Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (video game)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time was the sequel to the 1989 arcade hit, it is a side scroll beat'em up with improved gameplay, graphics and sound, it was released by Konami on September 18, 1991

Turtles in Time begins with the Turtles watching April on a news report. Krang, in his gigantic android body, appears in the background and steals the Statue of Liberty. The Shredder then appears on the TV screen, taunting the Turtles. After chasing down The Shredder, he sends the Turtles through a time warp, where they must fight through various time periods in order to return home and defeat Shredder and Krang once and for all.

Like the previous game, the system consist of jump and attack buttons, however, it features several combinations and attacks and adds a running feature. The special attack remains, only this time it's different from every turtle, Leonardo spins with his katanas, Michaelangelo leaps forward attacking with his nunchuks or grappling hook, Donatello thrust himself with his bo staff attacking with his feet and Raphael makes a spin kick.

It featured astonishing graphic effects for the time and a sample of the song Pizza Power from the "Coming Out of Their Shells" Tour.

It was ported to the SNES in 1992 under the tile Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time, as an unlockable bonus in TMNT 3: Mutant Nightmare (PS2, GC, Xbox) and a downloadable 3-D remake called Turtles in Time Re-Shelled for the Xbox (360) Live Arcade and PS3 PS Network.

Arcade Version/Re-Shelled

 * Baxter Stockman
 * Metalhead
 * Cement Man
 * Tokka and Rahzar
 * Leatherhead
 * Super Krang
 * Krang
 * Shredder

Super NES Version

 * Baxter Stockman
 * Metalhead
 * Rat King on the Footski
 * Tokka and Rahzar
 * Shredder in a Battletank
 * Slash
 * Bebop and Rocksteady
 * Leatherhead
 * Super Krang
 * Krang
 * Super Shredder

Gameplay
Up to four players (two players in the SNES version) can take control of Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Each playable character has his own strengths and weaknesses. New features in this game include the ability to execute a power attack by hitting an enemy several times in a row, and the ability to slam Foot Soldiers into surrounding enemies or to throw them out of the playing field, towards the camera.

The game features the same control scheme of the previous arcade release, a joystick for movement, an attack button and a jump button. ertain joystick/button combinations can make a Turtle run, perform a slide or dash attack, jump higher, perform a stationary or directed air attack, or perform a special attack.

Players guide the turtles through a series of levels, starting out in the streets of New York City before being transported to levels representing various eras of history. In each level, players face enemies from the 1987 cartoon, including foot soldiers and stone warriors.

Plot
The introductory cut scene of the game details the game's plot. It begins with the Turtles watching a TV newscast on a Sunday evening, with April O'Neil reporting from Liberty Island. Suddenly, Krang flies in using a giant exosuit (seen occasionally in the animated series  ) and steals the Statue of Liberty, moments before Shredder hijacks the airwaves to laugh at the Turtles. The Turtles jump into action in downtown New York and pursue the Foot to the streets and the city sewers (then to the Technodrome in the SNES version ), where Shredder sends them through a time warp. The Turtles must fight Shredder's army in both the past and the future in order to get home.

Development
The original music of the game's soundtrack was composed by Mutsuhiko Izumi a TMNT veteran who also composed the music for the previous arcade game in the series. It was produced by Kazuhiko Uehara and Harumi Ueko, both of whom went on to produce several Konami games, including the following TMNT game, Tournament Fighters. In addition to an original musical score, the attract mode of the arcade game is noted for featuring the song "Pizza Power", which was taken from the TMNT live concert known as the Coming Out of Their Shells Tour. The game's music was released as part of the compilation album Konami All-Stars 1993 ~ Music Station of Dreams, published by King Records in 1992.

The 2005 version of the game included in Mutant Nightmare features new music and voices, updated to match the new TMNT series. The same would apply to Turtles In Time: Re-Shelled.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
The Super NES version was retitled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time in North America in order to tie it to the first three Ninja Turtles games for the NES. Like the NES version of the first arcade game, the SNES version of Turtles in Time is not a direct port of the arcade original, as it did present some notable differences in presentation and gameplay.

While the SNES version is missing some animations and graphics effects from the arcade version, it features a Mode 7 forward scrolling effect in the "Neon Night-Riders" level and unique skin tones for each turtle. The SNES version is also missing certain voice samples for both the turtles and boss characters. In addition, the arcade version's title theme song, "Pizza Power", was replaced with an instrumental version of the cartoon theme song.

Various alterations were made to the SNES version's gameplay. "Sewer Surfin'" and "Neon Night-Riders", were changed to bonus levels and a new Technodrome stage was added. Five new bosses were also added: Slash, who replaced Cement Man, the Rat King, Battletank Shredder, and the duo of Bebop and Rocksteady who replaced Tokka and Rahzar who were moved to the new Technodrome level. The game also replaces the final boss with Super Shredder from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (who previously appeared in the NES game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project). The SNES version also adds two regular enemies: Roadkill Rodneys (which replaced the boxing robots) and Mousers. The game also features a time-trial mode, and a two-player versus fight mode.

