Enjoyed the game throughly! 43 years old, brought me right back to 1988-1991.

With the Bosses I’ll gladly take ones with patterns that I can learn and exploit vs cheap Bosses with unavoidable attacks that you have to cheese with equally cheap constant jump kicks.

The ninja power bar doesn’t reset during bosses actually, and in Arcade it never goes higher than 1. I’m just happy to be able to play as Master Splinter finally.

Can’t believe pat hasn’t seen the secret of the ooze!!! Awesome silly fun.

Wait, what? WHAT? Casey Jones can be unlocked by playing through the game instead of being paid DLC?? *mind blown*

I actually didn't know about the taunt special issue. That' seems fair criticism. And of course I get Pat starting in the mid difficulty, but if you are finding it too easy, try rolling it up a notch.

I love the game but yeah, the standard difficulty is very easy. Especially once you realise you can just recharge specials in-between combat. You have 4 lives per stage but really, atleast with 2 players, I pretty much never died. And if you do die you can even revive people. I dont know how hard the higher difficulty is, but I think anyone who has any experience with these type of games should just play right on hard from the start. I suppose the full challenge comes from the optional challenges, but "beating a stage without taking damage" kinda goes against the nature of the game. So it's sorta one extreme to the other. Like you say, removing the taunts ability to fill specials would solve it. The specials are not broken on their own imo. It's how easy they are to obtain.

Hey Pat.. will there ever be ‘The Video Game Years - the 90s etc ?!!

They could have kept the taunt system in the game and used it as a final step to gain a special bar. First fill your special bar with combo moves and then you have to use a taunt to "activate" the bar before it is usable.

Quick question: do you guys usually use the DPAD or the Analog stick when playing these newer beatemup games? I never know which one is better.

I had major crash/connectivity issues on my initial download. After deleting and reinstalling the game I’ve had no problems online or offline. The Arcade mode fixes some of the complaints. it only allows 1 special to be stored at a time, lives don’t replenish between lvl’s, and has limited continues. Play arcade on hard and it should feel more like an old school game.

On Arcade mode you only get one special at a time. It’s only story mode that you get 3 and the super ninja mode. From your comments, it sounds like you guys have more experience with the Story Mode. I would recommend you try Arcade Mode for a greater challenge and a less casual experience. Here’s the big differences in difficulty between the 2 modes: Story: +Unlimited continues +Can save +3 Ninja Bars, including the Extra Powerful mode for recharging your full bar -You can only earn up to 5 lives Arcade: +You can earn more lives (not sure how many but I’ve seen as many as 7) -Limited continues -Have to go through the whole game w/o saving -Only one bar of special move at a time

The taunt to fill your meter is way OP. I will say playing through on Arcade and not story on the hardest difficulty solo is a challenge however since you dont have all the "extra" stuff they give you in story.

Pat should turn up the difficulty then come back again 👀

Secret of the Ooze doesn't live up to the standards of the first movie, but it's way better than the 3rd TMNT Movie. Professor Perry was one of the things I liked about Secret of the Ooze. Kevin Nash as Super Shredder was cool. I didn't care for Vanilla Ice or Tokka and Razar. I felt like Tokka was a dumbed down version of Slash.

Loved the game, difficulty seemed fine to me, maybe im just a filthy casual. Mostly play by myself, so i dont care about online gaming, but seems like legit criticism, probably easily fixable.

