Classic Review: TMNT: Hyperstone Heist (Sega Genesis)

With an upcoming, re-release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time that features brand new 3D graphics (a preview of which can be seen here), I thought it only appropriate to review a TMNT arcade game experience of my own with Hyperstone Heist.

Though I never actually played the arcade version, I did own the Genesis version (and still do), and it was one of my all-time favorite games. The "hack 'n slash" action is definitely taken straight from the arcade, and is one of the most memorable parts of the game. But, to be truly fun, you need a partner; having two players really is twice the fun.

The overall experience is greatly improved by the very smooth graphics (for the Genesis days, that is), though it cannot compete with Turtles In Time's superior color palette on the SNES. The sound quality is also very poor, with the voices of the turtle's sounding "raspy" and the background music being very scratchy.

Length is also a big issue in the game; while each of the five levels is very fun, they are not incredibly long, and the game can be played within a very short time frame. The competition in co-op that is created when each player attempts to kill the most enemies to get extra lives also may deter players from going multi-player.

Still, if you stick to the olden days and still own a Sega Genesis (or own an emulator), this is definitely one of the best titles to pick up. 8.5/10

Image credit: Rustaq (here).

Friday Night Movie Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle

Around every Friday, I either end up seeing a new movie in theaters, or getting myself a bucket of popcorn from Blockbuster and scavenging around my DVD cabinet for something to watch. This Friday, I happened to already have a bucket of popcorn, so I decided to watch an old classic movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

This movie isn't always thought of as a "classic", mostly because it didn't recieve the best reviews. But that doesn't change the fact that it's still a fun movie to watch, and it's one of my favorites, even if it's not technically "good".

As much as I love this movie, I must point out some of it's major flaws. Often, the script is quite cheesy and bland, and the battle scenes aren't near as good as they could/should be. But, despite this, the costumes worn by the actors are actually quite realistic for the time this movie came out, so it gets points there. I'm also a fan of Raphael's accent, which really adds some depth to the character (but the movie could've focused on the other characters a bit more).

Overall, I'd have to give this movie a 6/10. There are way too many basic flaws, and even though I still like this movie, these flaws are unforgivable.