Kick Some Shell in This New TMNT Game For Your Phone

Yes, another few weeks has gone by and there is yet another Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game to talk about. While the previous title we discussed was only available on the 3DS, this title is available on the app store for Android and iOS users. In other words, if you own a smartphone, you can probably play this. Of course, the important question here is whether or not you want to? Well, to be honest, it does look pretty cool, and it’s definitely worth a look.

Based on the new movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from producer Michael Bay and director Jonathan Liebesman, this title offers the beat ‘em up gameplay that TMNT fans cherish without the use of clunky touch screen controls. How did they do it? Well, to be perfectly honest, they took the gameplay style from another game. They got The Game Bakers, makers of the game Combo Crew, to take the easy and fun controls of that game and put them into a turtle themed title.

If this sounds cheap, just remember that every beat ‘em up from the late 80’s and early 90’s was essentially copying the same formula that worked for other titles. While the good games had their own notably different and entertaining experiences (such as Turtles in Time), the base formula of walking down a street and beating up thugs was pretty much the same across the board. Taking a formula that worked well in one game and porting it to another title isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if it’s literally the same developers doing the job.

Besides, we’re talking about a branch of gaming that hasn’t fully been explored yet. When it comes to innovative new controls, we’re still on the ground floor with regards to smartphone games. Just as many a developer copied the success of Super Mario Bros in the mid 80’s when crafting dozens of side scrolling platformers, it’s completely forgivable at this stage in mobile gaming to take controls that work well in one game and use them in an entirely different title.

Oh, and these controls? they’re awesome. Instead of creating on-screen D-pads and buttons, as many developers have done with their touch screen games, The Game Bakers have created a system where swiping across the screen will perform an attack, allowing you to beat up the thugs on your screen with quick precision skills. By racking up combos, you’ll be able to fill your special attack meter which you can use to unleash a co-op attack with your turtle brethren.

As you play the game, you’ll unlock new weapons to purchase and new combos to perform. With both a story mode and a survival mode, this game is beefy enough to warrant the $3.99 price point, even if it is just a title designed for your mobile phone. Believe it or not, we could be talking about a movie tie-in game that doesn’t suck. Although some will be bothered by the fact that it is based on the new movie, I’m sure there are a lot of shellheads out there that can appreciate a good TMNT beat ‘em up, regardless of the specific version of the Ninja Turtles that it’s based on.

Check out the trailer and tell us what you think. Will you be picking this one up for your phone or tablet? Feel free to let us know your thoughts in the comments below or sound off in our forums!