Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters

Also known as:  Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles: Tournament Fighters (Europe), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Warriors (Japan)

Developer: Konami

The SNES version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament fighters has the largest roster of fighters in comparison to the game on other consoles…though, that may not be a fair comparison because the Genesis and NES versions of the game are actually completely different, despite the box art being essentially the same across all three consoles…though in fairness, the box art does differ very slightly from console to console. Konami didn't just port the same game to all three consoles, they released three completely different games that play differently and have different stories and fighters. But anyway, as I mentioned, the SNES version boasts the largest roster with folks from the comic books, the animated series, and even some unique characters exclusive to this game. The fighting is passable for what it is, but it does feel like your average Street Fighter clone - passable, but nothing special beyond the TMNT license. If you like fighting games and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, then you may find something to like here. Otherwise, I think most folks will fight a few rounds and then be ready to move onto something a little better.

Review added: 12/02/2023

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time

Also known as:  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (Japan), Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (Europe)

Developer: Konami

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time is a fun, interesting brawler with a unique take on the TMNT universe, having the heroes in a half-shell traverse various time periods, in an effort to take down that dastardly Shredder fellow....Not too unique of a concept, I suppose, given the movie with the similar theme, but still a little unique. Though, in fairness, this game had been released in arcades in 1991, and the movie was released in 1993, so if I were to accuse one of copying the other, I’d have to lean towards the movie being the copycat…that fraud of a film!! Anyway, Turtles in Time is one of the better side-scrolling brawlers ever released and still fun to play today. In fact, many people consider this Super NES version to be superior to the arcade game that it’s a port of. In comparison to the arcade version, this variation of the game has an extra level to brawl in, plus some fancy schmancy graphics due to the Super NES’ famed Mode 7 effects. If you want to play some fantastic side-scrolling brawling as a bunch of shelled reptiles wearing colored bandanas across their eyes, beating up a bunch of masked ninja-looking dudes that like feet and wear various colored attire…well, then Turtles in Time is pretty much the best option that you'd have available. Plus, it's always fun hurling any and all foot-soldiers at the screen whenever you've got an opportunity to do so.

Review added: 11/16/2022

Tetris Attack

Also known as:  Panel de Pon (Japan), Yoshi no Panepon (Japan - Satellaview)

Developer: Intelligent Systems

Tetris Attack really has nothing in common with Tetris aside from the fact that it's a puzzle game. The Tetris name was basically used as a way to boost sales here in North America, as well as in Europe. In Japan, this game was actually called Panel de Pon, and later Yoshi no Panepon in Japan’s ill-fated Satellaview service. That all being said, the very first time I played this game, I hated it. It was too slow-paced for me...and quite frankly, I expected and wanted something like Tetris. But, I went back to it a while later and began to appreciate it for what it was...And then I started to really enjoy it...The next thing I knew I had just wasted multiple hours on this puzzle game in one sitting. Tetris Attack had gotten me so addicted that I felt the need to sit in a circle with other Tetris Attack addicts and explain to them all how the addiction had gotten me to where I am in life. Later games in this puzzle franchise have adopted the "Puzzle League" name (alternatively, it’s always been known as "Panel de Pon" in Japan) and included various extra modes, and it even had the Pokemon license at one point, but the original still stands as a very solid puzzle game in its own right, and it’s very much deserving of any praise it gets. My personal favorite puzzle game franchise is the Puyo Puyo series, but Tetris Attack/Panel de Pon is a very, very close second place.

Review added: 02/17/2020

Tommy Moe's Winter Extreme: Skiing & Snowboarding

Also known as:   Val d'Isere Championship (Europe), Ski Paradise with Snowboard (Japan)

Developer: Loriciels

If Tommy Moe's Winter Extreme: Skiing and Snowboarding played better, I'd consider it a hidden gem in the Super NES library…unfortunately, I can't. Like the title of the game suggests, you can participate in various skiing and snowboarding events in this game. I, personally, found them all to be rather dull and uneventful. The "freestyle" mode, however, is what would have made this game stand out if it had controlled and played better. Essentially, freestyle mode is a game of Outrun, but you're controlling someone on a snowboard or on skis gliding down various mountain paths instead of controlling a red convertible on various highways. Your goal is to make it down the mountain, hitting checkpoints, and branching off in a direction of your choice after a while. Despite my dislike of the controls, freestyle mode kept me coming back to play more. If everything had been more polished, I'd definitely recommend this game. Unfortunately, it's not…so unless the novelty of a snowboarder version of Outrun intrigues you, I'd skip Tommy Moe's game with a long title and play something better.

Review added: 12/25/2022

Toy Story

Also known as:  N/A

Developer: Traveller's Tales

While working on my old website, I once had someone tell me that Toy Story was a 10 out of 10 game…I hadn't played it, but I remember asking them to revisit it again since I had games I loved as a child, too…but revisiting them revealed that they weren't quite as good as I remembered them to be. They revisited, and the score dropped a bit - I think to an 8 out of 10, but I could be mistaken. Anyway, now that I've finally sat down and played through Toy Story, I, personally, feel like it's more in the 6 out of 10 range. That's not bad, mind you, I consider 6 to be passable…but I just don't see Toy Story being anything more than that. I'll start with some positives. Toy Story is gorgeous for its time. Using the same technology as Rare did for Donkey Kong Country, Toy Story is visually stunning. However, once you get past how this game looks, you'll find a pretty basic game here. The platforming, in particular, is a bit bland. The RC car levels feel dull. The first-person level where you rescue the green aliens from inside of a crane machine felt mildly promising, but it only lasts for a single level. I think that's part of the problem here - Traveller's Tales attempts making several levels play like different genres, and while all of them are okay, none of them are great. Maybe if they just stuck with one genre and focused all of their energy into tweaking that style of gameplay, then this would have been a much better game. For what it is, Toy Story is still an okay game, and it's a treat for the eyes if you want a good-looking 16-bit game, but unless you absolutely love the film and are willing to look past its flaws, I can't say that this is a game that everyone will enjoy.

Review added: 12/29/2023