Game of the Week: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES)

ghostchant

(EDIT: Came out on a host of platforms, can't change it in the thread title!)

I was very close to going with Tetris, but in the end I went with the first console game I ever owned myself: Teenage Mutant Ninja/Hero Turtles!



My main memories on Christmas morning was powering up the NES and wandering around the overworld, avoiding the dangerous-looking holes in the ground. I distinctly remember my parents kept telling me to walk into them, and and after a while I decided to take their advice, only to find myself not dying, but rather in the sewers, where the game really begins. My 5-year old self didn't find it suspicious that my parents seemed to know more about the game than they should have, and didn't realise that they had opened up the NES weeks before to play it themselves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqzYh0tAgo4

Looking at it now, it's a rather poor (and unforgiving) game. I never managed to get past the underwater section (set in the Hudson River), which, if you failed to diffuse all the bombs within the time-limit, would end the game, irrespective of remaining lives/turtles. So in honour of my childhood frustration, I think I'll have my ashes sprinkled in the Hudson, near the Holland Tunnel, seeing as I managed to die there hundreds of times during the course of my childhood.

The Angry Video Game Nerd did a nice video on it too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjUz8IT0CYg

DinoRex

I had it on the C64.

Remember enjoying it enough. It might have been easier on the that version though. Not sure if I ever completed it, but I'm pretty sure I made it as far as the Technodrome anyway.

The first Turtles Game on the Gameboy was the game I got with the system (along with Tetris, of course) and that was a much better game.

o1s1n

I played the hell out of this when I was younger. However I didn't remember it being particularly hard or broken - Until I went back and played it years later.

That AVGN review is pretty spot on. It's a sadistic, mess of a game.

I can't help but love it though.

Retr0gamer

I enjoyed the NES, Gameboy and C64 versions when I was younger. Time hasn't been kind to it and look back on it it's way too tough and some of the level design is horrendous. Far from the terrible game some people make it out to be but it's not great either. I might give it a whirl on the NES during the week.

DinoRex

o1s1n wrote: »

I played the hell out of this when I was younger. However I didn't remember it being particularly hard or broken - Until I went back and played it years later.

Yeah. Seems like we were all right little masochists as kids.

kevin2me

oooh this was a nice choice, one of my all time favs,
this and Turtles Arcade game both rock...

I kills me that I have 38 NES Games and still dont have this one though
Its was brutally hard and that health guage, ooh dear lord,
but it had so much going on between side scrolling and I Loved the overworld.
Its like Jurassic Park on SNES, my spiritual successor to this,
cool mix of Top Down and separate view for different parts of the game.

Nice One Ghostchant!

Professey Chin

The AVGN review got 2 things spot on. That fcuking seaweed and that irritating little gap I didnt realise I could just walk over :mad:
Ashamed to admit I resorted to the Game Genie a couple of times
Although it was the turtles and I still love them >_>
Dont remember playing this one on the game boy though...it wasnt on it I dont think. This was the game boy 1 I had.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIuj5yPWsbs

1st game I ever 1lifed. Oh yeah :cool:

On a side note. I can remember a lot of kids giving out over the NES games cover cause they all had red bandanas. Silly children :pac:

DinoRex

Yep. That's the one I had on the Gameboy.

Think there was also a conversion of the arcade game on the gameboy as well.

Jack burton

I was always just confused about how the technodrome could be so small on the outside and huge on the inside

CathalDublin

Quality game, anyone remember the code book copy protection for the Commodore64?

pdbhp

CathalDublin wrote: »

Quality game, anyone remember the code book copy protection for the Commodore64?

Yes horrible things they were. Almost impossible to see with shít brown pages so they couldn't be photocopied.
It was bad enough having to wait 40 minutes for the game to load but then they add the humiliation of having to find the correct code to start the game:(

Pyongyang

The C64 version of this game is the one I remember most, one of my mates at school had the NES one though. Nice choice, brought back a few memories!

OwaynOTT

One of the first games I had. Don't remember it being that hard but then back then I use to just keep plugging away at them till it was passed. Now it's like 'ah crap died. What in it to eat?'.
That and mission impossible were two games I played a lot. Mission impossible caused loved the music and because I had like 10 games and they were crap. Time lord, star wars, off road. Actually I really liked off road.

80s Synth Pop

Ah yes, I remember this one well. It came bundled with the NES - something different than the boring Mario bundle.

It wasn't so bad but everyone became stuck on the same part and most gave up on it. You can see the nerd going crazy over it too - that damn jump in the sewers!! Now all you have to do is tap the jump button, and I mean tap, as lightly as possible. Once you figure that out the game will eventually be yours to complete (and never ever play again!)

