Play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – The Legend Returns Online

Konami released Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Legend Returns for the Sega Genesis in 1993, a time when licensed games were often simple platformers. This one stood out by trying something different, offering a turn based combat system in a side scrolling adventure. It felt like a deliberate attempt to capture the tactical side of the Turtles' teamwork, not just their brawling.

You control all four Turtles, switching between them on the fly to navigate urban stages filled with Foot Soldiers and other enemies. The main goal is to stop Shredder's latest scheme, moving screen by screen through New York's streets and sewers. The signature mechanic is the turn based combat; when you encounter enemies, the game pauses, and you select an attack for each Turtle from a menu of their unique moves. You manage their health and special meter individually, which adds a layer of strategy to the otherwise straightforward exploration. The pacing is methodical, and the difficulty can be unforgiving if you don't plan your moves carefully. It feels like a thoughtful, sometimes tense, chess match played out with ninja skills and pizza.