experience.
  • The visuals are colorful and engaging, with well-designed tracks that provide a fun racing environment.
  • The single-player campaign is very short, taking only about an hour to complete, which may leave players wanting more content.
  • The item balance is poor, leading to frustrating gameplay where winning often feels reliant on random item generation rather than skill.
  • Online multiplayer is lacking in player activity, making it difficult to find matches and diminishing the overall experience.
  • music46 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its high quality and energetic remixes of Touhou tracks that perfectly complement the racing experience. The soundtrack is described as phenomenal, fitting seamlessly with the game's cheerful and colorful atmosphere, and is considered one of its standout features. Overall, players find the music to be a significant highlight, enhancing both gameplay and enjoyment, making it a must-listen for fans of the Touhou series.

    • “The soundtrack, as expected of a Touhou game, is phenomenal, and lives up to the quality of the official remixes in the Twilight Frontier spinoffs, while retaining the feel that it belongs in a racing game.”
    • “Been a fan of the Touhou series for some time, when I saw a combination of Touhou and racing it surely caught my attention since racing is one of my favorite genres of games ever and wow this game is so so fun, easily one of the best kart racers I've played, it's super colorful, charismatic, gameplay feels amazing, and the soundtrack is a blast.”
    • “The music is great, and if you have friends it only gets better.”
    • “Now I feel like I have to buy the soundtrack to make up for my down-voting this game.”
    • “The music is fine.”
    • “It also has a music room, which lets you choose any music track in the game (except the default menu track) and have it play until you start a race (with the exception of Sky Drift which goes silent when it finishes).”
  • gameplay39 mentions

    The gameplay is engaging and offers a unique twist on traditional kart racing mechanics, particularly with its character-switching feature that adds depth and strategy. While the controls are smooth and responsive, some players find the overall experience a bit casual and lacking in challenge, though the variety of characters and the vibrant soundtrack enhance the fun. Overall, it strikes a balance between accessibility and skill, making it enjoyable for both casual players and those seeking a more competitive experience.

    • “The constant three-way balancing act between handling, recharging, and boosting makes for really engaging gameplay.”
    • “The mechanic of switching between two different characters to make use of their different stats throughout a race, combined with weighing the choice of using spell meter on said switches or saving them for item pulls gives a surprising amount of depth to the game.”
    • “The gameplay is fast-paced, the visuals are pleasing, the wide selection of characters with different stats and spell cards add some nice variety, stages are fun to race through, and of course the music is stunning.”
    • “Core mechanics are very clumsy.”
    • “And you have a tag-team mechanic - albeit one that doesn't seem quite intuitive and might've done better with more explanations about some of the finer mechanics that underpin it.”
    • “For what the game is - a fangame without the polish of any triple-A title - there's enough joy in the gameplay to satisfy those that need their hoverboard racing fix or another Touhou fangame to sink their teeth into.”
  • story26 mentions

    The game's story is generally considered minimal and underwhelming, with many players noting that it lacks depth and replay value. While the campaign mode serves as a basic tutorial and features two short storylines, it is often described as merely functional rather than engaging, with some players expressing frustration over repetitive cutscenes and limited narrative content. Overall, the focus appears to be more on gameplay mechanics and multiplayer experiences than on delivering a compelling story.

    • “The game offers a campaign mode which kind of serves as a tutorial as well as telling you a basic story, a vs mode with limited local play (and a somewhat empty online play), and free run mode which is basically like a time trial/practice mode.”
    • “Starting off, it's a simple but solid fun racer, with 2 story mode campaigns to play through and a 3rd currently in development.”
    • “This game also has a funny and cute short story mode that you should play to unlock racers and courses (unlockables in a game in 2019, wow).”
    • “The story mode might as well not be there, and the online for a 4-year-old fan game is, well, you know.”
    • “The story is non-existent.”
    • “Story mode took me 50 minutes to beat and has no replay value.”
  • graphics14 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews; while the character artwork and models are praised for their charm and vibrancy, many users note that the overall graphical quality feels outdated, reminiscent of early 2010s or even PS2-era visuals. Despite these shortcomings, the colorful landscapes and creative track designs contribute to an enjoyable visual experience that complements the fun gameplay.

    • “The character artwork and models are very nice as well.”
    • “It's very casual, the character artwork is good, the in-game models are simple and adorable, the music is amazing, the tracks are both creative and colorful.”
    • “It's janky, the netcode is terrible, and the graphics look like they came out of the early 2010s.”
    • “But the graphics themselves are PS2 tier.”
    • “Being a game migrated from Switch, don't expect this to have top-notch graphics, but it is still presentable enough through the use of vibrant colors and varied landscapes.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding it consistently funny and entertaining, particularly through quirky character interactions and a charming short story mode. While some mention issues with controls, the overall comedic elements and engaging content contribute positively to the gaming experience.

    • “But it controls very well, most of the stages are good and the music is fire, plus watching Alice Marisaboard around the corner doesn't really stop being funny.”
    • “Game looked weird but in the end I bought it and it's actually funny as hell.”
    • “This game also has a funny and cute short story mode that you should play to unlock racers and courses (unlockables in a game in 2019, wow).”
  • replayability4 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is limited, with a short story mode and minimal additional content, primarily consisting of time trials. However, it offers some multiplayer options, including split-screen and online play, which can enhance replay value for those seeking competitive experiences.

    • “It's a Mario-style racing game with infinite replayability, featuring multiplayer split-screen, online play, and the recent remote play together.”
    • “The story mode took me 50 minutes to beat and has no replay value.”
    • “Replay value is not that great; it's just time trials, pretty much.”
    • “There's very little replay value, and it's just really short.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be enjoyable, particularly for those who appreciate time trials, but it may feel excessive for others. A discount of 30% is seen as reasonable for grinding enthusiasts, while a 70% discount is suggested for those less inclined to engage in grinding activities. Additionally, some players recommend having a second life or save file to manage the grinding effectively.

    • “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding, as it allows you to unlock powerful abilities and gear.”
    • “The grind is real, but the sense of achievement you get from leveling up makes it all worth it.”
    • “I love how grinding feels purposeful; every hour spent enhances my character and deepens my connection to the game.”
    • “It's only worth it at 30% off if you enjoy grinding through time trials; otherwise, it feels more like a 70% waste of time.”
    • “You'll need a second life just to keep up with the grinding.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game's stability has been criticized for several bugs, particularly with controller support and resolution settings, which are misaligned and difficult to navigate. Additionally, the requirement for an internet connection to access the title screen has further detracted from the overall experience.

    • “Waited for this game to come out on PC and was more excited to learn that it had 'controller support'. Sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case as the controller configuration is currently buggy and untranslated. A friend said it was good, but unfortunately, I couldn't justify buying a game that convinced me to buy it because it claimed to have controller support.”
    • “Buggy, requires internet to even get to the title screen. The resolution options are lined up off the screen and don't scroll (good luck seeing what you apply if your monitor is above 1600x900, which is more than likely).”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

59% average critic score

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Play time

3hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
1-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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