Game development is getting more and more costly, in terms of both time and money??, which makes a lot of sense, seeing as video games (especially AAA ones) have become more ambitious in nature. This, however, is also admittedly quite frustrating for gamers all around the world because companies tend to announce new projects years in advance and then go on complete radio silence for extensive periods of time, without releasing any new information, images or trailers.

Making video games takes time??, and we always prefer companies not to rush or overwork developers, but they also should stop announcing video games so eagerly, sometimes before they? even have any gameplay to show. As a result of this alarmingly common practice, there are now a lot of announced video games that we know very little about and are seemingly taking too much time to come out.

Marvel's Blade (Announced in 2023)

During The Game Awards 2023, Bethesda and Arkane Lyon revealed a brand-new game based on the iconic vampire hunter from Marvel Comics: Blade. The teaser trailer is very brief and doesn't show much, but we can't deny that it's oozing with s?tyle since Blade is a fla?t-out cool character, and his dark stories are perfect for a fun and unique action game.

Sadly, as promising as Marvel's Blade looks, it has been almost a year since the original announcement and Bethesda has yet to disclose any more information on the project. Naturally, fans are wondering when it's going to come out. To make things even worse, there are rumors that we may not be able to play it until 2027. The timing couldn't be more unfortunate, as Marvel Studios is reportedly having a lot of trouble with the production of the upcoming MCU Blade film starring Mahershala Ali. But who?? knows, maybe we'll receive a second trailer during this year's Game Aw??ards?

TMNT: The Last Ronin (Announced in 2023)

2024 saw the release of various Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video games, like Mutants Unleashed or Wrath of the Mutants. So it may be easy to forget that there's an AAA title based on the legendary The Last Ronin comic book that it's currently in development. And you may have completely forgotten about it because we still know almost nothing about it, aside from the fact that it's heavily inspired by the new God of War games.

Simply titled TMNT: The Last Ronin (The Game), Black Forest Games, who was behind the recent Destroy All Humans! remaster, is currently working on this intriguing project. I understand why they are carefully taking their time, as this game has the potential to ?be a Ghost of Tsushima-type adventure but with the Ninja Turtles as playable characters instead. Nevertheless, it's kind of odd that it has been more than a year, and we still have not seen any real in-game footage of this project.

Iron Man (Announced in 2022)

It's undeniable that Superheroes have exploded in popularity in the past decade, mainly due to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Said universe made Tony Stark / Iron Man a lot more famous in the eyes of mainstream audiences, so it's no surprise that Disney would want to take advantage of the character's newfound popularity. That's why they partnered with Electronic Arts in order to announce a brand-new third-person, action-adventure Iron Man game in 2022.

Motive Studio, the developers behind the recent Dead Space remake, are currently working on this project, which sounds great because they have proven that they're a talented team and Iron Man is a fun and beloved superhero who never got the best treatment when it comes to video games, especially when we compare him to Spider-Man or Batman. However, it has already been more than 2 years since the initial announcement, and we still know nothing about it. Not to mention that Motive Studio is also working on a new Battlefield game, so there are always concerns that they might be biting more than they can chew. This isn't even the only Marvel project that Electronic Arts is currently working on, seeing as it also announced an open-world Black Panther game in 2023, and we know very little about that one, too.

Kingdom Hearts 4 (Announced in 2022)

After much anticipation, Square Enix and Disney announced the long-awaite?d fourth numbered entry in the beloved Kingdom Hearts series back in April 2022, in celebration of the franchise's 20th anniversary. This trailer was incredibly exciting, as it showed Sora in the mysterious city of Quadratum, meeting Strelitzia (a character from Kingdom Hearts: Union χ) and fighting a gigantic Heartless with a seemingly refreshing new take on the series' signature combat system. Needless to say, Kingdom Hearts fans are extremely excited about this? new game, myself i??ncluded.

And that's it. After more than 2 years, that's pretty much all we know about Kingdom Hearts 4, aside from some minor tidbits that director Tetsuya Nomura revealed in a few interviews. Fans of this franchise are anything if not patient, so they theorized that Square Enix was waiting to release Final Fantasy VII Rebirth before shifting its focus to the marketing of Kingdom Hearts 4. Nevertheless, it has been 10 months since Rebirth's release, and the company hasn't shown any new trailers or images of Sora's next adventure. To make things even worse, Square also revealed a new AR mobile game titled Kingdom Hearts: Missing Link, the same day as Kingdom Hearts 4 and while it still hasn't come out after 2 years, at least we know a lot more about it, even tho??ugh the company delayed its 2024 release?? very recently.

