TMNT 2600

[Torr]

 

nah i think it's just you. that game is AWESOME.

 

Not sure if that was sarcasm, but I'll agree, the original TMNT game was the best by far. The later two, while being fun beat-em-ups, don't compare to other beat-em-ups of the era. The TMNT license is what carries it. Otherwise it would be heavily criticized for having 4 playable characters that all look and play the same and every enemy being a just palette swap of the same sprite.

The original was pretty cool, however the enemy selection did get pretty odd after the first run of Foot Soldiers/Mousers were replaced with... with whatever it was they dreamed up while doing too many drugs. You had to use strategy to use each turtle to their strength (or weakness). Find your way through mazes (the over head sections), remember the the dead ends, gather items (rope and missiles). I love the game. ONE time I beat it without continuing. Usually I have to use 1 continue after getting in the Technodrome because my team is a little beat down and thats a hard level to get through when your team is half dead or worse, but that one day, I was on fire.

Edited March 23, 2015 by Torr

[bomberpunk]

No sarcasm. I love that game. And speaking of being on fire, I loved that fire guy that shot out little fire legs (or whatever) that spazzed toward you. But I didn't like that fire thing in the airport that was an instant kill. Those who whine about the much-easier water level don't even know the real struggle; having to time those short jumps and tap the button perfectly.

 

I also loved when you strike out twice trying to find the Technodrome and have to backtrack, and getting lost once you're inside the 'drome. Plus the music was stellar. The intro, the overworld, the night level, the boss battles. I even made a remix medley using WarioWare D.I.Y.

[King Atari]

 

Not sure if that was sarcasm, but I'll agree, the original TMNT game was the best by far. The later two, while being fun beat-em-ups, don't compare to other beat-em-ups of the era. The TMNT license is what carries it. Otherwise it would be heavily criticized for having 4 playable characters that all look and play the same and every enemy being a just palette swap of the same sprite.

The original was pretty cool, however the enemy selection did get pretty odd after the first run of Foot Soldiers/Mousers were replaced with... with whatever it was they dreamed up while doing too many drugs. You had to use strategy to use each turtle to their strength (or weakness). Find your way through mazes (the over head sections), remember the the dead ends, gather items (rope and missiles). I love the game. ONE time I beat it without continuing. Usually I have to use 1 continue after getting in the Technodrome because my team is a little beat down and thats a hard level to get through when your team is half dead or worse, but that one day, I was on fire.

 

Agreed. When it comes to TMNT games, for as much as I love the arcade, Manhattan Project and Turtles In Time, that first NES installment is my favorite. It's tough for sure, but a lot of fun IMO. It's one of the few (only?) games in the franchise that really tried to do something different, and I think it was generally pretty successful on that front. It's probably not a cart you'd throw in for 5-10 minutes and then call it quits, it's a real "sit back and work on it" game, which I like, and I have fond memories of doing just that. Progressing to the later stages via strategizing and properly using each Turtle/special weapon in required situations is very rewarding, and when you do finally make it to the Technodrome, it feels like a real accomplishment and not just a later stage.

 

I've been playing that first NES TMNT for pretty much my entire life, and to this day it's a game I never get sick of.

Edited March 23, 2015 by King Atari

[BassGuitari]

I loved all three NES TMNT games growing up, mainly the first two. Now the first one is definitely my favorite.

Make sure you load up on scrolls in Level 3 and the rest of the game isn't too bad. I'd load up Raph and Mike on scrolls and use Don and Leo for regular use and to pick up other weapons (ideally boomerangs) so you don't accidentally lose all your scrolls after spending 10-15 minutes stockpiling them. Once inside the Technodrome, don't be afraid to let rip with the scrolls. If you're good and have been saving them you should have over a hundred at this point. Those jetpack androids in the Technodrome are still total bastards -- they can kill you in about three hits -- but they're manageable when you learn their patterns.

[King Atari]

I loved all three NES TMNT games growing up, mainly the first two. Now the first one is definitely my favorite.

 

Make sure you load up on scrolls in Level 3 and the rest of the game isn't too bad. I'd load up Raph and Mike on scrolls and use Don and Leo for regular use and to pick up other weapons (ideally boomerangs) so you don't accidentally lose all your scrolls after spending 10-15 minutes stockpiling them. Once inside the Technodrome, don't be afraid to let rip with the scrolls. If you're good and have been saving them you should have over a hundred at this point. Those jetpack androids in the Technodrome are still total bastards -- they can kill you in about three hits -- but they're manageable when you learn their patterns.

 

Yep, scrolls are pretty much a necessity in the Technodrome - they make defeating Shredder a much easier task, as well.

[BassGuitari]

But I didn't like that fire thing in the airport that was an instant kill. Those who whine about the much-easier water level don't even know the real struggle; having to time those short jumps and tap the button perfectly.

The airport level, gah. Not a horribly difficult level overall, but yeah, those fire pits and the spike walls just before the mouser boss are nerve-wracking. Instant death if you whiff on the jump or walk too far and skip the gap. There's only one fire pit that you *have* to jump over, though, since it's on the way to the next passage you need to find; there are one or two others in dead end or alternate routes you don't need to go through (one's got a scroll but also a bunch of those giant magnets and plenty of other shit to knock you in the fire, screw that).

