The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles exploded on the scene in the mid 80’s, making them a prime target for video game developers. It should come as no surprise to anyone, then, that some of the greatest games of that era feature these beloved turtles! What made the games so great? Well, great gameplay, stories that follow closely to those in the television show, and even the music. Yep, some of the most memorable and catchy music to come out of the early days of video games was found in TMNT games. Today we’re going to take a look at the best of the best, the kind of music that just never leaves your head and stays with you for your whole life.
5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Manhattan Project (NES) – Super Shredder Battle
What better way to start off the list than with a song most of you probably aren’t expecting? Manhattan Project wasn’t one of the more popular TMNT titles of its time, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t have some kickin’ tunes. When you finally face off against Super Shredder, you’ll find this tune pumping you up. You know those games where you spend all day trying to get to the final boss only to find an uninspired boss with an uninteresting theme? That’s not the case here, as this song will really get you going!
4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES) – Intro
Yes, when this song started up, nobody knew quite what to expect. After all, it isn’t exactly the TMNT theme we all know and love. In fact, this intro song has more in common with Queen’s Stone Cold Crazy than it does with the turtles. That being said, it was still a catchy tune that got you more than pumped for the game. Okay, so maybe it didn’t turn out to be the best game ever, but at least the music was memorable, right?
3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4: Turtles in Time (SNES) – Big Apple, 3 A.M.
Ahh, there’s the theme song we all know and love, and it’s been spiced up as well! When you start off this fan favorite, you’re greeted with an extra special version of the original TMNT theme song as you fight your way through the foot clan on the bridge. I’m sure we all have fond memories of this game, and its opening level, with it’s kickin’ rendition of the theme song, is one of the biggest reasons that so many shell-heads love Turtles in Time.
2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES) – Underworld Theme
Yes, yet another tune from one of the most reviled TMNT games of all time. Hey, I can’t help it if the only real good thing about that game was the catchy music. No, it wasn’t influenced by the original theme, but just try listening to this song without it getting stuck in your head. There are plenty of other fantastic tunes to be found in this game, but it wouldn’t exactly be fair to fill this list with songs from just one game, would it?
1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Arcade Game (Arcade) – City Streets
But of course, how could I leave out everyone’s favorite game? How many quarters did we all pump into this game during the early 90’s? I’d wager quite a few! There was plenty of fantastic music to be found in this game, and a lot of it was based on the original theme song. Still, for my money, City Streets was the best rendition in any TMNT game ever made.
Obviously, this list is entirely subjective, so if you have any disagreements, feel free to share them with us in the comments below. Otherwise, enjoy all of the awesome music, and let us know what your personal favorites are!
