When it comes to the all-time greats within the beat ‘em up genre, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles often find themselves positioned near the top of the pack. The fearsome foursome band of wise cracking, pizza munching, butt kicking heroes in a half shell have graced most generations of gaming with new titles, with the recentTMNT: Shredder’s Revengelaunching last summer to positive reviews. It was hailed as an excellent spiritual successor to theclassicTMNT: Turtles in Time, delivering an enjoyable game for both fans and newcomers alike.
Now, roughly a year later the publisher of the game, Dotemu, announced brand new DLC content forTMNT: Shredder’s Revenge. The most notable inclusion in this DLC pack is the addition of Usagi Yojimbo as a playable fighter, a character originating from a popular line of comic books. Usagi being tossed into the roster makes sense, as he is also a fierce martial arts expert. With this new playable fighter in the game, it opens the door for other character crossovers that feel like a perfect fit in future DLC packs.
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Power Rangers
The TMNT weren’t the only colorful martial arts group at thepeak of popularity in the early 90s. The Power Rangers also jumped into action in the same era and shared many similarities. Both teams had members that were distinctly color coded, had unique personalities and utilized combat prowess and crazy gadgets to fight a legion of outlandish monsters. The Power Rangers have also had numerous video games, but none have quite risen to the same heights as those based on the TMNT. Adding them to the roster ofTMNT: Shredder’s Revengewould be a perfect fit, ramping up the on-screen insanity even higher.
BattleToads
Rareware’s numerous3D platformers on N64are considered the golden age for the company, but the team did create other great offerings beforehand. Literally a spoof of the TMNT,Battletoadswas an extremely difficult video game that tested patience and reflexes like nothing else at the time. The series received a reboot in 2020, with the aptly titledBattletoadsfor Xbox and PC. Although not a grand success, it still proved that this franchise had a unique, fun twist on the beat ‘em up formula with wacky characters and gross out humor. Seeing these toads battle alongside the characters which inspired them would be a mash-up for the ages.
Streets of Rage
Speaking of classicbeat ‘em up franchises,Streets of Ragewas also in its heyday in the early to mid 90s on Sega Genesis. It made a name for itself in an already swamped market with colorful visuals, bombastic special moves and bone crunching sound effects. After a nearly 25 year hiatus, publisher Dotemu revived the franchise withStreets of Rage 4, a comeback that was positively received by fans and critics. It is important to reiterate that Dotemu also publishedTMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, and with both IP’s now under one roof, it’s all the more possible to mash them together.
Batman/Robin/BatGirl
Last but certainly not least would be to include Gotham’s caped crusader Batman, as well as his many trusty sidekicks over the years. While Batman may be more difficult to lock down due to the sheer popularity of the IP, it cannot be denied that seeing the Dark Knight battle the Foot Clan alongside the TMNT would be anything but a spectacular sight. A crossover like this has already proven to be an oddly perfect pairing with Batman/TMNT mashups having already transpired in bothcomic books and animated films. It may be a stretch, but Batman’s fighting ability and smorgasbord of tools would fit right at home inTMNT: Shredder’s Revenge.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revengeis playable now on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Mobile via the Netflix Application.
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