Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is a love letter to the era of licensed belt brawlers, with Konami’s legendary Turtles in Time being a clear inspiration. With co-op being a huge selling point for this beautiful beat-'em-up, we decided to play through as a trio – and present our review as a roundtable to reflect all our thoughts, rather than any individual. So, grab a slice of pepperoni pizza and get ready to dig in for our verdict!
Sammy: Okay, Shredder's Revenge is the latest project from Canadian developer Tribute Games, who I suspect some of our readers will remember for developing the Metal Slug-inspired Mercenary Kings. I thought that game was okay, but it didn’t really blow me away. This TMNT title is much better – it really captures the best of those classic Konami coin-ops, but it’s also been modernised in all the right areas. I mean, shall we start with the visuals?
Stephen: We absolutely should, because they’re truly excellent. The game aims to recapture the look and the spirit of those arcade titles, and it does so with flying colours. The art is clean, chunky, and vibrant just as it was in the 90s, but there's so much additional flair on top of that. Every character looks great, and the backdrops are stuffed with personality throughout. The reverence for the game's inspiration comes pouring out of every pixel.
Sammy: One thing that impressed me is the amount of environmental variety, too! You start out in a TV studio, with all the props and backdrops you’d expect present and correct – but you get to visit some other really cool locations along the way. I'm not going to spoil anything…
Robert: Yeah, I think the game's made with a real appreciation for everything TMNT and it absolutely shows! From the unique animations of each character, to the seriously impressive amount of detail throughout every level, it's an amazing, er, tribute. Oh, and adding to what Sammy said about the levels, there are 16 of them, each taking between five and ten minutes to complete. For me, the game never outstayed its welcome, but it didn't feel overly short either. It's pretty much the perfect length for an old school beat-'em-up. Every stage ends with a boss fight, too, which is always a spectacle. Some of the boss designs are really cool, especially later on.
Stephen: And I think one thing we haven't mentioned yet is the music, which feels spot on. Composed by Tee Lopes, best known for his work on the soundtrack for Sonic Mania, each funky, upbeat tune exudes real energy. These are backing tracks that'll get you amped up to kick some shell, and fans will definitely appreciate the odd callback to older TMNT riffs. Even the music on the overworld map is catchy, and I really enjoyed when vocals would kick in once or twice. The soundtrack doesn't need to go this hard, but it does.
Sammy: I absolutely love the overworld map, which serves as a brilliant link between all the different levels Rob alluded to. We've got to talk about the co-op as well, which supports up to six players in total! We played through with just the three of us and the netcode, which I believe is using rollback, is just super tight – we were playing online, but it easily felt as sturdy as local. And you can drop in and out very, very quickly, which is nice. The only issue I encountered was a bug which made my character disappear a couple of times, but I assume that will be fixed. I think you encountered that, too, Stephen?
Stephen: Yeah, like you say, it'll likely be patched. But even if it's not, it took us about 15 seconds to solve; it's really easy to fix! What did you think of the combat, Rob?
Robert: Oh, well, the combat's rock solid. On a fundamental level it's super simple – on the easiest difficulty you can basically blast through every level by mashing square – but the important part is that it feels great. I think old beat-'em-ups can feel overly stiff by today's standards, but Shredder's Revenge is fast and comparatively fluid. You also have a dedicated dodge button, which in my opinion is always a huge plus.
Sammy: Agreed on the dodge. I also think there's more to it than initially meets the eye, with all of the characters having unique moves and playstyles. Now obviously there are no complicated combos here, as you mentioned, but there are a lot of contextual mechanics that even allow some characters to work as a team. The only thing I didn't like about the gameplay were the hoverboard sequences. Like, they're fine, and they of course need to be there for nostalgia purposes – but they're probably the part I'd least look forward to on a repeated playthrough.
