Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtleswas created by comic artists and writers Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, and their work was an over-the-top, hyper-violent caricature of superhero comics at the time. Despite the admittedly edgy debut, theninja turtles became symbolic of family friendly multimedia franchiseswhen the softer 1987 cartoon premiered on television. Toys, video games, and film adaptations would soon follow the show, and to this day the turtles are a staple of North American childhoods.
As of now, there are countless adaptations ofTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, including at least four TV shows. Despite this wide reach, the work with the most influence is by far the cartoon that debuted in the late 1980s. The franchise’s public image is still dictated by meta irreverence and cheesy action sequences. These traits have always been part of the series’ identity, but it lacks some stories' more sincere and gratuitously darker tone. The 2003Ninja Turtlescartoon is more directly based on the comics, and has those elements. As such, the franchise should strive to emulate it more often.
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How the 2003 TMNT Cartoon Could Offer a New Point of View for Games
TheTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesfranchise peaked commercially over three decades ago. In the early 1990s, the beloved cartoon was still airing new episodes, and some of the series’ most recognizable supplementary works, such as the video gameTurtles in Timeand live-action films, were released around that time. The video games' tones, aesthetics, and characterization were especially dependent on the cartoon for inspiration. To this day, even crossovers likeNickelodeon All-Star Brawluse the designs and personalities from the 1980s cartoon.
The 2003 cartoon represents several things by contrast. It is one of the primary examples of American television animation’s decision to greenlight more action-oriented projects in the 2000s.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesreceived a cartoonwith more realistic designs, darker stories, and much more faithfulness to the source material than its predecessor. The camp that made the turtles fun to watch is still there, yet characters originally from the 1987 show are omitted. This cartoon is more grounded and serial, but still embraces the inherently farcical nature of anthropomorphic, weapon-wielding ninja turtles.
There are elements that appeal to both corners of the original source ofTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ success. In a way, especially with the emerging 2000s nostalgia in pop culture, the 2003 TMNT cartoon arguably has the longest-lasting appeal of the shows starring the turtles, and this current era is the perfect time to bring it back. From a commercial standpoint, the kids that grew up with the show are now adults and among the main targets in this market.FutureTMNTgamescould afford taking the risk by appealing to these fans.
The2003Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesshowcould inspire more diverse titles in the franchise’s lineup. Rather than side-scrolling platformers and beat ’em ups with cartoonish visuals, the 2003 series’ edgier presentation could potentially create the turtles’ answer to theBatman: Arkhamgames, or even a hack-and-slash reminiscent of Platinum Games’ best. TheNinja Turtlesworld could be gloomier and more brutal in these hypothetical scenarios without sacrificing what made it entertaining to begin with. If done right, getting inspiration from the 2003 cartoon would diversifyTMNTmedia without being pointlessly edgy and subversive. People with the right mindset would have to spearhead such daunting projects, but the payoff could be extraordinary.
While its golden age is long gone, theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesfranchise is not going anywhere.Shredder’s Revengerecently released to glowing reviews; its reception might even be better than the public’s initial reaction toTurtles in Time. However,Shredder’s Revengesucceeded by using comfort and familiarity to its advantage. If the franchise wants to spice things up with its games, using the 2003 cartoon as a basis could open various doors.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revengeis available for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
