TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge Review: Green Machine

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is and forever will be a staple to the aging millennial. With various attempts at revivals over the years across all forms of media, it simply seemed as if the franchise was not for us anymore. After watching many of the aforementioned revivals, I’ve come to accept that nothing would ever reach the pure euphoric heights of watching the original animated series and tirelessly replaying the classic games. But unexpectedly, March 2021 rolls around with the announcement of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, as well as a statement from Tribute Games’ co-founder Jean-Francois Major. 

“We wanted to bring back a game for the fans of the ‘87 animated series and also the old arcade games of the ‘90s because we felt that people missed it. And including us, because, personally, I played those games a lot as a kid and I missed them a lot. So that was the idea that started it.”

Well, Major hit the nail on the head. Shredder’s Revenge is a phenomenal arcade beat ‘em up that fires on all cylinders. Tribute delivered an authentic experience ripped straight from the 90s that tailors to both the hardcore fanbase and newcomers alike without compromise. 

Grab a slice; we’re feasting, friends.

Give It Up For Those Heroes In Green

Shredder is back with a diabolical plan to piece Krang back together and conquer New York City once and for all. On the brink of utter chaos, it is up to our four favorite mutated green reptiles to save our city from delving into a total dystopia. The story finds the Turtles battling the fearsome-yet-goofy Foot Clan, as well as a cast of classic villains ranging from the expected favorites to a few unexpected deeper cult-cuts. Chances are this surface level plot summary may have made your heart do a little dance. Why? Well for all intents and purposes, Shredder’s Revenge feels like a lost season of the original animated series we all hold so near and dear. Authenticity oozes across each level (or episode) and delivers the after school sensation Major alluded to in that initial statement.

The inspirations behind Shredder’s Revenge are very much rooted both in the aforementioned original animated series, as well as classic games such as Turtles In Time. These inspirations are crystal clear straight from boot. The game welcomes players with an opening cinematic that is best left experienced unspoiled and fresh. The emotional rollercoaster which encompassed a concoction of awe, gut-filled butterflies, and audible teary-eyed cheering was unexpected to say the least. The brilliant appetizer leads into what is best described as a modern realization of how our nostalgic minds remember Turtles In Time. Turtles In Time is still, of course, a beautiful video game. But with that standard in mind, Tribute cranks all presentational elements up to eleven for their realization of a classic TMNT game. 

The interpretation of a turmoiled New York City is unabashedly 90s in its vibrancy, character, and cliche attitude. Shredder’s Revenge is simply stunning with a crisp art direction paired with detailed and thoughtful character animations. Environments are dense with something new to gaze at within what feels like every single precisely placed pixel. Background set dressing, interactable objects, or even Foot Clan members hilariously settling into the newfound chaos taking on mundane tasks all have their purpose and place within the settings. The city is a living, breathing world; an ironic descriptor for a game harkening back to the glory days of the arcade. Within the dense world lies numerous nods and easter eggs to the Turtles lineage for dedicated fans to uncover. Additionally, as a lifelong New York resident, Tribute’s take on touristy landmark set pieces adds a bit of extra personal fun for us jaded New Yorkers.

Lush visuals are only elevated with an astonishing audio design. The cast from the original animated series reprise their roles as the four Turtles (as well as a few of the villains) in wonderful fashion. There is honestly nothing better than bashing on baddies with Raph and hearing Rob Paulsen’s quick quips. The same applies to the surprising cast of big bads, adding an element of true interaction between two (or more) characters during fights. Crunchy impact effects trigger a satisfying aural sensation that transports the mind back to the arcade. Some of the hard effects actually sound as if they’re coming from an arcade cabinet speaker with a bit of worn-distortions. Whether that was intentional or not, who knows. Either way, its inclusion only adds to a rich soundscape that compliments the visuals. 

While I cannot praise the overall presentation enough, the shining star is the musical score. The music in Shredder’s Revenge is sensational. There was no better choice in a composer to handle this project than Tribute veteran, Tee Lopes. Similar to his work on Sonic Mania, Lopes took a nostalgic sound or piece of music ingrained within the millennial psyche and simply went to town by kicking it into high gear for the modern era. Snappy percussion, punchy bass lines, brightly shredded guitar licks; the various and unique timbres across all episodes propel the action forward crafting a transformative aural experience. There are a few episodes in particular that break the musical formula and introduce a new flavor to the score featuring renowned artists such as Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, and Mega Ran. Please excuse the cliche gamer lingo: those particular episodes were a few of the most hype moments I have experienced in quite some time. 

