Top 10 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Games
The newest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film is set to release this week with an all-star cast of vocal talent. This got us here at Esports Illustrated to thinking. What are some of the best games from the nearly 40-year old franchise? So here’s a brief look at 10 of the best TMNT video games in history.
10. TMNT 2 Battle Nexus (2004, Gamecube/Xbox/PS2/PC)
We start with the 2004 iteration of the old TMNT beat ‘em up style game. While it may lack some of the nostalgia factor of some games on this list, it's still a solid showing with tons to do and an artstyle that comes very close to the TMNT cartoon of that era.
9. Radical Rescue (Game Boy, 1993)
Before “metroidvania” was a term, there was Radical Rescue. In this Game Boy exclusive, you play as Michelangelo on the search for the rest of the Turtles. The sheer size of this game is shocking considering it came out a whole year before Super Metroid.
8. TMNT (NES, 1989)
The game that started it all. TMNT on the NES was a game noted for its absolutely brutal difficulty. Its underwater levels are especially noted for being unforgiving. Now, it's a game that isn’t unfamiliar with having sub 20 minute speed runs.
7. Manhattan Project (NES, 1991)
This NES sequel to the ‘89 hit was actually the third game in the NES trilogy. Released at the very end of the NES’ life, the cartridge was impossible to find which drove its price into the multiple hundreds in the 2000’s. It's also a marvel of how far they pushed the console with minimal flicker with the amount of assets that were on screen.
6. TMNT (GBA, 2007)
This game was based on the 2007 film and uses it as its art style guide. However, the game is arguably just as good as the film, with critics saying it’s one of few very solid beat ‘em ups on the Game Boy Advance.
5. Hyperstone Heist (Genesis, 1992)
This Genesis port of Turtles In Time deviates from the source material a little bit in favor of a different story. This version has fewer stages, enemies and bosses. So while some of the sprites look a bit crisper, it is ultimately an inferior version of Turtles in Time.
4. TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge (PS4/PS5/Windows/Switch/Xbox One/iOS/Android, 2023)
DotEmu, a developer known for reviving old franchises with care, took a crack at making a totally new TMNT beat ‘em up and man did they do a great job. Shredder’s Revenge is a fantastic game to get in your hands, and each character feels unique. There’s even easter eggs and references to other game franchises like Street Fighter in it too. It's a fantastic reboot for the game genre TMNT became known for in the 90’s.
3. TMNT Tournament Fighters (SNES, 1993)
Easily the strangest game on this list, Tournament Fighters is a cult classic in the FGC. Trying its best to capitalize on the Street Fighter 2 craze, this Konami-developed 1v1 fighter was better than it had any right being. It used cartoons and comics as sources so it introduced tons of characters movie fans never heard of. But more than that, the music was simply fantastic.
2. TMNT (Arcade, 1989)
The arcade game that would create the foundation for many of the games on this list, the original TMNT arcade game was both revolutionary and fun to play. Released at the height of Turtle-Mania it was also a commercial success.
1. Turtles In Time (Arcade, 1991/SNES, 1992)
When most folks think of a Ninja Turtles game, they think of Turtles in Time. Easily one of the most iconic games of the 16-bit era, it somehow got even better with the SNES port. While the port featured all of the finely tuned gameplay of the arcade version, it also contained bonus levels and new arrangements of the soundtrack. It was one of the first instances of the home experience being just as good as the arcade.