Marvel's Wolverine (Announced in 2021)

I'm sure you already recognized a pattern on this list: Most of these upcoming video games are projects based on popular Marvel superheroes. One of the most anticipated ones is undoubtedly Insomniac's Wolverine game, which Sony originally announced back in 2021 during one of its m??any PlayStation Showcase livestreams. At the time, we knew that it was going to take a long while for Marvel's Wolverine to come out since the studio was quite busy working on Marvel's Spider-Man 2 as well.

But, Spider-Man 2 came out more than a year ago, and Insomniac and Sony have yet to reveal any more information on their upcoming Wolverine game. Unlike most other entries on this list, however, we may know exactly why both companies have gone on complete radio silence regarding this title. In late 2023, a group of hackers stole private files from Insomniac and shared multiple in-development images and videos of Marvel's Wolverine online. This incident appears to have affected the development of multiple projects at Insomniac; although the studio hasn't said anything about it, it may have resulted in a delay for Wolverine, too.

PROJECT 007 (Announced in 2020)

Many people consider Rare's Nintendo 64 adaptation of the James Bond film GoldenEye one of the best an?d most revolutionary first?-person shooters ever made. Agent 007 has starred in multiple solid video games ever since, but none of them have reached the great heights of GoldenEye 64. However, there is hope: IO Interactive is currently developing a new James Bond game with the working title of PROJECT 007.

IO Interactive is the studio behind the modern Hitman games, so these developers definitely know a lot about stealth and espionage. However, the studio hasn't revealed much information about PROJECT 007 to the public since it was announced back in 2020, and the game's official website barely ?has any image??s in it. While it will have an original story, we don't even know which actor's likeness it's going to use for James Bond. It's possible that IO Interactive is wa?iting for the official announcement of the next James Bond actor in order to reveal more information about this mysterious game.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake (Announced in 2020)

There's no denying that Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is one of the most creative and influential video games that Ubisoft has ever put out, and the announcement of? a full-scale remake for mode?rn systems was one of the most exciting projects that the company has revealed in the past few years... until we took a look at its lackl??uster trailer. Reading the tex??t that says "Available January 21, 2021" on that video's description is as funny as it is tragic because Ubisoft went into full-on damage control mode after fans reacted negatively to it.

While we have seen a fair share of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake images and videos, the fact that Ubisoft keeps delaying its release date, coupled with statements from the developers claiming that they used the feedback to c??hange the game as much as possible, means that we can't be entirely sure of how the finished version (that will supposedly release in 2026) is going to look. It's a good thing that Ubisoft is taking its time so it can be sure it won't disappoint fans of this legendary game (and at least we know the studio completely ?cancelled this remake). Still, this entire story is proof that? maybe the company shouldn't announce some of its AAA? video games so quickly.

Hollow Knight: Silksong (Announced in 2019)

Unlike all the other titles on this list, Hollow Knight: Silksong is an indie game made by a smaller studio, Team Cherry. Back in 2019, it announced this se??quel to the belove?d 2017 indie darling Hollow Knight, which was originally going to be DLC for said game until the developers decided to turn it into a full-blown new installment. That's good and all, but after revealing some images and trailers with promising gameplay in them, Hollow Knight: Silksong has complete??ly ?disappeared from the face of the planet.

Team Cherry is a smaller team, and so far, it hasn't reported any major setbacks; it's just that the development of Silksong is taking a lot of time to complete. Hollow Knight fans have been incredibly understandable and patient about this, but they are also begging for the studio to reveal more information. Every single Nintendo Direct, PlayStation Showcase, Gamescom or any similar gaming news event is an emo?tional rollercoaster for these fans, who are eagerly waiting for even the smallest of updates.

The Elder Scrolls VI (Announced in 2018)

During Bethesda's E3 2018 conference, Todd Howard went on stage and announced The Elder Scrolls VI. Seven years after the release of the incredible The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, we finally had confirmation that the next entry in this legendary RPG series was in development. But little did we know that this was the first and last time we were going to see t?his game in the span of 6 years.

Bethesda is famous for creating expansive and ambitious open worlds, having revealed another similar project, Starfield, at the very same conference. The studio most likely focused on Starfield for all these years. Now that it's finally released, the developers can continue working on The Elder Scrolls VI. Regardless of what Bethesda is doing now, Todd Howard should have never revealed this game with so much fanfare in a clear effort to appease Elder Scrolls fans who have been asking for a Skyrim sequel for so long. Announcing such an anticipated vid??eo game, only to not show any more images, videos or information for over 6 years is downright absurd.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 (Announced in 2008, Re-Announced in 2017)

One of the most infamous unreleased video games in the history of the industry is Beyond Good & Evil 2. Ubisoft originally announced it back in 2008, and its reveal trailer sh?owed that it was seemingly going to be a standard sequel with the same main characters from the first game: Jade and Pey'j. But this was sadly never meant to be, as Beyond Good and Evil 2 went through a lot of development issues and changes before disappearing from the face of the planet for? almost a decade.