To say authenticity simply excels throughout Shredder’s Revenge would be the understatement of the year. The level of care from Tribute Games is exceptional from boot through credits, and is something rarely experienced, let alone handled with such a beloved property.

Flowing, Smooth With The Power

Along with the spectacular display of audio, visual, and musical design, Shredder’s Revenge is an utter blast to play with an approachable and rich gameplay loop. What Tribute Games has successfully crafted is the balance between the original Turtles In Time-like experience with modern sensibilities. This is achieved without concessions through the game’s two primary modes; Story and Arcade. Arcade is what you would expect from a classic TMNT title; brawl your way from stage to stage solo or with friends in attempts to climb leaderboards before an inevitable Game Over. Arcade Mode is for the hardcore beat ‘em up fanbase looking for the challenge. It is a wonderfully nostalgic experience, but if you’re like me, you may want to experience all Shredder’s Revenge has to offer without the stress of losing all lives and starting from scratch. That’s where the fantastic Story Mode comes in. Story Mode grants the player the choice of three difficulty options, as well as quite the cushion when hitting a Game Over screen. Instead of starting from the very beginning, the game simply kicks the player back to the start of the current episode. The ability to save progress, quit, and resume at a later time is also available. As a solo player (at least for review purposes), the addition of a more approachable, user-friendly mode took away any potential frustration allowing for pure fun to breathe. Moving forward, a separate Story and Arcade would be a welcomed standard for the genre. 

Shredder’s Revenge allows players to take on the roles as the four turtles, Splinter, April, or Casey Jones; the latter of which is unlockable after completing the story once. Both Arcade and Story Mode are playable either solo or up to an impressive six player co-op. For the purposes of this review, I played through the Story Mode solo as Raph, as well as a few episodes with Casey Jones. Additionally, during our hands-on at PAX East, I was able to play a few episodes co-op as both Mikey and Splinter. What became increasingly clear with every character is how different each feels. The player is presented with a stat board on the selection screen which displays each character’s power, speed, and range. Character selection feels more akin to a fighting game. With unique and varied stat builds across the board, it’s easy to find the perfect feel tailored to your play style, or even strategize unique combinations in co-op.

In a surprising twist on the genre, simple yet engaging lite-RPG elements are introduced. Each character can be upgraded by ten power levels by gaining points. Points are gained defeating enemies, hitting high combos, completing challenges, and finding collectables. Each power level unlocks a new perk. Perks may include an additional hit point, a new special move, or more lives. Specific perks are tied to specific power levels; i.e level two is an additional hit point. Initially, player agency comes to mind when introducing a leveling system. There is a lack of freedom in choosing perks when leveling. While this may initially come off as a negative, perks feel balanced and intentionally placed in relation to when the player may level up. An additional hit point won’t break the game in the first episode or two, and a new special may unlock right in the knick of time when things start to become increasingly more hectic. It is a thoughtful and rewarding system throughout that only enhances the experience without breaking the game.

You Know It’s Hitting Like A Ninja Turtle

The combat system in Shredder’s Revenge is responsive, fluid, and a pure delight to engage with. Despite varied move sets with their own unique characteristics, combat across all characters follow the same combo structure. No matter the choice, swapping between heroes is never a detriment. Hit boxes are precise, and impact always delivers a fulfilling sense of feedback. When surrounded by hordes of enemies, sending foes flying across the screen with a rip-roaring special attack never fails to satisfy. 

The attack structure is simple to learn, yet rich in execution; especially when taking on later episodes. Familiar beat ‘em up mechanics are present; three-button standard combo, one button specials, uppercuts, jump attacks. It is possible to button mash through, harkening back to slamming on arcade cabinets. But as the game tosses new variations of the Foot Clan your way, a more thoughtful approach is rewarded. As an example, button mashing through shielded enemies will eventually work, but a charged attack can break defenses in one hit. The pace at which new enemies or new variations of Foot Clan soldiers are tossed into the player’s path feels deliberate, allowing time to learn and grow accustomed to new attack strategies. The same applies when touching on the leveling and perk system once again. Intimidating enemies coincidentally pop in when a helpful upgrade is unlocked. All is a keen display of brilliant design. 

