https://darth-azrael.tumblr.com/post/694797560930598912/notobscurevideogames-teenage-mutant-ninja
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time, A.K.A. Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles IV: Turtles in Time was released in arcades in 1991 and then on the Super Nintendo the following year. By the way, does anyone know why they are referred to as the Teenage Mutant “Hero” Turtles in Europe? It seems like an odd name change…
Anyway, this game was primarily a side-scrolling beat-’em-up featuring the famous turtles, whether heroes or ninjas. Game play is pretty straightforward and there are a variety of unique levels. Basic controls include a joystick or joypad for movement, a jump button and an attack button. The Super Nintendo added additional buttons for special attacks. While I owned the Super Nintendo version (and still do) I don’t think I ever played the arcade version. I understand that there are some significant differences for various reasons. Changes in graphics and sound for technical reasons (the Super NES wasn’t as powerful as an arcade machine) but other improvements for the home version including additional modes of play. Another difference is that some arcade cabinets supported up to four players while the Super NES version only supported up to two players.
Overall, TMNT 4 received very positive review. I enjoyed it and thought it had a great atmosphere. It is also one of only a few games of this type that I made it to the end of. My only real criticism would be that the game really seemed too short. There just weren’t enough levels and the end just left you wanting more. It has multiple difficulty levels so there is some replayability added because of that.
If you are a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja (Hero) Turtles or the Super Nintendo then I definitely recommend giving this game at ry. The arcade version and the Super NES version are different enough that it is probably worth trying them both. The best way to try is probably with an original cartridge or via emulation. however, there was also an emulated version of the arcade original that was part of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare (a later game despite the numbering) for the GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Both the arcade version and the Super Nintendo version were released as part of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection (along with numerous other TMNT games) for Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S that was released just a couple of months ago. For those not owning an original arcade machine and Super Nintendo system this is probably the best way to play it along with all the other great Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Games. There was also a remake of TMNT 4 in 2009 called Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled. It was released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It uses 3D graphics so it has a much different look to it. Personally, I’m partial to the original.
Screen shots above are from the Super Nintendo version of the game.