But Ubisoft reignited the fan's hopes when it re-revealed Beyond Good and Evil 2 during its E3 2017 conference. This was a new version of the game: A prequel with a completely new cast of colorful characters and a bigger focus on open-world gameplay. It may not have been what most fans were hoping for, but it still looked entertaining and promising. Unfortunately, as you can expect from Ubisoft, it stopped revealing information on this game ever since. Some fans are afraid that the company canceled Beyond Good and Evil 2 - with some theorizing that it was retooled into Star Wars Outlaws - but it's still in development within Ubisoft. It certainly hasn't been easy, especially after the game's original director, Emile Morel, passed away in 2023, and the company assigned Fawzi M?esmar as the new director as recently as October 2024.

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Developers Cradle Games and Raw Thrills as well as publisher GameMill Entertainment revealed today that the classic arcade game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants is coming to PC and consoles on April 23, 2024. This expanded version of the arcade beat-em-up marks the first time Wrath of the Mutants is available outside of arcade format.

In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants, players can jump into the action solo or local co-op as Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, or Michaelangelo. Based on the 2012 Nickelodeon series, Wrath of the Mutants takes place across?? a variety of environments including Coney Island and Dimension X as players try to de??feat the Foot Clan and arch-nemesis Shredder.

All the turtles are voiced?? by their orig?inal voice actors: Seth Green, Sean Astin, Rob Paulsen, and Greg Cipes.

I'm not gonna lie, I've invested some quarters—who am I kidding, dollars—into this one at Dave and Busters ??over the years. It will be tempting to just knock out a few levels from time to time. However, even though local couch co-op is a nice touch, It's a bit of a bummer not having the option for online co-op.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants launches on A?pril 23, 2024 on PC, Pl??ayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch for $29.99.

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Reports had surfaced earlier this year from Nickelodeon that the popular TMNT comic book, The Last Ronin, would not be hitting the big screen but instead would be getting a 'God of War-style' AAA video game. As it turns out, those reports appear to be true. During the 2023 THQ Nordic Digital Showcase, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin was officially revealed. TMNT: The Last Ronin f?ollows a lone surviving turtle in a dark alternate future battle?-ravaged New York City.

TH?Q Nordic also dropped a very simple reveal trailer, thoug??h it doesn't really tell us much.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx2ixJFWXcg

I have to be honest, I completely forgot this was a possibility, even though Nickelodeon subtly revealed it earlier this year. When I saw the Nick logo I thought we were getting another Spongebob title. I have nothing against Spongebob, but this is definitely way better.

Unfortunately, we didn't get any sort of details other than it will be based on the best-selling comic book. Also, it's worth noting that this is an official adaptation of TMNT: The Last Ronin, so it will ??p??robably follow the story of the comic.

TMNT: The Last Ronin will be coming to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. No sort o??f release timeframe just ye?t.

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Paramount Pictures and Xbox are teaming up to give you a chance to get your hands on exactly what you've been looking for: a pizza-scented Xbox controller. The cheesy (hehe) event is to celebrate the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem movie that releases on August 2.

The Xbox Wireless Contro?llers come with a built-in scent diffuser shaped like a pizza slice. There's a controller variation for each of the Turtle brothers: Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michaelangelo. The announcement provided no details on the type of pizza we can smell from the controller. I mean, what exactly are we talking about here? Just cheese? Pepperoni? An aromatic supreme pie? Just say it isn't pineapple.

Those who need help getting hungry for a pizza while they game can enter to win one of the controllers pretty easily. Simply follow Xbox Game Pass on Twitter and retweet the official X?box Game Pass sweepstak??es tweet. The giveaway starts on July 24 and lasts through August 13. You can find the full l?ist of rules and eligibility details here.

//twitt?er.com/XboxGamePass/status/168??3492348234199041

Cowabunga, dude!

The controllers themselves have pretty cool TMNT-themed skins, but the "pizza diffuser" looks a bit off. It kind of looks like one of those plastic doggy squeak toys. This is obviously very gimmicky but I guess it could be cool getting a whiff of pizza-y goodness while playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge.

Also part of the event is a new TMNT DLC for Minecraft. The turtles-themed DLC allows you to play as any of the four turtles and explore iconic locations?? such as the Turtle Lair and fight baddies like Krang.

