What is it about the odd concept of 4 tadpoles mutating into gigantic human-like turtles on steroids that has won the hearts of so many kids and teens of the last 30 years? Perhaps it's the lovable, distinct personalities of Raph, Mike, Leo, and Don, along with an awesome array of villains like Shredder and Krang. Maybe it's the imaginative premise, or the themes chock-full of action, adventure, fantasy, and comedy? Or perhaps it's the marketability of these lovable turtles, causing kids to beg their parents to rush out and pick up the new Turtles action figures. Whatever the reason, this franchise has reached iconic status. It's become like James Bond or Star Wars; a corporate brand cranking out toys, games, and 🍬new, reimagined versions for each generation.
This series was birthed fr﷽om a simple black and white comic book back in 1984. In the beginning, the series took on tones that were a degree darker and more violent than some of the variations that followed. There was greater emphasis placed on the weapons, since that was your only means of distinguishing the turtles, being in black and white. A more comedic, approachable cartoon adaptation was created a few years later. This sparked the eventual explosion of popularity that spread like a toxic mutagen.
Fast forward to the present, and TMNT has manifested into countless varieties of TV shows, films, and video games. To the younger crowd growing up in the present, and even to grown-ups, it can be tough to keep track of every version out there, much less distinguish the hits from the duds. But this article will attempt to clear this up, as we examine the most notable – and the biggest blunders – in the TMNT franchise. Such a unique, weird premise can make for some entertainin✃g works, but it can also be 🅠easy to mess up.
25 Worst: Coming Out Of Th💝eir Shells Musical
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were surfing a wave of popularity in the early '90s which permeated our very culture. The fad was so massive du♚ring this time, directors Thomas White and Lorenzo Jordan apparently thoug🌊ht it was a great idea to create a musical featuring them.
This musical was the epitome of cheesiness and not the kind on pizza.
It featured grown men in shoddy Ninja Turtles costumes ඣpoorly miming playing guitar and singing cringe-worthy songs that sounded like rejected glam rock anthems of the late '80s. The "narrative," if you can call it that, was that Shredder wanted to rid the world of music – which he ironically explai🍨ned during a rap song.
24 Worst: The Man🔯hattan Misඣsions
While the Turtles fra𝓰nchise had become a massive hit in the late '80s and early '90s, there were va♛rious iterations which were quickly relegated to obscurity, known only by the biggest of diehard fans. This PC DOS game certainly falls into this category.
It didn't help that this game paled in comparison to the hit TV show, and even the NES iterations in terms of quality. Being on PC also meant you had to deal with some annoyingly awkward controls with the keyboard and mouse setup. Between the comic book style cutscenes clutter♚ed with endless text, the stiff, clunky melee mechanics, and the overall slow pace of the combat, this was a tough one to get into.
23 B♛est: The Original 1987 Cartoon Show
When it comes to the Turtles franchise, this is the coup d✃e gras; the show fans immediately reminisce on with fond memories and typically cite as their favorite version. Despite containing a truly weird premise, it's easy to understand just why this show was so appealing to so many kids of the '80s and '90s.
Even though it came after the original comic books, this show is largely the source for Turtle-mania and has stood the test of time.
It featured a cast of likable characters with distinct personalities, some fun premises, charming humor, and neat action sequences. While there would be various attempts to recapture the magic after this show's cancellation in 1996, few m💟anaged to reach the level of quality of this "totally radical" cartoon.
22 Worst: ꦗTurtles In Time: Re-shelled
It's tough to drop the ball this hard on a remake based off such a solid game, especially one that's over two-decades-old, but that's what Ubisoft managed to do with Turtles In Time: Re-shelled.
Maybe it's because Konami had nothing to do with the development, or perhaps it's that the action-orien𒁃ted sidescrolling gameplay just doesn't lend itself to 3D as wel⛎l. But for whatever reason, this game just doesn't feel nearly as fun or enduring to play. The weak character designs and bland backgrounds don't do it any favors. Nor does it help that the controls and overall pacing of the game just feel sluggish and imprecise.
