TMNT fans speak up against Smash-Up character selection
by JC Fletcher 
{ Sep 21st 2009 at 12:20PM }
While there's nothing particularly novel about a bunch of people complaining on the internet, the uproar does mean that we think it's worth telling you, the members of our audience who have yet to complain on the Ubi forums, about the smallish roster.
Basically, if you were going into this with dreams of pitting Baxter Stockman and Usagi Yojimbo against Krang, then you might want to rethink going into this.
[Thanks, Man in the Back!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
dark_inchworm (stronger than never, ever before) @ Sep 21st 2009 12:29PM
As long as the game is good, I'm not that worried about the roster.
Now then, IS the game any good?
rglong @ Sep 21st 2009 3:15PM
From the reviews I've seen, from people who received early copies, the game is alright, but not great. The moves are all kind of same-y.
One reviewer on youtube compares it unfavorably to DreamMix TV World Fighters, which sucks, but is at least weird and interesting enough to hold your attention. Smash-up, by comparison, is just "meh".
In my opinion, that is even worse than it totally sucking. I'd rather something be so terrible it's campy fun and hilarious, than it just being middle-of-the-road.
crispy4001 @ Sep 21st 2009 4:16PM
I have the game. The moves are 'samey' only on a superficial level - each character actually has a longer learning curve than the Smash Bros characters I'd say. Or at the least, there's more of a learning curve to them in the beginning. I really feel like I have to resort to the practice mode; something I never did in the Smash games. Because of that, I don't feel like the smaller roster is such a negative.
I think it's a great game. The online especially is more polished than Brawl, the lag is MUCH better. But you can't be expecting a Smash Bros clone out of it - it's more like Smash Bros with an equal mix of traditional fighters, Soul Calibur especially. The way you'll build combos in particular has little in common with the Smash games - you build most of them from the ground instead of juggling opponents in the air. The controls have changed as well, they've revamped the whole tilt system (for sake of brevity I won't describe the changes here).
As an aside, the single player modes are a little lacking. It's about what Melee was in that regard. However, you'll probably be getting much more out of the game online than with Brawl. Especially if you stick with it, and join in on some of the online tournaments (a lot of people at turtledojo.com have game, and are already starting to organize them).
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Sep 24th 2009 10:55PM
I think old Turtle fans have given up hope on ever having a real TMNT comic game. The suits seemed to think a violent comic book could become a franchise, but now we are pushing 30 and can handle Raph stabbing a foot ninja.
Elranzer @ Sep 25th 2009 3:29PM
Much like how I stuck with the SNES version of Turtles in Time instead of the shitty remake on XBLA and PSN, I'll stick the with SNES TMNT Tournament Fighters instead of this game.
mgd182 @ Sep 21st 2009 1:01PM
I love how Joystick wont say the word P*R*TE, makes me smile. I had some friends who were pissed about there being as many rabbits as ninja turtles (almost). So I know as sure as hell I wont be dishing out any $$ for this...
aang1818 @ Sep 21st 2009 1:04PM
You are the cancer killing the vidya industry.
rglong @ Sep 21st 2009 2:49PM
Actually some people received retail copies early.
aang1818 @ Sep 21st 2009 1:02PM
That sucks, especially when you consider that this means the turtles/splinter are over 1/3 of the roster.
GewurztraminerX @ Sep 21st 2009 1:18PM
Usagi Yojimbo in this game would have been a plus. Though, the fact that he was created independently from TMNT and is simply a crossover guest makes it a little understandable that he's not in the game.
Disappointing yes, but also understandable.
isotrex @ Sep 21st 2009 1:20PM
Why the heck would they do that? The TMNT universe especially the new ones got lots of characters including villains in it. Heck they could even add April up if they're coming short or some of the bonus Ubisoft chars like the rabbid (w/c was already in it), splinter cell, assassin's creed, beyond good and evil, etc. lol (Then again it would be like Ubi Smash Up and not TMNT... my bad. lol). Make it as many as SSBB so people cannot complain... Take note that they'll just find another way to complain about. rofl... Haven't read the reviews yet. But yeah, is the game any good? Or does it get boring once you play a couple or so games in it.
Thanatos @ Sep 21st 2009 1:56PM
Wow the lineup is pretty pathetic. I have to echo the others when i ask - is it any good?
PN04 @ Sep 21st 2009 6:37PM
"forget the small roster, is the game any good?"
