The European version of the first TMNT NES game. Same turtles, same adventure in New York sewers and rooftops. Difficult and demanding. The beginning of a successful licensed game saga.
Your verdict
Category
Beat-'Em-Up4 players7+
Description
Adventure game featuring the four Ninja Turtles battling the Foot Clan, Australian version. Published by Konami, released in Australia in 1990. Four turtles with distinct techniques exploring New York and Foot Soldier bosses. Australian version of Konami's founding TMNT on NES.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles review
3/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Polished"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
The writing exploits the chip with remarkable density: a mobile bass running beneath the melody, a continuous countermelody, themes built in distinct sections rather than simple loops. Each zone gets its own piece, and the underwater stage theme has remained one of the catalogue's most discussed, the difficulty of the passage included.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Pleasant"
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Long"
Technical info
💾0,14 MB📅01/05/1989
Published by Konami
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES) price, value & rarity
The Australian NES edition of the first Konami entry, distributed under the full 'Ninja' name and not 'Hero' unlike the British PAL version. The Australian cart is rarer than the European PAL version due to the small regional print and stands as an identifiable piece for Konami NES collectors focused on territorial variants. PAL boxed CIB in the original cardboard box is valued, and the cote climbs steadily.
Better with friends
A mutant-turtle adventure where you pummel the rival clan's goons by switching heroes, each with their own weapon and reach. In multiplayer, the teamwork is savored in crossing the levels, covering each other and alternating characters to fit the situation. Demanding at times, it bonds teams that learn to coordinate, and getting through a tough sector brings a shared satisfaction.
Is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles still worth playing in 2026?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, also Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles in Europe, is the first NES TMNT game by Konami. The four turtles roam New York sewers and rooftops in a hybrid mixing top-down map, platforming and side-scrolling action. Difficult and imposing, sometimes unfair, the title starts a relatively successful licence saga. Still a historical detour to know today, provided you accept its old-school difficulty.
