Making the Case For A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Fighting Game

It wasn’t long ago that a trailer for DLC caused me to rethink my stance on a game, and that sentence alone still causes me pause, because it rarely happens. I had beaten Injustice 2, finished the storyline, and thought that everything I could want to do was behind me, but then images of an alleyway street fight and four mutant turtles left me shell-shocked and wanting to yell COWABUNGA, had my wife not been standing beside me—she would have understood, but I didn’t want to make it any more awkward—resulting in the only reasonable thing: my going out and buying a brand new copy of the game the next day. Now I’m sitting here just waiting to drop more money so I can play my favorite green heroes, but it has me wondering why there hasn’t been a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fighting game.

I say a new one, because there has been an installment with that premise, TMNT: Tournament Fighters, back on 16-bit SNES and Genesis consoles and a rare 8-bit version for the NES. That game didn’t do well though critically, trying to imitate Street Fighter with an incredibly difficult learning curve and challenge. What interested me the most though, was that each version had a weird and slightly different roster of characters from the franchise and new creations just for that game to initiate combat with. Other than this though, the only remaining popular Turtle themed games where the heroes could fight each other was a VS Mode in Turtles in Time that was simple but appreciated, and then TMNT: Mutant Melee, a nice attempt but can only supply about ten minutes of actual fun.

So a new installment in proper hands is in demand, and with a new cartoon starting up and another arcade game coming out—which I cannot wait to try—the time is right to put them turtle boys back in the genre with their own title. The Injustice engine really does seem like a good fit for this theoretical game, as combat is smooth and works with the superhero fighting motif. I also like the idea of being able to interact with the environments and use weapons of opportunity, whether it is a trashcan against the alleyway wall or a laser in the Technodrome, these items will help keep the fighting fun and interesting while movement based items can range from the guys’ supped up skateboards and grappling hooks to sliding on their shells.

NetherRealm has also shown they can do a good story mode, which I will excitedly play, and the soundtrack is open for huge possibilities with remixes of different tunes from the franchise’s history. I’m here to mainly discuss the most important part though, a potential list of combatants, whether they be main roster, hidden characters or DLC, the character lineup will sell this game for a lot of fans. So some quick fire suggestions, mainly based off of skins, moves, and what people want to see, since so many of them have vastly different backstories across the various versions and have different personalities depending what show or set of movies the person grew up with.

 

The Roster

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Well of course the titular characters would be in there, but the question is how and in what form? Not only would there be the current four heroes, but different iterations of them as well. The turtles from each generation would need to be represented, for variation, and nostalgia. That was one of the things about that aforementioned trailer that grabbed me so tight, the fact that these weren’t just any Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles coming to a fighting game, but MY Turtles from the 1990 movie with a bit of the original cartoon mixed in, like the colored pads. So I want everyone to feel that, no matter what show, comic, or set of movies really called out or got someone into the franchise. Each version of the different turtles could just be alternate skins, sure, or they could take it further and give them all slightly altered stats, one or two different moves, or even just animations to fit the selected version more.

The mechanics will be easy to work out further down the line, but I would recommend the standard version being that of the original movies, with the new films serving as a vastly different look and move set than the previously mentioned, and the 1989 cartoon version being the first characters that are mostly just different visually; a cool aesthetic, but nothing that needs a drastically varied feeling. The next big change would be the (2003) TMNT cartoon, which has bigger and beefier character models, so give these fighters more strength, health, and extra armor, while the 2012 versions are smaller and sleeker, meaning they might work more off of speed and weapon combos, with less health.

I think the black and white comic book variants would work well as an alternate skin for them. We can leave out stuff like The Next Mutation, because it was horrible and supposed to be in the same continuity as the movies, and I’m not sure the 2007 film stands out enough to need its own appearance, but developers could stay ahead of the curve of course by adding skins for the new cartoon coming out in 2018 as well. The turtles get the longest entry because they’re the centerpiece and multiple versions of them as playable characters make a lot of sense, but they can’t be the only ones there.

Shredder
Of course the most well-known villain in the franchise has to show up, and he has a few different versions as well, but the only two different characters that are a must is regular and Super Shredder. The power of Kevin Nash would obviously make him stronger and do more damage, but a bit slower, relying more on his grabs, while the regular version should make more use of his martial arts skills and signature blades. Please also include some type of clone move where the real Shredder loses his helmet, throwing back to his powers from the TMNT 2 NES games.

Find a really good voice actor for shredder, maybe even one who can do the menacing tones from the original movies, but also imitate him from the 1987 cartoon as well, because the potential for memorable one liners is strong here. I’m not sure if he would be the final boss, since that depends mostly on the story, but I like the idea of facing off against multiple versions of him like the classic games. It also goes without saying that the Foot themselves have had several different looks, and there is nothing wrong with playing a disposable henchman, robot or punk teenager alike.

