For many years, the classic sidescrolling beat-'em-ups of the late '80s and early '90s seemed to be a thing of the past. Few notable entries had cropped up ever since, as the heyday of the subgenre had seemingly passed, much like the shoot'em up or text-based adventure.
But with the rise of indies, as well as a growing appreciation of retro gaming, came glimpses of a beat-'em-up renaissance. This is exemplified in a handful of titles like the sleeper hit Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game. This movement picked up steam in the coming years, with Battletoads and Streets of Rage getting modern renditions.
But to the countless fans of the famed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, this really culminated of late, with the surprise reveal of a new sidescrolling TMNT brawler. A brief, yet action-packed trailer showcased what seems to a celebration of retro TMNT and a spiritual successor to the Turtles beat-'em-ups of yesteryear. While much remains unknown, including its release date, this teaser has proven suitable enough to generate hype and satiate fans of the heroes in a half shell.
Despite the reveal trailer clocking in at a mere minute-and-a-half, there are still plenty of juicy details for fans to be giddy about.
8 The Epic Animated Cutscene
The pixel art gameplay portion of the trailer seems to be garnering the most attention, especially for kids of the 8 and 16-bit eras. Yet, there's plenty to get excited about when it comes to the detailed animation that makes up the first minute.
Of course, the animated cutscenes look visually impressive in their own right, but the glimpses of gameplay footage highlight some pretty bodacious moments as well.
For one, the trailer reveals a slew of colorful locales and thrilling action to showcase the epic, action-packed nature of the game. The Turtles are seen dashing through city streets, hanging ten on surfboards, and leaping towards the iconic Technodrome. But a number of other details stand out too – including a shot of both Splinter and April O'Neil kicking some butt. Might both TMNT supporting figures take on a more active role as playable characters?
7 The Developer Pedigree
One of the most notable aspects of the brief trailer can be seen at the very end – in the form of the studio logos at the bottom of the screen. Alongside the recognizable Nickelodeon brand sit a couple of lesser-known names in gaming. The first, Tribute Games, is comprised of a number of former Ubisoft employees who worked on the renowned beat-'em-up Scott Pilgrim vs. the World; a title that similarly taps into that retro, arcade-style charm.
Then there's Dotemu, a French studio with a rich history of publishing and developing appealing action games. This includes the renaissance of another '90s beat-'em-up in Streets of Rage 4. This certainly seems like a fitting pedigree when it comes to crafting a great spiritual successor to Turtles in Time.
6 16-Bit Soundtrack
Following the rocking TMNT theme song reprisal – performed by Faith No More's Mike Patton – the trailer cuts to a more retro-fied look with some charming pixel art gameplay. This is complemented with some upbeat 16-bit music.
These deliciously retro tunes go a long way in invoking some warm and fuzzy nostalgia and should serve to inject plenty of atmosphere. One can't help but wonder if players will get the option to flip between nuanced modern tunes and more pixelated, old-school melodies a la Streets of Rage 4.
5 Tossing Enemies At The Screen
While there are many great aspects of Turtles in Time, one of the more subtle, yet memorable details is the ability to fling Foot Clan foes right at the viewscreen. To the delight of many fans, it looks like this satisfying ability will be tossed into Shredder's Revenge as well.
This is indicated at the conclusion of the trailer, where footage of Mike heaving an enemy at the screen gives way to a shot of the promo art and developer logos.
4 New Abilities
As seen in the brief gameplay footage, each of the four Turtles is equipped with their staple weapons of choice, all of which seem to contain unique mechanics. But the depth looks to extend beyond this, as an additional bar is shown underneath the health bars of each Turtle.
Given the lack of revealed details thus far, fans are mostly left with speculation here. However, this would seem to represent the juice for a special move or ability that could take out multiple baddies at once. Each Turtle would presumably have their own unique power which could be triggered when the bar is full.
This would fall in line with the official synopsis of the game, which mentions "shell-shocking new abilities built on a foundation of classic brawling mechanics."
3 The Return Of Classic Villains
Along with some colorful locales and fun action, the trailer also showcases the return of a few classic villains in both the animated and gameplay portion of the trailer. Of course, there's the iconic nemesis whose name makes up the subtitle of this brawler.
Though there are also brief showings of antagonists like Bebop and Rocksteady, Baxter Stockman, and even a Triceraton sighting. These memorable villains are a big part of TMNT's distinct character, and facing off against these foes should bring plenty of classic Turtles flair into the mix.
2 Pixel Art Graphics
While the animated cutscenes are entertaining enough, many were particularly delighted to witness a return to the classic pixel art style of 8 and 16-bit Turtles. The visuals invoke loads of early-'90s nostalgia with colorful sprite-based graphics that really tap into that Turtles in Time vibe.
The classic pixel art with some modern-day visual flair should prove a great representation of Shredder's Revenge and its apparent celebration of old and new.
1 4-Player Co-op
When it comes to the topic of "best TMNT games," it's often the original arcade classic and the SNES' Turtles in Time that come up. The arcade version is described as somewhat crude, though it's renowned for its feverishly fun four-player co-op, while the more refined Turtles in Time is limited to just two players (on console).
But it seems that fans will finally get to experience the best of both worlds with Shredder's Revenge, as the trailer shows all four Turtles hacking and slashing away simultaneously. This certainly looks to harken back to the glory days of 90's multiplayer gaming, with the prospect of online play adding even more potential.