Ubisoft revives the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles gaming series while the studio heads take another shot at popularizing the Mutant Turtles on the big screen. Thankfully, "cowabunga" has been replaced with "heeeres Johnny" marking the return of the lean mean turtles that originated on pages of the comic. Eastman and Laird would be proud, the Turtles are back and kicking more shell than ever.

Admittedly, I know a little more about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles then the average consumer. In my nerd roots, I put the pen to paper and my own turtle adventures before this foursome was on TV, or translated into a videogame. I own the first black and white Eastman and Laird Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book along with a number of other comics from the first run, not to mention countless old school TMNT role-playing books. This doesn’t mean I’m a diehard fan because I lost a lot of faith in the turtles after the cartoon was released, and when they followed the original movie with pure slapstick garbage. I was worried coming into this review that the "new" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles would be another heartbreaking experience from my turtle friends. It seems I worried for nothing, and my faith has been returned. Ubisoft has nailed TMNT and created a pure arcade version of TMNT that restores hope in the turtles in a half shell.
 
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been abruptly compacted into an acronym, TMNT. TMNT helps signify a the new persona of the Ninja Turtles while differentiating them from the old surfer, fun loving, caffeine jolted Turtles. Its expect that the turtles would need some what of an update since it’s not the 1980s anymore. I believe Ubisoft Montreal did a great job with the turtles personalities, the new characters, and the past tense plot line. TMNT mixes tongue and cheek humor with a series of winding plot developments without loosing the feel of the original concept. TMNT follows the paths of four Mutated Turtles as they find themselves in an adventure of self-exploration and danger as they come and trust in family values over individual selfishness.

Strangely TMNT is a single player adventure which brings up an obvious question of why? Since there are four Turtles, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello you would think Ubisoft would have tried to make TMNT a four or two player game. It would have been great to play this style of TMNT game in a four player mode, hooked up on the Xbox 360. With TMNT being a single player game only, TMNT looses a little momentum in the gameplay. This wisely shakes it off with a fast paced game which lets you switch between the turtles on a fly. Although, switching between the Turtles on the fly is cool, it doesn't make up for no co-operative play, or other multiplayer modes. It's too bad Ubisoft didn't work this into the final product like other action adventure games with four players... Marvel Ultimate Alliances comes to mind.

The turtles also abandon the plot lines set by past media including the original comic book, and movie. TMNT is like a new birth of TMNT with some familiar characters. It’s strange that a few characters like Casey Jones and April O’Neil didn’t make the cut, but I’m ready for something new anyway. TMNT based on the new CGI movie that will be released this week takes place in the Turtles home city NYC, and places them against a new breed of enemy, supernatural creatures, along with thugs, and the familiar foot ninja clan. The plot deals with solo missions from each of the turtles with a spotlight on Raphael as he gets adventures as his alter ego the Night Watcher. The plot jumps from solo missions, to all four turtles, and ends off with a classic end battle that ties up the story nicely.

Leonardo’s solo episodes track him in a distant jungle searching for a medallion that was hidden by Master Splinter. Across the way he encounters a village that is being threatened by thugs. Raphael as the Night Watcher handles crime one villain at a time leading into a mix up with Max Winter which turns into the main plot line. Donatello solo mission has him searching the sewers for electronics, and Mikeys has the turtles dressed up as a turtle selling persona that has to leap high above the city which tests your platforming skills. Each solo level teaches the player how to use each Turtles special move along with increasing the difficulty level of the fighting sequences and platforming aspects. TMNT is a fast paced game that really doesn’t ever slow down. In a way, this new arcade game is like an updated version of the classic arcade game with the platforming aspect added in.

TMNT is played through a static camera angle that moves along with the environment. Giving TMNT's unique camera angels and level design it would have been impossible for Ubisoft Montreal to incorporate 3d camera rotation without loosing the feel of the entire project. TMNT uniquely follows the same idea as Prince of Persia, offering a great deal of acrobatic jumping along with the standard button mashing, beat up the bad guys segments. Following coins across levels will land you in some areas that can be breathtakingly high in the air, along with underground environments filled with traps and tribulations for the player to overcome. Since TMNT is geared towards the younger crowd, TMNT is a breeze for any experienced gamer, but might be just enough for a new gamers, or youngster. In a total I whipped through TMNT’s 16 levels in 4 ½ hours, and that’s adding in a few replays of levels looking for achievements, and unlocking them all. I can already see TMNT being compared to King Kong, as an easy game to grab achievement points. In fact TMNT is a lot easier than the Xbox 360 launch title King Kong.

For extra replay Ubisoft has added a small amount of extra features and unlockables. The unlockables come in the form of movie clips, and art, along with character enhancements like big heads, and Halloween costumes on the bad guys. These can be purchased with coins you obtain through the normal gameplay. The other extra mode is an area filled with challenge maps that are unlocked by ranking an A, or higher in during each level in the game. These areas have a weird frame look like Tron, and have you in little jumping, or fighting sequences looking to get the fastest time. Even though these are a notable addition, the really have no weight to the product as a whole and they offer no real reward because TMNT isn’t hooked up to the Xbox Live Scoreboards. Along with the decision to have TMNT as a single player game, no Xbox Live connectivity, even just for scoreboards is a bust.

The graphics in TMNT are outstanding and have a fresh look to them without borrowing too much from other games. I was impressed in the visual quality of the characters, especially their animation. Another nod should be given to the level designs fresh perspective and unique use of static camera angles. In the genre of straight ahead arcade games, TMNT should represent the next generation. This is one smooth game, with a unique approach to the old tried and outdated arcade formula. TMNT even goes one further by adding a dramatic flair to each character to suit their personality which is most noticeable in Raphael. In the Raphael (Night Watcher) sequences Ubisoft Montreal takes on from the movie Sin City and goes for a black and white game setting only highlighted by deep reds and washed out blues. The effect is impressive and along with the other factors, TMNT looks fresh.

The sound design, and quality also takes a quick paced approach by having the plot line and extra character dialog run while you in the midst of your adventure. This takes away from the dialog somewhat because you can easily miss a few lines, but it also helps make the story have more on an impact along with it being more interesting then a static drama. The quality is well done in TMNT with extra attention to Raphael, and Leonardo, but a well rounded cast. The music and effects follow in suit making TMNT a solid project that was more than I bargained for. I really love the look and feeling the graphics and sound pull out of the Turtles, their comic book roots, and the new CGI movie.

TMNT is new birth for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle franchise, and Ubisoft Montreal did an exceptional job caring over the feel of the legendary Turtle team. TMNT is a pure arcade action game that reminisces with the Turtles arcade game of the past which a little more combat and fast paced platforming sequences. TMNT is perfect for what it is, but it definitely could have been a lot more. Its unfortunate Ubisoft didn’t go with a four player game, or any Xbox Live features. Games without Multiplayer have to be strong in substance in the single player aspects, and even though TMNT is fun, it’s not good enough to fill the void of no multiplayer, or co-operative play. If you also add in the short span of time it takes you to complete TMNT it’s hard to recommend as a straight out buy. TMNT is definitely worth a rental, but I’d wait out for a buy.

Gameplay: 7.5, Graphics/Sound:8, Innovation: 6.5, Mojo: 8.5 Final: 7.5 / 10