"no, because the roster is so small."
Really when it comes down to it, this is the problem.
Atlantis1982 @ Sep 21st 2009 2:01PM
How about we speak up, and tell Ubisoft to give us (Wii owners) the original Arcade beat-em ups.
rglong @ Sep 21st 2009 2:56PM
Because they would just screw it up like they screwed up Turtles in Time.
Atlantis1982 @ Sep 21st 2009 2:58PM
Would be really pathetic to screw up an emulation. (Refers to the Virtual Console Arcade)
rglong @ Sep 21st 2009 3:03PM
I have faith in Ubisoft's ability to screw up anything.
Is the SNES Turtles IV game out for VC? It's way better anyway.
Atlantis1982 @ Sep 21st 2009 3:05PM
NOPE, NADDA, not even the NES port of the first arcade!
That is my point! (Cries)
rglong @ Sep 21st 2009 3:08PM
AH. That is too bad, I was not aware. I still own the original cartridge (and I still play it).
Agreed then. We should petition.... who? Konami? Nintendo? Ubisoft? Whoever. I'm on board either way.
TwEE @ Sep 21st 2009 2:12PM
This roster is pure garbage. Leave out rocksteady and bebop but add ubisoft characters!?!? Really?
Between the various cartoons, comics, movies and toy lines they could have grabbed 2 from each to keep all their fans happy. but instead they had rabbits?
I just don't get it.
Hardy @ Sep 21st 2009 2:14PM
The people who whine and complain are hilarious because they'll look at the game, say it probably plays fine but is missing XX so they won't buy it.
Then a year or two later complain why there isn't a sequel.
rglong @ Sep 21st 2009 2:51PM
Think about what you are saying.
This game has a third of the content Brawl has, and costs the same.
That doesn't strike you as problematic?
Hardy @ Sep 21st 2009 2:57PM
Depends what the budget was. I'm sure the budget for Smash Bros was more than 2 fold what this game is, which makes this game even more difficult to succeed.
rglong @ Sep 21st 2009 3:05PM
Seeing as how I'm a consumer and not an Ubisoft employee, the game's development budget is completely irrelevant to me.
I'll buy it used after it ends up in a bargain bin. Probably won't be long.
Markez @ Sep 27th 2009 5:22PM
You have to admit at least, that Smash has an insane amount of content in it. Over the top, one can argue, for how much it has.
lol @ Sep 21st 2009 2:32PM
So...Konami wasn't called for this game...why?
Tournament Fighters redux would have been just fine.
rglong @ Sep 21st 2009 2:55PM
The problem isn't just the small roster. It's:
A.) The blatantly false advertising. They have been promising for months the game would be a celebration of 25 years of Turtles history, AND the website page about the characters shows seven question marks, implying there are at least seven hidden characters.
and
B.) The cynical nature of three Rabbids being in the game. We are not stupid. We know this is just a shameless plug for their stupid new Rabbids game. Do you really think they added these in because they thought fans would enjoy it? Um... no.
Even if the gameplay is fantastic (I've been hearing that it is mediocre), I would not pay fifty bucks for a game that has a third of the content Brawl has. I might buy it for five bucks, used, for the PS2 some day.
I hope Ubisoft isn't one of those companies constantly bitching about used game sales...
Storm Eagle [Resident Capcom Megafan] @ Sep 21st 2009 3:06PM
As a MASSIVE TMNT fan, I have sadly lost hope in the Turtles as a gaming franchise. I was even a bit worried when the new cartoon came on and the new CGI movie came out. I guess I was lucky that those turned out to be pretty decent.
With the amount of characters in the Turtles universe, there is absolutely no need to have any of the Rabbids in this game. Personally, I think they should have stayed in the Rayman games where they belong, They don't warrant their own games, nor do they belong in anyone else's.
What a travesty....
rglong @ Sep 21st 2009 3:10PM
I might not mind a Rabbid if it genuinely appeared to be a fun secret character put in for gamers' enjoyment, but it looks more like shameless, cynical advertising to me.
I guess little kids will eat this up, but they could have made a ton of money off of adult TMNT fans. Their loss.
GewurztraminerX @ Sep 21st 2009 3:09PM
Even a game with 1/3 the content of Brawl has potential. I'll be getting it this week and finding out for myself either way.
