A Turn-Based Ninja Turtles Game?

It’s been long accepted by now that when the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles appear in a video game, it belongs to a specific genre. It’s either going to be a fighter or a brawler, with multiple stages full of Foot enemies to kick around until your screen advances and you kick more of them. That’s how it always goes…or rather, that’s how it’s always gone until now.

Developer Strange Scaffold is doing something quite different with the TMNT license: they’ve just announced Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown, the first overhead strategy game for this IP. Gameplay involves positioning the Turtles on a grid, then choosing each one’s actions from a menu. Each Turtle plays differently, and you must plan for attack by considering each member’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s the THINKING Turtles game….it’s only for Donatello types.

The story is also unconventional. Don’t be fooled by the classic designs here; it takes place in a world where both Shredder and Splinter are dead. The absence of leaders on both sides has resulted in chaos. There’s a new leader of the Foot now, and the Turtles have to figure out how to beat her without the guidance of their sensei. That giant rat would certainly know how to plan strategies on a grid instead of walking up to punch folks! But alas.

Can the bros master this new world? That’s up to you. Try Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown when it launches on PC next year and see how far you get.