TMNT III: The Manhattan Project is the sequel to Turtles 2: The Arcade Game, which was one of the most well received Turtles games and is the most fondly remembered.
Because Turtles 3 is sandwiched between two of the best Turtles games in the series (Turtles 2 and Turtles 4: Turtles in Time), that means that it is also the most overlooked. In fact, the reason I choose to review the game is due to the fact that you always hear people talk about Turtles 2, but they never seem to remember or mention Turtles 3. Which is a game that I have fond memories of from my childhood.
Unlike the game before it, Turtles 3 is NOT a port of an arcade title, but rather it was built and released specifically for the NES after the second game proved to be one of the biggest sellers for the system.
Like the previous game, Turtles 3 is a side-scrolling beat-’em up, where you play as one of the four Turtles (Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo or Donatello). As you’d expect, you then take on wave after wave of Foot Clan soldiers, each of which has a unique method of attack and a unique weapon. The game can either be played with one person or with two people.
So is Turtles 3 as good as the other Turtles games? Or is it forgotten for a reason?
System: NES
Also On: None
Released: USA February 1992 – JAP December 13, 1991
Players: 2
Genre: Beat ‘Em Up
Save: None
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Country of Origin: Japan
Rating: N/A (If rated today it’d be rated E for Everyone because of “Cartoon Violence”)
Turtles 3 is kind of a hard game to rate as most beat-em ups are. A lot of gamers dismiss them out of hand for being so shallow, short, and sometimes easy. And for being so repetitive. But others find a certain charm within this bygone genre, and like to see the game through a retro prism instead of comparing it to today’s games. They simply take the genre for what it is.
And that is essentially how I approach these kind of games. Except there is one question that is more important than all others. A question that we ask of all games we review here at VGB. Is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: The Manhattan Project fun?
It most certainly is. It was for me anyway. But your mileage may vary.
The Manhattan Project is named after the U.S. weapons program that eventually produced the first Atom Bomb. Except in this case, the evil Shredder has his own ideas for a “Manhattan Project” . . . to steal the island whole-sale! Thus, the Turtles are simply enjoying their vacation on “a beach in Florida”, when April’s Report starts.
As the Turtles are watching the news given by their favorite reporter, the TV suddenly goes fuzzy. As you’d expect, Shredder pops on the screen. Before the Turtles know it, the whole island of Manhattan, New York floats into the sky. Shredder tells them that he is not only taking April, but he’s also taking all of Manhattan! So the “Green Machine” heads into action. (That’s a reference to the 90’s TMNT cartoon if you don’t recognize the reference. The Turtles would yell “Go Green Machine!” when rushing into action).
Turtles 3 can be played in either single-player or 2-player cooperative play, with one mode allowing for friendly fire (meaning your partner will take damage if you hit them) and the other turning friendly fire off (thus, if you accidentally or purposefully hit your partner, you will simply pass through them and they won’t take any damage).
For some reason, the amount of enemies on the screen does not seem to change whether you are playing with one or two people, so the game is easier when you are playing with a buddy.
You can select from any one of the four Turtles to take on the waves of Foot Clan enemies and end-level bosses on your quest to save April and the island of Manhattan. If you die, you’ll be able to select a different Turtle to continue with. Each Turtles has their own weapon and their own special attacks. Special Attacks can be performed by pressing the A and B Buttons together. This causes the Turtle to perform a more powerful attack, but it also takes one life bar away from your energy meter on the bottom of the screen.
Normal swing attacks are performed with the A Button. Pressing Down+A performs a unique “Jab N’ Toss” attack that flips the enemy in front of you over, often killing them in one hit as well as hitting any other enemies that get caught in the way. This makes the Jab N Toss one of your most useful attacks. Pressing the A Button makes your Turtles jump into the air. Press B while in the air to perform a deadly flying kick, where your Turtles speeds down at a diaganol angle, foot-first, into the faces of your enemies. This attack is a very quick one. Thus one of the best strategies is to perfectly time quick right and then left flying kicks that hit just after an enemy’s attack animation.