21 ൩ Worst: Michael Bay Films ꦬ
Sure, there are a couple of positives with the Michael Bay Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films - but they essentially boil down to the special effects, and well, Meꦅgan Fox. Most other aspects of these bombastic adaptations either fall flat, miss t🔯he mark, or are full of outright cringe.
Props where props are due though, they at least nailed Krang, along with Bebop and Rocksteady in the sequel.
I know that it's a bit ridiculous to criticize the turtles - who were morphed into mutants from toxic ooze - as ugly, but that doesn't stop it🥀 from being true. The gags throughout are similarly cringe-worthy and lame, the premise is silly, and most of the adaptations like Shredder and Splinter are disappointingly basic caricatures.
20 Best: Turtles In🍰 Time
In much the same way the '87 show is largely the gold standard for TMNT film and TV iterations, this SNES classic stands as not only one of the best versions of The Turtles, but is regarded as one of the best Super Nintendo gaไmes.
While the experience is rather short, the game can be enjoyed over and over again, thanks to its stellar mechanics, aౠddictive arcade-style gameplay, and enjoyable couch co-op. The time travel premise also opens the door for some truly imaginative and diverse environments. At the same time, the game still feels authentically "Turtles," with some superb character designs featuring many of our favorite heroes and villains from the show, and a captivating soundtrack.
19 ꦺ Worst: We Wish You A Turtle Christmas
Similar to the musical, this falls under the category of "why on earth was this even attempted?" But at least the musical, for as bad as it was, featured a few catchy tunes. Despite only being 25 minutes, this felt likeཧ 10 times that length.
This might actually make the Star Wars Holiday Special look competent...
So many questions to be asked here - why do the turtles emerge on the surface, absent disguises, when they're supposed to stay 𓂃hidden? Why do they look so creepy? And why on earth is there a reggae-sounding rendition of Decꦡk The Halls in which the turtles sing about pizza?
18 𝓡 Worst: Turtles Training Lair ♔
Although the Kinect has quickly fallen off the gaming radar, there was a time where this motion-sensing camera from Microsoft provided a level of intrigue among more casual gamers and techies. At the time, Microsoft was scrambling to build up the brand by turning popular franchises into Kinect games, including Star Wars, Angry Birds, and of course, TMNT.
This game doesn't even really feature our favorite green heroes so much as it features, well, you; flailing your limbs awkwardly with nunchakus as you hack away at various items flung at you. It's easy to see why this doesn't quite hold up in the archives of Turtles history.
17 Best: Teenage ꧙Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003)
This show h🔜ad some big shoes to fill after the memorable series from 1987. Did it deliver? Well, yeah, somewhat. One only need look at its 7-year run for proof that it at least managed to recapture some of the magic.
This cartoon was eventually absorbed by Nickelodeon, the third version owned by the network.
The show debuted in 2003 on ꦛ4Kids TV to mixed reviews. Yet, many commended the show for its emphas🐠is on action, character, and its more detailed style of animation with a tinge of grittier, darker themes. The show takes on an almost anime-vibe; not just with its style of animation, but also its more fantasy-based undertones.
16 ꧑ Worst: Hyperstone Heist
Genesis fans might cry foul with this entry, but context and comparison are the key factors to consider here. While this Genesis semi-port of Turtles In Time, Hyperstone Heist, is actually a decent brawler in its own r⛦♌ight, the game felt like a cheapened version.
The entire time traveling premise is wiped away here, making way for more of your typical, less-inspired environments. This includes a sort of hodgepodge of various levels from Turtles IV in the form of a Ghost Ship, and a bland underground cave s🌼tage. The game is also even shorter than its SNES counterpart, and being on the Genesis means that both its aesthetics and music is lac𝐆king in comparison.