The graphics are exactly what you'd expect from a GBA game. A very cartoony style that suits both the franchise and the game perfectly. There's a nice hit display on the right side showing how long of a combo you have and also you earn bonus points for stringing together longer combos. Also at the top of the screen you can find your health bar and your special meter which when full allows you to call in the turtle you selected as your co-op partner for some help. Even when the action on screen gets hectic and there's plenty of baddies to battle the framerate always stays constant. There's never a moment where the action bogs down which is definitely a high point for the game since it's very detailed and often there's many things going on.
Sound:
The sound department of this game is certainly top notch. The sound effects all seem appropriate for the effect they are trying to portray. The musical tracks of this game are very catchy. In particular I find myself humming along to the tune that plays while your viewing the trophy case.
Gameplay:
The gameplay to me is very reminiscent of classic Konami style beat'em ups that were prominent in both the arcades and consoles during the SNES/Genesis era. You have your choice between any of the 4 turtles for most of the levels although 2 of them force you to use Raphael which isn't really a problem since their abilities seem well balanced. There's plenty of variety with both the regular attacks the turtles can do and also using different weapons such as crates, bats and even lead pipes from smashing a parking meter off the streets. There's a nice variety of enemy types and some pretty cool bosses in there to keep you on your toes. Your characters do level up which is a nice little touch and also there's shops on the streets where you can purchase stat bolstering items. In between missions you will be in the turtles lair (the sewers of course!) which is connected to the streets where you can visit shops, play mini-games and even battle an endless horde of baddies to hone
your skills. Also a nice touch to the turtles lair is a "trophy case", this case is basically the games version of achievements which is a very nice little touch.Conclusion:
So is this game worth hunting down for a handheld system that is simply a thing of the past. The answer is a very emphatic YES! The bottom line is this game is great, if your a fan of the TMNT franchise and of classic style beat'em ups this game is an absolute must buy. Doesn't matter whether you dust off the GBA or pop it in your DS lite there is plenty of fun to be had here. Sure the experience is rather short (shouldn't take you more than 3-4 hours first playthrough on normal). But the game is an absolute joy to play. The graphics, music and gameplay all compliment each other perfectly for this obvious hidden gem. Considering this game came out after the DS was hot and the GBA was a thing of the past I'm willing to bet most people missed out on this intially just as I did. Your best bet to find this game now would probably be local stores that sell older used games or a site like ebay. I picked up mine on ebay for $4 so even given how short the game is the price is certainly right.
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