The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection and discussion thread

[Push Upstairs]

One of the creators had a scanned (readable) copy of the first Ninja Turtles comic online, thats how I found out how badass the turtles really were.

Not even to page two and they are chopping hands and stuff off of Foot Clan members (actual humans, not robots).

[BocoDragon]

One of the creators had a scanned (readable) copy of the first Ninja Turtles comic online, thats how I found out how badass the turtles really were.

Not even to page two and they are chopping hands and stuff off of Foot Clan members (actual humans, not robots).

Yeah... it's amazing how being made into a kid-friendly cartoon so soon can change people's perception. I was talking to a younger kid who assumed that the TMNT concept was like your average "saturday morning breakfast cereal-pimping cartoon", which was slightly true... but TMNT was actually a violent and insane indie comic first!

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"... it's so old now and so engrained into the public consiousness that it sounds like the original action-figure marketing machine... .but it started as a psychotic parody of superheroes!

[cyberfluxor]

I never really tried to collect the Turtles games but they are apart of my favorite beat'em up series. I miss the old cartoon.

NES:
TMNT
TMNT: The Arcade Game
TMNT: The Manhatten Project

SNES:
TMNT IV: Turtles in Time
TMNT: Tournament Fighters

DS:
TMNT 3: Mutant Nightmare

Gen:
TMNT Tournament Fighters
TMNT: The Hyperstone Heist

[pragmatic insanester]

damnit. i read the title and assumed there was a "collection" (ie compilation) disc coming out with most of the Turtles games on it.

anyhow. i have TMNT 2 & 3 for the NES, Turtles in Time for the SNES, Hyperstone Heist for the Genesis, and Battle Nexus for the Xbox (which includes that crappy version of the original arcade game).

[Bronty-2]

One of the creators had a scanned (readable) copy of the first Ninja Turtles comic online, thats how I found out how badass the turtles really were.

Not even to page two and they are chopping hands and stuff off of Foot Clan members (actual humans, not robots).

The early comics were great reads. I never did like the kid friendly version of the turtles that came later in the 80s/early 90s, especially as I had read some of the early comics when they came out. They went from badasses in the comic to pizza sluts in the cartoons... WTF?? I like it now though that its more balanced and less campy.

If any of you read comics take a look at that first issue with Miller's Daredevil run in mind. Some of the battles with the foot clan are direct homages to the Miller ninja battles in Daredevil. Hence the dedication to Miller (and Kirby) on the inside front cover.

[Kitsune Sniper]

... so am I the only one here that hates TMNT 2?

I mean, yes, it's a fun game, but it's completely broken if you compare it to its original arcade version. You could keep hitting foot soldiers several times without moving, but in the NES version, they bounce back.

I dunno, I think 3 is awesome, but 2... just plain isn't worth the hype.

[BocoDragon]

... so am I the only one here that hates TMNT 2?

I mean, yes, it's a fun game, but it's completely broken if you compare it to its original arcade version. You could keep hitting foot soldiers several times without moving, but in the NES version, they bounce back.

I dunno, I think 3 is awesome, but 2... just plain isn't worth the hype.

Oh yeah... the NES version is not great. I would recommend MAME or the XBLA version. Nonetheless, it had its time and place, you know?

[Arasoi]

Ahh, TMNT2 NES.

At the time (pre-emulation, again) the NES port was a dream come true. And for what it was and the hardware it ran on, it did the job well enough. The extra levels didnt fit too well.. but they helped ease the pain of the lower graphics/sound/etc.

Given my choice, Id take the arcade anytime. But for the time it was a good port.

[y-bot]

I've got a JAMMA board of the original arcade game. I haven't had a chance to play it much though.

y-bot

[Kitsune Sniper]

Ahh, TMNT2 NES.

At the time (pre-emulation, again) the NES port was a dream come true. And for what it was and the hardware it ran on, it did the job well enough. The extra levels didnt fit too well.. but they helped ease the pain of the lower graphics/sound/etc.

Given my choice, Id take the arcade anytime. But for the time it was a good port.

Oh, it looks and sounds perfectly, no doubt about that. It's the game engine, and the way enemies can sometimes -ignore your attacks- that sucks.

[Scissors]

I have all 4 on the NES, but none of the others. I've probably spent the most time with the second one, since by the time the third one was released, I wasn't into TMNT as much.
I never could get through the first one. The water stage didn't really bother me that much. I always had a lot of trouble with stage 3 though. I think I only got through it 3 times. The furthest I ever got was the Technodrome.

