teenagemutantninjaturtles
Latest
Of course there's retro-inspired 'Stranger Things' mobile game
Netflix has flirted with simple games starring its most popular original series, but its latest stab at interactive promo goes a little deeper. The streaming juggernaut tapped developer BonusXP to make a full-on mobile game for Stranger Things. And as you might expect, it's is about as retro as possible, aping classics of yore like River City Ransom and the NES' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for inspiration. All that to say, it's a bit more complicated than Netflix Infinite Runner from January. You can do sweet jumps on your bicycle as one of the kids and explore the Upside Down as Hawkins police chief Jim Hopper, for example.
'TMNT: Mutants in Manhattan' kicks some shell on May 24th
If you're a fan of Raphael, Donatello, Leonardo and Michelangelo -- the heroic green Turtles that is, not the artists -- we've got some good news for you. The upcoming Mutants in Manhattan game from Bayonetta developer Platinum has a release date now and a fresh trailer showing off some of the gang's high-octane battles. The action brawler will be available digitally and physically on May 24th -- just before TMNT 2 hits theaters -- and promises a stylised blend of cel-shaded graphics and lightning fast combat.
Animation studio Imagi inks distribution deal with Wowwee
Imagi, the animation studio behind the recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, and the upcoming Gatchaman and Astro Boy movies, has inked a deal with Wowwee Ltd., makers of the infamous Robosapien (amongst others), which will grant the toy-maker exclusive distribution rights for the studio's properties. According to the company press release, Wowwee will provide some of its proprietary technology for use in toys related to the upcoming pictures, which will closely replicate the look and story of the films in both design and "play patterns." As Imagi co-CEO Douglas Glen puts it "All too often, film-licensed toys fail to live up to kids' expectations, because they fall so far short of what the kids see on the movie screen," but Imagi and Wowwee will seek to avoid this by having toy designers and filmmakers work closely with one-another. Our personal hope is to see a life-size, fully functional Astro Boy... with feelings. Maybe we're expecting too much.
Turtle power envy
Seeing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game on the ESRB's list of upcoming Virtual Console titles should bring joy to our nostalgia-ruled hearts, but we're finding it hard to not be pessimistic about this particular release. We've put more hours into Konami's beat'em up than you can shake a bo staff at, so it's not the actual game that we have problems with. No, it's just outright jealousy over the XBLA port of the arcade version. While we're stuck with 8-bit graphics and support for only two players, the 360's turtle fans have the original cut scenes, arcade graphics, and online co-op for up to four players! Inconceivable! To add insult to injury, we might have to shell out 600 Wii points for the NES game instead of the usual 500 because of licensing issues. If that'll be the case, we would actually be spending more than what 360 gamers are paying! We can at least find solace in the NES version's extended levels, extra stages, and Pizza Hut advertising. Also, TMNT II wasn't the only new ninja release spotted on the ESRB's Virtual Console catalog. Ninja Gaiden, Tecmo's 1989 platformer, will also be stabbing its way onto the Wii. Let's see the Xbox try to top us with a game like that! Oh wait...
The golden age of ninjas
We won't look down on you if Tecmo's announcement for Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword was the first time you'd ever heard of ninjas sneaking onto a handheld console. The stealthy assasins carry out their orders so efficiently and silently, most people aren't even aware of a ninja's presence until they see their own blood on the wall sprayed from an expert slash across their necks. Modojo has a lengthy feature tracking portable appearances by ninjas like Shinobi and Goemon, following their shuriken-throwing adventures from the Game Boy all the way up to the Nintendo DS. Our favorite game from the bunch is Ninja Five-O, a Bionic Commando-esque side scroller that was released for the GBA. If there's one thing terrorists fear, it's ninja cops swinging through their defenses!
Star Fox 64 arrives, Virtual Console does barrel roll
After last week's serious focus on kingdoms waging war, it comes as a relief to see Nintendo's Virtual Console service returning to its former status, namely that of an anarchic menagerie of anthropomorphic troublemakers. This week, we have foxes recklessly piloting spaceships, dragon's uttering foul words and mutated turtles kicking people in the face. Just who's in charge here? As you might have surmised (admittedly, the headline is a big help), Star Fox 64 (N64) tops the list of retro goodies arriving on the Wii today: Star Fox 64 - N64 - 1,000 points ($10) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - NES - 600 points ($6) Dragon's Curse - TurboGrafx 16 - 600 points ($6) All three titles are available for download now. What isn't available for download at this time, however, is an explanation as to why we're expected to shell out 100 points ($1) above the NES norm for Konami's turtle brawler. Perhaps we're being fined for that terrible pun in the last sentence.
