Let’s get one thing straight so that we can put the cries of “foul” to rest early. TMNT: Smash-Up is being developed by the same company that gave us Super Smash Bros. Brawl, so don’t start whining about rip-offs and clones. Of course, this begs the question – why do we need another Smash game when Brawl is so incredibly good? Because this one has Turtles, and as a longtime fan who still has the horrible Vanilla Ice song from the movie memorized, that’s all the reason I need.

Only ten characters have been announced, including the new additions of Casey Jones and a Foot Soldier, with promises of many more to come. I tried to eek out more details through every method short of blatant bribery. Unfortunately, all I can say is that Bebop, Rocksteady, and Lord Krang have been “neither confirmed nor denied.” On the bright side, Game Arts is working closely with Mirage Studios and raiding the archives to bring characters from every era and medium of Turtlemania together.

Even at this stage, the battles are fast and fierce with incredibly intuitive controls. For all intents and purposes, this is Smash Bros. with a ninjitsu twist. Combatants bound off the walls, fling shuriken, and tumble through broken floorboards. Level design is one area that TMNT may have its predecessor beat. While some levels were static, like the dojo and the Manhattan rooftops, others fell apart as everyone tumbled over into the next section. In the jungle, this meant navigating some precariously flimsy platforms or being eaten by the gargantuan alligator below.

1-4 player rumbles, with or without A.I., and team-matches are official, as expected. Although we have been assured that we can expect a wide variety of options and alternative modes, everyone is remaining tight-lipped on the specifics. As far as I’m concerned, even at this stage, Smash-Up is the best TMNT game in a decade.

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