By Craig Pearson on March 21st, 2013 at 6:00 pm.
Readers! I have a joke for you. What’s green, has four shells, and lives in the sewer with a big rat thing? And also knows ninjutsu and orders pizza? The answer is… wait! This isn’t a joke book. It’s my diary from 1989. I thought all the punchlines were worryingly personal. How did a joke book know about my imaginary butler, Pierce Craigson? It turns out back then I was really into the Turtles, and imagined myself to be the fifth crime-fighting green thing. I was “Indiana Jones Turtle”, used a whip, and had some rather iffy ideas about April O’Neal. I was clearly an unimaginative idiot. Anyway, ten year-old me and thirty something (ahem) me both agree that the footage of the upcoming TMNT: Out Of The Shadows looks surprisingly good. Ooh, we can pretend we’re all going in to the sewers. Follow me down.
I didn’t even know there was going to be a game, and there’s not even a website I can link to. I tried linking to the Nickelodean page of the current show it’s based on, but that was a big bag of fail as well. It’s a shame, because the flow of the combat at least appears promising, and seems to owe a fair amount to the recent Arkham games. And it’s co-op, which makes me want to form my own little Turtle gang with my friends of a certain age. Bagsy me Michelangelo!
And here is a rubbish trailer that shows nothing of the game.
It’ll be on Steam sometime this summer. I hope the don’t take ‘summer’ to mean ‘when it gets warm’, or we’ll never get to play the damn thing.
21/03/2013 at 18:03 db1331 says:
BIG APPLE
3AM
Did you read it in that voice?
21/03/2013 at 18:26 Shooop says:
Yes.
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21/03/2013 at 21:03 Wreckdum says:
Pizza time!
21/03/2013 at 19:14 apocraphyn says:
Oh yes. One of the best games on the SNES.
21/03/2013 at 19:17 Commander Gun says:
Alleycat blues!
or
Starbase, where no turtle has gone before.
21/03/2013 at 19:50 Kobest says:
Let’s release that classic on Steam with co-op, additional challenges, and I’ll buy a lot of copies! :D
“…let’s kick shell!”
21/03/2013 at 20:43 db1331 says:
That would be awesome. I used to play it with a co-worker using ZSNES all the time. One time, while we were at the final fight with Shredder, I observed out loud, “Wow, I haven’t even had to use a continue this whole game.” My co-worker than promptly stopped fighting, just so I would lose my last life and have to use a continue. My co-worker is an asshole.
21/03/2013 at 21:34 S Jay says:
His point was: I am the master, you didn’t use a continue because of my amazing fighting skills.
22/03/2013 at 14:07 Ansob says:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_XjL3_uOEU
(Still one of the best pieces of game music ever, though this is the OCReMix version.)
21/03/2013 at 18:05 kwyjibo says:
Why don’t they make it cartoony instead of making it look like a generic Unreal engine game?
21/03/2013 at 18:13 Brun says:
Aren’t the newer TMNT comics a bit darker and more action-oriented (“grimdark”, if you will)?
21/03/2013 at 18:23 Uthred says:
If by “newer” you mean the original TMNT comics, then yes. They were a fair bit darker than the original cartoon series they spawned.
21/03/2013 at 18:27 Brun says:
Ah. I knew there were TMNT comics that were darker, I didn’t realize that they predated the cartoon series.
21/03/2013 at 22:04 BobbleHat says:
The original TMNT was kind of done as a joke, then for some reason it absolutely exploded in popularity and took off as a huge merchandising…thing. Now the very first issue of the comic can go for thousands if it ever goes up on sale as there were very few copies printed due to the original throwaway nature of it.
I think they missed a trick by not making the game cel-shaded but really dark in tone.
22/03/2013 at 10:09 solidsquid says:
Iirc in the original comics they ended up in the sewer because they blew up their apartment with TNT after Shredder attacked. Also they used guns
22/03/2013 at 09:58 El_Emmental says:
“fair bit darker” involves decapitation and stabbing people’s guts ine dark back alleys.
22/03/2013 at 10:14 solidsquid says:
When we were kids my friend and I were big fans of turtles, but all the toys were sold out everywhere. In his case though he had an uncle who was visiting Japan on business just before Christmas and brought him back a toy. He never played with the thing though, it terrified him. It was based on the original comics and had glowing red eyes
21/03/2013 at 18:33 DrollRemark says:
DAMN YOU NOLAN!