Stephen: Yeah, I guess, and in Story Mode at least, they want you to replay it, don't they? So, persistent progression gives you a little something extra to work towards each time you play. To elaborate, earning points will increase each character's power level, with each threshold unlocking things like extra hit points, additional special attacks, and 1-Ups. These upgrades carry over to subsequent playthroughs, ensuring you're that little bit better equipped each time. This system isn't present in the more challenging Arcade Mode, but it's a neat way to extend the game's lifespan and to encourage you to try out each fighter.
Robert: And I do think it's well-built for replays, because like I said earlier, the game's length is perfect, and because of that, I can see myself playing through it a few times just for the fun of it. But yeah, if you're a one-and-done kind of player, then Shredder's Revenge is going to last you roughly two hours and that'll be that.
Sammy: We probably should also mention that it's maybe not quite as fun in single player as it is in co-op. I had to dive out of our scheduled co-op session right before the last level, which was so annoying, but I went back to finish it up on my own and it wasn't quite the same. I then played through a few more levels solo just to try it out, and it still obviously looks beautiful and is a lot of fun, but the real appeal is in co-op I think. Fortunately, it's so well-executed with such strong netcode that it's easy to buddy up with friends or even strangers.
Stephen: Yeah, and I mean, while I agree that it won't last forever, and that playing solo is a step down from the co-op experience, Shredder's Revenge achieves exactly what it sets out to do. Fans of beat-'em-ups, TMNT, or both will get a huge kick out of this, and for someone with not much nostalgia for the turtles, I had a blast.
Conclusion
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is a superb beat-'em-up that captures the spirit of Konami's coin-op classics, but modernises them in all the right areas. With smooth combat, gorgeous presentation, and rock-solid rollback netcode, it all adds up to deliver a super fun experience.
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Comments 68
Great format for the review, it totally suits the game given these beat-em-ups are always better in co-op!
Loved playing through this with the lads. Been through a second time with my brother and it was just as fun. Great game.
Had an absolute blast with this, such a fun game. Do shout us if you have any questions!
Both being born in 83, TMN(H)T is something the wife and I have fond memories of as kids. Will probably try this, especially given the dirth of local co-op games.
As always though, and especially with short games, we’ll be looking at the trophy campaign to see what that’s like. Could greatly extend the lifespan, or annoy the hell out of us if player 2 doesn’t get all trophies at the same time as can happen in a lot on PlayStation local co-op games.
This looks awesome and I’ll likely still pick it up, but I’m not into multiplayer at all. Anyone have recommendations on a beat ‘em up that’s best when played solo?
I wonder why they didn't call them the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles here?
@thefourfoldroot1 one more here for the 83 crew 👌👌
Awsome review. Cant wait to get this!
I'm definitely looking forward to playing this co-op with my friend on Game Pass tomorrow!
Of course I need physical copies for the collection, so I'll be pre-ordering PS4 & Switch versions from Limited Run. I'm just glad I'll be able to play this day 1, and not have to wait months for Limited Run to deliver them...
Is there an option to add scanline filters?
@Shstrick It's still good solo, it's just so much better co-op. But if you like retro brawlers, you'll still have fun alone I think.
@DiddyWahDiddy I want to say I think there is, but I'd need to double-check to be 100% sure.
@Shstrick. Solo is fine.i remember playing remnant from the ashes solo when a lot of people was saying to play it with others.and i play it solo and i had so much fun.so yeah i will be playing teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shredder's revenge alone. Thats a great score for this game.word up son
A very unique review doing with a trio here. Can’t wait to play this game myself.
How does it compare to Streets of Rage 4 in terms of combat? Combat is "simple" in SoR4 but there are a lot unique skills and techniques that give each character a lot of cool combat options.
Is there any incentive for score chasing? I got all the S ranks in SoR4. It was a stiff but engaging challenge that gave the game a lot of length.
Looks good but not spending £35 on a 2 hour long game.
@Meehanuk_1987 if you want to play it sign up for game pass for like a £/$1 it's a day one release on there
@RudeAnimat0r I'd say combat is less complex in TMNT but one thing it has over SoR4, in my opinion, is a dedicated dodge. That alone makes it more enjoyable for me.
