TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled Review
Remake of Ninja Turtle Arcade Classic Comes to XBox Live Arcade
Aug 6, 2009
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time was one of the high points of the Ninja Turtles’s renowned series of beat-em-up games. Konami originally released the title in the arcades and then brought an enhanced port to the Super Nintendo.
Eventually the rights to the franchise was given to Ubisoft, and now it has brought a new version of Turtles in Time to the Xbox Live Arcade. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled retains the levels of the original but with a complete presentation overhaul – for better or worse.
TMNT: Let’s Kick Shell!
Turtles in Time follows a formula that was standard for 90s arcade games. Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael travel along a basic plain, beating up grunt Foot Soldiers until they reach a boss fight. Then the process is repeated until they rescue the Statue of Liberty from The Shredder.
What Turtles in Time lacks in diversity it makes up in great set pieces. Starting off in New York City and eventually going through prehistoric times, the future, and beyond, each stage has its own visual look. While a fair number of Foot Soldiers just walk onto the screen, others will make dramatic entrances and each stage has its own assortment of hazards to avoid during fights.
The turtles only differ in stats and one special move, but their arsenal of combo strings, dive kicks, and cool-looking throws are fun and feel solid. Plus there’s something enjoyable about fighting through levels with friends, tossing enemies toward the screen and battling villains like Krang and Leatherhead.
Graphics and Voice Remix
Re-Shelled keeps the stages exactly as is but nixes the original 2D sprites in favor of 3D graphics. Most of the stages closely mimic the originals, although the new graphics and lighting effects changes the mood of some levels.
The turtles themselves have been redesigned to look like a cross between the 4Kids cartoon and the 2007 CGI film. Their bandanas and belts glow, and the neon hue helps players track their character during congested fights. From "Pizza time" to "Shellshock" each turtle share the same soundbites but now have their own voice actors. The bosses have redesigns as well, but wisely keep close to the original 80s versions and use the same arcade patterns.
Turtles in Time: An Imperfect Port
Re-Shelled is an update of the arcade version, not the SNES one. The SNES game expanded on the arcade with more levels, enemies, and bosses, and for players used to that version Re-Shelled comes across as incomplete. The extras added 10 minutes at most to an already short game, but it’s a shame that Ubisoft couldn’t bring the best of both worlds.
The 2D-3D shift also changes the feel of the game. The turtles have the same attacks but can now attack in eight directions, can double jump, and can continue combo strings even if there are no enemies around. The stages are roughly the same size as the original but feel more cramped because the 3D models take up more space than 2D sprites, which leads to some awkward colisions between players while fighting.
The replacement of the original soundtrack Re-Shelled will make or break the experience for some players. Realistically the new music fits the TMNT style, but a remake without the familiar music cues shatters the nostalgia some fans are looking for.
Re-Shelled Overall
Re-Shelled does its best to follow in the footsteps of the arcade original, but not close enough for purists and is haunted by the lack of the original soundtrack and SNES improvements. It's like listening to a cover band, where the audience hangs on every deviation from the original. For non-TMNT fans the game can be beaten in half an hour, there is little else besides harder difficulties and survival mode, and even if it was the definitive version the game could still be dismissed as a one-note nostalgia trip.
However, there are players without access to earlier versions or who enjoy going through hordes of enemies and memorizing boss patterns. Re-Shelled isn't perfect, but for TMNT fans and old-school players it is fun to go through once in a while. While the game wouldn't be worth the original 1200 point asking price, for 800 points it's the best "new" TMNT game in recent memory.
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