I love easy games so I’m actually happy to learn about this 😝

In terms of presentation and spirit (fan service), this game deserves a 9 out of 10. This game has everything you could want. Pixel graphics similar to TIT (I'm tired of modern retro games, but still, the graphics are what they are), a really well animated intro, great arranged music, every character you can think of, Leo, raph, Donnie, Mikey, April, splinter, Casey, bebop, rocksteady, shredder, krang, tokka&razar(sort of), wingnut, ground chuck, leatherhead, metalhead, the list goes on. On paper, this game is a 9. As a beat em without the TMNT license...it's okay. It's better than TIT. The bosses have no patterns that matter, they do not staggar when you hit them. They are not a challenge and if you really want to you could taunt and take them out in 4 air to air supers. The character balance is pretty fair, ignoring the fake Star rating information, Leonardo is easily the best character by far. He is the only character that is fundamentally different due to his air to air saw blade. All the other characters are the same apart from their moves being the same, but having different properties. Dive kick launches with some and some it doesn't, shoulder launches and some don't, Splinters dodge super is a fireball rather than a tackle, etc. They're all the same besides Leo. Is there as much dept to this game like the side shifting in Final Fight? No. Even if you do a full on wall-bounce 10 hit combo like say in Fight n Rage, it's really not necessary. You have a 4 hit combo, a sprint shoulder, a sprint slide, a dodge kick combo starter, a DP, a air to air dive kick, a double jump attack, 3 different throws, and 3 different supers, ground, air, and dodge super. The game has "depth" but if you're expecting an extremely hard beat em up that takes learning the layout of EVERY stage, picking a meta character, and using some sort of glitch trick to beat the game, this is all entirely unnecessary. For a modern, casual beat em up, I give it about a 7(if you don't spam the taunt). For a TMNT game it deserves a 9. It's a fun game to play on a rainy day but after you beat it the first day you'll probably not care to come back to it again. In case anyone cares about my opinion.

From what I've played, "Okay" is actually Easy. "Chill" is probably Super Easy. And Gnarly is genuinely very hard, at least on solo if you don't abuse taunt. The devs are looking into ways to fix the taunt spam.

Gotta take into account the fact that you guys are probably a lot better than most people at beat em ups

Too easy? No challenge? Sounds perfect! Can't wait to play!

The original arcade did have the "special attack" that would basically OH-KO all foot soldiers as the expense of your health when you pressed attack and jump at the same time. Manhattan Project for NES had supers, so did Turtles in Time. So the fact that this game has them doesn't surprise me.

Agree with all your points. Thanks for your passionate and honest review of a really fun game with some (currently) OP moves. Just wondering why we had to wait for almost 25 years for a developer that understands the gameplay mechanics, acoustics and visuals of a fun beat'em up. Now just imagine what would be possible with a new Double Dragon, Final Fight, etc. done right.

Myself, I don't mind it being a bit easy, I play brawlers to relax and zone out. I agree about being online is pointless when you have everyone spamming the super moves. A simple idea is options in the lobby when you set up the game your starting.

I enjoyed this game. Definitely a worthy sequel to Turtles in Time after all these years. It's cool that there is online multiplayer, but this game was absolutely meant to be played couch co-op. I think Ian and Pat would definitely enjoy this game a lot more on arcade mode, on the hard difficulty.

Hey Pat and Ian, in celebration of Pride month, you should open a gay bar and call it "butt's and brewsky's".

Cowabunga dudes, can't believe how addicting this game is

I liked that it was real easy honestly, I played with a full stack of friends who aren't usually into beat em ups and they were now more interested in trying more, they said this is the first one that clicked with them. It was a fun Sunday afternoon game.

Thank you for talking about this. The taunt needs to be fixed. Makes the gameplay repetitive and boring. Difficulty is way to easy. Beating online on hardest difficulty was stupid easy. I played thru twice and don't really want to ever play again. Graphics and music are amazing. Controls are great

In TMNT III Manhattan Project for NES if you do the jump/attack combo it would take your health down. Two ticks I believe. That sucked and that game is ridiculously hard.

There're easy fixes to the supers issues and the up-kick issue. 1. Make the supers build up slower, you can only store 1, and the taunt only give a little power, or none at all. 2. If the up-kick used health like similar attacks in other beat em ups, you'd be way less inclined to spam it.

