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, Japanese version. Published by Konami, released in Japan in 1990. Four turtles with distinct techniques exploring New York and Foot Soldier bosses. Japanese 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
💾0,25 MB📅12/05/1989
Published by Konami
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES) price, value & rarity
The Japanese Famicom version of Konami's first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles beat'em up, the root of a worldwide multimedia franchise. On the home market the small Famicom cartridge and original box stay more affordable than Western editions while remaining relevant to a complete Konami collection. The interest lies in the title's founding role in the series and its place in Konami's late-'80s action catalogue, independent of any PAL scarcity.
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.