The combat system also introduces many quality of life features that propels the genre to modern standards. Simple changes such as enemies bouncing off the edges of the screen instead of disappearing into the ether help deter away any cheap shots from off screen. Power-ups allowing infinite specials or long-form auto-specials, as well as health drops, are placed precisely when needed most. When playing co-op, players can save one another; similar to being downed in a multiplayer FPS. Taking that concept a step further, direct interaction introduces the support system. When health is needed, one player can trigger a taunt with another to transfer hit points. The taunt is also useful in solo play as well, boosting the special gauge when keeping up a combo to fill it becomes tricky. With quality of life features that plainly make sense in modern gaming, fun is pushed to the forefront without any barriers.

The all-encompassing highlight when discussing every aspect of Shredder’s Revenge are the thrilling boss fights. All sixteen episodes feature their own distinct boss fight. The high octane battles never fail to surprise, and always deliver a sense of gravitas. Action eloquently reflects a third act fight from an episode of the animated series, and it’s simply just so cool. Characters feel as if they are reacting to the action and interacting with one another with paced quips and remarks. Every hit feels as if it has weight and truly matters. With the visual depth, usually there is something happening on every corner of the screen. While it may sound overwhelming, the scenes are paced beautifully and every moment is tactful. Many victories were met by the skin of my teeth, and cheering at the screen was always an involuntary response. 

Fighting All Crooks Until They’re All Out Cold

While the story will take roughly two and a half hours to complete once, Shredder’s Revenge features a slew of opportunities for replayability for both casual and hardcore audiences. Each episode comes with three challenges to complete, all tailor made for specific episodes. Challenges take many forms throughout; completing episodes without taking a hit, not using a special attack, and avoiding obstacles are among the suite. Additionally, episodes will house various collectables in the form of VHS tapes, beetles, and other objects. Delivering collectables to a cast of deep-cut characters grant the player points towards the next power level. Player-friendly sensibilities once again come to mind when touching on the challenges and collectables. Once a single challenge is complete, it stays completed. There is no need to complete all challenges in one go. The location of collectables are readily available in the lair, a simplistic menu-based hub to check in on power levels, stats, challenges, and more. Tribute trims any unnecessary frustrations or roadblocks, once again pushing enjoyment to the forefront. Replayability also comes in the form of upgrading all six characters to power level ten, completing the story with everyone to view all of the endings, and of course, score-chasing on the leaderboards in Arcade Mode.

It is quite difficult to knock any element of Shredder's Revenge, but there are a few points of contention to address. While the game is magnificently approachable, the biggest disappointment is the lack of true accessibility options. Notably, for such a vibrant and colorful game, there is no color blind mode or similar features. With such visual density, hard-of-sight players may have trouble making out the busy action on screen. Screen shake reduction is present, but the addition of anti-flickering would aid in any potential wear on the eyes. 

Interesting choices and quirks lie within menu utilization. When pausing mid-episode, there is no option to restart the episode. So when chasing challenges, if something is missed, backing out to the hub world and re-selecting the episode is required. Additionally, there is no way to quit either mode and return to the main menu. Even selecting a new character from any menu, the hub world, or lair is impossible. I found myself quitting the actual application in order to return to the main menu. If the option is present, it’s not obvious. It’s an odd choice. Hopefully down the line, the simple menu tweaks can be easily implemented. More importantly, a range of accessibility options would be a welcomed addition.

Breakdown

Game: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Developer: Tribute Games, Dotemu

Availability: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass, Nintendo Switch, PC

Reviewed on PC

Pros:

+ Crisp, vibrant visuals

+ Nostalgic audio design

+ Original voice actors

+ Sensational score

+ Flexible and approachable

+ Story Mode

+ Fluid and responsive combat

+ Bosses

+ Massive replayability value

+ Authentically Turtles

Cons:

- Lack of accessibility options

- Odd menu choices

Final Thoughts

Shredder’s Revenge is a new gold standard for the beat ‘em up genre, and by far the best of its class. It is a thoughtful and deliberately designed experience with both causal and hardcore audiences alike in mind. Across the board, it is an awe-striking presentational marvel featuring superb visuals and an outstanding musical score. And most importantly, it is such a delight to play for hours on end either solo or with friends. Tribute Games has crafted one of the most special arcade experiences in recent memory. 

Reviewed by Mike Towndrow

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