Beat-em-up fans should buy Ubisoft's TMNT, but not for Xbox 360. While the famous Ninja Turtles put people to sleep in that boring, 3-D adventure, the brothers in a half shell offer plenty of thrills in the Game Boy Advance version.
Due to the system's limited processing capabilities, it was inevitable that Ubisoft would program a 2-D adventure, but no one outside the company could've predicted that it'd be this good. Much like the classic Super Nintendo game Turtles in Time and the recently released Xbox Live Arcade version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game, this TMNT features simplistic and addictive 2-D action. Over the course of the enjoyable adventure, players punch and kick their way through armies of scumbags, all the while viewing attractive sprites and impressive animation. Sure, the game features simplistic combat, but its developers captured the very essence of old school brawlers. They even enhance the fighting by allowing gamers to level up their turtles and call on a brother to assist them with sweet cooperative maneuvers.
In addition, the game features plenty of environmental interaction. Players can pick up and toss enemies, boxes, tires and rocks. Much like in the older Turtles games, they can knock over parking meters, except in this case, they can pick up the pipe and use it as a weapon. Furthermore, they can destroy other objects such as cars and traffic lights.
Much like the games it pays homage to, TMNT features tough opponents. People won't blaze through the game, especially since losing one's life means restarting levels from the beginning. It sucks not having multiplayer support (a staple of the classic games), but the single player quest will keep gamers busy.
Bottom line, this is the best TMNT game to come along in years and everyone needs to experience it. It doesn't advance the action adventure genre, but it feels right. Well-done Ubisoft.
Final Score: 8 (out of 10)
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