One of two TMNT games that Ubisoft brought to E3 -- the other being the remake of the awesome SNES game Turtles in Time -- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up is a four person brawler set to come out this fall on the Wii. The game will feature franchise regulars like Splinter, Shredder and April O’Neil (Since when are reporters trained in swordplay?) along with everyone’s four favorite anthropomorphic turtles named after Renaissance artists.
Along with the obvious versus mode, there’ll also be an original story mode written by TMNT co-creator Peter Laird. Several online game types are promised as well, including tournament and battle royal modes. No word on if they’ll require the dreaded friend code system, though. A slew of unlockables and minigames will also be thrown in for good measure.
And if the above trailer reminds you a bit of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, that’s probably because it’s being developed by Game Arts, part of the team that worked on Brawl. Their experience in the 4v4 brawler genre should hopefully result in an impressive final product.
The new turtles series doesn't appeal to me like the old one did. I don't think I'm wearing Nostalgia goggles (though I probably wouldn't make it though the series today). The badass remakes of Splinter and April don't fit the point of their original characters.
April was a close friend of the Turtles and a field reporter. She acted as a field agent of sorts for them. Having her become a badass chick sort-of ruins that reporter sentiment and her need for the turtles if she can defend herself/stop the bad guys.
Splinter fighting is as dumb as Yoda fighting is Star Wars II. Their point as Old Masters is to train a new generation to fight for justice. Having them fight just goes away from this purpose. Besides, the original trilogy didn't shy away from reminding you that Yoda is old and near death thus he couldn't fight. Minus the death part, same goes for Splinter.
I think the main thing that ruined the new Turtles series to me is what they did to Shredder. To make him essentially a symbol rather than a man gets rid of the essense of the character. Oroku Saki was a truly bad man and that's what made him a great villain. He was a perfect counterpart to the turtles since he was real in a sense. When the new series decided that the Shredder would be a demon then an alien they lost me. Making it a man makes it personal, a sense of realism. Making it a demon then alien makes him a generic bad guy.
I know that had little to do with the game but I just wanted to make a point that the characters don't appeal to me. If the characters lack appeal it makes it hard to like the game. Also, the fact that it looks like a bland Super Smash Brothers spin-off doesn't help.
P.S. I own the first two TMNT films (we don't speak of the third one round these parts) and they are still good movies that treat the characters and story with respect. Splinter's Jedi Spirit talk with his sons 3/4 of the way through the first one is still a defining moment in making me fall in love with movies.
The new series follows the original comics more closely than the 80s show. April was not a reporter in the comic. She was Baxter Stockman's lab assistant. And wouldn't you think that after hanging out with ninja turtles for so long and shagging a midnight vigilante she would want to learn how to defend herself instead of letting others always protect her?
And for Shredder as a symbol? Are you forgetting the the 80s Shredder was Uncle Phil from Fresh Prince and that he took orders from a pink, gooey brain from another dimension? The new Shredder is an upgrade!
megaStryke: I am a fan of the 80's cartoon show and the movies (like most people). I see the cartoon show as the silly version of the concept (perfectly kid-friendly which is what I was at the time) and the movies as the serious (but still a little silly. After all, they're Turtles!) take on the concept.
I love both in different ways. The cartoon series for being a fun part of my childhood and the movies for treating me like an adult. I base my opinions on the franchise on those two series (which are the most famous versions of the turtles (the majority of the early 90's games were based off them and the remake of Turtles In Time remains faithful).
As for the Shredder, I was talking about the fantastic version present in the two movies (and apparently the early comics. Again, cartoon and movie guy here). I do have a nostalgic connection to the 80's cartoon version and he was still a good antagonist there (I do remember that episode where he got amnesia or something and thought he was Michelangelo. Funny stuff). Plus, come on, what do you have against Uncle Phil!
I simply can't accept the Shredder as a Demon/Alien. He doesn't seem as much of a bad guy if he is going to be such a generic villain. He is believable as a human. Yeah, I know. Anthropomorphic Turtles and a Rat who battle a team of Ninjas/Robots talking orders from a giant brain. Still there are some things that are acceptable and some things that aren't, no matter how silly the concept.
I think it's because it's easier to relate to an evil human/human-like character than it is to something that doesn't exist at all like a Demon/Alien. I don't know how kids feel about these turtles but I honestly believe it's worse than the original series.
That's about all I got. I don't think these characters have the same charm as the older ones. I hope that the new live-action movies take more tips from the 80's cartoon series/early 90's movies than the current series.
