Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: “Shredder’s Revenge”
In the year 2022, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge” released for PC and consoles. Published by Dotemu and developed by Tribute Games (“Streets of Rage 4”), the game is a fantastic “retro reimagined” video game made for fans and by fans of side-scrolling beat-em-ups and the 1987 animated series.
The plot parallels the classic arcade title “Turtles in Time” and its home console ports. Shredder and Krang abscond with the Statue of Liberty, and the turtles must fight their way through Foot ninjas and mutant henchmen to reclaim the statue. The gameplay and stage designs also parallel “Turtles in Time,” bringing back everything from the time travel elements to special moves that involve hurling Foot soldiers right at the game’s camera. The control is simple enough to pick up and play, but don’t be fooled – even lower difficulty settings provide ample challenge for both new players and master ninjas alike.
The visuals and sound are the ideal mix of both familiar and fresh. The graphics use the power of modern consoles and PCs to recreate the look and feel of “TMNT” games that were released in the days of 8-bit and 16-bit games on a larger scale (an update released at the time of this writing even includes filters resembling CRT televisions and arcade monitors). The soundtrack contains a musical score composed by Tee Lopez alongside original songs contributed by members of the Wu-Tang Clan (one standout being a rap song during Shredder’s boss fight, “We Ain’t Came To Lose.”). The surviving members of the voice cast also reprise their roles from the cartoon (with Shredder and Splinter now voiced by Sean Gurnsey after the passing of James Avery in 2013). Finding all the cameos and secrets will also give players the true ending of the game, which shall not be spoiled here.
Overall, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge” is a radical retro reimagined brawler that’s highly-recommended. Much like the retro compilation “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection,” it’s a must-own for any fan of the franchise that’s well worth your time and money. “It’s a pizza party!”
Publisher: Dotemu/Nickelodeon
Developer: Tribute Games/Seaven Studios
Platform: PS4 (Also available on PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series)
ESRB Rating: E10+