April O’Neil
One of the few notable female characters in the franchise—no, we don’t talk about Venus de Milo—many wouldn’t consider this intrepid reporter more than a damsel in distress or a character who gets used to stumble across the plot, but she needs a spot high up on the list for her determination, as well as what she means to the team overall. This won’t be a new thing though, as April has had to throw some beatdowns a few times before, and was even playable in the Genesis version of Tournament Fighters, looking like an 80s Punk who hit the gym quite regularly. Recent versions of the character seem even more suited for this role and the developers would have to get creative with her moves without getting too crazy. I definitely think Ms. O’Neil needs to go with a more modern look, but the banana colored jumpsuit HAS to be an alternate skin for sure.

Those are the main characters, but now to fill out the roster with some fun entries.

Bebop and Rocksteady
Obviously Shredder’s two main lackies should be considered for the game, especially now that fans have finally been able to see them on the big screen. The two could use an assortment of melee and firearm weapons, have moves based off of their animal forms, and they could have the skins from that recent film and the original show (as well as the 2012 version), or maybe even a cool comic book variant, even though they were only put in the books after fans loved them in the cartoon, but most importantly I need the ability to play them in their human skins with the retro 80s look. The key here would be to make sure they don’t feel too similar. I wonder if any fans would be upset with Tokka and Rahzar just being alternate skins of these two…

Baxter Stockman
Also being in the recent movie will help, but we want Stockman in his mutated form with several of his fancy weapons, as the game could use a true mad-scientist’s touch. With his ability to fly and gadgets, I see Baxter as the mid-boss, maybe even fighting him in human form with a squad of mousers first then post-‘accident;’ someone who could be an unlockable character after beating the game. Whether the character has Tyler Perry’s likeness or the more sniveling version from the original cartoon, they will rock the bowtie.

Krang
Whether fans liked Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows or not, the movie gave many longtime fans what they wanted to see, and along with the previous two entries, Krang was definitely one of those long awaited visuals, since his rumored appearance in Secret of the Ooze. He was visually menacing and many of the effects make me realize there is a lot that could be done with this alien in a fighting game, whether it’s up close and personal with the tentacles or offense from weapons on the robotic body. One of his specials would be to temporarily grow of course, causing him to slow down but do more damage. He would probably only have two basic skins, cartoon and movie, but a nice hidden reference one would be from the 2003 cartoon that had Shredder as the Utrom’s host. If we need a few more bad guys, bring in the backup from Dimension X with General Traag or Sergeant Granitor.

Master Tatsu
I mentioned having a Foot soldier in the mix, but if not, how about their master? This angry bald man appeared in the first two films and later cartoons, but I also remember him as a boss from the Hyperstone Heist game and think he would work here. Give the man a katana, some throwing stars, and a smoke bomb to show these turtle boys they still have a thing or two to learn, as long as an alternate skin can be as close as possible to the original actor.

Slash
Whether it is Groundchuck (the cow no one remembers), Wingnut the Bat, or even Mondo Gecko, the game needs a few more animal-based mutants, and if I had to pick one it would be Slash. Sure he became comedic relief to a degree but many seem to remember him, and at the risk of adding yet another turtle to the mix, his look is cool and alternate versions of it could be fantastic. Just don’t forget his binky. I really like his look from both versions of the cartoon and think he would be fun, but if Slash isn’t the speed for most fans, there are a ton of other mutants I could throw out there, from Mutagen Man and Pete the Pigeon to the Punk Frogs and Ray Fillet.

Usagi Yojimbo/Miyamoto Usagi
I want to keep it somewhat believable here, but even if we are just going off the source material, both Savage Dragon and Batman have teamed up with the group in the comic pages, but I still have trouble believing they were once on a mission to help the C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa. This samurai bunny though had his own comic long before the turtles, but was put in their pages to help out his sales, and his appearance on the cartoon really boosted the ratings later. He has had several looks, one for each of the cartoons is fine, but a comic book styled skin is a must here also.

Karai and Aska
This game needs a few more female characters to round it out and I think Karai is a must, whether they go with the version who is the adopted daughter of Shredder or where she is Leonardo’s rival then lover, the character is well-equipped to compete and has a basic look that could be tweaked. Aska is similar in a lot of ways, but not aligned with the Foot. She appeared in the SNES version of Tournament Fighters and could make a return, or just be an alternate skin for Karai. If both of those aren’t piquing anyone’s interest though, on a stretch, we could talk about Mona Lisa.

The Rat King
I always liked Rat King as a villain because there seemed to be more to him, his abilities, and end goals. He was threatening at first to the turtles because he was an unknown but also occupied the same place our heroes lived, knowing everything about the sewers with his network of spies. His animal companions and gas attacks would be the focus of a move set. If the developers wanted to stick with a sewer dweller but didn’t like that though—there is always Leatherhead.

Metalhead
The comics and cartoons always went a bit crazy with space travel, the mystical, and Triceratons, so a robot turtle fits in quite well and offers a lot of possibilities when it comes to moves; maybe even a liquid metal upgrade? I think he is another one that a lot of people will recognize from shows, comics, and toys, but there would be a ton of room to tweak almost every aspect of the character and make a fan favorite. Like most of the characters I’ve suggested though, if the mechanics are good and interesting, everything else will fall into place, as almost every aspect of this franchise is green–I mean gold.

READ MORE:
– The 50 Best Games of 2017
– The 6 Biggest Fighting Games of 2018