P.S. Do you remember that live-action series from the late 90's. I remember it being pretty awesome (wasn't there a female turtle?). Too bad it got canceled (I think. I'll check it on Youtube later and check if that's just nostalgia talking).
"P.S. Do you remember that live-action series from the late 90's. I remember it being pretty awesome (wasn't there a female turtle?). Too bad it got canceled (I think. I'll check it on Youtube later and check if that's just nostalgia talking)."
Yes, that is nostalgia talking. Oh my goodness, Venus de Milo.... Eastman and Laird pretend that she never happened.
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Contest:
7:35 PM on 06.02.2009
| 
This should be good though. :D
April was a close friend of the Turtles and a field reporter. She acted as a field agent of sorts for them. Having her become a badass chick sort-of ruins that reporter sentiment and her need for the turtles if she can defend herself/stop the bad guys.
Splinter fighting is as dumb as Yoda fighting is Star Wars II. Their point as Old Masters is to train a new generation to fight for justice. Having them fight just goes away from this purpose. Besides, the original trilogy didn't shy away from reminding you that Yoda is old and near death thus he couldn't fight. Minus the death part, same goes for Splinter.
I think the main thing that ruined the new Turtles series to me is what they did to Shredder. To make him essentially a symbol rather than a man gets rid of the essense of the character. Oroku Saki was a truly bad man and that's what made him a great villain. He was a perfect counterpart to the turtles since he was real in a sense. When the new series decided that the Shredder would be a demon then an alien they lost me. Making it a man makes it personal, a sense of realism. Making it a demon then alien makes him a generic bad guy.
I know that had little to do with the game but I just wanted to make a point that the characters don't appeal to me. If the characters lack appeal it makes it hard to like the game. Also, the fact that it looks like a bland Super Smash Brothers spin-off doesn't help.
P.S. I own the first two TMNT films (we don't speak of the third one round these parts) and they are still good movies that treat the characters and story with respect. Splinter's Jedi Spirit talk with his sons 3/4 of the way through the first one is still a defining moment in making me fall in love with movies.
Color me unimpressed.
That being said, they better freaking add some characters. I want to fight me some Bebop and Rocksteady!
The new series follows the original comics more closely than the 80s show. April was not a reporter in the comic. She was Baxter Stockman's lab assistant. And wouldn't you think that after hanging out with ninja turtles for so long and shagging a midnight vigilante she would want to learn how to defend herself instead of letting others always protect her?
And for Shredder as a symbol? Are you forgetting the the 80s Shredder was Uncle Phil from Fresh Prince and that he took orders from a pink, gooey brain from another dimension? The new Shredder is an upgrade!
I love both in different ways. The cartoon series for being a fun part of my childhood and the movies for treating me like an adult. I base my opinions on the franchise on those two series (which are the most famous versions of the turtles (the majority of the early 90's games were based off them and the remake of Turtles In Time remains faithful).
As for the Shredder, I was talking about the fantastic version present in the two movies (and apparently the early comics. Again, cartoon and movie guy here). I do have a nostalgic connection to the 80's cartoon version and he was still a good antagonist there (I do remember that episode where he got amnesia or something and thought he was Michelangelo. Funny stuff). Plus, come on, what do you have against Uncle Phil!
I simply can't accept the Shredder as a Demon/Alien. He doesn't seem as much of a bad guy if he is going to be such a generic villain. He is believable as a human. Yeah, I know. Anthropomorphic Turtles and a Rat who battle a team of Ninjas/Robots talking orders from a giant brain. Still there are some things that are acceptable and some things that aren't, no matter how silly the concept.
I think it's because it's easier to relate to an evil human/human-like character than it is to something that doesn't exist at all like a Demon/Alien. I don't know how kids feel about these turtles but I honestly believe it's worse than the original series.
That's about all I got. I don't think these characters have the same charm as the older ones. I hope that the new live-action movies take more tips from the 80's cartoon series/early 90's movies than the current series.
P.S. Do you remember that live-action series from the late 90's. I remember it being pretty awesome (wasn't there a female turtle?). Too bad it got canceled (I think. I'll check it on Youtube later and check if that's just nostalgia talking).
"P.S. Do you remember that live-action series from the late 90's. I remember it being pretty awesome (wasn't there a female turtle?). Too bad it got canceled (I think. I'll check it on Youtube later and check if that's just nostalgia talking)."
Yes, that is nostalgia talking. Oh my goodness, Venus de Milo.... Eastman and Laird pretend that she never happened.