Combining all these moves is the key to defeating the Foot Soldiers, which will overwhelm you with sheer numbers and won’t simply stand around to be hammered. In fact you often will need to try and trick them by timing your flying kicks just after they punch or after they do an attack, when they are vulnerable. In fact you can expect to be knocked back if you simply try to do a flying kick straight at a Foot Clan soldier, as they will usually meet your foot with their fist, physically knocking you back and causing damage.
As mentioned above, each of the Turtles has their own special attacks and their own weapons. These weapons each have a different range as well. Combine this with their unique special attacks and that means that some Turtles have more advantage over the Foot than others.
Here is the list of playable characters in the game:
LEONARDO
Weapon: Kitana
Katana swords are fast and have medium attack range. This makes Leonardo the ideal Turtles to start out with because his range is longer than Mike or Raph.
Special Attack: Spin Slash
The Spin Slash Special Attack is super powerful. It causes Leo to spin around in a circle while standing in place, blades out-stretched, hitting any enemies that come in contact with him. Since it has a limited range you’ll want to be close to the enemy when you pull it off.
RAPHAEL
Weapon: Sai
Raphael’s Sai are two sharp, hand-wielded short-range tridents. The attack is very fast but has a very short range to boot. This makes Raph one of the harder Turtles to recommend because he needs to be close to do the most damage.
Special Attack: Drill Attack
Raph’s Drill Attack causes him to torpedo himself head-first into any enemies in front of him as he takes off like a spinning rocket. You can drill multiple enemies from half a screen away, making this one of the best and most powerful Special Attacks. Just make sure Raph is aligned with the enemies you want to hit before you perform the move.
MICHELANGELO
Weapon: Nunchukus
Mikey’s Nunchuk weapons are fast with a medium range. This makes Mike a little better than Raph due to the longer range. Although Raph has the better Special Attack.
Special Attack: Handstand Kick
Michelangelo’s Special Attack is the hardest one to master due to it’s unorthadox animation. This acrobatic move causes Mikey to push himself off the ground with his hands, kicking with his feet in an arch. This can be useful if you are surrounded and will also launch you into, hopefully, a less dangerous spot. So you can gather your bearings before going back into the fray. If you can connect the Handstand Kick it is a powerful move. But connecting is the problem.
DONATELLO
Weapon: Bo Staff
Talk loud and carry a big stick is Don’s motto. The Bo Staff is easily the most useful weapon of the bunch due to its extremely long range. This particularly makes taking out Rock Soldiers easy. However the Bo’s strength is countered by it’s slow speed.
Special Attack: Somersault Slash
Don’s Special Attack is one of the best, although like Raph’s Drill, you must make sure you have your Turtle aligned with the enemy or you may miss them. The Somersault Slash is a medium range attack in which Don does a horizontal in-air somersault with Bo Staff outstretched, so that the Bo rotates around him as he spins through the air. This is one of the best attacks and is powerful to boot.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3 has over 6 levels each of which is made up of several scenes. There is no saving or password system, and you start the game out with only 3 extra lives (0 counts, so it’s really four). You only get two continues after you’ve used up all your lives, as well. Die after your last continue and it’s Game Over. Meaning you must start from the very beginning of the game.
Score enough points though will reward you with an extra life. There’s also pizza in the game, which will refill your entire health meter. But pizza is scarce so its not something to count on. Each level ends with you facing a boss character. Most of the bosses are classics that Turtle fans will know and love from the TV show. Some levels also feature mini-bosses. Bosses include the likes of: Bebop, Rocksteady, Dirtbag, Leatherhead, Groundchuck, Slash and Rahzar.
Each of the levels is distinct and unique from the last. You’ll fight on a beach, on a deck, on a ship, in the sewer, at a park, through the city, in a subway and more. Like in the first game the Foot Clan will come out of various spots in the environment, which adds some cool “interactivity” to the game (you can also interact with/break a few objects in the environment. Break them in front of the foot clan to hit them with it).
