Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge Review

To say that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise is no stranger to the video game medium is an understatement. Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo were staples on arcades and home consoles throughout the 90s, thanks to classic TMNT games like Turtles in Time and The Manhattan Project. Many fans still consider both titles to be some of the best brawlers of the era. Developed by Tribute Games, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is a delightful throwback to the Turtles in Time days that wouldn’t feel out of place in a 1992 arcade cabinet or on modern consoles. By taking the best parts of the old-school TMNT games and making some quality-of-life improvements, Shredder’s Revenge stands as one of the best TMNT games in a long time and is a great brawler in its own right. The game opens as any TMNT game should, with the Turtles feasting on pizza while huddled around a blocky television set as Vernon reports that Krang and Shredder are up to no good again. The villainous duo steals the Statue of Liberty in another grand attempt to bring down New York City in classic Saturday morning cartoon fashion. Soon, the Turtles spring into action, kicking and slashing in a story mode that has been shown episodically throughout the seasons of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Each episode takes the Turtles to NYC locations that will be familiar to longtime fans of the TMNT games, including the Central Park Zoo, Coney Island, and a return to Dimension X. Shredder’s Revenge is full of fan service and retro fun, featuring a cartoon aesthetic that’s a tribute to the 1987 cartoon that sparked TMNT-mania. The team at Tribute Games are huge Ninja Turtles fans, and their dedication to the Turtles translates beautifully into all corners of Shredder’s Revenge. From its sprite animations referencing the cartoon to the original voice actors reprising their roles, to Don, Mikey, Raph, and Leo striking signature poses at the end of each level, Tribute Games certainly lives up to the studio’s name. Each level exudes personality in the spirit of TMNT’s light and goofy tone. Foot Clan soldiers can be found typing on keyboards, ringing other ninjas at the registers, or even playing Game Boy before being beaten to a half shell by the heroes. The attention to detail is remarkable in Shredder’s Revenge, as each stage presents a story that gradually unravels as players make their way to the boss fight. Shredder’s Revenge also appears in color at every turn, not afraid to vary its color palette throughout the 16-mission campaign. Levels keep players on their toes as new environmental obstacles present themselves in each stage while splicing into fast hoverboard chases to keep items, secrets and collectibles fresh to keep players busy, and power-up pizzas to break up the flow of battle. The game is a tight experience with enough variety throughout its short running time to keep fans engaged. Rounding out the Shredder’s Revenge package is a pitch-perfect soundtrack inspired by early 90s hip hop and arcade soundtracks. One of the best moments in the game was reaching a climactic boss fight and hearing Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah and Rae Kwon the Chef deliver TMNT-inspired rhymes over a rap beat that reverberated through the level as if it was being played on through a boombox on a city street. The presentation of Shredder’s Revenge is retro-inspired and nostalgic while looking fresh and modern. Gameplay-wise, Shredder’s Revenge stays close to the classic TMNT beat ’em up playbook, never pushing the genre in a big way, but still has all the makings of a great brawler. Players can start with a basic four-button combo and start chaining pop-up attacks, single and double jump attacks, wall bounces, and finish with a Super move that will wipe the Foot Clan off the screen. There are also grab attacks that feature options to pile enemies from side to side, throw them off the screen, or throw them directly off the screen, which is a nice throwback to Turtles in Time and still enjoyable as usual. Compared to previous TMNT games, Shredder’s Revenge flows more naturally and never feels stiff despite sticking tightly to its old-school brawler origins. This is due in part to the new dodging system, which allows players to get into a good combat groove even during the most frantic moments in battle. Dodging adds another layer to combat as players zip and slide past Foot Clan soldiers and then chain in more attacks, adding to TMNT’s ninja flair. All in all, Shredder’s Revenge is an enjoyable and fun experience. RELATED: Pokemon Magnets Combine Squirtle and TMNT Wall-bouncing on a gang of enemies and then air-juggling and combo-chaining them for new high scores is the bread and butter of beat ’em ups, and Shredder’s Revenge nails it perfectly. Factoring in team attacks with friends and more Super attacks as players level up their chosen character, there are plenty of options for combat throughout the game. Shredder’s Revenge succeeds in being both approachable for a wide audience and contains enough depth in its mechanics for players who want to challenge themselves for high scores and combo chains. At around two and a half hours long, Shredder’s Revenge isn’t a long game to get through but has enough extra content to keep players on the edge of their seats after completing the campaign. Shredder’s Revenge marks the first time Casey Jones, April O’Neil, and Master Splinter are featured as playable members of the crew, a huge win for fans who have been waiting for these characters for a long time. Each character has their own strengths and weaknesses in range, power, and speed with unique Super attacks, which players will likely want to revisit and experience. While each character is mechanically similar in combo chaining, players must consider the speed and strategy of their attacks with strict button-mashing for whomever they choose to play. Additionally, players can level up each character as they accumulate points throughout story missions—unlocking more moves, health, and Supercharges in the process. All of this is to say that there are plenty of opportunities for fans to replay Story Mode to see everything Shredder’s Revenge has to offer. Not to mention the ability to witness unique animated fighting styles for the entire cast of characters. Outside of Story Mode is Arcade Mode, where lives are repetitive, and character development is non-existent. Arcade Mode is a huge challenge, echoing the classic arcade experience that Tribute Games set out to create with Shredder’s Revenge. While Story Mode is where most players will likely find themselves, this challenge mode is a welcome addition for the seasoned TMNT fan. Arcade Mode only adds to the replayability of the game after discovering all the collectibles and cameo characters in Story Mode. That said, Shredder’s Revenge could benefit from the addition of a Boss Rush mode or more competitive modes to play with friends because, as it stands, Shredder’s Revenge can feel a little bare-bones with two main modes. of the game. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is a fantastic tribute to the classic TMNT games that gamers loved thirty years ago. It doesn’t do anything new in the beat ’em genre and could use an extra game or two, but that’s ok; the core of the game is incredibly entertaining and Ninja Turtles fans are sure to enjoy it. Shredder’s Revenge offers deep, fast-paced combat while being accessible to new players, and it’s all wrapped up in a loving homage to the 1987 cartoon, full of personality and admiration for everyone’s favorite heroes in a half shell. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge launches on June 16 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Today Technology was provided with a PC code for the purposes of this review. MORE: 5 Side Scrolling Beat Em Ups to Play Before TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge