Few heroes kick as much ass or spout as many memorable one-liners as the iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. You can find these heroes in just about any entertainment medium you can think of, and that includes video games. Once upon a time, the show was a staple of kids’ morning TV, and there was no better way to follow that up than playing with action figures or slapping on a game.
The only issue is that even the most ardent TMNT fan would agree that many of the games are mediocre at best. Others are inexcusably bad, even when viewed with rose-tinted nostalgia glasses. Sadly, many TV or movie adaptations suffer the same fate, and it’s taken decades for these crossovers not to immediately be viewed as low-effort tie-ins.
Fortunately, they aren’t all bad, and there are some diamonds in the rough if you know where to look. With this in mind, here’s a list of TMNT games that do the Heroes in Half-shells justice. As a new TMNT doesn’t enter the market every day, there are plenty of retro games on the list as some of them simply cannot be beaten!
10 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan
Fun But Limited
We’re kicking our list off with a newer TMNT game, which is fun but definitely has limitations.
Mutants in Manhattan is a busy 3D brawler with a slick cel-shaded art style. I dig the artistic choice, as it goes with the comic book vibe, although combat can get a little messy. On the plus side, the villains look fantastic, and it’s a real treat to see Krang and Bebop with a PS4 lick of paint.
Mutants in Manhattan is great for bite-size gaming sessions as the stages are short and snappy. My major gripe with the game is its forced co-op, and if you’re not playing with friends, you must play with AI teammates.
Despite its flaws, fans will enjoy Mutants in Manhattan, and there’s an addictive gameplay loop as you upgrade your heroes.
9 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Don't Underestimate the GBA
Nintendo’s plucky Game Boy Advance has several Turtles games in its library, and the original from 2003 is a great way to introduce them.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a 2D scrolling beat ’em up. Unlike something like Streets of Rage, you’re restricted to a single plane, which may sound awkward, but it works pretty well.
Stages often have multiple levels, like the sidewalk and a ledge, which you can jump between. The Turtles are satisfyingly nimble, too, with shoulder charges and slides doubling as movement tech.
Honestly, I really dig this entry, even if TMNT on the same console inches it out. We’ll cover that one later!
8 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus
The Platform Matters
I’ve read some choice words about Battle Nexus on the GBA, and while I agree somewhat, I also appreciate the title for trying something new. It’s also better than the PS2, GC, and Xbox versions, in my opinion, as they feel like dated 3D platformers.
Battle Nexus is a 2D side scroller at its core but with a stronger emphasis on strategy. For example, you don’t even start with a katana and must sneak past opponents until you find one and can turn the tables.
Some of the movement feels a little stiff, but there’s a welcome sprinkle of puzzle-solving and platforming, which is missing in many Turtles games. If you’re lucky enough to own the Game Cube game, it’s a valuable collector’s item and commands outrageous sums on the pre-owned market.
7 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES)
An Old School Ass Kicker
I didn’t own an NES when I was growing up, so I didn’t experience TMNT on the platform until much later. It made no difference and the game thrashed me all the same.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the NES is a brutal 2D sidescroller, although there are a few brief ‘overworld’ sections played from a different perspective. One nice touch with the NES game is that each Turtle has subtly different strengths and weaknesses. For example, Raphael is deadly up but loses out against opponents in the distance.
The game boasts a generous serving of old-school difficulty, and some areas, like the underwater section, are borderline unfair. That said, tough games are part of the territory on the NES, and it’s an enjoyable game if you can handle the pressure.
6 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters (SNES)
Now It's Personal
The rich cast of TMNT is just screaming for a fighting game, and in 1993, we got it.
Tournament Fighters is a solid 1v1 fighting game on the SNES featuring the Turtles and a decent selection of villains from the series. The 10-strong roster is compact but varied enough, and the four-button control scheme is intuitive.
The quality of fighting games on the SNES is all over the place, but TMNT is one of the good ones. The controls are decent, as is the soundtrack. The stages also have busy backgrounds, which makes them feel more alive.
The AI is a little annoying to fight as it never misses an anti-air, but the game remains a great addition to the franchise.
5 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The HyperStone Heist
Sega Was Feeling Left Out
Back in the 90s, Sega and Nintendo were in an intense battle for the home console market. Both had impressive libraries in their own ways, and one exclusive that only Genesis users could enjoy was HyperStone Heist.
HyperStone Heist is a solid scrolling beat-em-up. It’s a short but sweet experience, and the soundtrack is as thumpy as you should expect from the system.
The Turtles are fun to control with the shoulder charge attack, and there’s even vehicle sections to break up the gameplay. The game isn’t as good as the SNES offerings, but a solid game nonetheless.
4 TMNT
Three For Three For The GBA
I rarely see TMNT on the GBA mentioned, but it’s another excellent side-scrolling beat ’em up, even with the system limitations. It’s also great to see each Turtles game on the system offer a unique gameplay style.
TMNT has a fun story tying the stages together, and the combat is remarkable, considering there are only two face buttons.
The Turtles use different moves depending on the direction you’re holding at the time. And everyone gets their turn in the spotlight. There are also jump attacks so you can assault your opponents from above.
The game looks great, feels great, and is as as you’ll get to Turtles in Time on the go. The funny part is the game actually came out on home consoles, but it sucked on the Game Cube, PS2, Xbox.
3 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate
A Refreshing Take
You’ve probably noticed that the vast majority of TMNT games stick to a select few genres. While Splintered Fate isn’t outlandish, it’s a decent and refreshing take on the universe.
Splintered Fate is a Roguelite at it’s core and not dissimilar to Hades in its execution. You can dash around the map to avoid attacks, there’s a wide array of skills to play with, and bosses will humble you until you learn their attack patterns.
The developers have leaned into the franchise in all the right ways. The Turtles never miss an opportunity to crack one-liners, and they are far more nimble than they look. Best of all, Splintered Fate has a superb co-op mode, making it one of the best ways to enjoy TMNT with a friend.
2 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles In Time
A SNES Classic
Many fans regard Turtles in Time as the best TMNT game on the market. I would 100% agree with this if it wasn’t for a certain release in 2022.
Turtles in Time is a shining example of an Arcade port done right. The game is an impressively fluid brawler with catchy tunes and gorgeous busy backdrops, whether you play in the arcade or on the SNES.
Technically, the Arcade version looks and plays better, but the SNES version has extra levels that round off the package nicely for a home release.
I won’t reel off all the version differences here, but the arcade version can be played four-player, while the home version is only for two. Still, it’s not a deal-breaker by any means, and the title has truly survived the test of time.
1 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
You Saw This Coming
Dotemu did a phenomenal job with Streets of Rage 4 and delivered even with lofty fan expectations. The team then proved it wasn’t just a fluke with Shredder’s Revenge.
Without trying to sound like a rabid fanboy, Shredder’s Revenge is everything I ever wanted from a Turtles game. The tone is a little more goofy than SoR4, and the game is a brilliantly responsive brawler.
So many iconic baddies make an appearance in Shredder’s Revenge, and the title offers flawless co-op, so you can battle with friends.
The locale variance is impressive, and it’s a game I infrequently return to for a run with my friends.
As the game has several difficulty modes, it’s accessible to everyone, unlike the classic games, but the ‘Gnarly’ mode will still whip hardcore players into shape.