Foot Clan will pop out from behind signs (watch for the falling signs so you don’t get flattened!), will jump out from under sewer covers (time your attack just right and you can hit the sewer cover back at them when they throw it at you), they’ll climb down from poles, break through windows and, in one stage, even get built right before your eyes! The Foot Clan are robots in this game like they are in all of the videogames (as opposed to the movies, in which they are people, not robots).
One of the coolest aspects of Turtles 3 is the wide variety of Foot Clan soldiers you will fight. These multi-colored ninjas will appear in a range of different colors and all have unique attacks.
Here is a list that includes most of the Foot Clan ninja enemies you will fight in the game.
1. Normal (Purple) – These guys are your average Foot Clan ninja and are the most plentiful. They are unarmed, but don’t think that makes them easy to beat. They will punch and kick you. They will also gang up and team attack you, such as by one grabbing your arms while the others punch your head. They are dangerous in groups so try to take them out quickly.
2. Sand (Yellow) – These Foot Soldiers wear yellow and although they are “unarmed”, they will use the environment as a weapon by throwing sand in your eyes! If you are hit by the sand you’ll be temporarily stunned. Try to attack them from behind while they are busying heaving sand at you.
3. Sword (White) – These Foot Soldiers look awesome in their white outfits, and they wield a deadly sword. Which they are not opposed to using to their advantage. The sword is powerful and has a longer reach than if they are unnarmed.
4. Spear (Pink) – Spear-wielding Foot Soldiers are somewhat deadly, but because both hands are in use they do not punch as often. Which is a good thing, making them easier to kick. They will lunge attack you with their spear and will also throw them, so watch out.
5. Iron Balls (Blue) – These Food Soldiers will come at you in a variety of ways using gigantic iron balls that they will try to flatten you with. Sometimes they will come onto the screen rolling on top of them, other times they will be carrying them and try to throw them at you.
6. Throwing Knives (Turquoise) – These deadly soldiers will stand on either side of you and toss Throwing Knives, which go upwards and forward. This can make them deadly as they may hit you whether you come in from above or toward. Try to take them out before they have a chance to throw.
8. Whip (White) – These Foot Soldiers carry a medium range whip that they will try to lash out at you by throwing it in front of them. I actually never had a problem with these guys and was always able to take them out before being hit.
9. Anvil (Blue) – These Foot Soldiers prefer to show off their strength by carrying gigantic iron anvils over their head. If they get close to you they will try and flatten you with said anvils. The best strategy is to quickly do a Flying Kick to knock the anvil out of their hands, or let them throw it and jump out of the way so you aren’t turned into a pancake of “Turtle Soup”.
10. Boomerang (Yellow) – These Foot Clan will throw boomerangs at you, which can hit you from a distance. Like all weapons that are thrown at you though, you can knock them back if you time it right. Be careful of the boomerangs though, because boomerangs will fly back to the person who threw them. This means that you can still get hit by a boomerang even if you’ve already taken out its thrower.
11. Stunt Clan (Orange/Dark Yellow) – These Foot Soldiers are apparently a fan of the movies, either that are they are just bored acrobats. Although unarmed, they can be a nuisance and deadly because they will take off running to one side of the screen and before you know it, they’ll lunch out at you by jumping through the air with arms outstretched. Which is why I call them Stuntmen. You’ve been forewarned.
13. Sliders (Purple) – These Foot Soldiers look like the normal everyday purple ones you are used to fighting. But they have learned a new technique. They will slide at you, which is a hard move to avoid. Try to attack them before they do their sliding.
14. Laser (Turquoise) – These guys come in two. They hold a device which creates a lazer beam between them. Typically they will simply come running at you from out-of-screen and will run the length of the screen unless you are caught in the zap. If you aren’t zapped, they’ll simply come back unarmed. If you can, try to do a Flying Kick to one of them as they first appear. This will disarm them.
