Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is a love letter to both fans of the 1987 TV cartoon and beat 'em up games. The old-time pixelated 2D art and 8-bit music combined with modern punchy combat and tracks by Mega Ran, Mika Patton, Ghostface Killah, and Raekwon pay tribute to the arcade games developed by Konami in the 80s and 90s. Players looking to indulge in some nostalgia or bond with friends or random strangers can play the entire game in about two hours, be it through the Arcade mode or Story campaign.
Most players will tend to gravitate towards one of the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Leonardo, Raphael, Michaelangelo, or Donatello. Each turtle comes with their own unique stats and playstyles. Raphael, for instance, may not have the range of Donatello, but he more than makes up for it with raw power. Just as the turtles have their unique characteristics, April O'Neil, Splinter, and Casey Jones all bring something special to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge. Their names may not be on the cover, but their presence can definitely be felt throughout the entire game.
Stats Make The Characters
Upon starting Shredder's Revenge, the only non-turtle characters players can choose are either April O'Neil or Splinter. April's biggest advantage is her speed, as she is tied with Michaelangelo as one of the two 3-speed characters in the game. She has more range than Michaelangelo, making her combos easier to pull off, but the amount of damage per attack she does leaves a lot to be desired. Being the turtles' sensei, Master Splinter is one of the hardest-hitting characters in the game who is only matched by Raphael. Speed isn't his strongest suit, but his medium range allows him to attack enemies with his stretchy cartoon appendages and walking stick from a respectable distance.
Casey Jones is the only unlockable character in Shredder's Revenge, and the developers at Tribute Games seem to have tucked him away for a reason. Both his speed and power are nothing to laugh at, but when combined with his extreme range, Casey can hit almost anything on-screen with little effort. Along with Leonardo, Casey is one of two characters that provide a perfect balance of stats for players to enjoy.
Those who want the speed of Michaelangelo but prefer a little more range to their characters can go for April. Players who like to hit hard but slow will love Master Splinter. Lastly, those who just want to go all out can pick Casey Jones. Tribute Games made sure that playing each character in Shredder's Revenge feels how players expect them to, giving them an extra layer of immersion when playing the game.
Design and Visuals Matter, Too
Aside from being fun gameplay-wise, the playable characters in Shredder's Revenge must be easily recognizable. Since Shredder's Revenge supports up to six-player cooperative play either online or offline, each one of the characters should stand out amidst all the carnage. This is where playing as the non-turtle characters can make things easier for players. Seeing as how the four turtles are predominantly green (save for their iconic weapons and masks), it is very hard to distinguish them from one another once the combat kicks in. Tribute Games did its best by highlighting each turtle's special attacks and radical moves, but without them, picking a turtle out from his brothers on screen becomes a challenge in and of itself.
April, Splinter, and Casey, on the other hand, stand out like sore thumbs. April can easily be seen thanks to her yellow jumpsuit and red hair. Splinter's rat-like appearance, brown fur, and fuchsia robe single him out from his sons. Casey, despite being human, towers over every other character with his huge frame, hockey mask, and workout apparel. Their unique character designs and colors make them easier for players to pinpoint where they are at any given time. Considering Shredder's Revenge can get hectic with more players, those who are in a full party may find it easier to play the game by picking a non-turtle character.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge lets players live the fantasy of playing as the turtles, but it also gives them the option to choose the turtles' allies. Tribute Games has already announced that more content for the game is set to come post-launch, so here's to hoping that it adds more playable, non-green characters to the roster.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is available on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.