TheTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtleshave been a mainstay of popular culture since their cartoon debut in December 1987. Since then, theNinja Turtleshave appeared in a variety of TV shows, live-action movies, and an assortment of video games, with each property varying significantly in quality but keeping the spirit of the franchise alive nonetheless. While every piece ofTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesmedia does have its fans, there are certain shows, movies, or games that are universally loved, and there are certain time periods which have seen the best of the franchise, and this year may just be one of them.
For those who have a passion for both gaming andTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, then 2022 has already been a pretty excellent one, withthe release ofTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revengejust a month ago. However, the year is far from over, andTMNTgaming fans have one big project to look forward to, proving that right now is a great time to be aNinja Turtlesfan.
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A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Video Game Renaissance
Just over a month ago,TMNTfans were treated to the nostalgic thrill ride that wasTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge. Developed by Tribute Games,Shredder’s Revengetook the essence of theoriginal fan-favoriteTMNTarcade games, and pumped it into a modern age 2D beat ‘em up. While the beat ‘em up genre isn’t overly popular nowadays, withStreets of Ragebeing one of few franchises in the genre to make a comeback,Shredder’s Revengemanages to achieve the perfect blend of nostalgia, and modernized controls and mechanics, introducing a progression system that encourages multiple playthroughs.
ForTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesfans,Shredder’s Revengewas an absolute treat, packed to the brim with Easter eggs and references dating all the way back to the originalTMNTcomics, and even referencing some of the more maligned 1990s live-action movies. What’s more, withShredder’s Revengebeingavailable via Xbox Game Pass, the title managed to bring in an even wider audience than the developer probably expected, making the game a surprise smash-hit, and perhaps even introducing some people to the long history of theNinja Turtlesfranchise.
AlthoughShredder’s Revengeis an excellent game, it’s quite a short one, and die-hardNinja Turtlesfans are already in need of another opportunity to return to the franchise in video game form. Luckily, Konami has just announced thatTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collectionis dropping on June 24, 2025, just a month away.TMNT: The Cowabunga Collectionbrings together a whopping13 classicTMNTgames, ranging from the original 1989 arcade game, to the infamous 1992Hyperstone Heiston Sega Genesis, and even a handful ofNinja TurtlesGame Boy games.
On top of some slight visual and technical improvements,The Cowabunga Collectionis also bringing couch co-op to a good portion of its compiled games, allowing nostalgicTMNTfans to play through a plethora of classic titles together. A few other quality of life improvements have also been added, including the ability to remap buttons, rewind the game, and access save states at any point, which should certainly help with the trickier sections of thoseTMNTarcade games. With bothShredder’s RevengeandThe Cowabunga Collectionreleasing this year, it’s an excellent time to be aTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesfan, and that’s without mentioning the stellarTMNT: The Last Ronincomic book which wrapped up earlier this year.
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