Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge Preview – Pizza Power!

In the 1990s, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were ubiquitous in the side-scrolling beat-‘em-up scene. Whether you’re talking about the 1989 arcade game, 1991’s Turtles in Time, or the myriad other brawlers starring everybody’s favorite Heroes in a Half-Shell, Konami’s creations in the ‘80s and ‘90s are legendary.

However, just as the side-scrolling beat-‘em-up genre faded, so too did the luster of the Turtles’ legacy. Following the IP’s late-‘80s/early-‘90s boom, the fan base of TMNT shrunk considerably, and much like the movies, TV shows, and merchandise, the brand’s gaming output slowed. After 1992’s Hyperstone Heist and 1993’s Tournament Fighters, the Turtles still starred in games, but few reached any level of acclaim. Even Ubisoft’s 2009 remake of Turtles in Time was met with harsh criticism.

With the same talent who worked on Scott Pilgrim Vs. Dotemu Games, Tribute Games, and talent that worked on games like Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and Streets of Rage 4 are aiming to return the cowabunga kings back to their gaming glory. We met with the companies behind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge to see the game in action and chat with the developers about how they’re hoping to make the video game Turtles fans have dreamt of for the past 30 years.

When the Evil Shredder Attacks…

Announced through a trailer featuring Faith No More’s Mike Patton singing the 1987 cartoon theme song, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is designed to appeal to fans from that earlier era. So much about the game – the aesthetics, character designs, enemies, and more – pull heavily from the period, including the beloved TV series and its accompanying toy lines.

As part of my demonstration, I watched members from Tribute Games (Dotemu) go through each stage. The first stage, “Jaw-Breaking News,” takes place inside the Channel 6 News studio. It’s here that Shredder begins his plot for revenge, part of which includes the reassembly of Krang. The stage design is reminiscent of cartoons. Each stage tells a story using the environment, enemies, boss fights and cutscenes. The music, composed by Tee Lopes of Sonic Mania fame, also feels ripped straight out of the ‘80s and ‘90s.

This era of inspiration is reflected in the game’s gameplay. It features fast arcade action. The enemy appears on the screen, and they are defeated as quickly as they appear. Like in Turtles in Time players have the ability to slam opponents back and forth, and even throw them at the camera.

Tribute isn’t just looking to bring back the best-hits, although nostalgia may play a big part in this game. “Something that we wanted to do mostly with the game is try to visit locations that we have never seen before in previous 2D games, but also things from the 1987 TMNT universe from the cartoon,” game designer Frédéric Gémus says. “It’s a love letter not only to the TMNT franchise, but also to the whole era.”

Despite its nostalgic nature, Shredder’s Revenge implements many quality-of-life improvements. You can chain together attacks more easily than the old games. In co-op mode, you have the option to revive teammates who are knocked down.

Shredder’s Revenge also offers two modes of play: standard arcade and story mode. The arcade mode replicates the experience of classic games. You start with limited lives, and must beat the game within a single session. Story mode is a way to flip the script. Your accumulated points can be used for character advancement, such as upgrades to HP and extra lives. Radical Mode allows your character temporarily to power up. Story mode offers replayability, the possibility to go backwards and allows you to take on optional challenges.

Heroes in a Half-Shell

While the first level is full of Easter eggs, the next stage I see (the sixth level in the game), “Mall Meltdown,” further commits to the nostalgia. The mall is filled with nods to its past, which players can enjoy as they fight through it. Eventually, Donatello and April O’Neil fight through the food court and shopping promenades to arrive at the arcade.

While the first level featured Bebop, a familiar face for anyone who’s played through the Turtles’ past games, as its boss battle, this level gives players a foe who hasn’t appeared in a game before. Tempestra is a character who escaped from a video game with which Leonardo became obsessed in a 1990 episode of the cartoon, so her appearance in the mall arcade of Shredder’s Revenge makes sense.

The boss battle sees the virtual sorceress call in digital projections from Rahzar and Tokka to summon them into this fight. The Secret of the Ooze. Tempestra is now vulnerable to attack once you have defeated the snapping turtle mutant and the wolf. Tempestra will be defeated after repeating this process a few more times.

The final stage I see is the 10th level in the game, called “A Few Screws Loose.” Here, players battle through a back alley and into an electronics store full of tube TVs and mousers galore. Raphael decides to go it alone this time. Drop-in/drop out is the only way to play co-op. The game adjusts as the players count changes. If you invite three friends, it will also change the enemy composition.  

Raph fights multiple enemies using opposing conveyor belts during one unforgettable section. You will find new and exciting smashable objects constantly appearing on the screen, which adds to the dynamic nature of the scene. Baxter Stockman might be believed to have won the boss battle against the micers, but the finale of the electronics mission is against Metalhead.

Shredder’s techno-turtle has a similar moveset as the version players faced in Turtles in Time, complete with arms that can stretch across the screen and flying kicks. He’s also joined by a menagerie of mousers and can shield himself while launching rockets your way. Metalhead’s moves don’t pose much of a threat to the player, and before long, the robot is out of commission, and Raph is eating a slice of pizza off his sai as my demo ends.

Cowabunga!

Everything I’ve seen and learned of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge suggests that it aims to be the brand’s grand re-entry to the gaming scene. It’s clear the teams at Dotemu and Tribute Games have abundant love for both the Turtles franchise and the side-scrolling brawler genre.

As I watched the team perform through all three stages of the competition, my instinct was to go back and replay some of my favourites, such as Turtles in Time. Thankfully, through the recently announced Cowabunga Collection, I’ll have the opportunity to refresh my memory and brush up on my skills as I get ready for the launch of Shredder’s Revenge later this year.

Original publication: Issue 345, December 2007. Game Informer.