Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (arcade game)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a 1989 arcade game released by Konami [2] and based on the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series that began airing two years earlier. In the game, up to four players control the titular Ninja Turtles, fighting through various levels to defeat the turtles' enemies, including the Shredder, Krang and the Foot Clan. Released during a high point in popularity for the Ninja Turtles franchise, the arcade game was well received and versions for various home systems soon followed, including the Nintendo Entertainment System.[3] A sequel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, was released in 1991.

This article is about the arcade game. For the console game, see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES video game).
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Promotional poster
Developer(s)Konami
Publisher(s)Konami
Image Works (home computers)
Ubisoft (Xbox Live Arcade)
Composer(s)Mutsuhiko Izumi (arcade)
Miki Higashino (arcade)
Kozo Nakamura (arcade, NES)
Yasuhiko Manno (NES)
SeriesTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Platform(s)
Release
Genre(s)Beat 'em up
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

The player chooses from one of the four Ninja Turtles: Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael. Depending on the version of the game, the characters are either chosen via an in-game select screen or based on which coin slot the player placed their credit into. After Shredder kidnaps the Turtles' friend April O'Neil and their mentor Splinter, they must give chase, save their comrades, and defeat the evil Shredder. Up to four players (two in some versions) can take control of any of the Turtles. Donatello has slower attacks but a longer range, Michelangelo and Raphael have faster attacks but a shorter range, and Leonardo is a well-rounded Turtle with average range and speed.

The eight-way joystick controls the movements of the Turtle, the jump button makes them jump and the attack button makes them hit in front of them using their weapon. The Turtles can also perform special moves, including throwing Foot soldiers overhead and performing a special attack by pressing the jump and attack buttons; Raphael rolls along the ground and finishes with a kick, while the other Turtles do a sweeping jump attack with their weapons. The Turtles can also spring off the wall in certain areas. Enemies can be defeated more quickly by slamming them into walls or solid objects. Many objects such as traffic cones, parking meters, fire hydrants and exploding oil drums can be hit or damaged with attacks in order to help defeat nearby enemies. In the attract mode, the game shows the first part of the cartoon opening, along with a portion of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song.

Most of the enemies the Turtles face are the Foot Soldiers, all color-coded to indicate their attack patterns and weapon of choices. Some enemies, such as the standard purple-clad Foot Soldiers and Roadkill Rodney robots, have the ability to restrain the Turtles' mobility and drain their health, leaving the player open to attack for other enemies. The bosses in the game include Rocksteady and Bebop (individually at first in that order, and later the two of them together), Baxter Stockman, Granitor, General Traag, Krang, and Shredder himself.

Release
A printed circuit board of the game.

The arcade game was distributed as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in North America and Oceania, Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles in Europe and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Super Kame Ninja[lower-alpha 1] in Japan. The game was released primarily as a dedicated four-player cabinet in all regions except Japan, where it was sold as a 2-player conversion kit. 2-player conversion kits of the game were released in other regions, serving as less expensive alternatives to 4-player cabinets.

Home versions

Ports to home systems
Cover artwork of the NES version, which was retitled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game.

The game was ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990. This conversion was titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game in order to avoid confusion with the previous NES game based on the franchise.[4] The Japanese Famicom version was titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, without a number nor a subtitle, due to the fact that first NES game was localized in Japan under a different title.

The NES version features two additional levels and bosses, one of which is a snowy Central Park where players fight an alien bounty hunter named "Tora"

This version includes two new levels (the first part of Scene 3 and all of Scene 6), which feature new enemy characters, including two new bosses created specifically for the NES port: Tora (a dog-like "blizzard beast") and Shogun (a robotic samurai). Most of the original stages from the arcade version were extended as well and the second half of Scene 3, the parking garage stage, replaces the arcade version's end battle with Bebop and Rocksteady with a battle against the mutated fly form of Baxter Stockman. The NES port appeared in Nintendo's PlayChoice-10 arcade system. This version of the game was once slated for release on the Wii Virtual Console, but was canceled.

The NES version featured notable product placement advertising: Pizza Hut logos. The rear cover of the instruction manual provided a coupon for the restaurant, with an expiration date of December 31, 1991.[5]

Computer ports of the arcade game were released by Image Works and ported by Probe Software in 1991 for the ZX Spectrum, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, PC and Commodore 64. The title was changed to Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles: The Coin Op in the European versions, reflecting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)#International of the 1987 TV series in certain regions at the time.