I would like to point this out as being a good example of a lack of challenge... see challenge in games IS fun 😁

I played for a hour with a 6 man last night and the taunt was never an issue as far as messing with the flow of the game, mainly because with that many players you can pretty much just taunt freely during combat without fear of being hit. I really think the best way to enjoy this game is through couch co-op, but I'm sure that, like myself, many of us who really wanted this game are in our 30s-40s so getting the boys over to play TMNT isn't as easy as what it would have been back in high school. Still a great game and the fact that it is available on Game Pass really overrides any major concerns that I personally have.

Pat and Ian don't forget another beat em up came out a day after turtles. It's called final vendetta and it is way harder so you might like it.

Don't care as much that it was easy. It was fun and I enjoyed all the old art and the vibes. Leisurely. There a few glitches.... the sky level, I had to restart cuz it was looping over and over after I beat the group of enemies. It was like miles of clouds. But overall, all love.BTW, what laptops to you use and what's so special about them?

I’ve only been able to dabble with the game so far and what I played was definitely easy. BUT…I’ve been playing beat’em ups for close to 30 years now. TMNT ones especially. So I figure going into this I’m already above average when it comes to these. I have played two levels on Normal, the first two levels. They were super easy. I’ll just start a new file on Hard and go from there now. :)

They should have limited taunt to only when there is an enemy to taunt at.

I played solo (Mikey and Leo) on medium difficulty. I really enjoyed it. No complaints about difficulty. If you feel medium is too easy just change to hard. I think older gamers need to consider that young children with less gaming experience are also part of the target audience, hence the option to change difficulty. Was not expecting a masterpiece, just a solid fun experience to go with the nostalgia. I think they did a good job with the game.

Is it fair criticism to say it's too easy when you didn't play the hard difficultly? I think making the game accessible is always better.

My only problem so far has been if I join a FULL lobby the amount of frame drop is horrible. Besides that, man this game is an absolute treasure!

Got it on Game Pass and it's awesome!

Liked the gameplay a lot but dislike the art style specifically body proportions , characters looks too short, round and baby like, wished it looks more badass like the original TMNT arcade.

I like the game. Soundtrack is totally a highlight for me. I also like April as playable character.. well because who doesn’t absolutely love April? But I don’t see myself revisiting the game too much to be 100% honest.

No special moves take your health in either of the TMNT arcade games. I have both on the 1up arcade cab.

To be fair, Turtles in Time was insanely easy.

I need to ask: why is there such hatred for TMNT 2 for NES? I'm sorry, but I'm having a hard time believing that the first TMNT game on NES was more "manageable" than the sequel, which played much like the arcade game. What did that game ever do to Pat and Ian to make one of the worst NES games on their list?

I had not had this much fun with a beat em up game since that time I play Astro Boy: Omega Factor and Dragon Ball: Advance Adventures for GBA which kept me coming back to it again and again. Streets of Rage 4 was also fun but it didn't keep me coming back to it that much even with the free DLC.

The thing is, the supers should take life like streets of rage 4. You need the super bar filled to get out of inescapable situations. You feel how much the AI can be unfair or Hard mode. Also how come you can't jump while you're running?

When I return from my Midwest vacation, this is on my to do list.

On tbe hardest difficulty the taunts are needed im sorry maybe a good work around would be to maybe dock points for constant specials

After seeing alot of The 1987 and some of 2003 Cartoon I could not get into the 2012 version at all because I didn't care for the art style they went with for that. I didn't even know that taunts existed either but now I know and they are OP as hell. I do like the way that Turtles in Time did Specials on SNES they did it the standard way of all beat em ups every time you used it you lost some of your life just like in Final fight and that way it wasn't too OP.

