Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project
Encyclopedia
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project, released as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Manhattan Project (ティーンエイジ・ミュータント・ニンジャ・タートルズ2 ザ・マンハッタン・プロジェクト) in Japan, is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up released by Konami
for the Nintendo Entertainment System
in North America
in . It is the third video game iteration of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
franchise for the NES. The game features the same play mechanics featured in the previous game, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game, but unlike its predecessor, it is an original title for the NES without any preceding arcade version. The Japanese version was released a few months prior to the North American release, and a number behind that release due to the name change of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game for the NES when it was released for the Japanese market.
's latest news report, her program is suddenly interrupted by the Turtles' nemesis, Shredder. Taking April as his hostage, Shredder reveals that he has also turned the entire city of Manhattan
into a floating island and challenges the Turtles to come to his lair to stop him.
, Raphael
, Michaelangelo
, and Donatello
, each wielding their signature weapon. Two different 2-player modes are featured in the game, the first mode allows both players to hurt each other with their attacks, while the other mode disables this feature. The player has a limited number of lives that gets depleted every time the player's energy gauge runs out. If one player has run out of lives, they can use the remaining ones from the other player's remaining stock (this is possible to do in the 1-player mode as well). The player is allowed to change their character every time they lose life. Up to three chances to continue are provided.
The controls are mostly unchanged from the second NES game, with one attack button and one jump button. The turtles can now perform a toss attack against their enemies by holding the d-pad downwards while pressing B. Each turtle also has a different special attack that is performed by pressing B and A simultaneously. Every time the player performs this attack, a portion of their energy will be lost, unless they are on their last bar of life.
The game is composed of a total of eight levels, spanning from the beaches of Florida to the floating island of Manhattan to the Technodrome
, ultimately concluding with Shredder's lair. The game's regular enemies include a variety of Foot Soldiers
, as well as Giant Mousers and Stone Warriors. The game's bosses include villains from the cartoon series
and toyline such as Dirtbag, Groundchuck, Slash, and Leatherhead
, in addition to the return of Shredder and Krang
, along with Bebop and Rocksteady. Tokka and Rahzar
from the film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze also appear, alongside Shredder's mutated counterpart from the film, Super Shredder, as the game's final boss.
Despite the fact that the cover art features the Turtles fighting a Triceraton, no Triceratons appear in the game.
.
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in . It is the third video game iteration of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists...
franchise for the NES. The game features the same play mechanics featured in the previous game, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game, but unlike its predecessor, it is an original title for the NES without any preceding arcade version. The Japanese version was released a few months prior to the North American release, and a number behind that release due to the name change of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game for the NES when it was released for the Japanese market.
Plot
The game begins with the Turtles spending their vacation in Key West Florida. While watching April O'NeilApril O'Neil
April O'Neil is a fictional character in the Mirage Studios franchise Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In each of the many TMNT continuities, she is a good friend of the Turtles: Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo.-Comics:...
's latest news report, her program is suddenly interrupted by the Turtles' nemesis, Shredder. Taking April as his hostage, Shredder reveals that he has also turned the entire city of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
into a floating island and challenges the Turtles to come to his lair to stop him.
Gameplay
TMNT III can be played by up to two players simultaneously, with each player controlling a different character. The player can choose between any of the four turtles: LeonardoLeonardo (TMNT)
Leonardo is a fictional character that appears in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and all related media.In the Mirage comics all four turtles wear red bandanas, but in other versions, he wears a blue bandana. His signature weapons are two ninjaken , which are universally referred to as...
, Raphael
Raphael (TMNT)
Raphael , a fictional character, is one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles .In the Mirage/Image comics all four turtles wear red bandanas over their eyes, but unlike his brothers in other versions, he is the only one who keeps a red bandana...
, Michaelangelo
Michelangelo (TMNT)
Michelangelo is a fictional character, one of the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles . His mask is typically portrayed as orange outside of the Mirage/Image comic series and his weapons are dual nunchaku, though he has also been portrayed using other weapons, such as a grappling hook, tonfa, and a...
, and Donatello
Donatello (TMNT)
Donatello is a fictional character and one of the four main characters in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and all related media. He is co-creator Peter Laird's favorite Turtle....
, each wielding their signature weapon. Two different 2-player modes are featured in the game, the first mode allows both players to hurt each other with their attacks, while the other mode disables this feature. The player has a limited number of lives that gets depleted every time the player's energy gauge runs out. If one player has run out of lives, they can use the remaining ones from the other player's remaining stock (this is possible to do in the 1-player mode as well). The player is allowed to change their character every time they lose life. Up to three chances to continue are provided.
The controls are mostly unchanged from the second NES game, with one attack button and one jump button. The turtles can now perform a toss attack against their enemies by holding the d-pad downwards while pressing B. Each turtle also has a different special attack that is performed by pressing B and A simultaneously. Every time the player performs this attack, a portion of their energy will be lost, unless they are on their last bar of life.
The game is composed of a total of eight levels, spanning from the beaches of Florida to the floating island of Manhattan to the Technodrome
Technodrome
The Technodrome is the semi-spherical tank-like metallic mobile subterranean fortress of Krang and Shredder, the main villains in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, the Archie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures comics and most TMNT video game adaptations. The Technodrome was also...
, ultimately concluding with Shredder's lair. The game's regular enemies include a variety of Foot Soldiers
Foot Clan
The Foot Clan is a fictional ninjutsu clan in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe and the Turtles' main antagonists. It is usually led by the Shredder. The Foot Clan was originally a parody of the criminal ninja clan the Hand in the Daredevil comics...
, as well as Giant Mousers and Stone Warriors. The game's bosses include villains from the cartoon series
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated television series produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson. The pilot was shown during the week of December 28, 1987 in syndication as a five part miniseries and began its official run on October 1, 1988...
and toyline such as Dirtbag, Groundchuck, Slash, and Leatherhead
Leatherhead (TMNT)
Leatherhead is a fictional character in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. He was created in 1987 by Mirage Studios artist Ryan Brown, who also went on to create the Saturday morning cartoon series Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa for the ABC television network...
, in addition to the return of Shredder and Krang
Krang
Krang is a fictional supervillain who appears in the Sonic The Hedgehog TV shows and most frequently in the 1987 STH cartoon and its associated media, such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures comic book and most of the classic TMNT video games....
, along with Bebop and Rocksteady. Tokka and Rahzar
Tokka and Rahzar
Tokka and Rahzar are two fictional mutant villains in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe. They first appeared in the 1991 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. Rahzar was played by Mark Ginther and Tokka was played by Kurt Bryant...
from the film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze also appear, alongside Shredder's mutated counterpart from the film, Super Shredder, as the game's final boss.
Despite the fact that the cover art features the Turtles fighting a Triceraton, no Triceratons appear in the game.
Reception
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project was awarded Best NES Game of 1992 by Electronic Gaming MonthlyElectronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
.