 

The water level is easy as hell. Even the "tunnel of death" isn't that bad, and with even a little skill you should be able to get through it without taking more than three or four units of damage, max. Just take your time and swim where there isn't seaweed. I actually got through it once recently without taking *any* damage...but most of the time I take one or two.

[BassGuitari]

 

Yep, scrolls are pretty much a necessity in the Technodrome - they make defeating Shredder a much easier task, as well.

Another thing about the Technodrome is it's pretty much a one-shot deal. You only have enough resources/weapons to make one honest run at it, and if you have to continue you start back with nothing and no chance. You might be able to make it to the Cyborg Hell Tunnel but you won't get through it. Unless you're one of those insane people who can beat the whole game using only Raph, sai only, no deaths (I can get pretty far, but I'm not THAT good! ).

 

And yeah, if you have scrolls, Shredder's your bitch.

Edited March 23, 2015 by BassGuitari

[Torr]

I always make the attempt to stock up on weapons in the Foot Base while looking for the Technodrome. If you go down a sewer and hit a dead end, before searching another sewer hole, just hit up on of the buildings to refill life and grab some scrolls. However that rarely works out, as one flaw the game has is how the enemy can drop items at random, which sounds good in theory, until you're walking forward, kill something, and then replace your 40+ scrolls with 20 damn throwing stars before you even notice they generated! Happens to me SO often that I often lose interest in trying to stock up on scrolls. Plus, since as I said, I usually (well always, except for that one time) have to continue, I find the 20 scrolls you can obtain in the Technodrome itself are enough as long you spare them out. I save them for the final tunnel that gets narrower and narrower being sure to save 3 or 4 for the battle with Shredder.

 

Anyone else notice how when a turtle is at half health or less he does extra (almost double) damage? That can be used to your advantage too if your clever!

Edited March 23, 2015 by Torr

[BassGuitari]

I always make the attempt to stock up on weapons in the Foot Base while looking for the Technodrome. If you go down a sewer and hit a dead end, before searching another sewer hole, just hit up on of the buildings to refill life and grab some scrolls. However that rarely works out, as one flaw the game has is how the enemy can drop items at random, which sounds good in theory, until you're walking forward, kill something, and then replace your 40+ scrolls with 20 damn throwing stars before you even notice they generated! Happens to me SO often that I often lose interest in trying to stock up on scrolls. Plus, since as I said, I usually (well always, except for that one time) have to continue, I find the the 20 scrolls you find in the Technodrome itself are enough as long you spare them out. I save them for the final tunnel that gets narrower and narrower being sure to save 3 or 4 for the battle with Shredder.

 

Anyone else notice how when a turtle is at half health or less he does extra (almost double) damage? That can be used to your advantage too if your clever!

 

That's why I use Raph and Mike (and sometimes Leo) as my Scroll Troopers and leave the mundane slogging to Don (and sometimes Leo). Believe me, I've felt that pain of suddenly losing 80 scrolls because an enemy dropped a shuriken.

 

I have noticed the half-health strength boost, as well. I think it may have even been noted in GamePro or Nintendo Power back in the day. Michelangelo's kind of a beast at half health, actually.

[King Atari]

I always use Mike as my go-to turtle, and save Leo and Don as my heavy-hitters. Leo especially, since he's IMO the all-around best of the four. He's usually the one that gets all the scrolls, since I save him as much as possible. Don has good range and strength, so I bust him out for the bosses and hard-to-reach places. Raph I use simply to get through rough spots where I'll probably take a lot of damage, as he's the weakest from weapon-range standpoint (it pains me to say that, as Raph has always been my favorite).

[Cynicaster]

I thought the original NES TMNT was a pretty decent game back in the 80s, although I'm not sure I'd enjoy it much today. It was one of those situations where you played the limited selection of games you had access to, and for me, TMNT was one of them. I did beat the game back then, but I'll be darned if I remember a thing about how to do it. Maybe it'd come back to me if I played the game. I've got a copy of it that was given to me about 4 years ago, that I've never put in my NES.

 

I remember when I first saw the arcade game at a bowling alley, I was blown away by it and desperately wanted a way to play it at home, but I figured it wasn't going to happen because the NES already had a TMNT game. I remember telling my friend that they should do a TMNT 2 and base it on the arcade game. A few months later, I saw the game announced in Nintendo Power. They paid me no royalties for my idea.

[BassGuitari]

I remember telling my friend that they should do a TMNT 2 and base it on the arcade game. A few months later, I saw the game announced in Nintendo Power. They paid me no royalties for my idea.

 

At least you know it was a good idea! (Small consolation, I know.)

 

I'm still trying to get credit for Star Wars Legos. I used to build things like X-Wings with articulating s-foils and Y-Wings with traversable turrets from standard Lego parts when I was a kid, way before Lego went crazy with all the licensing and tie-ins. (TIE Fighters never turned out, though.)