Game Reviews

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run

If you're old enough to recall a time when Teenage Mutant Turtles were 'Heroes' rather than 'Ninjas', then you'll no doubt be surprised at the evergreen status of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird's quartet of anthropomorphic amphibians.

Since their inception in a parody comic book in the '80s, the "Heroes in a Half Shell" have starred in multiple TV shows, headlined several Hollywood movies, and, of course, spawned multiple toys and video games.

The latest of these Turtle Powered-video games is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run (TMNT: Rooftop Run), which is based on the brand-new CGI show from Nickelodeon.

As the game name oh-so-subtly suggests, this iOS title takes place high above the streets of New York, where your Turtle of choice attempts to outrun a UFO belonging to the evil alien race known as The Krang.

Although it can be filed neatly in the 'endless-runner' drawer, there are a few gameplay elements which set TMNT: Rooftop Run apart from its contemporaries.

Pizza time

While your primary aim in this game is to get the best distance possible, it could be argued that a more vital commodity is the coins you collect from defeating the various enemies attempting to prevent your escape.

You use these coins to purchase new characters, weapons, and gadgets, all of which make each subsequent run that little bit easier.

Another thing to consider is your health. It's constantly dropping, you see, and you need to collect glowing green orbs in order to top it up. If you succeed in totally filling your health bar, you trigger a special sequence of reaction-based attacks that result in a hefty dollop of gold if successfully overcome.

Cowabunga!

The addition of combat - which requires excellent timing - and the need to go out of your way to collect as many orbs as possible means there's plenty for you to think about during a run.

This can prove to be slightly frustrating, for cheap deaths - usually the result of falling down a gap in the scenery - are commonplace on account of your having to concentrate on several different things at once.

It's also rather annoying to discover that much of the additional content takes ages to unlock. Well, unless you resort to using the game's in-app purchase system. Ordinarily, this wouldn't be an issue, but the fact that the game carries a premium price tag at the time of writing makes the IAP 'push' a bitter pill to swallow.

Despite its shortcomings, TMNT: Rooftop Run still manages to provide plenty of finger-friendly entertainment. It's sure to click with existing fans of the franchise as well as younger newcomers to the series who are discovering the Turtles for the first time thanks to the new show.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run

This rooftop scramble is hugely playable, but is undermined somewhat by the greedy in-app purchasing system which saps away some of the enjoyment
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Damien  McFerran
Damien McFerran
Damien's mum hoped he would grow out of playing silly video games and gain respectable employment. Perhaps become a teacher or a scientist, that kind of thing. Needless to say she now weeps openly whenever anyone asks how her son's getting on these days.