TMNT has been an international phenomenon since the 80s. Even if you never read any of the comics or watched any of the TV shows or bought any of the toys and merch, it’s incredibly likely that you at least know what the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are. And of course their influence has spread to video games as well. As early as 1989, there have been quality Turtles video games that have captured the hearts of 80s/90s kids for life. And the most popular and fondly remembered titles were the ones developed by Konami from 1989-1994.
But ever since the turn of the millennium that same magic just couldn’t be recaptured, as the rights to TMNT games have been tossed around like a hot potato with mixed results. But at last, 2022 proved to be an incredible year for TMNT fans. We got two epic Turtles games pretty much back to back, so let’s talk about both of them, staring with:
**[TMNT Shredder’s Revenge](https://youtu.be/a-SN3lLIUEo?feature=shared)** is a retro style beatemup from the publishers of Streets of Rage 4 and the developers behind Panzer Paladin. And it is *gorgeous*. The sprites are wonderful for every character on screen, the music is amazing courtesy of Sonic Mania composer Tee Lopes, and the beatemup gameplay is as tight as it ever was. The online play was shockingly spectacular as well, with seamless drop in drop out co-op for up to 6 people and virtually no slowdown, through I haven’t tried crossplay yet. Even as a relative newcomer to the TMNT franchise I can’t help but admire the sheer love and care that went into it. And it even got a DLC expansion earlier this year that added a rogue-lite survival mode and 2 new playable characters! My main regret is that I wish I bought this game all the way back in June 2022 instead of… Mario Strikers. Instant regret on my part.
And then there’s the **[TMNT Cowabunga Collection](https://youtu.be/uJVkKlnKXME?feature=shared)**, which is quite possibly the single greatest video game retro compilation I’ve experienced since Kirby’s Dream Collection on the Wii. It brings together all 13 Konami titles from the golden age of TMNT games in one convenient place, which is impressive on its own. But developer Digital Eclipse has gone above and beyond with this package, offering tons of extras and side content to delve into, customizable enhancements for some of the games’ more archaic elements, and online play for a good chunk of the titles on offer. This is just such a treat for TMNT fans and gaming historians, and it might even help turn you into a fan with its sheer volume and charm. It probably has done just that for me.
by Asad_Farooqui