This game isn't really about chasing high scores, although you can, but there aren't leaderboards or ranks. There are optional challenges and collectibles in each stage, and the story mode displays your best completion time for each level on the map screen.
Really enjoyed the franchise back in the day, even Turtles II the Arcade version and Turtles III The Manhattan Project.
Can't give a proper opinion on Shredder's Revenge, since I haven't played the game yet.
But I do have one small gripe with it: it doesn't have a mobile version (i.e. for Android). I find it very entertaining playing a quick level on the go while commuting, to kill the waiting time. Played the hell out of Streets Of Rage 2, and would have loved to have this Turtles brawler on the phone.
Maybe in the future, who knows... Streets of Rage 4 got an Android version, maybe this one will too.
@Quintumply It sounds like they channeled their work on Scott Pilgrim into the progression stuff, since you leveled characters in that too.
Dodging isn't necessary in SoR4, it would probably break the game. It seems like TMNT has a bigger emphasis on crowd control so maybe dodging is necessary. In SoR4 burning HP for specials is basically your dodge, but it obviously comes at a cost.
Either way it sounds great. The Nintendo Life review is pretty in depth; I'm looking forward to it.
Wu Tang made a tune for the game
https://youtu.be/3Ea3r9GTd1A
@get2sammyb I like the format for this review, it sounds great, does have the actual TMNT theme? My only other real question is when can I buy it and how much as it still just says wishlist on the store.
Finally do you think it'd be easy for a younster to play on the easiest setting? My boy is 5 now so just starting to play games with him
Does it support cross play?
@Anke Your name suggests that with "here" you mean Germany? As far as I can recall, that was the only country that changed the original name, because "Ninja" sounded too violent for a kids show. But since Germany got a lot more "relaxed" about such topics over the last two decades or so and we consume a lot more English-language media, I guess it would be considered somewhat weird to stick to that old naming.
@messimagician There's crossplay between PC and Xbox, but it's not supported on PlayStation or Switch currently.
Looking forward to this, loved the TMNT games as a kid and looking forward to a play through with the wee man
@DTfeartheBEARD Hi, just in case you want to save some money (and live in UK), you can buy is at Base.com (cheaper than Limited Run when you take postage into account).
@bighal I appreciate the info. I live in the US. I'll probably order it from Best Buy. So I won't have to pay for shipping.
Great to see this game delivered. I love Streets of Rage 4, it took me back to the 16-bit days (my favorite era of gaming) and all the fun I had playing these types of brawlers whether or alone or with other people. This has been my most anticipated game since it was announced, plan to get a coy for each console.
Why can't you buy this on the playstation store does anyone know? Its on the nintendo store to buy? Are Sony doing this because its on gamepass
Also I saw a website say no 6 player on playstation only xbox
@get2sammyb I also saw that there is a Cowabunga collection coming soon too. I'm just wondering if this game is part of it, or just sold separately to the ones being released on the collection.
@JLPick this game is nothing to do with that collection. The collection has being delayed until next year.
Any news if it’s cross play compatible with other consoles (PS4 playing against Switch or XBOX?)
@Ryany Not every game goes up for pre-order — it'll go live on PS Store when it launches tomorrow. No conspiracy here.
Also, the PlayStation version definitely has six-player. No idea where you've heard otherwise, but that's false.
@Quintumply why can't I preorder it though? Seems strange? Sony keep doing this. Games are available on nintendo but not the playstation store?
@Quintumply I saw a review mention no 6 player on playstation from a big gaming site but fair enough
@Ryany @BartoxTharglod I mean, it'll be available in a matter of hours, and the PS Store won't run out of copies! As to why some games get pre-orders and some don't, no idea.
I don't really have anybody to play this in co-op with, especially with most of the people here being any hours ahead of me (I'm in the US), but that still won't stop me from playing this solo someday. I loved Streets of Rage 4 and I played that multiple times solo, so I should be ok here too, especially being a TMNT fan.
