Rockers, the foot clan has struck again at PAX East. For the second PAX East in a row, Covid has struck again and the foot clan has managed to spread their across the world through unsuspecting convention gathers. Sadly, this is the second time they’ve gotten me. Luckily, after our appointment with Focus Home Interactive, we should be able to take down Shredder and the foot clan. This time we aren’t going to fight them alone. For our PAX East 2022 TMNT: Shedder’s Revenger hands-on preview, we asked Gamestop’s Sr. Community manager Rukizzel to back us up. So how did two tall guys do against a bunch of ninjas?
Before diving to deep into our TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge hands-on preview, we want to remind you to keep an eye out for our interview with the game’s musical composer, Tee Lopes.
Impressions
As a fan of the late 80s and 90s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, we felt as if a part of our soul was missing. Something about the 90s-style graphics and beat-em-up style held a special place in both Rukizzel and I’s hearts.
For the TMNT: Shedder’s Revenger demo, the developers allowed us to pick between the four original turtles (Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, or Raphael), April O’Neil, or Master Splinter. Unlike the 1989 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade game, we were able to play as Master Splinter and April O’Neil. For the sake of the demo, Rukizzel chose to play as April O’Neil while I chose to play as Michelangelo.
Going into the demo, you still got the 80s and 90s arcade vibe though more polished. Similar to the arcade-style play, players can jump in either online or through couch co-op. For our demo, we were only able to have two players play at the game time, but this allowed us to get a feel of the co-op action.
Like the old arcade games, players move across the screen taking out enemies as they are procedurally generated. The more players in the game, the more enemies will be thrown at you.
Everything we loved about the TMNT arcade games was back but there was more to it. The two levels we played had slight nods to the cartoon, toyline, and movies. If you were someone who grew up in the 90s, then there will be subtle things that will make you jump for joy.
Combat
Combat in TMNT: Shedder’s Revenger is similar to the old arcade games but with a twist. Yes, the standard beat-em-up style gameplay still exists but Tribute Games has added a twist. Now while clearing encounters, players can juggle enemies to achieve insane combos; the higher the combo the more ultimate power gained. After charging the meter completely, the play can unleash their ultimate move either as a standard attack or a jump attack. Unleash a short burst of fury against Shredder’s Allies and minions. Players can also grapple enemies and throw them against the walls. Feeling hungry or tired? Grab a slice of pizza and run at your enemies!
Takeaways
When TMNT: Shedder’s Revenger was first announced, I was skeptical. Over the last decade, any time a company has announced that they are rebooting a game or mastering it, it typically fails to live up to the nostalgia that its predecessor left. Thankfully, TMNT: Shedder’s Revenger builds on what its predecessors established while kicking Ninja booty forward. At the end of the day, it was a lot of fun to play TMNT: Shedder’s Revenger, and reminded us of an easier time when we could play for hours at the arcade.
If you have not heard of this game yet, it is worth checking out. Look for more of our PAX East articles through our PAX East coverage hub page.
