One of the most beloved side-scrolling beat 'em up video game series of all time is the line of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games published by Konami in the '80s and '90s. Taking the iconic franchise created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the games took direct cues from the popular animated series adaptation that ran from 1987 to 1996. While there certainly have been more modern Ninja Turtles games, the new title Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge channels the spirit of the classic arcade games from yesteryear and imbues it with modern gameplay sensibilities.
Matching the visual aesthetic of the fan-favorite animated series, the villainous Shredder and his minions have rallied together to launch a renewed attack on New York City. Rising from their sewer home to defend their city are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo, four dudes with a love of pizza and sophisticated training in martial arts. Getting in on the action this time are the Turtles' mentor Master Splinter, their investigative reporter friend April O'Neil, and hockey mask-wearing vigilante Casey Jones to take their home back from the Foot Clan once and for all.
Right from its opening themes and menu screens, it's clear that developer Tribute Games and publisher Dotemu have crafted a clear love letter to the classic Ninja Turtles games like 1991's Turtles in Time and the 1989 arcade game. Stages are environments that feel like they would be right at home in the animated series, from April's television news studio to a shopping mall, though these throwback elements masterfully manage the balance of feeling retro but not dated. Members of the team have made an impressive line of games that similarly feature this balance -- Streets of Rage 4 and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World being the first to come to mind -- and Shredder's Revenge continues this winning streak.
One of the most striking things about Shredder's Revenge is the heightened level of variety and depth of gameplay compared to previous Ninja Turtles games. Each of the playable characters has their own attributes and slight differences in play style -- not to the degree that players would be disappointed if they don't get to play as their personal favorites, but the variance is noticeable. Similarly, there is a considerably wider bench of enemy types throughout Shredder's Revenge, each encouraging players to employ different strategies to more efficiently defeat them rather than rely entirely on button-mashing to plow through waves of bad guys.
The multiplayer component has similarly been revamped to reflect modern gaming trends, with players able to jump into or out of the action at any time, either through local or online cooperative play. With the expanded roster from the four core Ninja Turtles, Shredder's Revenge allows for a staggering six-player multiplayer mode that manages not to come off as sheer chaos. This is done with the game seamlessly adapting to the number of players on-screen at a given time, changing the number of enemies and enemy types accordingly to enhance the experience.
In many ways, Shredder's Revenge feels like the Ninja Turtles game fans have been waiting for since 1992's Hyperstone Heist. Shredder's Revenge very much feels like a continuation of the classic arcade game's aesthetic and gameplay style while also feeling updated to give more depth and incorporate intuitive mechanics. Any fan of the Ninja Turtles video games and side-scrolling beat 'em up titles should consider Shredder's Revenge a must-buy, blending nostalgia with genuinely entertaining gameplay.
Developed by Tribute Games and published by Dotemu, TMNT: Shredder's Revenge goes on sale June 16 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.