Get Re-Shelled with TMNT
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in time, was a great game when it was fi insertrst released in the early 1990s. The re-shelled edition has finally hit Xbox Live Marketplace, right in the middle of "Summer of Arcade". The question is, how does it compare to the previous version? Well... there are definitely mixed results. I am one , who didn't play this game back when it was released. I was born in '92, so it was a tad before my time. That's not to say that i don't appreciate games that are classic's and started genre's. TMNT is a great beat em up side-scroller. Let's get that point down, and regaurdless of it's "aging", it is still fun.
Gameplay
Very simple. You walk / surf/ hyperglyde (on different levels) across a level, fighting ninja's and bosses along the way. There are a total of 9 levels, and at the end of each level features a boss fight, just like in the classic version. The controls are very simple, you can use your joystick or d-pad to move, and x and y for your attacks. This is one complaint that many reviewers have already mentioned. My viewpoint is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The simplistic beat 'em up sidescrolling with simple controls works well, and is entertaining. You are also given 6 lives, and while you maintain these lives, you keep a high score. Lose all your lives, lose your score. This simple classic arcade feature is still fun to compete with others today, especially with xbox live leaderboards. On top of all this, you can team up with your buddies local or xbox live and have a blast with co-op, with your choice of ninja turtle.
Graphics:
I honestly laughed at IGN's review on the graphics portion of this game. The game is artistically good looking. Lot's of variation of colors and effects throughout the level's make this game extremely improved from the classic. I also like the cool little words over a character when the get hit, such as "PTOOM". It really feels like an arcade game that has been re-vamped. This makeover in graphics in my opinion can be compared to the makeover of bionic commando. It really does look great.
OVERALL
If you haven't heard it enough by now, this game is just fun, solo, or especially with friends. It brings back the "Classicness" of video games, where achieving the high score is the whole goal, and trying to get to the top of the leaderboards. This game isn't long and can be completed within one sitting. But the real fun and re-play comes when you play again with friends or try different ninja's, and getting a higher score. The achievements also add longevity to the game, as you will probably want to try and acquire them. If you liked the classic game, or have never even tried it out, you should at least get the trial version and give it a go. Despite what some would call "Bad aging" for the game, you have to appreciate how classic arcade games once were.