DS Daily: Now you're playing with Turtle Power
At the height of their popularity, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise could do no wrong. With a hit television series, two movie blockbusters, and an extremely profitable line of toys, it's no surprise that their success continued with their video games. Who can ever forget fighting over the pizza in the arcade game's second stage? As the novelty of crime-fighting reptiles faded with the early 90s, however, so did the quality of their licensed games.After spending over a decade on the fringes of relevance, the green crusaders are poised to finally make a comeback with a new film premiering today and video game releases for nearly every platform. And while the Nintendo DS tie-in hasn't won many hearts with its 3D rhythm-game-on-rails concept, the GBA title is picking up a fair amount of buzz as an old-school, 2D brawler. Some are calling it the last great game for the GBA, while many others are comparing it to River City Ransom's classic gameplay.So is it time to break out the old action figures and the Technodrome set again? Do you have any plans to check out the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles GBA game or see the new, computer-animated film? Are you cool, but rude; or are you a party dude? Please, do let us know ...
Metareview: TMNT
Many of us undoubtedly grew up with these turtles. We probably had their comics, loved to watch the cartoon and maybe even owned the sewer playset with all of the figures (Rat King was our favorite villain to fight in there). With such a massive following years ago, the turtles now look to return and capture a brand new audience.And, with the new movie that aims to do this, there are undoubtedly going to be game tie-ins. With Ubisoft at the helm, we thought the game would be in good hands and get the justice it deserved, perhaps allowing us to relive, if only for a few hours, those wonderful days we enjoyed in our adolescence. Looks like that won't be happening, according to the critics: IGN (55/100) says the game needs improvements: "It's certainly not terrible and the rhythmic jumping action has some fun and energy, but the fact remains that the game just ends up feeling inconsistent due to sloppy storytelling and, more importantly, an absolutely awful fighting engine." Nintendo Power (55/100) thinks the game isn't worth the effort: "Success gives you a feeling of accomplishment, but the path is paved with frustration." [Apr 2007, p.87] Video Game Talk (50/100) finds the game a waste of time: "The single player campaign is incredibly short and offers little replay value due to its relative ease. The multi-card multiplayer mode is an average extra, but I doubt folks will sit around to compete for the best times on those odd, jump-laden levels. This is a decent DS title once it hits the $10 bargain bin, but leave it on the retail shelf for now." Have any of you picked this up and care to provide some insight on the game? Or are you waiting to nab a copy (probably on the Wii, based on this Metareview?) at the Nintendo World Store this weekend?
TMNT parties at Nintendo World Store
For all of you who enjoy the freebies (who doesn't?!), Ubisoft is celebrating the release of the latest line-up of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games, titled TMNT after the movie that releases tomorrow. As you can see above, the party starts Saturday and those who purchase a copy of the game will be given a special gift. What kind of gift? You got us, they do not say; if any of you fine readers out there attend the event, be sure to take pictures and let us know how it was.[Thanks, Andrew!]
Today's mutantest game video: TMNT
Gametrailers posted footage from the main TMNT characters: Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Is this the rebirth of a franchise or just another excuse to ring-up nostalgia sales with older gamers? We tried an early version and are looking forward to time with the final release. Watch each half-shell hero's special abilities in turn, or view our pick -- Donatello -- after the break.
Wii releases for the week of March 19th
Wow, we've got a lot of games coming to us this week, which should excite those of you who have felt the pain of a lack of variety on the Wii's section of the retail shelf. And the pain ends now, good readers, as you'll have six (count 'em, six) different titles to choose from. Which titles will they be? Well, let's go ahead and list them: Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII Cooking Mama: Cook Off The Godfather: Blackhand Edition Kororinpa: Marble Mania Wing Island Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles So, which title (or titles) do you plan on picking up up?
TMNT Arcade impressions: turtle power!
Having had ample time to test out both the single player and multiplayer aspects of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for Xbox Live Arcade, we are ready to pass our stern and final judgment. The game is exactly what you remember from the arcades of yesteryear. From the cheesy dialogue to storyboard cutscenes, it's all there. The combat is as simple and addicting as it ever was. It's still pretty damned frustrating at times, too. Of course, players must keep in mind that this game was designed primarily to suck quarters directly from the pockets of children. Overall, the single player is completely intact, with nary a hitch to be seen. As an added bonus, you can continue as many times as you want (and you will be continuing ... a lot).
X360A holding TMNT Arcade contest
Xbox 360 Achievement's DAKing240 is holding a contest for this week's Xbox Live Arcade release, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The objective is simple, get all 12 Achievements for the game. The criteria is equally easy, first, you must be a member of their forums. Next, your gamertag should have all the Achievements, including the secret one, and then email DaKing240 [AT] x360a [DOT] org with your tag. He's only giving out the unannounced prize to first place, so get on it. Also, don't be put off by the fact that we don't know what you're getting if you win, as they have a pretty good track record of giving out cool prizes, namely retail titles.