15. Hover (Dark Green/Blue) – The final type you will encounter (baring a few others) are hovering Foot Soldiers who are flying on some flat device. As you might expect, they will try to hover over you and then pound into the ground. If you are caught under the disc you will be flattened. Try to quickly take them out with a Flying Kick, which will knock them off their disc.
Other enemies you will encounter include Rock Soldiers in various varieties (guns, construction bars, grenade launchers . . .), flying bugs, Mousers, laser gun-wielding robots, and more.
As proved in the screenshots above, the amount of variety in the enemies in Turtles 3 is impressive and it always keeps the game fun. As you will encounter new enemies as you get further into the game. And I always have fun taking them out and learning the strategies of each Foot Clan soldier.
As far as the bosses go, many of them are very tough and thus can be pretty frustrating. As they get closer to death they will flash, but many of them have attacks that aren’t easy to dodge, making it very likely that you will die a few times on each one before you are able to take them out. It’s also easy to get overconfident as they start flashing more. Because they are flashing more you’ll think they are close to death and will take more risks. However often times they are not as close as you think they are, which can easily result in your death if you aren’t careful.
Overall Turtles 3: The Manhattan Project is very similar to the other Turtles games. And although it doesn’t look as good graphically as the second title, it still features a wide range of enemies, levels, and bosses to beat up. The game is fairly short but it is not easy to accomplish actually finishing the game. In fact I’ve yet to beat it, always dying on the last boss. The game is also funner in two-player mode, as it’s always better to take on “The Foot”, with a friend.
If you like the previous Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games, and don’t mind the repetitive nature of the 8-bit/16-bit “Beat ’em Up” genre, then you owe it to yourself to give this game a try.
So far it has not been re-released in any form outside of the original NES version. So until it is released on the Wii Virtual Console or elsewhere (which isn’t likely), you’ll have to go old-school to play it. Which means picking up an actual NES and Turtles 3 cartridge to play on your Nintendo Entertainment System (you do still have your’s lying around somewhere. Right? RIGHT?!).
Although Turtles 3 is fun, I wouldn’t say that this is a game you should go out of your way to pick up. It is a cool title though if you enjoy this type of game.
Bottom line; If you already have an NES then definitely snag yourself a copy. You won’t be disappointed if you know what to expect.
You can buy Turtles 3: The Manhattan Project on ebay for anywhere from $5-$15. Which isn’t too bad at all. Just make sure you have a friend around to play with you. Cowabunga!
FUN FACTOR: 7.0
Turtles 3 can be fun but it can also be frustrating and quite difficult. It is also very repetitive (as all beat ’em ups are), does not contain any other modes (besides 2-player which is the same but with another person added) and is quite simple. If you like Turtles in Time or Turtles 2 you’ll like this game. If you didn’t like those you won’t like this one, since it is exactly the same.
Graphics: 6.0
Graphically the game doesn’t look as good as Turtles 2, which came before it. :/
Music & Sound: 7.0
The music in this game is fine and better than average. Though not quite as good or as distinctive as in Turtles 2 or 4. There are a few digitalized voice samples as well. Which was a big deal back in the day. Nowadays . . . not so much.
Ingenuity: 4.0
Plays exactly like Turtles 2 before it, with nothing new added outside of distinct Special Attacks and the Grab N’ Toss move. i.e. = No ingenuity went into the making of this title. It’s simply more of the same.
Replay Value: 5.0
Turtles 3 can be fun and it can also be hard. Thus it is very unlikely that you will beat the end boss on your first play-through (I still haven’t beaten the game after over 4 play-throughs). The game is also funner in two-player than one-player, so you may want to play through it again with a buddy. However there is the same amount of enemies in 1 and 2 player and the game doesn’t change at all when you add a friend. And as a beat ’em up the gameplay is very repetitive, with no change in the location or amount of enemies. There is also nothing to unlock. What you see is what you get.
