Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge Evaluate – Value Shellebrating

For so long as I can keep in mind, I’ve all the time liked the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Whether or not it was being launched to the sequence with the 2003 present, watching the Bossanova 1990 movie about one million occasions, or taking part in the probably-bad-in-retrospect Battle Nexus sport, I’ve by no means fairly left Turtlemania behind.

My love of all issues cowabunga has made it extremely miserable to see the group slowly fade from the gaming scene. The Turtles have starred in some true all-timers, however the previous few years have been dryer than Megan Fox’s efficiency as April O’Neil.

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It ought to most likely come as no shock then that Shredder’s Revenge has been one in all my most anticipated video games ever because it was first introduced. Even when the ’80s Turtles isn’t my favorite iteration of the group – I can hear my fan membership membership being revoked as I kind that – the thought of a brand new Turtles sport was already sufficient for me, not to mention one with some actual side-scrolling brawler pedigree behind it.

Not solely is Shredder’s Revenge a heartfelt love letter to every part TMNT, however an extremely satisfying brawler that’s each loyal to and builds upon Turtles in Time in each conceivable means. Indubitably, Shredder’s Revenge is one of the best Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Recreation there’s ever been.

Shredder’s Revenge works so effectively as a result of it takes the Turtles again to the place they’ve been confirmed to work – easy arcade side-scrolling enjoyable. Fortunately, it additionally takes that method and dials it as much as 11, enhancing the fight considerably to be extra in step with current brawlers like Streets of Rage 4 and River Metropolis Ladies.

Whereas Turtles in Time actually solely had just a few assaults and throws, every character right here has slide assaults, a number of particular strikes relying on motion, assaults that change relying on course, and even skills to make use of within the air. It’s not fairly as advanced as Streets of Rage, however fight is layered and satisfying, particularly if you get the dangle of a personality and begin making ninjas bounce across the room.

Fight may be crunchy and satisfying, however it may’t fairly escape a number of the side-scrolling woes which are widespread within the style. Fight within the air merely isn’t very enjoyable and it may be robust to gauge distance, whereas being bounced between hazards throughout the map can occur a bit too typically. You’re additionally fairly prone to soar into pits on the uncommon event that platforming does present up. These are all common issues with the style, and it’s a disgrace that a few of them make their means over to Shredder’s Revenge, even when they’re uncommon and don’t detract from the general expertise.

When it comes to construction, Shredder’s Revenge is similar to Turtles in Time, with many of the sport specializing in side-scrolling ranges full of Foot Ninjas and a boss battle awaiting you on the finish, with just a few fast-paced surfboard ranges thrown into the combo to maintain issues contemporary. It’s the identical construction right here, however the brand new story mode helps modernise issues a bit with collectibles, character upgrades, challenges, and the flexibility to swap characters in the midst of runs.

Bonus content material is a pleasant addition and helps pad the sport out, however solely the challenges and character upgrades really feel price it. Challenges may be rock stable and require mastery of a stage to finish and the character upgrades give the participant a purpose to check out everybody on the roster, however the collectibles are all in fairly apparent locations and don’t open up the degrees in any significant means. It’s good for the primary run, however then turns into pointless.

As good as challenges and upgrades are, the true replay worth comes from taking part in the sport by as every character, one thing that’s a pleasure to do as they’re all so completely different from each other. Moderately than all feeling the identical minus how far their weapon hits, all seven characters transfer in another way, have distinctive variations on primary strikes, and all have completely different particular strikes that set them aside. One of many greatest issues I’ve seen folks have with Shredder’s Revenge is that it’ll be too brief, however if you wish to expertise each single character you then’re going to have far more than 12 hours in your arms, simply.

Shredder’s Revenge is a improbable brawler in its personal proper, however by far one of the best a part of the sport is its soundtrack. It’s probably the greatest I’ve ever heard in a sport. All 16 of the degrees have an absolute bop accompanying them that matches in completely with the upbeat Turtles perspective. Particular point out goes out to the three tracks with vocals that seem through the hoverboard ranges and one of many boss fights, serving to these moments stand out as a number of the sport’s highest. One of many tracks is from Wu-Tang Clan and if that doesn’t sound like one of the best factor ever, we will’t be mates.

All 4 of the Ninja Turtles have their authentic actors again, which is a pleasant contact that makes it really feel like much more of a love letter to the Nineteen Eighties. Though it’s nice to have the unique solid again, many of the battle grunts can grate after repeated playthroughs, with Donnie’s nerdy “hi-yah” noise that performs on the finish of a combo making me need to cry by the top of my first playthrough. A couple of extra noises blended in for all the characters, however particularly Donnie, may need made me really feel much less embarrassed after I performed as him.

Bringing again the unique Ninja Turtles is only one of some ways Tribute Video games makes Shredder’s Revenge the right TMNT tribute. Every stage is totally full of references to the present, just like the Turtle Blimp showing within the sky of 1 stage or the Punk Frogs displaying up all through the sport. There are even just a few cameos from outdoors the Nineteen Eighties sequence, resembling Tokka and Rahzar from Secrets and techniques of the Ooze showing throughout a boss battle.

Whether or not you’re a giant fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or simply somebody who appreciates unimaginable music and satisfying side-scrolling gameplay, Shredder’s Revenge has one thing for just about everybody. The Turtles might have taken a little bit of a break from gaming, however that is one shell of a comeback.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is on the market on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Sequence, Nintendo Change, and PC. We examined the PC model for this overview. Evaluate code was offered by the writer.