Voice Cast (Arcade Only):

Renae Jacobs-April O'Neil

Jim Cummings-Shredder, Cement Man, & Leatherhead

Cam Clarke-Leonardo

Barry Gordon-Donatello

Rob Paulsen-Raphael

Townsend Coleman-Michaelangelo

Pat Fraley-Prof. Baxter Stockman, Metalhead, Pizza Monsters, & Krang

Frank Welker-Tokka & Rahzar

Turtles in Time: Re-Shelled
Turtles in Time: Re-Shelled is a 2009 downloadable game; a remake of the original arcade incarnation. Other than the graphics being fleshed out in 3D, voice acting from the 2003 series cast, and completely new music, other subtle differences were added, including 8 direction attacking and modified boss patterns. Due to an expired license, it was removed from Xbox Live Marketplace and the PlayStation Network in North America, on June 30, 2011. G4 article

Voice Cast

 * Michael Sinterniklaas: Leonardo, Leatherhead, Narrator
 * Wayne Grayson: Michelangelo, Krang, Metalhead
 * Sam Regal: Donatello, Baxter Stockman, Foot Soldier
 * Frank Frankson: Raphael, Cement Man, Foot Soldier
 * Scottie Ray: Shredder, Rock Soldier
 * Veronica Taylor: April O'Neil

Reception

 * Turtles in Time is often cited as the best of the TMNT games. Video podcast Screwattack named the game the best "beat-'em-up" of all time.
 * The Re-shelled remake has been criticized for being a remake of the arcade version instead of the SNES version, which many regard as the better port.

Continuity Nods/References

 * The continue screen of the SNES version of this game homages the poster of the first movie.
 * The Re-Shelled version of the game is more or less set in the 1987 Turtles continuity (or, at least a parallel of it), but uses the cast of the 2003 series.
 * Oddly enough, Splinter uses his 2003 character model, but has his 1987 counterpart's colour scheme.
 * In his portrait artwork, Shredder has his trademark claws on only one hand, similar to his 2003 counterpart. In game, they're on both hands.
 * In Re-Shelled, Shredder is wearing his outfit from the second movie, but his helmet is from the first movie. Interestingly, the arcade version of the Shredder is based on the 1987 show, while the SNES version still has the 1987 variant, it's only seen briefly, being replaced by Super Shredder.
 * The SNES version features an extra stage and two modified stages that work as bonus stages, it is rumored that Technodrome, Let's Kick Shell was planned for the original arcade game.
 * The opening of the arcade version has an error when playing the samples, when Don says "you bloated bean bag", the name of the scene is shown before he finishes the phrase and the music keeps playing, this doesn't allow the game to play the sample, "Big Apple 3 A. M." which was recorded in the game. This was fixed in the SNES version.
 * The final scene Technodrome: The Final Shell Shock has a different date in the Arcade and SNES version, originally it's 1991, in the SNES is 1992.
 * The TMNT 3: Mutant Nightmare port is slightly altered, it features a different soundtrack (most likely for music rights) and the opening title is skipped. It has some emulation errors, which probably is the reason for which the opening is skipped. The door at the middle of the 1st stage is not covered by the floor and Shredder's image at the time warp scene doesn't warp. The voices are either bad emulated as well or were remastered; some sounds aren't played either.

Production Errors

 * In the Re-Shelled remake of the game, the announcer only says "Technodrome" when you reach the final stage, which should be "Technodrome: The Final Shell Shock".

Levels
BIG APPLE, 3 AM~This level takes place on a girder wireframe. The hazards are wrecking balls and Krang, who has gotten bigger and tries to zap the Turtles with lasers that come out of his eyes. The boss is Baxter Stockman in his mutant fly form, armed with a ray gun.

ALLEYCAT BLUES~This level takes place in an alley. Depending on what version you play, either boxing robots or Roadkill Rodney will appear. The boss is Metalhead.

SEWER SURFIN'~This level takes place in the sewers. In the SNES version, it's a bonus stage. Pizza Monsters appear here. There is no boss in the arcade version, but in the SNES version, Rat King appears on the Footski.

TECHNODROME: LET'S KICK SHELL~This level takes place in the Technodrome and only appears in the SNES version. Mousers appear here. The bosses are Tokka,Rahzar, and Shredder in a Battletank.

PREHISTORIC TURTLESAURAS~This level takes place in the Stone Age. Stone Warriors and dinosaurs appear here. The boss is Cement Man in the arcade version and Slash in the SNES version.

SKULL AND CROSSBONES~This level takes place on a Pirate Ship. The hazard for this level is a ship firing cannon balls at the Turtles. In the arcade version,Tokka and Rahzar are bosses while in SNES version, Bebop and Rocksteady replace them.

BURY MY SHELL AT WOUNDED KNEE~This level takes place on a train in the Wild West Era. The boss is Leatherhead.

NEON NIGHT RIDERS~This level takes place in the Future. In the SNES version, it's a bonus stage. The boss is Krang's Android Body.

STARBASE:WHERE NO TURTLES HAVE GONE BEFORE~This level takes place in a Space Station. Robot Walkers appear here. The boss is Krang in a UFO.

TECHNODROME: THE FINAL SHELL SHOCK~This level takes place in the Technodrome's hold with the Statue of Liberty in the background, and is mainly a boss battle with Super Shredder on the SNES version and normal Shredder in the arcade/Re-Shelled version.