If you're not confident you will win one of these limited controlle??rs, there's still a chance to smell the 'za. Gamers in the NYC area can head over to the Xbox Gaming Lounge at the Microsoft Experience Center on Fifth Avenue and sniff the controllers from 4-7 p.m. EST on August 2.

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Samurai Shelldown

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic The Last Ronin is being adapted into a video game. The surprising but intriguing news? was confirmed by Paramount Global's senior vice president for games, Doug Rosen. A developing studio, platforms, or release date was not revealed.

Released in 2020, TMNT: The Last Ronin tells of a single turtle �wearing a black mask and wielding the iconic weaponry of all four Heroes in an Half-Shell �as they pick their way through a dystopian, futuristic take of New York, seeking revenge for their fallen brethren. The identity of the turtle remains something of a mystery until its revelation further in the tale, making The Last Ronin a particularly grim entry to the TMNT pantheon.

According to Rosen, (in comments made to Polygon), the video game adaptation will be a single-player adventure, though other characters will be playable in various flashbacks dotted throughout the story. Rosen makes illusions to The Last Ronin having gameplay similar to Sony Santa Monica's recent God of War releases �likely referencing a dramatic, third-person, combat-heavy escapade. The title is ?in its very early pre-production stages, so it is understandable at least se?veral years away from release.

While most of the TMNT video games tend to be of the standard brawler/fighter variety, TMNT: The Last Ronin could shape up to be something very different �both tonally and from a gameplay perspective. While fans of The Fab Four await its arrival, they can still find plenty of digital entertainment in the great recent releases TMNT: Shredder's Revenge and TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection.

Beloved? TMNT graphic novel The Last Ronin is becoming a video ??game [Polygon]

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Better shell out for a Netflix sub

Tribute Games' radical throwback brawler TMNT: Shredder's Revenge has made a surprise arrival on mobile platforms �But while the Heroes in a Half-Shell are now readily available to download on Android and iOS platforms, the game itself is only accessible to Netflix subscribers.

It would appear that the 2022 scrapper, a love letter to the TMNT arcade titles of yore, is the newest release in the burgeoning Netflix Games division, and as such requires a Netflix sub to play the title at all. One would assume that this also applies to online modes of Shredder's Revenge, so hopefully you have three pals all sub??bed to the streaming s??ervice if you want some handheld multiplayer action.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qcaEQVBcY0&ab_channel=Netf??lix

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge sees the fab f?our team with Channel 9 reporter April O'Neil, sensei Master Splinter, and sporting goods vigilante Casey Jones on a mission to stop The Shredder and his Foot Clan from taking ove??r The Big Apple. The game features a huge variety of cameos and references to Eastman and Laird's iconic 1987 TV series �including appearances from Bebop & Rocksteady, The Rat King, Irma, Vernon, and the Teenagers from Dimension X.

The mobile port is not currently in parity with the PC and console releases, sitting just one update behind. So while not all of the game's bugs and issues have been ironed out for the mobile port, the majority of features and modes are all present and ready to rock. For our thoughts on the original release, check out our full review right here.

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge is available now on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and mobile plat?forms.

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Growin' up in a glass bowl...

Digital Eclipse has released a major update for its tubular anthology TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection �Now available to downlo??ad on all platforms, the patch features a fistful of highly-requested tweaks across all titles, as well as a fresh round of bug stomps and improved online capabilities.

There are a shelluva lot of changes listed in the official patch notes, with notable examples being PS4 controller support for the PS5 edition, arcade stick support for Xbox platforms, and a selection of four filters for all included ?Game Boy titles. Additionally, a va??riety of additional dip switch and option settings have been applied to several titles, while new tips have been added to the in-game strategy guides.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6wScwqY440&ab_channel=D??estructoid

In regard to online connectivity, TMNT IV: Turtles in Time now supports online multiplayer, while a future update will add the same feature to TMNT III: The Manhatten Project. Across the board, improvements have been made to all games' online stability, while players can setup up lobbies for the two arcade relea??ses, limiting them to two-to-four players as desired. In addition to all of the above, several bugs have been patched out, while fixes have been?? applied to the collection's U.I. and menus.

TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection almost seems too good to be true. Usually, when a collection such as this is put together, red tape and licensing snafus always leave several titles off-grid, but?? Konami has successfully gathered together all of the most memorable TMNT adventures from arcade, home console, and handheld, packaged together with fun features and online support. With this new update, (and further updates planned), the collection remains an absolute must-buy for any fan of the Heroes in a Half-Shell.

TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection is available now on PlaySt??ation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

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Don't worry about the differences too much, though

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is getting a new version this month. The latest TMNT title is getting a native PS5 version? on November 15.

What's different? Aside from running natively on the PlayStation 5, not much. Tribute Games and DotEmu have made it clear this version is identical to the PlayStation 4 version of TMNT: Shredder's Revenge. Previously, TMNT would run on backward compatibility for the PS5, using the PS4 versi?on.

This does mean that PS4 users aren't getting a free upgrade to the new version. But again, this is apparently not a substantively different option. So the reason why DotEmu and Tribute are making this? Well, ??it looks like for a possible physical version.

"The PS5 version is necessary to eventually offer physical PS5 copies ;)," the Tribute Games account noted.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozKsDzumb0c

So if you've got one PlayStation copy, you still seem set. And down the l?ine, this might allow for a PS5 physical version of the turtle-based beat 'em up.

A new platform for TMNT

Shredder's Revenge was released earlier this year, and brought a whole lot of Saturday morning cartoon action to PC and consoles. The TMNT beat 'em up did pretty alright in sales too, so it's no??t too surprising to see these studios considering future options with the native PS5 edition.

Whether we see more content arrive in TMNT: Shredder's Revenge in the future or not seems up in the air. I'd love to see the crew dip deeper into TMNT nostalgia, but considering DotEmu especially has a good track record for beat 'em ups, I'm eager to see whatever's in store next.

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Way more cowabunga, dude

A new stability patch is live for TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, acros?s all platforms. The update is set to address bugs and make game stability improvements for all the turtle-powered action.

According to publisher ??Dotemu, the patch addresses some "tedious bugs" a??nd adds a number of improvements, both for gameplay and online features.

"Tribute Games to the rescue!" Dotemu declared on Twitter, shouting out the TMNT develo??per alongside the announceme??nt of the update.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozKsDzumb0c

The patch notes are fairly lengthy. In it, Tribute Games and Dotemu detail? a number of fixes, s??ome big and some small.

For example, under the Gameplay Bug Fixes, there's a fix for enemies sometimes getting frozen after a Fling Slam. That's a bit jar??ring to the action, and probably uncomfortable for those Foot Clan fighters.

There's also some fixes for online co-op play, addressing crashes and connection issues. Thus, it should hopefully be a bit smoother to ?form a Turtles crew over the web.

A smoother Turtles experience

Broader improvements have also been made to the game. Performance should be improved as now, all possible enemies that will be used in ??a stage will be preloaded. Transitions and boss position snapping should ??also be improved.

Plus, platform ico?ns are now listed for online games and friends. And for the Steam Deck players, support for input glyphs specific to the Steam Deck has been added.

All-in-all, it sounds like a good update for TMNT: Shredder's Revenge fans who might have run into some issues playing through the game. Having seen some of these online issues firsthand when some pals tried to organize?? a co-op session, it'?s nice to see this update.

The TMNT: Shredder's Revenge patch should be live now on all platforms. And if you think that's it for the summer in terms of Turtles games, I have some good news. TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection is set to launch later this month on August 30. And yes, it has rollback netcode.

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Pizza Power!

Publisher Dotemu and developer Tribute Games have proudly announced that super-fun beat-'em-up Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge smashed its?? release sales expectations, having ?sold a mighty one million copies during its first seven days of release. Radical.

"Tribute Games set out to make the ultimate celebration of a chapter in TMNT history that means the world to us, and it’s been wonderful to watch the accessible fun of beat-em-ups resonate with longtime fans and genre newcomers alike," said Tribute Games Co-Founder Jean-Francois Major in a press release. "We’re thankful for all of the support and encouragement the passionate TMNT community has shown us since the reveal of TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, and we look forward to watching players continue to discover the easter eggs we’ve hidden ?throughout the game while chaining?? together some bodacious combos."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozKsDzumb0c

Kicking off on PC and consoles on July 16, Shredder's Revenge is a passionate recall of the classic Konami TMNT arcades of yesterday. Leonardo, Donatello, Michaelangelo, and Raphael take to the streets of New York once again to see off the evil Foot Clan, as well as a host of iconic villains from the classic 1987 animated series. Joined on the journey by pals Splinter, April O'Neil, and an unlockable Casey Jones, our heroes in a half-shell battle it out in colorful and chaotic arcade action. It's good old-fashioned fun for one-to-four players, and a must-buy for any fan of the enduring TMNT franchise.

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge is available now on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. It is also available via Xbox Game Pass. You can check out our review of the bodacious brawler right here.

