GENSOU Skydrift

70%
Game Brain Score Based on 418 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
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 418 reviews
music64 positive mentions
replayability4 negative mentions
  • Fun and unique gameplay mechanics, including character switching and spell card usage, provide depth and strategy.
  • The soundtrack is excellent, featuring great remixes of Touhou music that enhance the racing experience.
  • Visually appealing tracks and character designs that cater to Touhou fans, making it a charming experience.
  • The single-player campaign is very short, taking less than an hour to complete, leading to limited replay value.
  • Online multiplayer is nearly non-existent, making it difficult to find matches and diminishing the game's longevity.
  • Controls can feel clunky and unresponsive at times, particularly with drifting and character switching mechanics.
  • music92 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the phenomenal soundtrack that features remixes of beloved Touhou series songs, perfectly fitting the game's vibrant and cheerful atmosphere. Players appreciate the integration of music with gameplay, noting that each track enhances the racing experience, making it both enjoyable and addictive. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, elevating the game's appeal significantly.

    • “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.”
    • “The soundtrack is so good; they're remixes based on overall Touhou series songs, and they fit so well with the cheerfulness and charisma of 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.”
    • “Now I feel like I have to buy the soundtrack to make up for my down-voting this game.”
    • “The music is fine.”
    • “It's a good game if you're a fan of Touhou, good quantity of characters with their own special abilities, different stages, the online community doesn't seem to be very active, and it would be better if the game had more modes, like a battle mode; the character designs are well done, and the music doesn't get left behind.”
  • gameplay81 mentions

    The gameplay of Gensou Skydrift is characterized by its unique character-switching mechanic, which adds depth and strategy to the racing experience, reminiscent of classic kart racers like Mario Kart: Double Dash. While the controls are generally smooth and responsive, some players find the gameplay to be somewhat casual and lacking in challenge, though it rewards skillful play and offers engaging multiplayer options. Overall, the game is praised for its colorful visuals, diverse character stats, and an outstanding soundtrack, making it a fun choice for both Touhou fans and racing enthusiasts.

    • “The gameplay has a lot more depth than I ever imagined, starting with coming up with switch strategies, break drifting, and more, while also a lot of the cast feels very different from each other.”
    • “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.”
    • “It's not a game for long hours of dedicated gameplay, but it offers a multiplayer treat, for you and your Touhou-loving friends.”
  • story50 mentions

    The game's story is generally considered minimal and lacks depth, with most players noting that the campaign is very short, often taking around 50 minutes to complete. While some appreciate the lighthearted and cute elements of the story mode, it is primarily viewed as a basic tutorial rather than a compelling narrative. Overall, the focus is more on gameplay and track design than on a rich storyline.

    • “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 is non-existent.”
    • “Story mode took me 50 minutes to beat and has no replay value.”
    • “The story mode might as well not be there and the online for a 4 year old fan game is, well, you know.”
  • graphics28 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 a visually pleasing experience that complements the fun, casual gameplay. Overall, the graphics are considered decent but not cutting-edge, serving more to enhance the game's enjoyable atmosphere than to impress technically.

    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding it "funny as hell" and appreciating its cute short story mode that adds to the comedic experience. Despite some complaints about the controls, the humor remains a standout feature, contributing to an overall enjoyable gameplay experience.

    • “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).”
    • “Plus, watching Alice Marisaboard around the corner doesn't really stop being funny.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while it offers multiplayer options and time trials that can provide some ongoing enjoyment, the short story mode (approximately 50 minutes) lacks significant replay value. Many players find the experience limited, with little incentive to revisit the single-player content.

    • “It's a Mario-style racing game with infinite replayability, featuring multiplayer split-screen, online play, and the recent remote play together.”
    • “Story mode took me 50 minutes to beat and has no replay value.”
    • “Replay value is not that great, just time trials pretty much.”
    • “There's very little replay value and it's just really short.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Reviews indicate that grinding is a significant aspect of the game, often requiring considerable time investment, particularly for time trials. Players suggest that the experience may be more enjoyable if purchased at a discount, with a recommendation of 30% off for those who appreciate grinding, while others feel it may not be worth the effort at full price.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Worth it at 30% off if you like grinding time trials; otherwise, more like 70%.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game's stability has been criticized for being buggy, particularly with its controller support, which is currently malfunctioning and untranslated. Additionally, players have reported issues with the resolution settings being misaligned and the requirement for an internet connection just to access the title screen, leading to frustration and dissatisfaction.

    • “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).”
    • “Waited for this game to come out on PC and was 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. I couldn't justify buying a game that convinced me to buy it because it claimed to have controller support.”
    • “The controller configuration is currently buggy and untranslated, which is disappointing considering the hype around the game's controller support.”
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 4 analyzed playthroughs

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