21/03/2013 at 19:21 Oozo says:
You might be interested in the very weird feature-length episode “Turtles Forever” of the second to last iteration of the cartoon.
It’s a TMNT cross-over with itself, or more precisely: With all the different cartoon incarnations of the Turtles. The grimdark penciled ones. The beloved cheesy 80s-goofball-Turtles. And the seriously-not-as-cool-as-they-think-they-are 2003 heroes in a hard shell. It is so meta, I can’t understand why Children’s TV didn’t implode onto itself and leave behind a smell of ooze, ozon and postmodernism.
Also: 7-year old me was at least smart enough to choose a painter’s name for my imaginary 5th-Turtle-self. It was Pablo, though. It wasn’t until very much later that I learned how far off chronologically and geographically I was.
22/03/2013 at 10:01 El_Emmental says:
Oh my Pizza, that episode =O I confirm that “Turtles Forever” is so meta it’s crazy it managed to be greenlighted and aired.
21/03/2013 at 18:54 RedViv says:
Weirdly enough, this looks more like a “realistic” version of the new CGI cartoon.
Not that this would be a bad thing. It’s a good show. Just rather peculiar.
21/03/2013 at 19:16 karry says:
Good show ? Ehh…TMNT2003 was a great show, for the first 4-5 seasons. This one…not so much. Turtles + Splinter part is fine, but supporting cast may as well be nonexistant, and monster-of-the-week types are pretty much trash.
21/03/2013 at 20:36 DXN says:
Yeah, I thought the new (CGI) show was actually really decent. The animation is great including the action scenes, characterization is tight, and it’s pretty funny at times. Yeah, some of the supporting characters are a little weak I guess, but the awesomeness of the Krang makes up for it IMHO. :D Also Splinter is a proper badass.
TLDR: Go check it out, it’s fun!
And yeah, clearly this game is very much based on the visual look of the series.
21/03/2013 at 21:25 Shooop says:
Actually it’s more of a throwback to the original comic.
It wasn’t for kids. Not unless you consider Leo impaling Shredder and throwing him off a roof for kids.
21/03/2013 at 21:30 Jay says:
I’m fairly sure the kid version of me would’ve loved that.
22/03/2013 at 10:12 solidsquid says:
If that’d happened when I was a kid I would have thought it was awesome. Always wondered why nobody really got stabbed when half the turtles used bladed weapons and Shredder was, well, his name says it all really
21/03/2013 at 19:22 LionsPhil says:
That is a horrifying banner image thing.
It is not radical at all.
21/03/2013 at 18:09 jonfitt says:
Do we get to punch Krang in his meatwad face?
If so: in.
21/03/2013 at 18:11 Koozer says:
It’s so annnnnnnoyiiiiiing when the gameplaaaaay slows down everrrrry four seconnnnnds in these neeeeewer action gamesssssss.
21/03/2013 at 18:25 Inglourious Badger says:
Yes, dear god, so much slow-mo
21/03/2013 at 20:54 Scumbag says:
With a DWOOOOOOOOOO sound
21/03/2013 at 18:16 Jay says:
Sweet jesus those revised character designs are horrific.
21/03/2013 at 19:33 Choca says:
Sure are but I’ll definitely play it if it’s fun, coop brawlers are too rare these days.
21/03/2013 at 20:22 Jay says:
To be fair they don’t look that bad from a distance, but up close the derpy potato faces are certainly something. I suppose it won’t matter so much in-game, and like you say a good brawler’s always welcome.
21/03/2013 at 18:17 airmikee says:
Are all the whiners and complainers forgetting the two most important words in that footage?
PRE ALPHA.
Derka, derka, a game that just started development isn’t finished! Derka, derka!
21/03/2013 at 18:20 Jay says:
Are the whiners specifically middle eastern stereotypes or something?
21/03/2013 at 18:29 MrUnimport says:
I’m not sure, he may be speaking from his own viewpoint here, in which case “derka derka” is in fact a magical incantation of admonishment.
