A bit harsh there. Most people do love it because of nostalgia but it's not as bad as some people make out online. It's a really tough game but it is possible to finish it. I managed to complete the game years before my teens, so if a kid can do it, anyone can do it.

As someone who played this game as a youngster, I can't really comment on if it's just still fun for me to play now because of nostalgia or because it genuinely is fun. However it is full of retro charm - as much as any other NES game and provides a good challenge that can be mastered with a bit of practice. I mean yeah, I would recommend a ton of games over this if you never played it originally - but it's far from terrible.

@madgear

You are the first person I've talked with about this game who has actually beaten it. I suppose I was limited a bit by my parents' arrangement regarding video games when I was young (only 30 minutes allowed on weekdays, 1 hour a day on the weekend); I didn't get to really try this game unless it was a weekend (and I might use up two days of time in one session getting through all those maps!), so it was a big commitment to sit down and decide to spend my limited time on this particular, incredibly difficult game.

@ warioswoods

Yes, I was finally able to beat this. I wasn't able to beat it when I had it as a kid, only now since I've had it on VC. It certainly is very difficult. My strategy is to stock up on many scrolls for every turtle. There is a certain building in level 3 that has scrolls in it. Just keep going in and out of the building getting more each time until all four turtles have at least 60. There is also a full pizza in the sewer under this building so you don't have to worry about dying during this process. Scrolls are very powerful and should be saved until the final level at which point they should be used generously.

I like the game but I admit it's only because of it's nostalgic value. No doubt had this, and Ninja Turtles in general, not played the part in my childhood that it did, I would absolutely hate the game no question.

@Edwin

I haven't downloaded it on the VC yet, but perhaps I shall soon, just in order to give it another try, and the quick save feature of the VC should help tremendously in avoiding the fatigue of getting through all those maps in one sitting.

I never used any techniques like re-entering a building a repeatedly in order to build up my weapons -- not that I was a speed-run purist, I just didn't feel I had the time, since I was concerning about how long it took to even get to the last maps, and I had certain limitations as noted in my post above. If I play it again on the VC, however, I will certainly take your advice regarding the scrolls.

@madgear: sorry, i just carry a torch for this game in particular because i've got so many negative memories of frustrating play sessions, especially when the next two NES TMNT games were so much more accessible in comparison (and fun, hello two-player action ). i still think the first game is absolutely terrible, it ranks at the top of my personal list of the worst NES games i've ever played (is it sad that i had more fun playing Bible Adventures? i think so), and i would never recommend it to anyone who's never played it before (except, perhaps, a worst enemy, lol), but i can see where perhaps other people would not feel the same.

Fair enough although I actually have a hatred of the second game on the NES for some reason. I think it might be because I played the arcade version enough that the fact Bebop and Rocksteady weren't the end of level 2 bosses any more annoyed me. Also those new levels are awful. It's the arcade version or nothing when it comes to TMNT 2 for me.

@warioswoods: lol I also had limited gaming time when I was a kid - I was allowed about an hour on weekdays and as long as I wanted on a weekend providing no one wanted to be in the same room for some reason. Just that extra half hour a day must be all it takes to beat the game then.

What do the scrolls do, anyway? I don't think I ever got past the area where you ride in Turtle Van when I was a kid, and though I downloaded it when it came out, I've yet to bother much with the game much on VC.