I'll dig it out after I get through gunsmoke on the NES. Cheers!

Shapey Fiend

It wasn't THAT hard. Once I worked out how to get around the few really annoying parts I could get to the end pretty handily, and I didn't even own the game I only played it at friends houses.

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Time lord, star wars, off road. Actually I really liked off road.

Star Wars was brilliant. Time Lord wasn't too bad either, just rock hard.

OwaynOTT

Shapey Fiend wrote: »

It wasn't THAT hard. Once I worked out how to get around the few really annoying parts I could get to the end pretty handily, and I didn't even own the game I only played it at friends houses.




Star Wars was brilliant. Time Lord wasn't too bad either, just rock hard.

Was it hard or just compared to today's games it seemed hard? I remember passing timelord as well.

Dr Bob

I remember I'd a dodgy copy of this on the C64.It loaded about 30% of the time if I remember rightly , was a decent enough game, but I never got into it(possibly as I couldnt load it so often!)

Retr0gamer

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Was it hard or just compared to today's games it seemed hard? I remember passing timelord as well.

It's 'nintendo hard'. Ridiculous by todays standards but standard enough for the NES era. A lot of the challenge is artifical though and created by dick move level design. A lot of NES games difficulty has been inflated recently. Megaman 2 is regarded as a rock hard game in retrospectives but reviews at the time marked the game down for being too easy and on retronauts the guys remember beating it the same day they got it. Contra as well gets a bad rap for being impossibly tough and requires the 30 man code. I went back to play it recently using no cheats and got to the final level just fine, it's pretty easy in fairness. TMNT is a damn sight harder than those two games but is beatable with a lot of patience.

kevin2me

On a successfully trip up to Dublin for weekend , I picked up a load of great stuff, but couldn't pass up NES and Commodore C64 Turtles

Was nice retro moment seeing that C64 box again for first time over 20 years,
Havent seen C64 game in that long, way top cover pops of, its like opening a present to see whats inside those C64 boxes

All these for 10e

Steve X2

kevin2me wrote: »

On a successfully trip up to Dublin for weekend , I picked up a load of great stuff, but couldn't pass up NES and Commodore C64 Turtles

Was nice retro moment seeing that C64 box again for first time over 20 years,
Havent seen C64 game in that long, way top cover pops of, its like opening a present to see whats inside those C64 boxes

All these for 10e

You got some haul this weekend all right.
You'll need to bring a van up to Dublin for your next visit

I'll let you know when I'm having another retro sale :0)




.

paperwork

One of my most bitter videogame memories revolves around this game. We were a mastersystem house at the time, my mam was friends with this horrible boring woman who had an equally horrible son.

I remember sitting there watching him play it for ages, the top-down display was so new to me and the gameplay seemed so varied... I waited so patiently for my turn... but it never came. Finally the boys tea was ready and his next action I remember like it was yesterday. He stood up, unplugged the controller, wrapped the chord around it and shoved it in his pocket so I couldn't play!

Pyongyang

paperwork wrote: »

He stood up, unplugged the controller, wrapped the chord around it and shoved it in his pocket so I couldn't play!

What you should have done, while he was having his tea, was to take his Master System down to Cash Converters and flogged it.

That'll teach him for being a greedy git.

Roar

I remember this game so very, very well.

The music in it is fantastic. It's burned into my memory for the rest of my life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbDf3BL-IPc

It's an incredibly frustrating game though. Played it again recently and it annoyed the sh!te out of me. and that beeping when you're low on energy. Headache inducing.

It's also how I got into watching AVGN, I was bored in work one day and watching run throughs on youtube, and it came up as one of the suggestions.

kevin2me

Pyongyang wrote: »

What you should have done, while he was having his tea, was to take his Master System down to Cash Converters and flogged it.

That'll teach him for being a greedy git.

Laughed so hard at this, but its so true,
I remember seeing my Greedy Cousin playing Super Mario Bros 1 on the NES,
I was in awe of the console & game, no way I was allowed a NES until the following xmas, and cousin would not give us a go off it for few hours we were visiting. Went home an unhappy camper but at least I was getting a C64 to replace Atari 2600 from santa few days later

Retr0gamer

I hated people like that. Used to have to stay with a babysitter and her son had a master system. For the few months me and my brother went there we never once got a go on it or with his star wars toys despite letting him have a go of our mask toys.

o1s1n

I had a similar issue with my cousin. He lived in the countryside part of Wicklow, surrounded by fields.

There were no kids around where he lived really. So whenever I went over, he'd want to go outside and play football or to go off on walks and get into trouble.

