TMNT: Turtles in Time—Re-Shelled

Xbox Live Arcade

Every time there is a refresh of a popular ’80s franchise, nerds around the world cringe in unison. While this isn’t Michael Bay’s Transformers abomination (Bumblebee is a VW bug, OK?) not everything smells like roses in these sewers. This Xbox Live Arcade release is not a remake of the 1992 home 16-bit Super Nintendo Entertainment System’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game, but of the 1991 arcade version. As such, you’re going to notice a few of the extra levels are gone and a couple of popular bad guys (Beboop, Rocksteady and Rat King) are noticeably absent. However, the biggest difference is that the old 2-D beat-’em-up has received a face-lift with 3-D graphics and movement. After R-Type (released earlier this year) allowed players to switch between old-school graphics and new 3-D models, it’s hard to be satisfied with anything else, and it would be nice to have the option to play the game as we remember it. Online multiplayer goes a long way in keeping things interesting, but it’s hard to guarantee continual interest in a game that you played every day for three years of your childhood. The best compliment you can pay the game is that it works perfectly as nostalgia—and for $10 who can complain?