This box art is absolutely amazing.

Today I ordered Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.  It was sooooo much fun to play, but I never actually owned it.  It would've been perfect if the SNES version were four players, like the arcade version.  It just supported up to two players, but I still had just as much fun.  Actually, I probably have had more fun with the SNES version of the game.  I actually prefer the SNES version because it's on a console.  Also, I prefer the SNES music over the arcade music.

The SNES version got rid of the lame Cement Man boss (see: 4:40) of the Prehistoric Turtlesaurus stage, replacing him with Slash.  Slash is infinitely more awesome than Cement Man.

Since they a new stage: the Technodrome, they needed to change the game a bit.  Gamers were able to fight Tokka and Rahzar from the second film: Secret of the Ooze.  These bosses were originally encountered on the pirate ship stage in the arcade version.  The SNES version had you fight Bebop and Rocksteady on the pirate ship instead (and they were dressed as pirates).  The Technodrome also has an elevator part (common in many beat'em ups) and at the top floor, you exit the elevator and fight Shredder while he is in some high tech tank vehicle.  Since you are seeing the fight from his perspective, you have to throw the foot soldiers at the screen to hit the vehicle he is in.

My favorite music from the game comes from the Sewer Surfin' stage.  The SNES version included a boss with the Rat King.  I always thought he was kind of a lame villain in the cartoon but it was better than the stage in the arcade version, which did not include a boss fight.

Finally, the end boss was a bit different between the two versions.  Of course, the last boss is Shredder.  And, that's awesome but the Super Nintendo version allowed you to fight Super Shredder.  And, this was very much welcome due to the lame scene with Super Shredder seen at the end of the second film.

Now we live in a world with online stores like Xbox Live Marketplace, the Wii Shopping Channel and the PlayStation Network.  The original TMNT game on the NES released on the Wii Virtual Console and the TMNT 1989 arcade game released on Xbox Live.  Fans have been demanding Turtles in Time though and Ubisoft is going to deliver!

On August 5th, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled will be available on Xbox Live for 1,200 MS Points ($15).  It will launch on PSN "later this year."  The game has been updated with 3D graphics and it will support four player online co-op (offline co-op will be supported as well).  In this version, gamers will be able to attack in four directions instead of just two.  Since the game is in 3D, that makes plenty of sense.

The game looks great visually.  And, it looks to be faithful to the original.  However, the thing I am disappointed with the most is the soundtrack.  I would have preferred that they left the original arcade tunes in the game.  I have yet to hear the soundtrack for other stages but I am pretty disappointed with Big Apple's background music.  Regardless, I will be picking up this game when it releases.

There is also a new game coming out on the Wii.  It is a four player fighting game called TMNT: Smash Up.  It is from developers of Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Ninja Gaiden.  It definitely is inspired by the Smash Bros. series.

I don't like some of the character designs.  Most of the character designs seem to be inspired from the 2007 film, which is okay.  I wasn't too fond of the way Splinter looked in that film.  And, why is April fighting?  I'm very much on the fence when it comes to getting this game.  I will definitely play it, but I don't know about purchasing it right now.

And, then there is a new live action film set to come out in theaters.  And, I guess they are going to reboot the franchise because this will be an origin story.

And, finally... I have been hearing about a new animated cartoon movie coming out where the newer Ninja Turtles (from the 2003 cartoon?) meet the old Ninja Turtles (from the 80s cartoon).  I guess they will have some stuff about it at the upcoming San Diego Comic Con.

My favorite turtle is Donatello.  Who is your favorite?