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| The Entertainment Review |
| Genre: Action Developer: Ubisoft Singapore Publisher: Ubisoft Reviewed By: Dale Kulas |
The original Arcade and SNES version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time has been widely considered to be one of the greatest 2D beat-em-up brawlers of its day. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the
TMNT franchise, Ubisoft has given Turtles in Time the trendy remake treatment, complete with a fresh coat of modern graphics, yet still retains its distinctive 2D game play.
Ubisoft decided to remake the Arcade version of Turtles in Time, and not the SNES. For those too young to recall what the difference is, the original designers decided to add some extra longevity to SNES version and
added in a few bonus levels. Sadly none of those levels are present in Re-Shelled (people are going to miss out on the best Technodrome level to ever grace a TMNT game!), so expect to breeze through Re-Shelled in
under 45 minutes. Other features the SNES version added, such as a one-on-one fighting mode is also excluded in this remake. It is baffling that Ubisoft decided to exempt the bonus content that fleshed out the SNES
version and were fine with releasing such a short and brief game play experience.
For people to young to remember the classic brawler genre that dominated arcades and consoles in the late 80s and early 90s, it involved 2D side scrolling where the players would punch and kick a variety of generic
thugs until the level climaxed with a boss. Rinse, repeat, and throw in an elevator/shoot-em-up level or two for variety and call it a day. The closest thing gamers have to that today is Castle Crashers, so imagine that with
only a fraction of the depth and charm that Castle Crashers that to offer. Re-Shelled is not broken by any means, it plays well and controls almost exactly like its predecessor, which in this case is not for the better since
game play primarily involves mashing the X button to attack nonstop throughout each level.
Players can choose to be any of the four turtles, and each one has their unique strength (Donatello has superior reach, and Leonardo exceeds in strength, etc). Plowing through the many colored versions of foot soldiers
gets monotonous right away, but it does not get too annoying since the whole experience is over well under an hour in. Perhaps this is why Ubisoft skipped out on the SNES bonus content.
For what it is worth, Ubisoft does make it worth your while to play through Re-Shelled at least more than once. Aside from local co-op play for up to four players, there is also online four player co-op over Xbox Live.
Brawler novices will appreciate the wide range of difficulty settings, but be forewarned that if all players use up their lives by the end of a level they must replay the game from the opening level. Most players will not have
to worry about that because if at least one turtle finishes a level, their deceased partners will be brought back with a fresh set of lives at the beginning of the next stage. After each stage is completed, that stage becomes
available in Quick Play, a mode that allows the user to hop right into any stage they desire. A final way to play Re-Shelled is the brutal Survival Mode, which should pretty much be renamed “Pro Players Only,” which
dares the player to complete the game using a single life!
The new overhaul in graphics is the highlight of Re-Shelled. The new 3D character models are not the super detailed models from the recent game based on the TMNT movie, but instead more of a cartoon version that
manages to still retain the look of the popular late 80s/early 90s cartoon show that dominated television. Some extra detail still would have been appreciated, but for a $10 Xbox Live Arcade release, this will suffice. One
cannot ignore the absence of having an option to switch to the original graphics however, this has been a popular feature in recent XBLA remakes such as R-Type and Secret of Monkey Island, and it seemed like a no-
brainer for Re-Shelled. At least the turtles still shout out their trademark “Cowabunga” and “Shell Shock” catch phrases, and there is a decent rendition of the TMNT theme music blaring in the background.
It is too bad that Ubisoft blew it with this remake. If players have not experienced the original Turtles in Time it is best that it remains that way, as this version is incredibly more monotonous than the original. Re-Shelled
can only be recommended for those that really craved the original and do not mind the quite dated game play. The new graphics are nice, and four player online is the way to play when there are never enough friends
nearby, but for $10, only hardcore fans of Turtles in Time should consider Re-Shelled.
TMNT franchise, Ubisoft has given Turtles in Time the trendy remake treatment, complete with a fresh coat of modern graphics, yet still retains its distinctive 2D game play.
Ubisoft decided to remake the Arcade version of Turtles in Time, and not the SNES. For those too young to recall what the difference is, the original designers decided to add some extra longevity to SNES version and
added in a few bonus levels. Sadly none of those levels are present in Re-Shelled (people are going to miss out on the best Technodrome level to ever grace a TMNT game!), so expect to breeze through Re-Shelled in
under 45 minutes. Other features the SNES version added, such as a one-on-one fighting mode is also excluded in this remake. It is baffling that Ubisoft decided to exempt the bonus content that fleshed out the SNES
version and were fine with releasing such a short and brief game play experience.
For people to young to remember the classic brawler genre that dominated arcades and consoles in the late 80s and early 90s, it involved 2D side scrolling where the players would punch and kick a variety of generic
thugs until the level climaxed with a boss. Rinse, repeat, and throw in an elevator/shoot-em-up level or two for variety and call it a day. The closest thing gamers have to that today is Castle Crashers, so imagine that with
only a fraction of the depth and charm that Castle Crashers that to offer. Re-Shelled is not broken by any means, it plays well and controls almost exactly like its predecessor, which in this case is not for the better since
game play primarily involves mashing the X button to attack nonstop throughout each level.
Players can choose to be any of the four turtles, and each one has their unique strength (Donatello has superior reach, and Leonardo exceeds in strength, etc). Plowing through the many colored versions of foot soldiers
gets monotonous right away, but it does not get too annoying since the whole experience is over well under an hour in. Perhaps this is why Ubisoft skipped out on the SNES bonus content.
For what it is worth, Ubisoft does make it worth your while to play through Re-Shelled at least more than once. Aside from local co-op play for up to four players, there is also online four player co-op over Xbox Live.
Brawler novices will appreciate the wide range of difficulty settings, but be forewarned that if all players use up their lives by the end of a level they must replay the game from the opening level. Most players will not have
to worry about that because if at least one turtle finishes a level, their deceased partners will be brought back with a fresh set of lives at the beginning of the next stage. After each stage is completed, that stage becomes
available in Quick Play, a mode that allows the user to hop right into any stage they desire. A final way to play Re-Shelled is the brutal Survival Mode, which should pretty much be renamed “Pro Players Only,” which
dares the player to complete the game using a single life!
The new overhaul in graphics is the highlight of Re-Shelled. The new 3D character models are not the super detailed models from the recent game based on the TMNT movie, but instead more of a cartoon version that
manages to still retain the look of the popular late 80s/early 90s cartoon show that dominated television. Some extra detail still would have been appreciated, but for a $10 Xbox Live Arcade release, this will suffice. One
cannot ignore the absence of having an option to switch to the original graphics however, this has been a popular feature in recent XBLA remakes such as R-Type and Secret of Monkey Island, and it seemed like a no-
brainer for Re-Shelled. At least the turtles still shout out their trademark “Cowabunga” and “Shell Shock” catch phrases, and there is a decent rendition of the TMNT theme music blaring in the background.
It is too bad that Ubisoft blew it with this remake. If players have not experienced the original Turtles in Time it is best that it remains that way, as this version is incredibly more monotonous than the original. Re-Shelled
can only be recommended for those that really craved the original and do not mind the quite dated game play. The new graphics are nice, and four player online is the way to play when there are never enough friends
nearby, but for $10, only hardcore fans of Turtles in Time should consider Re-Shelled.
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