Early reviews are in for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, and critics are praising the side-scrolling beat-em-up as an entertaining and nostalgic throwback to the golden age of TMNT gaming. Streets of Rage 4 publisher Dotemu and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game developer Tribute Games announced this old-style brawler early last year with a colorful TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge trailer that harkened back to the classic 1987 cartoon, with later interviews and gameplay videos slowly but steadily revealing more about this nostalgic passion project.
The premise of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge should be familiar to older gamers who grew up with the many side-scrolling TMNT titles of the arcade era: the evil Shredder and his Foot Clan forces plot to conquer the world, prompting the Turtles, Master Splinter, and April O’Neal to stop him by battling enemies throughout multiple colorful levels with a mix of standard beat-em-up combat and stylish super moves. Players who finish TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge’s story campaign can unlock the masked vigilante Casey Jones as an extra playable character, and there are plenty of classic TMNT enemies and cameos to enhance the nostalgic experience. TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge’s audio presentation is sure to excite die-hard Turtles fans and children of the 90s as well, with the original cast of the 1987 cartoon reprising their roles and music from the legendary Wu-Tang Clan.
Of course, all the nostalgic gameplay and well-placed fanservice wouldn’t amount to much if Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge’s overall gameplay wasn’t good, but luckily it seems that critics who played the game ahead of its launch tomorrow enjoyed Dotemu and Tribute Game’s turtle-powered arcade extravaganza. Early reviews for TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge praised the retro feel and solid side-scrolling gameplay, which they say makes the game enjoyable for longtime Ninja Turtles fans and franchise newcomers alike. Extra acclaim went toward TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge’s co-op, which allows friends to team up either locally or online - though some have pointed out that the action can get rather chaotic with more than one player involved. Here's a breakdown of what critics are saying about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge:
J Brodie Shirey – 4/5 - Screen Rant
"While the game’s difficulty is a bit uneven and movement can be stiff at times, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge largely succeeds as a love letter to not only the classic TMNT side-scrollers of old, but the franchise as a whole."
George Foster – 4.5/5 - TheGamer
"Whether you’re a big fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or just someone who appreciates incredible music and satisfying side-scrolling gameplay, Shredder’s Revenge has something for pretty much everyone. The Turtles may have taken a bit of a break from gaming, but this is one shell of a comeback."
- TheGamer
Mitchell Saltzman - 8/10 - IGN
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is exactly what it looks like: A lovingly crafted reimagining of the TMNT arcade beat-em-ups from one of the best beat-em-up developers in the business today. It’s the perfect game to have in the library for when a group of friends come over and you want to play something that’s simple, fun, and can be comfortably finished in a single sitting."
- IGN
Tom Massey - 9/10 – Nintendo Life
"Two years in the making, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is the best Turtles beat 'em up ever made, and a faster, better-looking, and more entertaining affair than even Streets of Rage 4. It looks delicious, sounds superb, and rekindles childhood memories beyond all expectation, time-warping you back to 1987."
Richard Wakeling - 9/10 – GameSpot
"Co-op is overly chaotic and could use some indicators to help you keep track of where you are, but playing with friends is still a blast. Rehashing a classic retro game is always a tough ask, but Shredder's Revenge avoids the obvious pitfalls and successfully brings about a revival of everyone's favorite mutant turtles."
- GameSpot
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge isn’t the only retro-style TMNT game fans are getting this year, as several of the classic Konami games that inspired the turtles' latest side-scrolling adventure will be re-released in the recently-announced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection. In the meantime, Limited Run Games has announced an assortment of physical release editions for Shredder’s Revenge that come packed with special bonuses for fans - including a free coupon for Pizza Hut so players can enjoy the Turtles’ favorite food while blasting their way through the mean streets of New York and beyond.
Dotemu and Tribute Games set out to recapture the magic of the old TMNT arcade classics with Shredder’s Revenge, and it seems the two retro-inspired companies have accomplished their goal, if the pre-launch reviews are to go by. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge releases across all major platforms tomorrow, so it won’t be long before fans can step into the shells of the iconic teen reptiles to take down the forces of evil once again.
Source: Screen Rant, TheGamer, IGN, Nintendo Life, GameSpot