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Stuffed Crust

Today sees the launch of nostalgic smack-'em-up Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, (you can check out our review right here), but while the Heroes in a Half-Shell have only just re??turned to the streets, fans are already poking the developer squad on the possibility of p??ost-release DLC.

In an interview with Xbox Expansion Pass, Tribute Games' Yannick Belzil was asked about the possibility of alternate character skins, for example, the turtles' penchant for trilbies and overcoats. In a response that makes perfect sense, Belzil noted that the distinct animated style of Shredder's Revenge prevents the team from altering the sprites too much, and thus alternate costumes are unlikely to be on deck, now or at anytime in the future??.

//youtu.be/GemOAwU-9fo

However, following some misleading "No DLC at all"-style headlines, Dotemu's Cyrille Imbert took to Twitter to clarify that while there are currently no plans for post-launch content, factors such as public perception and player feedback could decide whether the team returns to Shredder's Revenge at some point in the future. I'm sure, right now, they'd just like to? rest up after a job well do??ne.

Put simply: The??re are no DLC plans now. There could be in the future.

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge is a solid and fun brawler, but there is room, should Dotemu decide, for additional modes �such as Time Attack, Boss Rush, Endless, or 1CC. The TMNT lore runs deep, so should Tribute Games choose to add extra stages and/or characters, it would be understandably welcomed by fans. But all of this is putting the cart well before the horse. The game isn't even a single day old yet. But for those players who prefer the chase to the catch (seemingly all ?modern video game fans), know that future content ideas haven't been flushed down the sewer just yet.

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge l?a??unches today on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

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You'll love being a turtle

Somewhere, tucked away in a photo album at my dad's house, there lies a photograph of me playing Konami's Teenage Mutant "Hero" Turtles arcade, during a 1990 family vacation to the tropical paradise that is South Devon. I remember literally having "jelly legs" after playing, such was my complete, unadulterated excitement at my two greatest loves of the time combining. You see, my friends, what I was experiencing was the perfect marriage of the two most important elements of the 1990s for any 10-year-old: TMNT and arcade games.

While Eastman & Laird's iconic Heroes in a Half Shell have since dipped their two-toed feet into all manner of gaming genres, there is little argument that they will always be suited best to the beat-'em-up genre. From the aforementioned 1989 arcade classic, to the beloved 1992 SNES release Turtles in Time and its Sega Mega Drive compadre The Hyperstone Heist, the lean, green fighting machines are perfectly attuned to multiplayer mayhem. TMNT was made for brawling... More so than The frikkin' Simpsons.

And so, with the genre currently enjoying a major renaissance, publisher Dotemu and developer Tribute Games have decided it's high time that Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michaelangelo make their grand return to the mean streets. But in a whole new era, one where the brawler genre has advanced beyond its rudimentary beginnings, is the TMNT brand capable of regaining its button-mashin?g crown, or is it just ninja, ninja, crap? Let's check it out. And remember, the clock's tickin', dude.

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge (PS4 [reviewed], PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Tribute Games
Publisher: Dotemu
Released: June 16, 2022
MSRP: $24.99

Describing the gameplay of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is something of a monument to pointlessness, as we all know the score by now. You pick your favorite characters, and then take to the streets of New York City, laying down a solid green knuckle sandwich on the battalion of foolhardy Foot Clan members that stand in your way. Break some skulls, toss some bodies, face down an end-of-level guardian, and it's on to the next stage. It's a tale as old as time and, for the most part, Shredder's Revenge changes very little from the core gameplay of Konami's 1989 classic. You gotta know what a crumpet is t?o understand cricket, and you also know what you're getting yourself into here.

As it is no longer 1989, the brawler genre has, itself, gone through some serious evolutionary stages since those halcyon arcade years. And in order to bring Shredder's Revenge screaming into the terrible 2020s, developer Tribute Games has seen fit to widen each individual character's arsenal of attacks, combos, and specials, as well as fine-tune their individual strengths and w?eaknesses in battle.

For your hapless opponents, we now have tried-and-tested button mash combos; various anti-air counters; two forms of dash attack; jump and dive kicks; team attacks; and flashy, screen-clearing specials. The biggest addition is that of a tactical roll, which has invincibility frames and will prove to be a crucial tool in your battle with the robo-ninjas. Our heroes are also equipped with several very familiar throws, including the famous Mode?? 7 screen toss, the multi-slam, and Raphael busting out a German Suplex that would make Lesnar proud.