Arcade mode on Gnarly is the only way I'll play. lol

I appreciate you guys

I agree with Ian on the taunt and how the supers break the game, I personally use them sparingly since I like using them strategically and I didnt need them in Turtles in time even on Hard more but you will run into people who just spam taunt and super online and Ive seen this on streams too where someone is cheesing the game by just Taunt and spam supers and its pretty annoying. That is something I hope they address. I think this is an easy patch. That being said I also hope this game gets DLC and additional characters to play as cause its really damn good. Very fun. I would unnoficially call this TMNT 5.

Can’t wait for my limited run copy comes

"I didn't play on hard mode, but I wish the game was more challenging" is a really weird stance to take. It's like keeping a car in 1st gear, then complaining afterward that it doesn't go fast enough.

Pre-order today

The fact that you're reviewing the copy you paid for cause me to trust your opinion even more

The game is fun, played through with a friend of medium difficulty. The game is pretty easy, especially since you can have 3-5 lives per character per level. I havent played the Arcade mode, along with limiting lives it should disable taunts and make supers damage the player. Maybe add in a harder mode that adds those features. I'm interested in seeing if there will be DLC and what that would look like. I'd like to see additional colors added to characters, there are already mods that give you the "comic" colors from Turtles in Time or black and white from the orignal comics.. Obviously more characters would be cool, even if Usagi is the only one I can think of. And while unrealistic, a Turtles in Time remake dlc would be cool and most of the bosses already exist, just add the stages and maybe a couple bosses.

Still waiting on my physical copy but am wondering if there’s an option to turn off special moves? Seems like an easy fix.

They should just add a harder mode where you can't use the specials or they take a while to get them. It's still a fun game though but I see your point. I think they should also change the turtles to different shades of green or the comic colors. The comic colors where in the super nintendo version of turtles in time. Sometimes I had a hard time figuring out who I was in 6 players. Although, maybe i'm just getting old lol

Another way they could change the Specials is to not only remove the Taunt but also the ability to fill the meter with Combos and instead just have the Specials be pickups like the Pizza. This way there’s only a couple on each stage.

This game looks really good, but if it’s that easy then I’ll either borrow it from somebody for a couple of days or wait till it goes on sale really cheap. No way I’m paying full price to be bored with something in a day or 2

I’m currently playing story mode with my 11 year old daughter so it being too easy isn’t an issue. But I could see that being an issue for repeat playing in arcade mode as it’s not very challenging. Hopefully they make a couple tweaks. Overall I’m loving the game!

I barely ever play games online because of idiots that take advantage of glitches or poor mechanics. I was so happy that Halo Infinite invested so much into the campaign mode. I can't wait for the co-op campaign mode to be released.

Yeah, I thought the game was too easy when I first played and beat it, as well. Then I played it on Gnarly... I still haven’t beaten it on Gnarly yet and I’ve been trying for 4 days. Can’t get passed the 12th level.

Boys, may I suggest playing through on normal, but giving hard a quick go just to see the difference? In this case, Ian's spider sense was dead-on, and the hard mode lives up to its name

What I'm hearing here is that this Nickelodeon game will be great for me to play with my kids

Play arcade mode on hard you won't probably complain about it being too easy

sounds like a good old fashioned console beatem up ..and thats great. not everything needs an insane arcade standard mode.

good to know I can't wait to play it I hope they do patch it

I hope it comes out with some character alternates soon because I'm not a huge fan of using yellow jumpsuit April as a playable character. April from the Archie comics might be cool though; that version was actually a capable fighter.

Time to bitch about games with Ian and Pat 🎶

Its fantastic wish you could kick a player that just wont move forward online, thankfully you can leave and join another team easy enough, wish you could find random people for arcade. You can easily just do rising attack followed by a downward kick attack over and over and own everything except a couple of bosses. Doing a couple taunts and then using your special over and over is also exploitable. Overall look sound and feel is amazing though, putting it on hard also helps.

This game looks pretty damn awesome.

I still have my plush Raphael too

Meanwhile punisher on the genesis I ran out of time trying to beat the endless wave of enemies.

