This collection contains ALL thirteen TMNT games from Konami during the 80's/90's TMNT craze.
This is a nice collection. I appreciate how comprehensive it is. As you may or may not know, games were harder back then and a lot of these can be pretty challenging especially for today's generation having grown accustomed to instant saving and not knowing the frustration of having been sent back to the beginning of the game. Not that I'm complaining about the way things are now. I don't want to go back. I can't go back, man! I don't have the patience anymore! Which, is why I'm happy to say that this game has enhancements. You can save any game whenever you like and rewind your gameplay. Most importantly, the collection allows you to automatically unlock any bonus options that were available for the game before, but now you don't have to input codes to do it. This makes a lot of games easier with such options as easy or god modes, extra lives, etc. Remember, you usually only get what was already in the system. The original TMNT game for the NES is still hard as all get out and there were no codes to make it easier. (Though the developers for this collection were nice enough to add an option to remove flickering and slow down for what it's worth.)
The game also includes aesthetically pleasing strategy guides you can pull up and a ton of bonus material, including box art, game music and concept art, and screenshots from ALL the cartoon shows. Unfortunately, you don't get the opening themes for any of the shows.
Not loving the main menu. When you toggle between games the background moves, and I can see it causing motion sickness for some. Also, the backgrounds use artwork from the very original black-and-white comics. I don't think that this was the right choice, since the majority of the games are themed around the first cartoon.
Individual game reviews:
(NOTE: The three Tournament Fighters games are all completely different with different rosters.)
Arcade:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- 8/10
The one that invented the TMNT beat 'em up formula, this is one of the best ones. Colorful with a specific visual personality. Complete with fun villains.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time- 8/10
Improves upon the gameplay of the first game and the time travel theme adds some new level ideas to a series that was already beginning to repeat itself. Though this looks better, I admit it doesn't have quite as many of the special little details that the original had.
NES:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- 4/10
This is one of the few games I didn't beat, because of its difficulty. (I didn't even bother getting to the infamous dam level that many a child remembers.) It's too bad, since there was genuine creativity and good ideas in this. I also liked the fact that the villains look different and more intimidating. (Apparently, the game developers based the look off of the original comics.) One wonders what the future home consoles games could've been if they stuck to platformers instead of beat 'em ups.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game- 7/10
Since this version of the arcade game is on an 8-bit system, it's a massive visual downgrade that can't match the original and the fights take a lot longer. On the plus side, the game does a surprising job of being as detailed as it can and was definitely doing its best when replicating the visuals. This has two additional levels featuring some clever new villains.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project- 7/10
Number 3 has the reputation of being the overlooked and unappreciated one due to its being released so close to Turtles in Time. And yeah, it does deserve the reputation of also being a good game. Free of having to replicate a source, this game is able to work with what suits the functions of the NES best. Gameplay is stronger here. Backgrounds may not be as detailed, but there are some nice thematic-style moments in this. The developers were aware of the potential fatigue of the games, and they provided genuine effort when coming up with new level areas and ways to freshen up battles with previously appearing bosses.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters- 5/10
Fun fact: this one of the very few tournament fighters made for the NES. The fighting works better than expected, plus there's a fun Smash Bros.-esque weapon that's appears, but as a whole the gameplay isn't that fun. Unsurprisingly, it has the smallest roster.
Game Boy:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan- 6/10
Nice to see at least a few other platformers on the list. Unfortunately, way too many enemies are thrown at you. It's exhausting. That being said, gameplay and graphics aren't half bad ,and I still beat it in a short amount of time. I'm especially pleased that you can knock the bosses' projectiles back at them, and you can just automatically select which level you want from the get go.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Back from the Sewers- 6.5/10
They still throw enemies at you in some points, but gameplay and graphics are improved in this. Though, this has the worst Foot Soldier designs of all the games. They look like aliens.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Radical Rescue- 8/10
One of the most unique of the games. This has Metroidvania level design, in that it's one big interconnected map. This also has the strongest visuals and fairest difficulty of the GB titles. The game's still hard, but it doesn't feel unfair. This is the only game where you start with only one turtle and have to free the others or where each turtle has special abilities. I didn't complete this one, since I don't have the patience for the exploration being interrupted by constant death, but I admire it for what it accomplished.
SNES:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time- 8/10
A lot of people say this is stronger than the arcade version, and I agree, though I don't think it's by as wide a margin as some people say. Though they had cut a lot of the spoken dialogue, the game looks and plays practically as well as the original. Plus, you get several new bosses, including the very unique Shredder fight where you have to throw your opponents at the screen, and a more interesting-looking hoverboard level. The one con in this is that the final boss is fairly weak and so much less of a challenge than the arcade one. (The level select option doesn't appear to be working. Hopefully this will be fixed in a patch.)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournamet Fighters- 6.5
Definitely the strongest of the three with the best character selection, graphics and moves. However, the gameplay still doesn't excel.
Sega Genesis:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist- 7/10
This is sort of an alternative version of Turtles in Time, which incorporates various elements from the game. This has fewer, but longer levels. The graphic aren't as good as found in arcade or SNES, and the fighting takes longer (you'll learn to hate the white Foot Soldiers which take forever to destroy.) However, the game is still entertaining to play, and it is only the only Turtles game to have a boss gauntlet or to feature Tatsu from the first two movies.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournamet Fighters- 5.5
Okay, I guess. This has some decent character and background design, but the gameplay, character roster, and graphics don't compare to the SNES. I do like that this is the only game where you can play as April and she has a different design than the yellow jumpsuit.
Overall, recommended. Yeah, the games are dated, but they're a fun glimpse into a past and a treasure trove for fans of the original TMNT cartoon. You might want to pace yourself playing these, though. Bad guys are reused A TON, and one can only take so many Foot Soldiers and Rock Soldiers.