Shredder's Revenge has sublime controls, effectively designed so that beginners and younger players can get straight to dishing out vigilante justice, while offering hardened brawler fans elbow room for slick combos, juggles, and wall splats. While this makes for impactful and satisfying combat, it must be noted that Shredder's Revenge does not boast the same precision of a Streets of Rage 4 or a Fight'n Rage. T??hese are titles that truly explore the marriage between brawler and fighter, presenting each and every enemy encounter as an individual problem to ?be solved.

While Shredder's Revenge is undoubtedly deeper than its TMNT forerunners, its role is that of a "Supercharged Turtles in Time," rather than a groundbreaking example of the genre's evolution. Crucially, however, Shredder's Revenge is committed to an all-out effort to en??sure that you and your friends are having pure, unadulterated fun. A mission goal that the colorful scrapper achieve??s with ease.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=GemOAwU-9fo

Shredder's Revenge sets itself within the world of the 1987 TMNT animated series. The colors, style, humor, characters, and locations immediately recall memories of the classic TV show �the medium in which "Turtle Mania" became a global phenomenon. If the faithful appearance of the Fab Four (voiced by their original actors) wasn't enough, then fans will be giddy with excitement to hear that Shredder's Revenge is jam-packed with characters from th??e show, ranging from regular villains such as Bebop, Krang, Rocksteady, and The Shredder himse??lf, to a wide variety of deep-lore cameos.

When some of these lesser-known characters popped up, my jaw dropped, having not had them enter my sphere of reference since I first saw them on TV all those decades ago. I was expecting to see Bebop & Rocksteady �and was spoiled with an appearance of Best Girl Irma Langenstein �but I had completely forgotten about one-off characters such as... well... why would I spoil the surprises? Tribute Games, true to its moniker, has gone above and beyond to make Shredder's Revenge a celebration of the show's legacy, filling its games with references to the series that will please the most dedicated TMNT fans.

As you might expect, Shredder's Revenge sounds as good as it looks. The action is soundtracked with an excellent score from artist Tee Lopes, which is punctuated by appearances from vocal legends Mike Patton and The Wu-Tang Clan. There's also a fantastic mullet-rock song, complete with lyrics, that helps to capture the game's nostalgic Saturday Morning vibe. Lopes has made the smart decision to replicate the legendary "Konami sound," vibrant tones that scored the days when Konami was king of both the arcades and the hearts of the video game community. No,?? honestly, it really w?as.

Where Shredder's Revenge shines brightest, however, is in its personality, utilizing awesome pixel-based animation to afford life and charm to the characters and their world. It's the little things: Individual run cycles, taunts, and celebrations; goofy background characters; and nods to previous TMNT games, shows, and movies. Adding April O'Neil, Splinter, and an unlockable Casey Jones as playable characters is inspired, providing welcome variety in multiplayer games. (April, in ?particular, has some of the cutest sprite animations in the genre, including some suspiciously familiar Street Fighting maneuvers.)

From hazardous open manholes and fire hydrant traps, to promises of Turtle Soup, the return of those irritating "Do Not Resist Us" bots, and even a sequence that references another famous Konami brawler, Tribute Games knows what the audience wants to see, hear, and experience, then goes out of its way to deliver. And while it doesn't always work, (the vehicular sections have some irritating forced perspective issues, for example)??, the flaws? are swiftly forgotten in the energetic, joyful spirit of the gameplay.

As a beat-'em-up Shredder's Revenge is, ultimately, a shallower experience than one might expect in the current climate, though it does add depth with its great range of moves and minor fetch quests. Outside of the TMNT fanbase, I don't think Shredder's Revenge will offer the same long-term replay value as some of its contemporaries. For party play, however, the six-player co-op mode will provide some enjoyable, accessible action for any group of friends. Shredder's Revenge is??n't really a title to be "mastered," it's more a lazy ?afternoon riot, to be enjoyed with good company. A true arcade experience.

[Note: Shredder's Revenge features both online and local six-player co-op. As of press time I was unable to test the online multiplayer capabilities. I will return to this review following launch with my findings. The PlayStation version, curiously, is strictly limited to four-player local co-op.]

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge delivers exactly what one expects. It's a great-looking, great-sounding, and great-playing love letter to one of the most beloved franchises of all time. It lacks the top-tier polish and scalpel-precise intelligence of Streets of Rage 4, instead choosing to present itself purely as a retro multiplayer masher �albeit one with a far expanded moveset than its predecessors. As a brawler aficionado, I think Shredder's Revenge is good, delivered with a passion that veers into great. I don't think it topples the best examples of the genre, but I defy any TMNT fan to play this game without sporting a massive grin on their face. And, ultimately, that's the highest praise it can re??ceive.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is a delightful celebration of the Heroes in a Half-Shell. More importantly, it's simply a helluva lot of fun to play. It breaks little in the way of new ground, remaining rooted in old-school cool, but it does offer wild, satisfying combat, packed out with personality and charm. For anyone who ever jumped off a schoolyard wall �tree branch in hand �shouting "Cowabunga!", Shredder's Revenge is absolutely worth shelling out for.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Even more turtle power

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are getting even more back-up for their next outing. Today, DotEmu locked in a launch date of June 16 for TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, and Casey Jones is joining the fray.