Turtles in Time and Hyperstone are very easy if you play as Michaelangelo, he has the most health and does the best damage.

Hey Ian, you should make separate videos with your opinion / review of the games you play. We DO really need honest opinions. So far no review from a "popular" channel here on YT has talked about the elephant in the room like you just did. I also noticed the same crap and told my friends about the taunt cheap ass move that yes, it breaks the game. Maybe a move for new kids, but the old school doesn't need this, the game is well done like you said, no need for those cheap moves. I would appreciate if you give your take on other games too, we still need a good review about Fight'n Rage.

I had a big crush on April O' Neal.

Did you played it in hard? That's where the challenge is at!

TMNT was my life growing up.

If you play Arcade mode on gnarly (Hard) the game is actually hard like a quarter muncher. Sounds like you guys didn't play the game enough to review it

I bet they make a great sequel. Theyve created an awesome world, but now I bet they tweak it with difficulty etc and a next, great game is coming. Or maybe even a patch.

Put the taunt special only into the easy mode and remove the special attached to it for all other modes seems like an easy fix.

THX GUYS!!!!

Pat played a game??!

The special meter has three levels in the story mode and one level in the arcade mode. Try playing the arcade mode on gnarly (hard mode) for a real arcade like challenge.

Why don't you play on the hard difficulty is normal is too easy?

same people who made SOR4 made this, not sure why he said it was a different team. It 100% was them, i mean granted a few people might be different, it's still Dotemu.

I think the taunt is more of a multiplayer troll problem than OP. It's so fast to fill up your super bars by fighting normally, even at the lower levels with fewer enemies I was still making way faster progress normally than by screwing around after every screen taunting a bunch of times and wasting like 30 extra seconds per screen. To me it's like snipers or smoke grenade spammers in call of duty, it's not that good it's just people who aren't good players will spam their little crutch abilities and it will be annoying and keep you from playing the way you prefer. I used the old school jump attack a lot more than this one, it was basically my main attack back then. This one any time purple foot are around and you get in the air you just get yourself uppercut in my experience, it's just not worth getting off your feet at most points in the game unless a flying enemy commands it. Basic combo, slide, backflip, the attacks of out running or backflipping, that's like 95% of all you need. The screen toss is pretty strong especially with the higher speed characters but to be fair I don't know what to replace it with. I get hit or run over while I'm helpless a lot more with any of the other grapple moves.

All the issues that they had with the game will surely be fixed in a future patch or two.

I don't think you'd have to remove the taunts entirely, but maybe have it so it fills up a QUARTER of ONE special bar at a time... and only have it be effective when any enemies are on the screen. The existing taunt/special issue aside, I adore the game. Love the fact that all the voices of the turtles returned, even if they are older.

Taunts giving supers should not be a thing in this game. It breaks the game entirely. If we have to have them, just give a limited amount of taunts per stage, limit the amount the taunt fills, or have the taunts give something instead of a super. Perhaps let the taunts restore a health pip while in combat. Idk.

I'm sorry Pat and Ian but if a game gives you powerful moves to beat the crap out of inferior enemies I'll surely use it over and over. I'll rather have that than cheap enemies that hit you no matter what you do. I remember NES Battletoads ridiculously difficult for NO reason whatsoever I hate games like that. Or like Genesis Shadow Of The Beast linear and ridiculously hard too. I'll rather have an easy but good game I'll enjoy a lot than an annoyingly hard game I'll finish once and never come back to it. Good review and cool video guys!👉😃👈

It's no danger of the ooze but I liked shredders revenge

Fight flash on streets of rage 2 and you know there needs to be a better way to attack the flying bosses

didnt even mention the leveling system

I thought in the OG TMNT arcade game if you did the Jump + Attack 'super' that it would degrade your health?

I couldn't agree more with Ian, the game is horrible with multi-player. They need to have an option for a no taunts multi-player mode. Also, I wanna play as the unlocked characters. Love this game though.