Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants Xbox Series X Review
| Game: | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants |
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| Publisher: | GameMill Entertainment |
| Developer: |
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants is a side-scrolling fighting game designed for offline play, inviting up to four players to join in for some nostalgic fun. The game harkens back to simpler times when games were shorter, boasting a completion time of about an hour, though this brevity isn’t necessarily a positive, especially on consoles.
You choose one of the four turtles and select from five levels right from the start, with the sixth level locked. This lack of a progression system removes any incentive to unlock new stages. The gameplay involves fighting numerous generic enemies before facing off against Krang and, ultimately, Shredder, with a few other minions along the way.
In an era where games can offer extensive content and depth, Wrath of the Mutants falls short, especially when compared to titles like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge. While it aims to capture the charm of classic games and is only £25, its style, gameplay, and overall presentation are basic and uninspired. You’ll find yourself button-mashing with little strategy, and even on Normal difficulty, the bosses are disappointingly easy. The regular enemies lack variety, making the combat feel repetitive and unengaging.
Although the turtles have special moves powered by their Turtle Power gauge, these are mostly unnecessary due to the ease of the battles. Each turtle’s signature move, such as Mikey’s pizza toss or Raphael’s floor slam, adds some flair, but fails to significantly enhance the game. Additional help can be summoned to clear the screen, but this feature is redundant given the low difficulty.
Originally a 2017 arcade game, Wrath of the Mutants maintains the simplicity typical of arcade titles. However, on console, this simplicity works against it, especially when other similar games offer more content and depth. As a £25 arcade game, it’s designed for quick, casual play with friends or family, not for long-term engagement. Unfortunately, as a console release, it feels lacklustre and fails to leave a lasting impression.
