Neon Shift is a speedrun-focused, side-scrolling platformer with a twist! Run, jump and slide your way through levels as fast as possible, then shift into a phantom that can uncover new routes with a dash and chase yourself down to secure a spot on the leaderboard. Alongside a set of core levels to play through, Neon Shift features a level editor that allows players to design and upload their own levels for others to try out and compete in.
Neon Shift's gameplay is all about momentum - the player gradually builds speed as they run and jump, making mistakes costly when going for the fastest times. In order to achieve the perfect run, players will need to familiarise themselves with the obstacles in their path and link jumps and slides together in precise sequences to avoid collisions, all while running at breakneck speed. Reaching the finish line quickly is only half of the challenge though; the player must then immediately chase themselves down as a phantom if they hope to log the time. This can be a tricky task, particularly if they were fast on the first go round, but thankfully the phantom has a new trick up their sleeve - the phase dash. This can be used to surge forward a short distance and pass straight through certain obstacles, revealing new routes if the player knows where to look. Dashing through obstacles also resets the ability's cooldown, allowing the player to clear large stretches of level very quickly and catch up to their target before they run out of road.