Also it seems like a bunch of man-hours have been put into the game to bring it to the state that it’s in now, so it seems fair to me to judge what’s been specifically put in front of us to judge!
22/03/2013 at 10:07 El_Emmental says:
“derka derka” =/= “durka durka”
small orthography difference, ‘UCK YEAH !
21/03/2013 at 18:23 kwyjibo says:
The game is due out in the summer. Nothing will change.
21/03/2013 at 19:01 mrmalodor says:
And here come the rabid fanboys.
21/03/2013 at 19:15 stahlwerk says:
How about rabbit fanboys, for a change?
21/03/2013 at 19:23 LionsPhil says:
It’s not a Bucky O’Hare game.
21/03/2013 at 19:44 Oozo says:
That was ANOTHER great NES game. Why do people say that licensed games in the 8- and 16-bit era did suck, again? (Selective memory is a wonderful thing.)
21/03/2013 at 20:39 HothMonster says:
ET ruined everything
22/03/2013 at 03:04 Jackablade says:
If they have a Usagi Yojimbo cameo, I might be more compelled to put my money down. Even more so if he’s playable.
21/03/2013 at 18:18 MaXimillion says:
Certainly looks like something I might shell out money for.
21/03/2013 at 18:26 db1331 says:
Donatello me, it’s another RPS pun thread…
21/03/2013 at 18:40 PAK-9 says:
I sewer it coming
21/03/2013 at 18:46 Blackcompany says:
Got a shell of a way to go yet
21/03/2013 at 18:53 Durkonkell says:
Shuriken you can get away with using the word ‘shell’ a second time in the same pun thread? I’m on to you.
22/03/2013 at 10:09 ZephyrSB says:
Let’s not splinter off topic here.
21/03/2013 at 19:18 stahlwerk says:
This pre-alpha footage lacks a certain pizzazz. Better wait for april to come around.
21/03/2013 at 19:32 Lemming says:
If it turns out to be crap, that’s my money straight in the Shredder.
21/03/2013 at 21:17 zain3000 says:
Graphics look great, not dimension exquisite fighting mechanics.
22/03/2013 at 02:18 Skabooga says:
I don’t know, seeing the trailer made me sai and long for the good old days of the original cartoon.
21/03/2013 at 18:20 Njordsk says:
Katana ! Pizza ! Krang ! Shreder ! Man those turtles were fun.
Also rat in pyjama.
21/03/2013 at 18:24 nimzy says:
Nostalgia: Not even once.
21/03/2013 at 18:28 Shooop says:
A re-skinned Batman Arkham City with co-op.
I’ll take it.
21/03/2013 at 18:51 RedViv says:
Pretty much what I would want from a TMNT game.
21/03/2013 at 19:04 mseifullah says:
Exactly this.
21/03/2013 at 19:13 karry says:
I’d rather take the much superior combat system of Sleeping Dogs.
21/03/2013 at 19:48 thegooseking says:
It needs to be something crossed with Arkham City.
Because Arkham City only brings the Rocksteady. Something else needs to bring the Bebop.
21/03/2013 at 21:27 Shooop says:
If they could get the music of Turtles In Time and just re-record it on actual instruments instead of MIDI I’d start demanding to know who to throw money at.
21/03/2013 at 22:23 strangeloup says:
Arkham City crossed with Cowboy Bebop.
I DON’T KNOW WHY STOP QUESTIONING ME
21/03/2013 at 18:36 PAK-9 says:
Did he just call them Donny, Leo, Raf and Mikey?
I don’t know if those are going to be the official names or he is just on chummy nickname basis with the turts.
Yea I called them turts.
21/03/2013 at 18:49 Kasper says:
They live in New York, dude. Those nicknames sound fine to me. And don’t the turtles use them as well?
21/03/2013 at 18:57 guygodbois00 says:
“Yo, Mikey!” – In my best Rocky 5(000) voice.
21/03/2013 at 20:08 SuperNashwanPower says:
That word makes me think of watery diarrhoea.
“I ate a dodgy curry, and now I have a really bad dose of the turts” Like a cross between turd and squirt. And they do live in a sewer
21/03/2013 at 18:43 karry says:
Are we REALLY sure that it will ACTUALLY come out on PC ? I have this feeling that it may just be cancelled at the last moment.
