Fans of the classicTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlegames were beyond excited when Sony’s State of Play showcase revealed theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection. The collection of thirteen classic titles from arcades (as well assome brand new content), the NES, the SNES, the Sega Genesis, and Game Boy is soon to be the best way retro gamers can legally get their hands on many of these games to enjoy today.
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The status of these titles can be considered legendary by retro gamers, so those new to them may not know which of the games are the best so they can try them out first. While each of the thirteen choices has something positive to offer for fans of theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtleseries, there are some that undoubtedly stand out above the rest.
Updated on September 14th, 2022 by Hodey Johns:This original article included all thirteen games and game a brief synopsis of why the game could be considered good or bad. When gamers pick up thirteen games in a single package, they’re likely going to be wondering which game is for them. To assist with this decision-making, a few bullets have been added in each section to clarify the pros and cons of each title. The still leaves the reader with the “official” rankings list yet helps them decide which of these games might be higher or lower on a list made based on their own personal preferences.
13Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters (Sega Genesis)
Fighting games simply aren’t good when they have sluggish controls and this, unfortunately, plagues the Sega Genesis release ofTournament Fighters. It’s also unfortunate that the three bosses in the game were originally going to be playable (as discovered by YouTuber Junanagou) but the feature was ultimately removed. If the game had managed to have all eleven playable characters, it may have had a way to stand out despite its control issues.
12Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES)
The NES version ofTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesis considered to be one of the hardest games of all time. Unlike other versions of the game, it required incredibly pinpoint precision, had respawning enemies which increased difficulty, and had points where it was impossible to avoid taking damage. This isn’t a good one for players to start on unless they are beat-em-up experts wanting to push their skills to the limit.
11Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Arcade Game (NES)
It may seem strange to think that a direct port of the extremely successful Arcade version ranks so low, but reviewers of the game seemed mixed about the quality of the port. While Famitsu only gave it an average rating, GamePro gave it an extremely positive review. Since it’s extremely similar to the main arcade version, it’s better to simply play its counterpart first and come back to the NES game for the fun of comparisons.
10Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters (NES)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighterswas the last game that Konami would ever release on the NES, and it’s easy to say they went out on a high note. There weren’t many games on the console despite the massive popularity of the fighting genre at the time either making it a must-have.
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The game would eventually be brought to newer consoles with several improvements, but it’s still fun taking a look at the first version. It’s a historic moment in Konami history and still holds up reasonably well to this day. Particularly clever players can even force a fight between two versions of Hothead despite it making the game have some graphics issues trying to render both giant characters.
9Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Back from the Sewers
Gamers looking for a beat-em-up on the Game Boy could easily pick upBack from the Sewersand be happy. While it didn’t change things up much from the original game with the turtles on the console, it did have unique elements not often seen in the genre like players needing to use skateboards. For those who want their villain-bashing action to be kept straight and to the point, this one isn’t the perfect choice. Fans who want to try something a bit different however may find this the perfect option
8Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters (SNES)
The SNES version of Tournament Fighters was one of the best-selling games on the console the year it was released and that comes as no surprise. A character in the game named Aska was also given particular praise for being one of the best female fighting game characters of the era.
With the game having a wide selection of characters and extremely crisp controls, it’s as much a joy to play today as it was back when it came out in 1993 and fans will love being able to play asthe human allies of the turtles.
7Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan
Fall of the Foot Clan was the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' first outing on the Game Boy. Fans of the 1987 television series will particularly enjoy how many moments of the game took inspiration from it. The game is a straightforward beat-em-up in the best of ways and is perfect for anyone wanting to relive a bit of nostalgia for the genre and look back on simpler times.
6Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Arcade)
The one that started it all. There is a reason it has been included as a hidden bonus game in various otherTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtletitles over the years and has been made available to purchase via emulation across a wide variety of consoles.
Demand for the arcade machines was so high during their original heyday that Konami had to get manufacturing help to meet demand. There is a reason it was the most commercially successful arcade game of the era in every country it reached. Gamers today are stillwishing the games borrowed more from the cartoons, like this title did.
5Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist
The Hyperstone Heistis considered to be one of the best games ever released on the Sega Genesis despite it being somewhat of a clone ofTurtles in Timewitha handful of differences. It did feature several differences in level length and special effects in the game among many other things.
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The unique controls making it easier to dash may make this one a bit appealing to some, but it’s hard to argue thatTurtles in Timemay be one of the best beat-em-up games ever created, and making changes to it didn’t necessarily make the game better.
4Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Radical Rescue
Radical Rescue brought some exciting new developments to the Game Boy games that were incredibly fresh. Each turtle was necessary to win the game, with their various abilities needing to be used to beat the game in a way similar to that of theMetroidgames. Considering how similar many of the games can be, something a bit different is nice to see.
