Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge – A Turtley Awesome Review

Tribute Games and Dotemu have brought a timeless classic arcade beat ’em up to the modern age. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shedder’s Revenge has finally arrived for players to get their hands on. Just how well does the Turtles’ return stack up after being gone since 1991? Find out in our review below.

The Turtles are Back

TMNT: Shedder’s Revenge lets players pick between the four turtles, April O’Neil, Splinter, and once you beat the game, Casey Jones. Each character has three stats: Range, Speed, and Power. Each stat determines how far away you can hit an enemy, as well as how fast and strong the character is. Tribute Games and Dotemu also allow for up to six players to play at the same time. With multiple Turtles on the screen, it can be a little difficult to tell which one is yours despite the obvious differences in colored headbands. Plus, six players on a screen with added enemies is a little too crowded and is best left with keeping it to four or less players.

Combos are easily done by mashing buttons just like you would at an arcade. As a bonus, each character has a Super Move that can be performed once you fill the bar up. You will fight through 16 levels in Story Mode, facing different types of Foot Clan members and other recognizable characters along with bosses like Bebop, Rocksteady, Chrome Dome, Krang, and even Shredder himself. I really think 16 levels was a bit much as it becomes very repetitive in how you progress, but that is the way of the side-scrolling beat ’em up genre.

Each level has challenges to complete and collectibles to obtain. If you don’t get them the first time, you can replay the level again. TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge also has different endings for each character, so you can beat it and see the different ones giving you another reason to replay.

Players who want more of a challenge can partake in Arcade Mode, which plays the same as Story Mode, but without the use of continuations. If you lose all your lives in Arcade Mode, that is it. You will obtain a score and get your name on the leaderboard, just like in the arcade.

Gnarley Nostalgia

The biggest thing that stands out in TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge is how pure the nostalgia is. The graphics are based on the original cartoon series with modern touch-ups that make it stand out. Not only are the graphics filled with nostalgia, I was really surprised by the voice acting for the Turtles. Tribute Games and Dotemu were able to get the original voice actors for the Turtles. Hearing those voices really took me back to Saturday mornings, sitting in front of the TV watching new episodes of the cartoon.

The nostalgia factor is one that really drew me in and should draw in those exposed to Turtles in the early years as well. For those who have children, this is a great way to introduce them to the world of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Tribute Games and Dotemu really put in a lot of love and care into making this feel as authentic as possible while bringing this side-scrolling beat’em up into the modern age.

Cowabunga It Is

TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge is a trip down memory lane for fans who grew up with the Ninja Turtles while still feeling refreshing for new fans. Despite only having two modes to play, a long Story Mode, and a crowded screen if you play with six players, the biggest takeaway is the nostalgia. As someone who grew up during the height of the TMNT craze, it was great to see that other people cared as much as I did about the Turtles to bring them back.

Dotemu has truly proven once again that the side-scrolling beat’em up genre is alive and still kicking. Given the quality of Streets of Rage 4, I had no doubts that TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge would be just as good, if not better. The genre is in great hands thanks to Dotemu.