Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Preview
We check out Konami's update of the heroes in a half shell.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is Konami's upcoming third-person action game that is just one part of a turtles revival that's currently in progress. The game is based on a once-mighty multimedia juggernaut from the late '80s that was one of the few proper synergies between comics, cartoon, and games, in its day. This latest incarnation of the turtles is based on an all-new cartoon that has recently debuted. The cartoon offers an update to the classic green heroes that is very much in line with the approach being taken by Konami's Tokyo studio. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is aiming to retain the key appeal of the beloved classic Turtles games, while, at the same time, moving the franchise into 3D. We got our hands on a near-final version of the game to see how the update is coming together.
For those unfamiliar with the turtles phenomenon, here's a brief history lesson. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles started life as an independent comic published by Mirage Studios in the late '80s. The black and white comics, and the quirky action therein, sprang from the minds of Peter A. Laird and Kevin B. Eastman in 1984. The books followed the adventures of four turtles, Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, and Leonardo, and a rat named Splinter, who, as a result of radioactive ooze, all mutated into human-sized proportions. As things often happen in comics, they interestingly picked up a boatload of martial arts skills along the way. They also picked up an arch nemesis, known as the Shredder. The independent comics became extremely successful and spawned a cartoon incarnation that was lighter in tone. The cartoon, in turn, led to Konami's excellent arcade and console games based on the franchise. The most fondly remembered of the turtles arcade games, for many, is likely to be Turtles in Time and its subsequent home version. The main appeal of the Turtles' games was their accessible gameplay, fast action, and great multiplayer experience.
For its update of the series, Konami has opted to stick pretty close to the key elements of the original games. As a result, you'll find a heavy reliance on the source material and an emphasis on action. You'll find three main modes from which to choose: story, versus, and challenge. Story is the meat of the game and follows the heroes through a series of themed levels that are broken up into various stages. The versus mode lets you take on a friend, while the challenge mode is basically a timed run through a stage. While the game is ostensibly broken up into single- and multiplayer modes, you'll be able to have a friend join you at any time by pressing start on the second controller--in most cases. Sadly, two-player multiplayer is the limit to your multiplayer options.
The basic flow of a level doesn't get any simpler, or old school, than "beat up everything and move ahead." This is the basic mantra of the game. You'll go through each stage in small chunks as you defeat the various enemies on each stage to open up your path to the end. An onscreen radar helps you keep track of enemies so you can clear foes quickly and proceed. When you reach the final stage in a level you'll face off against a boss character and his minions. As you clear levels you'll come to dojo sequences that will challenge you to complete a task before time expires. If you manage to complete your assigned task you'll be rewarded with a new move or stat upgrade for your turtle, like increased defense.
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- GameSpot Score6.5fair
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- Release: Oct 21, 2003
- ESRB: Everyone
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