I've played this game since I was a tiny kid. Of the three NES TMNT games, this one was my favorite. Largely due to the graphics. The graphics were better in the other two games, but this one had more atmosphere. The turtles looked less cartoony and more realistic. The sewers looked a little more gritty, even April was less attractive. However, I could never get past the Turtle Van level. I would always play past the Dam, considering it a challenge and then see the excellent and memorable cutscene afterwards. And then I couldn't figure the next part out.
Today, I honestly tried to beat it. I wanted to get to the end of the game and see that weird shaped Technodrome. But I can't. I actually had to look at a walkthrough to find out what I had to do. Once I saw it, I was astonished. To continue on, I had to jump this near impossible jump. Wow. I had been here, but the jump is just really hard to get down.
And it's not worth it. All this game has is the atmosphere. The controls and fighting is just plain awful. Donatello is the only good turtle, Michelangelo and Leonardo are OK, and Raphael... sheesh. Raphael has no reach what-so-ever. Raphael gets hurt trying to hurt people because his reach is so bad. Donatello seems to get one-hit kills, but the other turtles don't. It's just too bad you can't just keep playing with Donatello, but the game makes you play with all four turtles. Think of each one as a life. The controls are awkward, I can explain it, you'll have to play it for yourself.
The enemies are... where exactly did they come from? There's no chainsaw bearing enemy in any of the turtles media that I've seen. Nor any spider looking things, or fire guys who release fiery legs to attack you, etc. The enemies have no basis to belong in a Turtles game. And they are super annoying to kill. It's dawn near impossible to go through one house or sewer without getting hit multiple times. They just come at you and require that you hit them many times, unless you're Donatello. And most enemies takes hits like nothing and keep coming towards you. Trying to retreat and attack won't save you from getting hit as the enemies constantly move forward and throw projectiles. The only thing that can save you the Pizzas lying around.
The enemies are annoying enough without having to jump near impossible jumps that guarantee you have to go through them again. Because, yes, they respawn. I thought it was interesting how Ultra Games tried to create this kind of hybrid Beat 'em Up/Adventure/Platformer game, but they went overboard and made it insanely difficult. Difficulty generated from ridiculous jumps, lousy controls, poor character balance, and unphased, respawning enemies.
Of all three TMNT games on the NES, TMNT III is the only one worthy of any attention. However, it is superseded by TMNT IV: Turtles in Time for the SNES, the only true great TMNT game.
A second opinion and a good demonstration of the bad controls in this game can be found here.
Today, I honestly tried to beat it. I wanted to get to the end of the game and see that weird shaped Technodrome. But I can't. I actually had to look at a walkthrough to find out what I had to do. Once I saw it, I was astonished. To continue on, I had to jump this near impossible jump. Wow. I had been here, but the jump is just really hard to get down.
And it's not worth it. All this game has is the atmosphere. The controls and fighting is just plain awful. Donatello is the only good turtle, Michelangelo and Leonardo are OK, and Raphael... sheesh. Raphael has no reach what-so-ever. Raphael gets hurt trying to hurt people because his reach is so bad. Donatello seems to get one-hit kills, but the other turtles don't. It's just too bad you can't just keep playing with Donatello, but the game makes you play with all four turtles. Think of each one as a life. The controls are awkward, I can explain it, you'll have to play it for yourself.
The enemies are... where exactly did they come from? There's no chainsaw bearing enemy in any of the turtles media that I've seen. Nor any spider looking things, or fire guys who release fiery legs to attack you, etc. The enemies have no basis to belong in a Turtles game. And they are super annoying to kill. It's dawn near impossible to go through one house or sewer without getting hit multiple times. They just come at you and require that you hit them many times, unless you're Donatello. And most enemies takes hits like nothing and keep coming towards you. Trying to retreat and attack won't save you from getting hit as the enemies constantly move forward and throw projectiles. The only thing that can save you the Pizzas lying around.
The enemies are annoying enough without having to jump near impossible jumps that guarantee you have to go through them again. Because, yes, they respawn. I thought it was interesting how Ultra Games tried to create this kind of hybrid Beat 'em Up/Adventure/Platformer game, but they went overboard and made it insanely difficult. Difficulty generated from ridiculous jumps, lousy controls, poor character balance, and unphased, respawning enemies.
Of all three TMNT games on the NES, TMNT III is the only one worthy of any attention. However, it is superseded by TMNT IV: Turtles in Time for the SNES, the only true great TMNT game.
A second opinion and a good demonstration of the bad controls in this game can be found here.
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