Day 297, Game 297 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

After a week of Angry Birds, it's only natural that I would want a break from those types of games. At the same time, I didn't want to get too involved with another game or write about a super-serious or complex game, either, as I wanted at least a day of rest between "Week Of..." series. Also, I have tons of games to play, and while I am chipping away at the pile slowly at my own pace, I wasn't ready to add another game to the mix that I start and play for one day and promise to get back to it at some point. 

So with that, I bring you a Redbox special. I just happened to be browsing a Redbox kiosk, our of sheer curiosity, and came across a new release that I had honestly forgot was even coming out, thanks in part to the ridiculous swell of video games coming out recently. For some reason, this game wasn't even on my radar, despite hearing about it and knowing it was coming out at some point. 

Actually, I blame the last Turtles game, "Out of the Shadows," for ruining any excitement or hype, and killing any chance for success this game had before it even saw the light of day. That downloadable title had tons of hype and excitement for it, but once it was released, it got some very disappointing reviews, all but breaking the hearts and spirits of Turtles fans everywhere who were hoping, finally, for a good Turtles game. With that, it will be a uphill battle for any Turtles game to come afterwards, including this one. 

Based on the Nickelodeon cartoon of the same name, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles returns to the fighting foursome back to its roots, if we are talking about the old arcade style games. It's a beat'em style type of game, and it works well. When this cartoon first debuted, I was unsure about the art style, but the more I see it, the more I really enjoy it. The cartoon itself is fantastic, especially the writing, and this game just carries everything that is good about the cartoon over to video games. 

Look. As a lifelong Turtles fan, I feel satisfied with this game as far as what it does to the franchise itself. Unfortunately, there are far too many games out right now that are demanding my attention for me to give this game the proper attention I think it deserves, but that says more about the state of this industry then the game itself. I'm glad I rented it for a day, but I wish I could do more with it now. It's worth the attention of any Turtles fan, especially if you have a bitter taste in your mouth after the previous game.  

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