Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed (Nintendo Switch)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed is the latest outing for the green-skinned heroes in a halfshell. It picks up after the events of the 2023 movie, Mutant Mayhem, continuing its fresh approach to the teenage action heroes in a brand-new adventure. While it brings a lot of positive energy to the franchise, it’s not without its flaws. 

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have had quite the resurgence over the past few years, particularly in gaming. We were treated to two outings (Shredder’s Revenge and the Cowabunga Collection) in 2022, with another two (Splintered Fate and Mutants Unleashed) dropping this year. While the former pair focused on a more traditional, retro approach to TMNT gaming, the two 2024 entries have taken things in new directions.

Splintered Fate gave us our first roguelike outing, with randomized levels and intense isometric combat. Mutants Unleashed, on the other hand, presents players with a third-person beat ‘em up, using a 3D perspective and RPG elements that differ from the classic side-scrollers of the past.

If you haven’t seen the 2023 movie, Mutants Unleashed catches you up on the story so far. The game picks up almost immediately after the events of the film, which ended with the turtles saving New York from the devastating Superfly. The four reptilian brothers are now regarded as heroes, being accepted into society and even allowed to attend school (one of their dreams). All they desire is to be seen as “normal” teenagers, and this theme continues into the game’s story.

Standing in the way of this dream are some new mutants threatening to destroy the city. Leonardo leads the brothers on a mission to stop them, of course. Battles earn experience points, which can be traded for skills. Along the way are many human friends, adding a neat bonding element.

Levels are split into a day/night rhythm, allowing you to revisit your home base in the sewer between battles. A handy map shows you which events are awaiting your attention, with an expiry date that helps with prioritization. 

Visually, Mutants Unleashed sports the same aesthetic as the film. It’s a colorful presentation, with graffiti-like brushwork that looks as starkly different from the cleaner-looking ‘90s cartoon as possible. The effect is dynamic, giving the whole world an edgy, youthful style. If you happen to be a long-time fan of the turtles but haven’t seen the movie, it could be a jarring experience at first (the movie was initially jarring for me). I appreciate the fresh approach, even if I prefer the older style. Even the ‘90s cartoon differs enormously from the dark and gritty comic origins of the ‘80s, so it’s not the first time we’ve seen a major visual shift.

The soundtrack is good, too, with some upbeat tunes that suit the juvenile vibe. I particularly enjoyed the voicework, which sees the original voice actors from the 2023 movie reprise their roles as the four brothers. They do a great job, with some authentic and often humorous brotherly banter on display.

In this way, Mutants Unleashed has a lot of heart. The story and characters truly shine, expanding on the new versions of Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael, and Michaelangelo. Leo is still the leader, but he’s anxious and needs to work on his confidence. Raph is strong, but hot-headed. Donny is smart and even sports a pair of glasses. Mikey is physically smaller than the rest, and acts a little less maturely. The distinct personalities go a long way to humanizing the characters, and that’s part of the game’s charm.

Unfortunately, Mutants Unleashed suffers from several issues that mar the experience. Firstly, there’s a tremendous amount of slowdown between levels. I’m never a fan of loading screens, though they’re often inescapable (even Tears of the Kingdom has them). In Mutants Unleashed, it borders on the ridiculous, clocking up to a whole minute between scenes. If the levels were longer, this might be excusable. However, things change regularly, triggering that lengthy loading screen. This negatively affects the pace of the entire game, creating a jarring experience that’s disengaging for the player.

Secondly, let’s talk about the gameplay. While the beat-’em-up action is fun in general, it typically becomes a blur of button mashing. It’s often hard to discern between enemies and players. On top of that, the camera angles move at random and can’t be controlled by the player. This provides some frustrating moments during which it’s hard to time jumps, for example.

I should also point out that Mutants Unleashed has a two-player co-op mode, which is a great addition. Except…aren’t there four brothers? After playing numerous four-player TMNT outings, it’s unfortunate that the same option isn’t possible here. Two is great, but four is much better. It feels like a step backwards.

Overall, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed is a colorful follow-up to the successful 2023 film. The characterization is deep, the voicework is excellent, and the visuals are neat. Unfortunately, the pacing is way off thanks to overwhelmingly lengthy load screens, and the combat can be frustrating. If you’re ok with the stop-and-start nature of this one, then you’ll find a decent story behind the average action. If not, then steer clear.