@Ryany By the way - double checked regarding the six-player thing. Turns out we were both half-right.
To clarify: Shredder's Revenge on PS4 supports up to 4 players locally and up to 6 players online.
@BartoxTharglod Yeah, it's an odd inconsistency!
“you can basically blast through every level by mashing square”.
Shouldn’t that be by Push(ing) Square 😀
@Shinnok789 I think there's a good chance it'll get ported to mobile eventually. It's going to be pretty popular, I imagine.
@Ryany @Quintumply It's because the PS4's bluetooth is limited to four controllers on one console. That's why you can only do four player locally. Obviously, you can do six players online because the controllers are connected to different devices.
@JLPick Cowabunga is a separate thing. That one's got all the old Turtles games on it. This is a new one.
@BartoxTharglod after further research I don't think it is anymore but everyone growing up with them here in the UK knows them as that surely?
@Migoshuro ahh easy mistake to make, I'm from the UK and it was always Hero here (by here I was sort of referring to where I live and where Push Square lives at the same time).
I grew up with the Turtles in the late 80s/early 90s and had lots of toys
@get2sammyb Any chance a 5 year old with limited gaming skills could play this with me on easy?
I’ve got one problem with this one. Why have they made April so flat and brutal? I mean… if developers wanted to create an atmosphere of the old show, what did they change the main heroes for?
I haven’t played it yet, so everything might be wonderful, but the visual style looks strange enough if we are talking about the trailers.
Glad to hear it's scoring so well! I won't be playing it for awhile though, waiting for the Cowabunga collection first.
I can't believe you still can't buy this game on PS store. I thought once we hit midnight it would be available.
@messimagician echo your comments. It’ll probably be available at 17:00 GMT today which makes no sense 🙈
I hope the pixel on the graphics gone, it would be a buy for me
@Luigia I just checked and it drops at 2pm UK time (there's a countdown on the site), but still no price? What's going on!
@JB_Whiting thanks for checking and guess we’ll just have to wait. Wish they gave us free pizza for waiting 🍕🍕
Hmm... my Switch preorder won't let me play. Another reason I'm not a fan of digital content. Hopefully it let's me play before my physical PS4 edition gets to me in Sept.
@JB_Whiting the ps store is terrible!
@messimagician the ps store is awfull now you still can't preorder games that are out in like a week or so not sure whats going on
Just downloaded, waiting on the wee man to get in from school to crack on.
Nice to get a couple of quid discount as well.
Just bought it so I can play it with my son. Turns out he wants to play it with his buddy who’s a Twitch streamer. Little 🤬hole lol.
@KilloWertz I’m in us, let’s play sometime!
@AhmadSumadi lmao
@Anke Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I made that assumption because Anke is a common female name here in Germany and we've been relatively strict with youth protection measurements in media, especially back in the 80s and 90s. So, I presumed that the name changing was solely a German thing.
But a quick Wikipedia research showed that it was actually a decision made in the UK and has then been adapted in the rest of Europe.
I've also been a huge TMHT-fan in my childhood. Enjoy the new game!
@AhmadSumadi lol funny
@Migoshuro as an aside I've always used Anke online since the 90's, I was a huge Anke Huber fan back in the day and it's always stuck with me.
I hope you enjoy it too, we'll both have a good reminisce playing together
@get2sammyb can you play local coop online? My wife and I were trying to play with my friend online and it would always kick her out.
@Shinnok789 There is a way to play it on mobile which is via cloud gaming on Game Pass. I've tried it that way and it plays perfectly.
I remember playing one of these games(can't remember what it was called) in a Arcade at a Funfair back in the days with 3 mates & we had such a laugh Someone kept falling down a hole & we just found it hilarious(amazing what you find funny when you are younger) Probably get this for the off-line Multiplayer mode then
Played thorugh it multiple times now on Switch and PS5. Hits all the right notes for me. Exactly what I was hoping for.
Very fun, simple mechanics and a great time when doing co-op....
A refreshing and streamlined experience for sure!
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