In the fairly distant past today, it’s a safe bet that the young gamer that you were spent time (and your nerves) on a certain Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles on Nintendo’s NES. A little later, you fell in love with TMNT: The Arcade Game, without forgetting to enjoy your favorite saga on Game Boy, before discovering the height of fun with Turtles in Time if you were a Super Nintendo owner, or The Hyperstone Heist if you were rather #TeamSEGA. In this case, no doubt, there is a good chance that you will quickly be conquered (even moved) by this new TMNT The Cowabunga Collection, available on PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch.

Buy TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection at the best price

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: a compilation made for the “old”?

Don’t get me wrong though, it’s not a “new” Ninja Turtles game, but a compilation, which comes to offer here a total of 13 games of yesteryear. We thus find the first opus on Arcade, as well as Turtles in Times, without forgetting their respective versions on NES and Super Nintendo. Added to this is the first TMHT for the NES and the third opus Manhattan Project, but also the Ninja Turtles trilogy on Game Boy, and The Hyperstone Heist on Mega Drive. And that’s not all, since the compilation also allows you to find the fighting game Tournament Fighters, available in Super Nintendo, Mega Drive and NES versions. A total of 13 games, which will make you travel in the past.

By pressing the “Triangle” key, you switch from the American version to the Japanese version

As long as the recent (and very successful) Shredder’s Revenge has (re)gave you the passion for Ninja Turtles, you will be able to (re)discover the illustrious video game past of the four scaled disciples of Splinter.

On the games side, it is of course a question of finding the various opuses “in their own juice“, with here the possibility of playing it of course in 60 Hz, which could also slightly disturb those who know the NES versions by heart, which were then offered in 50 Hz with us.

Obviously, 2022 obliges, the compilation offers some graphic options, to allow players to take advantage of a “Standard” mode, but we can also (and fortunately!) activate scanlines, via CRT and Monitor modes. Added to this are several settings on the display side, with a 4:3 Full Screen and 16:9 Full Screen mode (what a horror!) in addition to the basic mode, which displays side borders, but also vertical ones.

The US and JAP versions on the program… and a real museum!

On the playability side, the whole remains very easy to access (with the possibility of reconfiguring the keys), but there too there is room for a little modernity. Indeed, not only is it possible here to save your game at any time, but you can also take advantage of a “Rewind“. The set will prove to be very practical to get out of certain bad times, in particular to overcome (finally!!) the first opus on NES.

In addition, note the possibility of switching the games to US or JAP mode, to take advantage of the specificities of each version. You can also take advantage of some “Improvements” (a “cheat” mode of sorts), again to facilitate progress. Excellent.

You will finally be able to finish the aquatic level of the first NES opus!

But this TMNT The Cowabunga Collection doesn’t just compile and modernize our games of yesteryear. Indeed, the game is adorned with a very (very) extensive Museum section, in which we will be able to view the covers of the different games, but also leaf through the instructions in their entirety (again in the US version as in the JAP version).

To this is added the possibility of listening to the music of the various games, but also a mind-blowing gallery of content, in particular unpublished game design documents. There are also period advertisements and other press posters, information on the various animated series, artwork, the covers of the various comics… In short, something to satisfy fans.

The Museum mode is overflowing with bonuses of all kinds… a delight!

And that’s not all, since the developer Digital Eclipse has also developed, for each game, a small interactive guide “like back then“. Thus, for each game, it is possible to consult a small guide, which will provide various information concerning the current game, with in particular certain “cheat codes”. In one click, it is possible to launch a video allowing for example to understand how to beat such or such boss. For Tournament Fighters, we are entitled to a guide for each character, while for the first NES opus, we are entitled to a real complete walkthrough, and all of this, fully translated in France. In one word: GREAT.

Each game has a (more or less) little “old-fashioned” interactive guide. Note that it is possible to zoom in on each element, and even to launch videos instantly. Great !

Finally, despite the dilapidated side of the various games (some are over thirty!), it is possible to enjoy the joys of multiplayer here, on the two Arcade opuses (TMNT and Turtles in Time), but also on Hyperstone Heist and Tournament Fighters in its Super Nintendo version. The set runs wonderfully, but those who want to rediscover the pleasure of the game “local” will be delighted to learn that it is also possible to play certain games with two, three and even four, all sitting on the same couch.

Hey Twitter!! QUESTION !! 🙌🏻

What’s the 1st game you’re going to (re)launch (and finish of course 😁) with TMNT The Cowabunga Collection?? ❤️🐢#TMNT #TheCowabungaCollection #NinjaTurtles #RetroGaming #NintendoSwitch #TMNTCowabungaCollection pic.twitter.com/uzSjEg3n5L

— Stephane Ficca (@StephaneFicca) August 27, 2022

So yes, some episodes are seriously getting old, there is repetition (three times Tournament Fighters…) and some titles copy each other a little, but what a joy to have to deal with a neat compilation in the smallest details.

Moreover, for many players, this compilation will undeniably bring back certain emotions of yesteryear, in particular with the first NES opus, the unforgettable Fall of the Foot Clan on GameBoy and of course Turtles in Time, which remains a pure wonder.

Our opinion on TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection

Once again, the Americans from Digital Eclipse (Mega Man Legacy Collection, Disney Classic Games Collection, Disney Afternoon Collection, etc.) have created a compilation that is simply flawless, both in substance and form. There are obviously the Ninja Turtles games of yesteryear (in US and JAP versions) with the necessary modernity (display, save state, rewind, etc.), not to mention endless bonuses. Added to this is an online mode for four games, and the possibility of playing locally for up to 4 players.like before“. A “simple” compilation therefore, but which has benefited from a true sense of detail and which exudes passion (and nostalgia) through each pore of its scales. We love !