Today's trailer at the Summer Game Fest showcase debuted Casey in all his hockey-masked glory. Casey will fight alongside the turtles, their master Splinter, and beat-em-?up reporter April O'Neil.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyfKYsSDDb4

Also confirmed is local and online co-op for up to six players. Yes, th??at means a lot of chaos on the screen all at once. But isn't that a plus?

Six-player mayhem

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge impressed me a lot when I played it at PAX East earlier this year, and adding both more players and Casey Jones is just icing on top. Dotemu's garnered a good reputation for brawlers at this point, with its previous work on projects like Streets of Rage 4.

With TMNT: Shredder's Revenge though, it really feels l??ike they're honing in on that Saturday morning brawler feeling. In my demo,? it felt fairly easy to pick up and play as anyone, and the fighters all felt very individual. After seeing April bash someone with a boom mic, I'm pretty thrilled to see what the team has concocted for Casey Jones. Add in a ton of multiplayer mayhem, and June's looking like a good time for a couch co-op party.

The brawling gets underway next week when TMNT: Shredder's Revenge h??its PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintend??o Switch on June 16.

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...And the clock's ticking, dude

As part of the Limited Run Games summer showcase, wherein the retailer revealed its long laundry list of physical releases for 2022-2023, it was announced that Dotemu's cool-looking brawler TMNT: Shredder's Revenge will be getting a hard copy on PS4, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

All three versions will include a disc/cart-based copy of Shredder's Revenge, a full-color art booklet, a set of character stickers, a reversible cover, and, in a nice little throwback, a voucher for a free personal pan pizza at participating branches of Pizza Hut. This neat bonus is, of course, a throwback to the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Arcade Game on NES, which also included?? a free pizza with each purchase!

//twitter.com/L??imitedRu?nGames/status/1533910176637517827?s=20&t=1OyPR7h4FbGbLewoOupIfg

It seems like Limited Run really had to pull some strings and do some serious organizing in order to get the pizza tie-in promotion on board, and as such, the offer is only redeemable at North American outlets and is tied exclusively to the Limited Run edition of TMNT: Shredder's Revenge. Still, it's a very cute, unique, and nostalgic freebie, especially for those who can actually eat pizza, unlike your feather-stomached boy Moyse. Regardless, pre-orders are now live on the Limited Run Games store.

While no images were shown, Limited Run also has a full Collector's Edition of the cartoon brawler in the works, which will include all of the above gubbins along with a Playmates figure of Shredder himself, replicated from the megaselling 1990s toy line. More ??details on this edition will be rev??ealed in the near future.

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge launc??hes 2022 on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

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DE-STROY THEMMM!

Players enjoying the knockabout run of GameMill Entertainment's Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl wi?ll be stoked to hear that a new star has joined the battle �The Shredder. The long-time nemesis of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is now ready to rumble and avai??lable to download on all platforms. Best of all, the nefarious evildoer is free of charge to all players!

You can ch??eck out the supervillain in action in this new trailer.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSIxWDBJ9SU

While TMNT has its fair share of bad dudes, not one is nearly as iconic as the steely masked Oroku Saki, better known �and feared �by his enemies as The Shredder. ?A skilled martial arts master with an obsessive, bloodthirsty personality, Shredder is the arch-enemy of the Heroes in a Half-Shell and their master, Splinter, with whom Saki shares a long-time vendetta. Shredder has amassed a private army, The Foot Clan, in order to conquer the global crime scene and permanently eradicate his enemies.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruNM6J_G-6c

The Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl iteration of Shredder is surprisingly fast, with a variety of long-range dash attacks set to catch opponents off-guard. Shredder is as lethal in the air as he is on the ground, showing off an air-cutting somersault attack to slice 'n' dice anyone foolhardy enough to challenge him in the skies. While the video shows Shredder battling his TMNT enemies, such as Michaelangelo and April O'Neil, it's impossible not to rub your brains at the thought of him scrapping with Helga from Hey Arnold... or... frickin'... Garfield. What a bizarre gam??e.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is available now on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platform?s.

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