I have looked through the reviews for this game, and I can't see why the game deserves such a low score. I think that this game is much better than that, although they outdone this game by a mile in later installments. If you are comparing this game to the rest of the TMNT series, then yes, this is a dismal effort by Ultra Games, However, it does not disappoint when compared to some of the other actions games that were out at the time.

TMNT presents a more adventure-style game play rather than the pure action style game play found in later installments. It follows the four turtles, Leonardo (Leo), Donatello (Don), Raphael (Raph), and Michelangelo (Mike), as they mound a rescue effort to save April from the villainous Shredder (by the way, the Renaissance artist name rip off was no accident. Eastman and Laird, the creators of TMNT, saw those four artists as their heroes, and thus named the Turtles after those four artists...at least that's what my 6th grade art teacher said at the time). After you save April, however, you end up going through 5 more stages of challenging game play that will sometimes inspire you, and other times frustrate you. However, clear controls help you out, although jumping is sometimes a hassle, and not totally accurate. The turtles have their own pros and cons, as well. While Leo and Don were slow, they were powerful and had a better range of attack, and vice versa for Raph and Mike. Each turtle has their own stamina that can be refilled by pizza found in various buildings and sewer areas. The stages are laid out so you have a specific goal, but can go anywhere in the stage, giving a sense of half non-linear game play. Also, when a Turtle is completely out of life, he is captured, and the game ends when all four suffer this fate. You can, however, starting in Area 3, gain back
captured Turtles if you look in the right places. Finally, although you have your own melee weapons, you can also find various other weapons scattered around or dropped. Throwing stars, scrolls (the most powerful throwing weapon), etc., make their appearance for you to use here. The only drawback here is that when you got the weapon you want, you can just as easily accidentally pick up another weapon, and you only get one of these weapons at a time, leaving you out of luck if you accidentally replace one weapon you want with a dinky weapon that would be the last type you would've wanted.

The game takes on two separate viewpoints. When you're outside, the game takes on an overhead view, where you must avoid what look like steam rollers that can flatten you in an instant. When you are in a building or sewer, the game shifts to a traditional side-view, where you face a whole bunch of enemies. You can run if you want, but then there are battles that you must fight to move on in that building or manhole. In both these views, it's pretty clear of what everything is, although the overhead view is more distorted at times than the side view. The side view's graphics, for it's time, is astounding, although the game suffers from slowdown when too many enemies are on the screen (especially during the Technodrome fight, which is a shame, because that's the best boss fight in the game). The sound is virtually perfect, with only a few glitches here and there. Although the Turtle Power theme is seemly absent, you'll hardly miss it. The music is downright awesome, and better than some other action games in it's time. The sounds are the usual bunch, though, and the defeating enemy sound is the weakest in this game.

The challenge of this game is top notch. In one area, you have to search for bombs that will blow up a dam, and you have only two and a half minutes to find them all, while avoiding numerous obstacles along the way. This is tedious if you don't know the main strategy behind beating this part(take along two Turtles who's life bars are full), and the bomb searching is something that you'll want to get past as soon as possible. The technodrome fight is by far the most challenging boss of this game, and one of the better boss fights ever in an action game, although plagued by the slowdown. Finally, the game is glitched at times, why is both a blessing and a curse.

Although this game is sometimes hated, it doesn't take away from the lasting value of this hard-edged effort at capturing a piece of the pie that was the Turtles craze (that may be coming back thanks to FOX). However, although faulty at times, this is a decent start that would be one of the better series of it's time. Don't be weary about this classic.

Final Tally:

GRAPHICS (8/10):


Although the overhead view is distorted at times, it does it's job. The side view is amazingly well done. However, slowdown plagues this,
especially in the Technodrome boss fight, which keeps it from getting the justice it deserved.

SOUND (9/10):

The music is downright perfect. The sound is almost there, as well, if it wasn't for some sour notes and some weird noises when enemies are defeated.

CONTROLS (8/10):

Although jumping is sometimes murder, the rest of the controls are down to a T.

FUN FACTOR (8/10):


The bomb finding sequence is tedious, even when having it's secret strategy of having two fully charged Turtles down. The rest of the games
fun level, though, is there, with some non-linear game play and a adventurous feel to it, which later games failed completely to capture, although it could've been more forgiving to you if you accidentally picked up a unwanted throwing weapon, which can happen a lot to replace your desired one.

OVERALL (9/10):

Although some people will say it's flawed, personally I really enjoy this game. It's overall appeal never totally diminishes on this decent title. Although falling behind to some better Turtles games, that's not taking away much when compared to other games that were released in this genre at the time. A decent classic that is surprising fun, yet sometimes frustrating, game to play.If you understand how difficult some NES games can be going in, you will have no problem playing this title, and having a great time with it. I enjoy the fact that it's not just a beat 'em up title. That they tried to do something different with it.

I think people are just off-put by the difficulty of this game. I agree with you, it is pretty awesome. The only parts that I found hard were figuring out where to go in the city to find splinter and the narrow hallway inside the Technodrome right before Shredder. The Technodrome itself isn't so bad once I found out you can destroy the electric things with projectiles, the guns that shoot at you, and the hatch that the foot come out of. Take them out early, and the whole boss is a giant sitting duck. But this was one I played a lot when I was younger and was always disappointed by the low ratings. Good job!

This game is fun, but I would rather play the one on the SNES.  It is more fun and better graphics.  Nice review.

Marcmoney : Thanks, I'm glad you liked the review. I won't disagree that the SNES port of the Arcade classic is the best Turtles game ever, but TMNT 1 on the NES does have it's merits.

I liked that they tried to do something different than your average beat 'em up. The tried to make it more of an adventure game. I give them credit for that.

This review is found on another another website, so I'll have to trash this because reviews here should be exclusive to this site.