Emulated releases

An emulated version of the arcade game is included as a hidden bonus game in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube, but with altered music and most of the voice clips edited out. The game is unlocked by finding an antique in Stage 9-1; the antique turns out to be the original arcade machine.[6]

An Xbox Live Arcade version of the game was released under the name TMNT 1989 Classic Arcade on March 14, 2007, published by Ubisoft and ported by Digital Eclipse.[7] The game was priced at 400 Microsoft Points.[7] Like other classic arcade games on the Xbox 360 platform, portions of the original arcade game were emulated with network code and other new features added. Players could earn achievements as well as play 2-4 player co-op (both online and offline). Unlike the unlockable in Battle Nexus, this rerelease retains the music and voices of the 1989 arcade game. This version was delisted in June 2011 and is no longer available for purchase.

In 2019, the game was rereleased as a replica arcade cabinet for home use by manufacturer Arcade1up.[8] The reissue is nearly identical to the original, however there are a few changes; the opening is performed by a different artist, players do not need to insert quarters to play, and Konami's name on the arcade marquee is replaced by Nickelodeon's.[8]

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on their September 1, 1990 issue as being the fourth most-successful table arcade unit of the year.[11]

Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu gave the Famicom (NES) version of the game a 26 out of 40 score.[9]

British gaming magazine The One reviewed the home computer versions (Amiga, Atari ST, DOS) of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles under the British title, Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles, calling it "a pretty poor interpretation of a pretty poor yet popular subject. Every one of the levels is too easy to guarantee more than a week's interest, particularly because the opponents' intelligence is so predictable and your own moves so limited." The One criticises Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles scrolling, stating that the "Music and sound effects are jolly enough, but the cartoon-style graphics are let down by slow and jerky scrolling." The One concludes by stating that the game "lacks depth and imagination".[12]

Zzap! reported on the game after it appeared at Amusement Trades Exhibition International, calling it a "great coin-op which is best in four player mode."[13] Time's Jared Newman named to his list of "14 Important Arcade Games Not Available for iPhone or iPad", citing the game's pioneering 4-player simultaneous play.[14]

GamesRadar ranked it the 25th best NES game made. The staff attributed the Ninja Turtles' continued success to the game and praised its visuals, audio, and combat system.[15]

The Xbox Live Arcade digital version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sold 984,271 units on the Xbox 360 console, as of 2011.[16]

Notes
  1. Japanese: ティーンエイジ・ミュータント・ニンジャ・タートルズ 〜スーパー亀忍者〜, Hepburn: Tīneiji Myūtanto Ninja Tātoruzu: Sūpā Kame Ninja

References
  1. "Around the Route". Cash Box. December 23, 1989.
  2. http://ca.ign.com/blogs/ledjar/2014/01/13/every-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtle-game-by-konami-1989-2005-review-dubious-gaming
  3. "Hardcore Gaming 101: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". www.hardcoregaming101.net. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  4. "Retro Game of the Day! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game". Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  5. Beckerman, Marty. "A COMPLETE HISTORY OF TMNT PIZZA PRODUCT PLACEMENT". MTV.com. MTV.com. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  6. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus Cheats". www.gamesradar.com. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  7. Sinclair, Brendan (2007-03-06). "Ninja Turtles headed to Live Arcade". GameSpot. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  8. https://ign.com/articles/2019/12/16/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtle-arcade1up-cabinet-review
  9. "T.M.N.T. ミュータント ニンジャ タートルズ [ファミコン] / ファミ通.com". www.famitsu.com. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  10. Arcade, Johnny (December 1990). "Nintendo ProView: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Arcade Game" (PDF). GamePro. pp. 106–108.
  11. "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 387. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 September 1990. p. 21.
  12. Houghton, Gordon; Hamza, Kati (February 1991). "Green Grosser". The One. No. 29. emap Images. p. 23.
  13. "ATEI Show Report." ZZAP! March 1990. p.39.
  14. Newman, Jared (February 24, 2012). "14 Important Arcade Games Not Available for iPhone or iPad". Time. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  15. "Best NES Games of all time". GamesRadar. 2012-04-16. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  16. Langley, Ryan (January 20, 2012). "Xbox Live Arcade by the numbers - the 2011 year in review". Gamasutra. UBM Technology Group. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
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