Those heroes in the half-shell are back, and they’re here to kick Shredder’s butt back to Dimension X in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge! We couldn’t be happier to fire up another great beat-‘em-up from Dotemu that harkens back to the old times, back when you were young, strapping, vibrant. A naive fool, woefully unprepared for the cruel, uncaring universe you would come to face.
Right off the bat, let’s talk hype on these graphics. Bright color palettes make the action shine, reminding us of when you didn’t understand the trials and tribulations of adulthood, those slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. The sprites are all super sharp, and the animation excels at demonstrating each turtle’s personality, much like what you had before your callous peers shamed away your quirks and eccentricities until only a dull husk remained.
The soundtrack is incredible. Tee Lopes, famous for his work on Sonic Mania, brings a frantic energy to the game that you only wish you could remember ever since your ex drained you of the person you used to be. Every classic Konami orchestral hit perfectly harmonizes with the madness on-screen, and the voice actors still sound like they did back in the day. Except, of course, for the voice of Shredder, James Avery, who in 2013 was claimed by the ever-flying arrow of time, as all must be.
Most important, though, is the gameplay. Talk about perfect! Gone are the simplistic “push a button and watch Donatello beat up a robot,” as now we move on to complex combos and teamwork options. It would theoretically be amazing to play with the friends you’ve lost contact with over the slow, slow years.
Overall, we give this game an eight out of ten, which coincidentally was also the age range where you last felt peace. Turtle power!
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