I on the other hand wanted to stay inside and play his NES and Snes!

kevin2me

hahahah M.A.S.K. what a show!!! That an Visionaries, 2 highly forgotten about shows, and Yes its worth mentioned them, its it is a Teenage Mutent Ninja Turtle Thread after all

After meeting ye at retro night, I spent rest weekend in Dublin trying to get loads more retro consoles and Ikea for shelves for them all
Ill be putting it all together this week and post pictures when finished on Show us your Collections Thread, My man cave (AKA bedroom No 3) is filled with 20 consoles, and crazy amount of 80's cartoons figures

BY the Power of Grayskull!!! Anyone ever play PS2 He-man game btw?

DinoRex

MASK is horrible if you try and watch it now... 80% of each episode is just that kid and that f*cking robot dicking around... the other 20% is pretty much the same action sequence you see in every episode...

Oh and were people aware that the Turtles cartoon was made here in Dublin? They even come to Dublin one episode.

o1s1n

Ah you just reminded me of another childhood related story.

I'd stay in my Grans on Fridays. Kinda made friends with some kids around there.

One of the local kids had that red MASK truck toy. He didn't really want it anymore though and traded it with me for ONE Turtles card. ONE CARD!

I thought I'd won the lottery.

Went into my gran to show her my recently aquired bounty, thought she'd be proud of my budding entrepreneurial skills.

She made me give it back

Retr0gamer

There's a surprising amount of cartoons that are animated in Ireland. I did security for one of the places about 7 years ago along with Havok and Guinness. Was great fun wandering the offices looking at the walls and seeing what cartoons were animated in that studio.

Just found out as well that one of the girls in my D&D group does a lot of the animation on cartoons, although it's mostly cartoons for the younger kids.

o1s1n

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Just found out as well that one of the girls in my D&D group ....

Sorry, but...what?

Retr0gamer

We actually have two girls, which, yes, is very weird.

kevin2me

o1s1n wrote: »

Went into my gran to show her my recently aquired bounty, thought she'd be proud of my budding entrepreneurial skills.

She made me give it back

If only your Candy cab could be returned for a working one so easily

I didnt know cartoons were made here, jeez we have rich history,
Delorens, Atari in Tipp and those sexy Star Wars Cockpit Cabs!!! i want one.

Professey Chin

Retr0gamer wrote: »

There's a surprising amount of cartoons that are animated in Ireland. I did security for one of the places about 7 years ago along with Havok and Guinness. Was great fun wandering the offices looking at the walls and seeing what cartoons were animated in that studio.

Just found out as well that one of the girls in my D&D group does a lot of the animation on cartoons, although it's mostly cartoons for the younger kids.

This is giving me a kinda strange image. Especially since how old would you have been 7 years ago? O_0

I also remember being on a train once and the girl that sat next to me started sewing a pouch, then she took out a load of D&D dice and started rolling them over and over. No lie...I was scared

o1s1n

kevin2me wrote: »

If only your Candy cab could be returned for a working one so easily

I didnt know cartoons were made here, jeez we have rich history,
Delorens, Atari in Tipp and those sexy Star Wars Cockpit Cabs!!! i want one.

Don Bluth moved Sullivan Bluth Studios to Ireland in the 80s. The Land Before Time was produced in Dublin believe it or not!

I only looked that up recently after watching the film and wondering why the hell there were so many Irish names in the credits!

My mam was telling me that one of my cousins worked for the studio. He drew me a little Peter Rabbit picture when I was a wee babby. Had it on my wall for years. Must see if I can find it.

Apparantly he had loads of artwork in his attic related to the studio and his mam threw it out thinking it was junk :eek:

Retr0gamer

I was 21... I'm an auld lad

OwaynOTT

Winner stays on sorts all them kids that won't let you play. They be all cocky like and you'll be a like kicking their ass on street fighter turbo.

On 80's 'toons. Ulysses 31(?) is boss. Super hair, intro and it's animated by some French crowd. They did some good stuff in the 80's in France(in league with the Americans and Japanese)- Ulysses, Jayce and the wheeled warriors( or as its know in france, jayce and the conquerors of the light) and the mysterious cities of gold!

3 classis series there and all should get Hollywood treatment.

I think Michael Bay should direct them, he's made some really enjoyable, taunt, well scripted and coherent films lately.

DinoRex

Most of those great shows were Japanese/French co-productions.

Mysterious Cities of Gold was a favourite of mine.

paperwork

Been playing this game, kind of feels like a cheap version of Castlevania.

Retr0gamer

paperwork wrote: »

Been playing this game, kind of feels like a cheap version of Castlevania.

Pretty sure it's the same engine.