Everyone’s favorite Turtle Superheros named after history’s greatest artists are back to the future. Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael have arrived on new platforms to teach us lessons in the paradoxes of video game time travel, and the art of kicking shell! Luckily you won’t need a flux capacitor to do the time warp.
“TMNT: Turtles In Time Re-Shelled”, a remake of “TMNT IV: Turtles in Time” the classic arcade and SNES side scrolling beat ‘em up is now available on Xbox 360 Live Arcade, and Playstation 3 Network. Unfortunately the passage of time did not treat this remake well. What made a game great in 1991, doesn’t necessarily make a great game today. Updating the graphics won’t change that. So how do you capture the spirit of the original in a remake?
Modern gamers may be able to appreciate “Re-Shelled’s” 3D graphics, but fans of the original grew up playing 2D games. Was the 3D remake made to alienate them? The character graphics should have been left untouched, or remade in the same vein as the original 2D games. 3D graphics limited to special effects, backgrounds, and blood. Apparently the Turtles are so skilled with sharp weapons, they can bludgeon Foot Soldiers until they dematerialize, without leaving a trace of blood.
Button mashing can be fun when combined with strategy and puzzle elements. The “Dynasty Warriors” series successfully expanded upon button mashing by taking it to the extreme, and adding strategy. Simply moving forward and bashing just doesn’t cut it today. The Turtles are ninjas, not plows. Each Turtle needs individual abilities that can be used together, to work as a team. Raph blocks using sighs. Don disarms using a staff. Mikey lassos multiple enemies with a grappling hook. Leo slays using swords. This would add more value to the games co-op capability, as it would actually cause players to co-operate.
If fans of the original, and time travelers still prefer the classic arcade, and SNES versions where else can they find the original? It was not included with “Re-Shelled”. “TMNT 3: Mutant Nightmare” has the original game as an unlockable bonus. It’s available on the Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS, Xbox and PlayStation 2. “TMNT: The Hyperstone Heist” a variation is available for the Sega Genisis/Mega Drive.
With so many versions and variations spanning multiple console generations, there is no reason TMNT fans can’t find one of the originals to play. Just call your friends screaming “Pizza Time!” and you’ll be playing one of the best games of all time, in no time.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
yo I’m so down with this game!!! Michelangelo party dude is the man! (or reptile). I think though Raphael in some ways is the coolest – Turtle Power!
I used to be obsessed w/ the arcade game – I’ll check it out.
Wasn’t worth it in my opinion. I got it when it first launched, hit up the multiplayer immediately…but I felt like I was lied to. I was told they wouldn’t touch anything but the graphics, but the music changed too (unnecessarily), and levels were missing (compared to the SNES version–which the first Technodrome level is one of the best on there!). They even changed the voice of the dude at the beginning of each level. The only good thing that came from it, besides very mild nostalgia, was the fact that my girlfriend loved playing through it. Good thing I’ve got the original on emulator. Sewer Surfin’!