TMNT Arcade achievements revealed
For those of you who are eagerly anticipating the release of TMNT to the XBLA tomorrow, Achieve360Points uncovered and posted the game's achievement details. After analyzing all the achievement goodness we definitely see a lack of level completion achievements, as it looks the dev team wanted to focus on harder level based tasks. So, earning every achievement will not be a walk in he sewer. We also noticed that TMNT may be special in that it is the first XBLA game to offer a secret achievement. So, kick back, take a look at all the achievements, and get ready to download the game tomorrow with a controller in one hand and a cheesy pizza slice in the other.
TMNT coming to Arcade early [update 1]
Cowabunga. This week's Xbox Live Arcade title is going to be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a week ahead of schedule. For the low, low price of 400 MS points you can get your old school beat 'em up fix with one of the most wanted retro titles for XBLA, complete with online co-op, leaderboards and the like. Obviously, you readers agree that this is a no-brainer purchase and we hope to play through a couple levels with you online. What do you think about getting Turtles in Time sometime in the future?[Via GameStooge]Update: James alerted us of this as well on Friday with a link to this thread.
Saturday PSP background explosion
Every week we give you new backgrounds for your PSP. In fact, I'm sure some PSP owners change their backgrounds more than their underwear. Much like that disturbing mental image, this week we have a disturbing background, a radical one and one that is fully loaded. What am I talking about? Well you'll have to see the backgrounds for yourself! Backgrounds after the jump ...
TMNT officially coming to Arcade
Before, we showed you a couple rather suspect looking screenshots for an Xbox Live Arcade version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. At first, we were a little skeptical about its certitude, then a video came out and we slowly began to let our guard down. After all it would be rather depressing to cling onto a rumor you want to be true to only find it was a hoax. Well, thankfully we can finally give you the official word, straight from Ubisoft, TMNT is slated for Arcade, will cost 400 MS points, and will support 4 player co-op (both online and off) on all the original seven levels. Is this a no-brainer purchase or what?[Via GameStooge]
More kind words for upcoming TMNT game
Gamepro recently got their hands on Ubisoft's upcoming TMNT game and simply put, they were impressed. Like our older brother Joystiq, Gamepro fell in love with the ability to perform team combo moves with the turtles and the uniqueness of each character. They also enjoyed Ubisoft's focus on the free roam element, opting to focus more on the character's ninja abilities rather than their brute force. Not only is the gameplay shaping up just fine, but we learn there there will be a bunch of unlockables including concept art, bloopers, movie clips, and even the notorious "big head cheat". We're not sure if old school TMNT fans will have a tough time cuddling up next to the turtle's new image, but this game has the potential to actually be (dare we say it) good.[Thanks, Jonah]
Joystiq plays TMNT (it's fun!)
Joystiq got a chance to sit down and play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for the Xbox 360. We'll have to preface this by saying that we were unimpressed by the recent trailer that was released. The Joystiq preview is proof that trailers aren't always the best indicators of fun. The above video is a developer walkthrough, and TMNT looks much more entertaining now. The animation is fluid, there are tons of enemies -- the 360 version sports more enemies than other consoles -- and the visuals are crisp, though not spectacular. Players can switch between turtles on the fly, utilizing their unique weapons and combo tactics. There are a few special maneuvers to look out for too. All in all, Joystiq came away feeling that this is the best TMNT game since the 16-bit era. Not bad. Hit the "read" link for the whole preview.See also:Rumored XBLA version of TMNT video surfaces
NYCC: Hands-on with TMNT
OMG is it the early 90s again? The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are back, and like before, they're invading all forms of media: cartoon, comic, movie, and game. While the past few iterations of the franchise were a little shy of the "good" mark, the upcoming Xbox 360 version looks to bring the franchise back with a bang. Many hardcore gamers probably recall the early NES/Arcade games quite fondly, and Ubisoft's take on the franchise looks to restore the fun factor of those games.This upcoming rendition of TMNT has the unique "Ubisoft touch." You know, add a lot of inspiration from their other series, Prince of Persia. While not original, the acrobatic nature of the game works quite well, giving the turtles a real "ninja" feel. All the wall jumping, wall running, and double jumping is handled via the A button: it's certainly easy to learn, but it'll take a while to get the hang of it. Stay too close to a wall and you may find yourself running, instead of jumping. Although it takes some getting used to, it was incredibly fun and refreshing to see your Turtle quickly and gracefully move around the city.
