Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is a collection of 13 classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games released in the 90s for NES, SNES, Sega Genesis and Gameboy arcades and consoles. Games from the collection have the ability to remap buttons, save and rewind, new Boss Rush and Challenge Modes, updated textures, as well as bonus materials, including sketches and sketches.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection Review - The pizza is perfect!
Butcher79
In our review of TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection, we dive into how happy it is to return to the awesome side-scrolling platformer series.
I have been a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for as long as I can remember. In fact, I think Leonardo, Donatello, Raf and Michelangelo are part of why I love pizza so much.
So no wonder I couldn't wait to get my hands on it Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collectionsince not only am I enjoying one adventure with my favorite turtles kicking ass enemies, but 13 of them. Yes, this set of games includes Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES and Arcade), TMNTII: The Arcade Game, TMNT: Fall of the Footclan, TMNT: Turtles in Time, TMNTIII: The Manhattan Project and more. It is also worth noting that these games come from various platforms such as arcade, SNES, NES, Sega Genesis и Game Boy.
Since in The Cowabunga Collection so many games, I'm not going to break every single game, otherwise I'd be here before Christmas. Instead, I intend to provide an overview and individual mentions where necessary. However, I can tell right off the bat that every game is a treat. There are no unexploded ordnance in sight.
I've played a couple of these games in my time, but not all of them. However, within seconds of launching a new game for me, I could tell that I was in for a fun time full of action, great side-scrolling, and intense platforming that was sure to test all of my non-existent skills. I like platform games, but I'm not going to kid myself and say that I'm a pro at them. Horror, action, RPG and shooters are my specialties.
One of the best things about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is the variety of stories on offer, each featuring recognizable characters on top of different gameplay elements. It goes beyond different mediums and genres. I'm talking about being able to smash mobs while skateboarding. It's things like this that help make games interesting, especially when you have 13 of them to work through.
Of course, it goes without saying that every single game has Leo, Raph, Donnie, and Mikey (what would a TMNT game be without the titular turtles?). However, every game requires you to choose who you want to go on an adventure with - a choice that never gets easier. See, for me it's all about Mikey's character, he's my pizza loving buddy, but I also have a soft spot for Donnie and he hits people with a stick.
So I tend to switch between them as I progress through various games, although some games like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles allow you to play as all four characters because once you run out of life with your first choice, you take control of one of his brothers, and this continues until you are defeated with all of them.
Naturally, in every game you encounter more enemies, so many in fact that it seems like there is no end to them. Then, as you near the end of the individual levels, you face tough mini-bosses (yes, you have to go through a few setbacks before you get past them to face the Shredder himself). Constant action is a pleasure that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
However, completing even one episode from the Cowabunga collection is no easy feat. Those of you who grew up in the late 1980s and 1990s with arcades, NES, SNES and Sega consoles no doubt remember the notorious difficulty of the games of that time. It's a sentiment that's especially true of platform games, a genre that TMNT games helped bring to life at the time.
But, if platforming isn't your forte, that's okay, as TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection also has some fighting games, all of which are fun. Sure, I'm a Mortal Kombat fan and I own the original games, but I'd say the 1990s TMNT: Tournament Fighters games are worthy contenders. They tick all the right boxes for the genre and offer a form of stress relief after getting your ass kicked over and over again in the many platform games on offer.
Although, if you find yourself failing repeatedly but want to see how the game plays out, you can do so through the autoplay feature. Every game has a "clock" option where you can see a complete, near-perfect playthrough of the adventure. To be honest, I think it's a neat feature and one that I take full advantage of when I enter the endless cycle of death.
In terms of controls, I have no problem with The Cowabunga Collection as they are simple, rendered similarly to the original games, and responsive. What's more, the controls are met with fun graphics that stay true to the original games. It feels like I'm a kid again on a Sunday afternoon. It's raining, I have a few snacks, and my mom is just happy that I'm not causing trouble. Yes, those were the days.
I have a lot of praise for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection, but I have one main complaint, although it has more to do with the time the games came from. Recurring soundtracks. I like the music in these games, but they are in a constant cycle, which I don't like. Like I said, it has more to do with the times the original titles are taken from, and if anything, I respect that this collection is true to the source material. But that doesn't mean I can't think that repetitive ringtones get annoying after a while.
Having said that, the sound design is great and the music has a wave of nostalgia that I love. It's a double-edged sword for sure. However, I refuse to let the endless stream of TMNT themed tunes get in the way of what I consider to be a very enjoyable series of games that any Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan is sure to enjoy.
Finally, I know you all must be curious about how The Cowabunga Collection works on Switch, and it fills me with joy to say that there are no performance issues, at least I don't see it. Each game runs smoothly like butter, is a welcoming experience, and transports you right back to the 90s in the best possible way. Not only that, but the game also works great handheld so you can really take the turtles with you wherever you go.
Overall, I consider Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection a must-have not only for TMNT fans, but for anyone who wants an old-style series of games that has side-scrolling, action, platforming, brawling, and more. Do yourself a favor and choose something that is sure to be the highlight of a 2022 platformer.
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