Besides, I've paid way more than $50 for things far less fun than a bad TMNT game
(e.g. speeding tickets, Blockbuster rentals, getting my teeth drilled, etc).
rglong @ Sep 21st 2009 3:11PM
Ubisoft thanks you for your support of shovelware.
GewurztraminerX @ Sep 21st 2009 4:43PM
Shovelware? Really? Seems a bit harsh. It's not like they called it "Petz: Mutant Turtlez".
I'll still find out for myself. And if I'm wrong, I'm wrong, and I flush $50 .... to the sewers.
Personally, I enjoyed Re-shelled, so I'm not too worried.
BenHo @ Sep 21st 2009 3:16PM
BlazBlue has a very small cast, even smaller than TMNT. The number of characters isn't as important as the quality of the characters.
rglong @ Sep 21st 2009 3:21PM
Was BlazBlue marketed deceptively? Does it contain characters that are just shameless plugs for an unrelated game?
Matt @ Sep 21st 2009 3:57PM
KRANG! KRAAAAAAAAAAAANG!
Ninjinister @ Sep 21st 2009 7:01PM
I have the game. It IS an amazing game. I wouldn't say it's better than Brawl (especially since 99% of the unlockables can be achieved in a day, whereas I'm still slowly working on Brawl). The fighting system, while imperfect, is still very deep and fun. I'm having a blast with it.
I've been a hardcore TMNT fan all of my life, though, and the cast makes me sad. Really, even throwing Leatherhead or Hun into the mix would've been better than the Rabbids.
If Ubisoft decides to do a sequel, they had better darn well use Turtles Forever as a basis. I can almost guarantee nobody would whine about the roster if they used that film's cast to its fullest.
PurpleFries @ Sep 28th 2009 12:24PM
it took me only 3 days to get all of the real unlockables (the ones that affect gameplay, so stages, characters, modes, options, level builder parts)
but on the other hand, i played it extremely intensively for 3 days after it came out
Henri made in ore @ Sep 21st 2009 7:14PM
We all say"you gotta try something before judging it'
I am not really a fan of the tmnt,but this game has awesome stages,i like how the stages work.The character roost is ok.if you really like this game you will pick it up.
for me i rented it,not worth my 50 bucks.It just weird to see different characters with familiar moves and similar story mode from melee.All i can say is you'll spend more time playing this on wifi,then ther actual mode.Also i dont like the comical story line view.that is my review-puts my papers down and play brawl-lulwut
Rygar @ Sep 22nd 2009 3:24PM
You don't really need to try something before judging it. You can study up on it without actually doing it, and still form a well-reasoned opinion.
That's useful advice for video games or any other area of life, by the way.
Mu93n @ Sep 22nd 2009 6:05PM
hm? more shovelware for a current-gen nintendo console from ubi? oh, ok then.
-goes back to what he was doing-
Mu93n @ Sep 22nd 2009 6:07PM
oh? more ubisoft shovelware for a current-gen nintendo console you say? ok then.
-goes back to what he was doing-
Mu93n @ Sep 22nd 2009 6:09PM
mu93n youre a dumbass for posting basically the same thing twice. comment fail. downvote over 9,000
darknite39 @ Sep 23rd 2009 2:26AM
This is horrible. The only reason I was interested in this game was the roster potential.
Expansion / DLC possible? Sucks that it would have to come to that, but I might bite if it's inexpensive.
Jonneh! @ Sep 23rd 2009 3:33PM
Here's the answer which I think a lot of people are looking for:
1. The gameplay seems a bit stiff, yes, but overall great game. Don't cast aside the idea of at least renting this game because of the surrounding arguments about it. If you are a Turtles fan, it's a fun game! (If you aren't you may not get AS much out of it)
2. It's not the fact of the small roster to the game but more the fact we were promised not only more characters but they had several forums on the official site for the game for characters that people would like to see. Clearly absolutely none of these were taken into consideration.
3. This game cannot be compared to smash brothers brawl but maybe the original, or melee. The unlockables are weak to say the least and really the game is not that hard with the exception of a few missions. But think, this is a start. If they are planning on sequals then this is not a bad start.
All that in mind, we were still completely lied to!!
I firmly believe we have DLC to look forward to because it CAN be done on the wii (guitar hero, rock band) Think about it, would Ubisoft, a huge company, really risk possible lawsuits.
Dv8thwonder @ Sep 24th 2009 6:19PM
Can I get an opinion on a game in Joystiq w/o the jaded fanboy drama?