Video Game Review: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled (2009)
Game Review: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled (2009)
Platforms: PS3, Xbox360
Developer: Konami
Plot: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are on a quest to stop the evil Shredder after his latest heist, which sees Lord Krang stealing the Statue of Liberty. However, when they go to confront the Shredder, he sends them back in time to literally make them history. Fighting your way through the various times (stoneage, wild west, and even the far future), you take control of your favorite Turtle (Leonard, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael), each with their own strengths and limitations.
This remake is of the classic arcade game, and not the much more played (for me, anyway) SNES game of the same name, which contains more levels and a lot more time playing. My brother and I would spend hours on this title, trying to beat our best times and scores (18 minutes with Leo and Raph). My brother prefers Raph because of his speed, but Leo’s always been my favorite character. The new game certainly has some new and awesome graphics (see the screen shot of the original arcade game, below), but it also has a smaller screen which means that Raph’s speed is no longer an advantage (much to my brother’s disappointment). The big disappointment for me was that it wasn’t based on the SNES version, and therefore was lacking a lot of the very fun levels (like the Technodrome). My hope is that they will add in some additional downloadable levels in the future, perhaps as a free add-on, where you can chose between the arcade and SNES versions. Wishful thinking, I know, but one can always hope.
As it stands, the game is a fun beat-’em-up, but it’s hardly worth the $10 price tag. Sure the graphics are nice, but you’ll beat the game in about 10 minutes and you’ll often wonder why it went by so quickly. And, if you’re like me and have played the SNES version of the game more often or more recently, you’ll wonder where a bunch of your favorite levels went. And why it’s so damn difficult to throw Footsoldiers at the screen (which is how you defeat Shredder the first time in the SNES version).
The 3-D graphics are a nice touch, and it’s nice to be able to attack in 360 degrees, instead of being stuck on a 2-D playing field. The advantage here in the new Re-Shelled game is that the bad guys ARE limited by a 2-D playing field, especially the bosses. This makes the game easier once you figure out the bosses patterns and when to best take advantage of the fact that they can’t touch you if you’re above or below them. Especially if you’re Leo or Don, who have the longest reaching weapons.
Don’t get me wrong here, the game’s tons of fun – but extremely brief. By the time it’s over, you’ll feel like you just hit your groove. Sure you can replay it and try to get some trophies or achievements (most of which involve player 1 getting squished or frozen…or not frozen…but any other player doesn’t count towards these awards), but after years of playing the SNES version it just feels so…short.
I recommend the game if they drop the price down to $5, or if they add in the functionality to play both versions of the game, but until that time there’s just not enough content there to justify the $10 price tag. Maybe I value the almighty dollar differently than others, but my money’s better spent somewhere else. I am holding out for that SNES remake version, however….
