TMNT 2 The Arcade Game (NES) Review

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 The Arcade Game is a side-scrolling beat 'em up released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) by Ultra Konami in 1990. This is the second TMNT game released on the NES and was based upon the TMNT Arcade game. This game is a classic on the NES and goes a long way to making up for Konami's first attempt on the NES.

The first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game released for the NES was a big disappointment. It had lots of weird bad guys that weren't from the cartoon, it had the swimming level, and it just wasn't fun. Konami decided to do better for their next game, even though the first game sold lots of copies. They decided to play it safe and base the game off of the very popular arcade game, which incidentally is probably my favorite arcade game of all time. When I went to the arcade the first game I went to was TMNT.

Anyway, Konami knew that changes would have to be made and the biggest difference between the two is the graphics. The arcade game is much closer to the SNES which is one of the reasons the SNES game Turtles In Time was so popular so you knew the NES port was going to take a hit. But if you can see past the 16 to 8-bit downgrade, it looks pretty good for an NES game.  Things look like what they should. To also tax the NES less there isn't at much animation for the turtles, I did like that when the turtles do not move for a few seconds their eyes blink. It isn't something that needs to be done but it adds an extra bit of quality to the game.

The other biggest change was that the two different platforms have different requirements. Arcade games are made to make money so they are made hard so you pump quarters in. On a console, you've paid a lot upfront so you don't want a super hard game or super quick. So what Konami did was extend the length of each level and even added in some new ones. When playing console games I'd rather have a longer but easier game than a short but brutally hard game.

New level, new boss.

This game is on the NES so you are definitely going to find some slowdown and flickering. To make up for this you get some great looking cutscenes.

You've got three moves; A = jump kicks, B = hits, A+B = special attack. Unlike most other NES games using your special move in this game doesn't affect your health so you can use it throughout the entire game, which is something I recommend for you. The game also contains pizza to heal your turtle and extra lives. You can also earn extra lives by killing baddies. Each kill gets you a point and 200 points get you a life.

The levels all have boss fights including Bebop, Rocksteady, Baxter Stockman, Krang, Shredder. You get all the favorites from the early cartoons. If you've played an NES game before you'll know how the boss fights go. You learn their patterns and then kill them, that's it and that's all.

He gave me the old boot.

This game is also infamous for containing a coupon for a free pizza from Pizza Hut. I never had this game so I never had a pizza bought for me my a video game company. This is one of the earlier video games with product placement and the sponsor makes total sense for a TMNT game.

You make your way to the Technodrome to face Krang and then the two Shredders. The two Shredder began tough but I figured it out and was able to finish the game with continues left so I was pretty happy. I honestly can't remember if I beat this game when I was a kid but I can now officially cross it off.

Two Shredders, One Turtle.

Overall TMNT 2 The Arcade Game was a wonderful game and earned its classic title. Everything Konomi did bad on their first game they fixed for this one. If you're looking for a great beat em up on the Nintendo you won't do much better. I give Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 The Arcade Game a 8 out of 10.

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Nailed it