How are the ports of the original arcade game and Turtles in Time in the PS2/Xbox/GC games? Would Battle Nexus be worth picking up if I only have the NES version of the arcade game? Would I be better off picking up Mutant Nightmare or the SNES version of Turtles in Time?

[Arasoi]

Would I be better off picking up Mutant Nightmare or the SNES version of Turtles in Time?

This is a good question.. I haven't been able to find any info on what version of Turtles in Time is unlockable on Mutant Nightmare, Arcade or SNES (or a nice combination of both? *shrug*)

[agbulls]

This is a good question.. I haven't been able to find any info on what version of Turtles in Time is unlockable on Mutant Nightmare, Arcade or SNES (or a nice combination of both? *shrug*)

I remember hearing this was the arcade version. However, the sounds have been changed just like with the TMNT arcade port on the second TMNT. Confused? I am.

[Push Upstairs]

How are the ports of the original arcade game and Turtles in Time in the PS2/Xbox/GC games? Would Battle Nexus be worth picking up if I only have the NES version of the arcade game? Would I be better off picking up Mutant Nightmare or the SNES version of Turtles in Time?

I have Battle Nexus and it is a really annoying and not very fun game.

But it does include the original Turtles Arcade game.

However, the music and voices have been changed (probably due to not having rights to the cartoon anymore).

I'd recommend either getting arcade boards (if that is your thang) or sticking with the NES version. You'd also be better off getting "Turtles in Time" for the SNES.

[Gamereviewgod]

NES:
TMNT
TMNT II
TMNT III
Tournament Fighters

SNES:
TMNT IV
Tournament Fighters

Genesis:
Hyperstone Heist
Tournament Fighters

Game Boy:
Fall of the Foot
Back to the Sewers


Tournament Fighters on the SNES is one of the best fighters for the console. Never really got the credit it deserved. Stunning character detail for the hardware, and the gameplay is right up there with any of the Street Fighter II ports.

The Genesis version, well, not so much. The difficulty is absurd, and even getting past the first fight is a challenge.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Well, recently I've come across a few TMNT games in the wild. So I figured I'd look for a turtles thread.

Genesis:

Hyperstone Heist- I just picked this up a few days ago, and started playing it tonight. Pretty stellar, arcade style graphics. It's very easy to pick up and play, and doesn't kick your ass right out of the gate.

NES:

TMNT- I haven't played this since I was about 14. I remember it being pretty hard and nothing like the arcade. As a kid, this was disappointing because I loved playing the arcade.

TMNT: The Arcade Game- I found this also a few weeks ago. After playing Hyperstone, I don't see myself replaying this one much. It's a bit harder, and doesn't capture the feeling the arcade games had.

Anyway, I'm patient and I hope to come across TMNT III and IV in the wild for $5 or under.

This thread has been officially resurrected!!!

[SpaceHarrier]

RESURRECTION!

I dunno, maybe it's because I got it prior to IV, but I always really loved Hyperstone Heist. Looking back, I think Turtles in Time was the superior game, but when I got HH it was like: FINALLY! A "real" arcade Turtles game at home. Enjoyed it alot. TMNT: The Arcade Game on NES was good, but I had alot of trouble beating that snow level. That was pretty much as far as I ever got. Dang snowmen -__-

[Jorpho]

Another nice thorough writeup on HG101, including info on that unlockable version of Turtles in Time (if you were still wondering):
http://www.hg101.classicgaming.games...tbeatemups.htm

And let's not forget TMNT on GBA.

[DigitalSpace]

I updated my list in the first post, and also wrote about the NES and Game Boy games I've acquired since I originally started the thread (TMNT III and Tournament Fighters for the NES, and TMNT II: Back From The Sewers for the Game Boy).

[The 1 2 P]

At 12 years old I must have been one of the only members of DP to beat the first TMNT on the Nes. Was it hard? Hell yes, but not nearly as hard as the Nes Ninja Gaiden games. I never beat NG 1 or 3 but I have beat 2 with game genie codes. As for TMNT, the last two bosses(the Technodrome and Shedder) are fairly easy if you have the scrolls weapon equipped. But getting to them thru all their hench men can be a bitch. As for my turtle collection:

Nes
TMNT-A tough game but still a classic and one of my all-time favorites
TMNT (famicom version)-same game with Japanese text
TMNT 2 The Arcade Game- a very subpar port of the real arcade game

Genesis
The Hyperstone Heist-A great fun game that gets better when a friend joins in

It's been awhile since I purchased a new TMNT game. I've played the demo of one of the Xbox ones but I just wasn't feeling it.