Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (PS2, GCN, XBOX)
Publisher: Konami Developer: Konami
*This review is based on the Nintendo GameCube version.
After being a small comic for a few years, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles made their way into mainstream homes as as cartoon show in the late 80s. From the show, they spawned all sorts of products, but mainly action figures and video games. The TMNT video games were always popular in arcades, and it was only a matter of time before they hit consoles. They began putting games out for the original NES, and they were a smash hit. This "new" TMNT game was released for all three consoles, and it plays very similar to games of the past.
Gameplay: 6
TMNT is a typical "beat 'em up" arcade style game. It's sort of in 3D now, but it still has that good old side-scroller feel to it. The entire game basically consists of mashing buttons to fight off what seems to be an endless supply of enemies. You've got basic attacks with the weapons and a jump button. Your move set is very limited, in the game, but you do learn a few new moves throughout the course of the game.
One thing I found particularly nice was the inclusion of being able to play two players in Story Mode. The game certainly is more fun with two people, although it gets a whole lot easier. The really odd thing, however, is the lack of a four player mode. I have four controllers. There are four Ninja Turtles. Why can't I play with all four of them? It seems weird to arrive at a destination, have the game show you a cut scene with all four turtles, then the fighting begins and you're all alone. What's up with that? Where did everyone else go? In some of the scenes, they almost seem to disappear from thin air just before the action begins. How lovely!
The gameplay does get to be a bit repetitive, and you get tired of mashing the buttons from time to time. There are usually multiple enemies ganging up on you all at once, so you're constantly in a state of attack. The camera can be particularly tricky as well. It doesn't stay centered on your character, so enemies can be attacking you from off-screen. This can be quite frustrating at times. (The camera is even worse in 2-player mode, especially when you get far away from each other.)
Graphics: 7.5
The graphics during the in-game portions look pretty good. The characters are well detailed, and it's similar to an interactive cartoon. The cut scenes seem to be straight from the cartoon, however. They look great. While watching a lengthy cartoon scene at the beginning of story mode, I seemed to forget that I was playing a video game, and forgot to pick up the controller when it was time to play. They really are good looking.
Sound & Music: 4.5
The sound effects were killing me in this game. Not only was the music annoying, but the battle effects were extremely repetitive. Each time you attack an enemy, the turtle yells some catch phrase at them. Unfortunately, it's the same freaking line every single time! If I hear Leonardo yell "Slice & Dice" one more time, I'm going to scream!
Story: 7
TMNT has a typical story for the series. A bad guy is doing something bad, they have to find him and fight like 10,000 guys along the way. When they beat the boss, something else happens, and they start looking for someone else. 10,000 guys later, you find another boss. You get the idea.
Replay Value: 6
I couldn't imagine playing it again myself, but for those fans of the series who just can't get enough, you might play through again.
To buy or to rent?I'd definitely rent this one first, unless you've got a huge TMNT fan in the house. I loved the show too, but this game is easily beatable in a rental.
Overall: 6
Overall, the game had some good elements, but things could have been done better. They need a 4 player mode, better sound effects, and they could definitely add some good camera controls. It's worth renting for a few hours on a Saturday afternoon, but not much more than that.
Additional Information:
Genre: Arcade/Fighting
Players: 1-2
Memory Required: 4 Blocks (GCN)
Rating: E (for Everyone)
Extras: None
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