“A re-skinned Batman Arkham City”
Hopefully not, i’ve had my share of rhythm-based, barely controllable combat.
21/03/2013 at 19:09 Berzee says:
A re-skinned Parappa the Rapper…
21/03/2013 at 19:31 Lemming says:
You jest, sir! Batman AAs combat was the most fun I’ve had in ages with a third person action game. MUCH more preferable than devolving into gunplay. Uncharted’s sequels should have taken more cues from it instead of the waves of uninspired shootiness.
21/03/2013 at 19:58 karry says:
Arkham games are fun as a whole. Big slice of stealth, load of different enemies that require specific counters, and of course the fact that its Batman and you cant expect him to just 1-2 punch people. If you cut just the combat part from it and examine it on its own – its pretty crappy. Have you tried the fighting challenges ? You dont bother with anything, there’s barely any need to look at the screen, just time your presses and Batman teleports to the next enemy to do crazy shit to him. You cant even target a specific enemy, not that it matters much in Arkham games, i guess. I much prefer actually choosing the actions my character does, instead of another glorified QTE. Targeting the specific enemy, executing a specific move, controlling where you even are, not auto-flying all over the place.
22/03/2013 at 09:49 welverin says:
Why on Earth would you bring up Uncharted in reference to the Batman games?
Uncharted was a third person shooter from the get go, it’s the reason I was initially disappointed with the game (all the Tomb Raider comparisons left me expecting something different).
21/03/2013 at 18:56 Craig Pearson says:
I should keep track of the people I invent for RPS posts. I like Butler Pierce Craigson.
21/03/2013 at 20:37 Berzee says:
I like that butler too, Pierce.
21/03/2013 at 19:06 Didden says:
They were terrible the first time around…
21/03/2013 at 19:28 Lemming says:
Hmm..if they hadn’t said ‘downloadable title’ I’d have assumed this’ll be to TMNT what Arkham Asylum was to Batman. They mention using the cartoon universe, but trying to make it appeal to those that grew up with them.
21/03/2013 at 20:00 Greggh says:
Loving the tags of this article XD
21/03/2013 at 21:57 Hoaxfish says:
whoa, whoa, whoa
I can’t play this… it’s got “ninjas” in it, and that could cause me to become violent
call me when there’s a good game with heroes instead.
22/03/2013 at 08:27 Niko says:
Well played.
22/03/2013 at 00:17 Hmm-Hmm. says:
There’s a little version inside of me screaming “Yes, yes!”, but the rest of me will try to stick to excercising interest mixed with a healthy dose of wariness.
22/03/2013 at 00:19 rockman29 says:
Hahaha, thank you for the intro, great laughs :)
22/03/2013 at 01:44 kud13 says:
obligatory nostalgia-link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS-qFdw-v_o
22/03/2013 at 05:07 Geen says:
And not a single shit was given that day.
22/03/2013 at 06:39 Wret says:
An Indie turtle doesn’t sound too bad. Just no awkward romances. We have plenty out of Hollywood.
22/03/2013 at 08:22 wodin says:
Some great co op combos there..I like the graphic style..but then I was to old at th etime to get into TMNHT..as they where once called I believe. First time I ever saw the name mentioned was in a White Dwarf mag in about ’83 or so.
22/03/2013 at 09:50 crinkles esq. says:
“Surprisingly good” …are you having a laugh? The turtle designs look like the stuff of nightmares (hint: their heads aren’t supposed to look like real turtles). Aside from this reptilian horror, it looks like a generic beat-em-up without the gorgeous 2D art design of the original 80s arcade game. But honestly, how is this IP even alive? Did they have to mix its broken, mutated DNA with frogs?
And Donny…? The only Donny I know is Donny Osmond, but I didn’t see him in the video. I think I’d be more interested in a Partridge Family game though.
22/03/2013 at 10:13 ZephyrSB says:
What are these ninja turtles of which you speak? They’re HERO turtles where I come from!
*climbs back into obscure UK nostalgia hole*
22/03/2013 at 11:03 Syra says:
At least I am not the saddest turtle
22/03/2013 at 13:48 Berzee says:
*nod, nod*
At least there’s that.
http://buttersafe.com/2007/04/03/breakfast-sad-turtle/