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Fun
Facts About the TMNT II Cover: The artwork for the
game's cover was done by long-time TMNT artist Steve Lavinge.
The original airbrush painting was sold by Steve, himself, on eBay
some years back for around $200 to a Japanese deputy service bidder.
Some lucky Japanese person (or maybe even Konami's offices!) now
has the original art.
If you
look closely at the bottom of Mikey's skateboard on the cover,
you can make out an image of a smiley face with graffiti streaming
down it. This is a homage to the smiley face smeared in blood
from the much-acclaimed Watchmen comic books.
The only thing hotter in toys than the Ninja
Turtles in 1990 might have been the Nintendo, which sat comfortably
with over 90% of the video game market in the States thanks in
no small part to the release of Super Mario Bros. 3 earlier
in the year.
In 1989,
Playthings' annual best seller survey (that surveyed over 15,000
retail stores) ranked Nintendo as the number 1 top-selling toy
of the year. TMNT made number 3, losing out to Barbie. In 1990,
however, TMNT usurped both Mario and Barbie, topping the survey.
So what do you get when you combine the previous year's best-selling
toy with the current year's best-selling property? Konami knew
they had a hit on their hands with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
II: The Arcade Game.
And it came
as no surprise, either, given the enormous popularity of the original
coin-operated machine. Without question Konami was king of the
arcades in the early nineties. Along with The Simpsons
and X-Men, Konami's TMNT allowed for up to four
players at one time (as long as they had the quarters) to beat
up The Foot, Krang, and Shredder in an all-out brawler. The TMNT
arcade game was (and still is) my favorite coin-op, as it was
to many other Turtle fans and arcade players in 1990.
Despite
a soft retail market, a recession looming, and fears of a war
in the Persian Gulf, nothing seemed to hold back the Turtles holiday
season 1990, and the NES port retailed
for a full $54.96 in the US when
released in December. Konami wanted to stress how close and accurate
a port the NES version was by airing
commercials and publishing ads in magazines
and comic books of the original
arcade machine getting dumped with a glop of retromutagen ooze
and transforming into the Nintendo game.
The truth
of the matter is that the NES port had been downgraded to allow
only two-players because of the system's limitations. Nonetheless,
the multiplayer aspect was still a main selling point of the game,
as can be seen in this drummed-up description on the back of the
game box: "You May Have Shredder Double-Teamed, But He
Still Has You Outnumbered! ... For the first time ever, two dudes
or dudettes can join forces and double-team Shredder, kicking
shell while covering each others tails".
Transcript
of TMNT II commercial: “Ultra's improved your
favorite arcade game. First, we added new two levels, then packed
it with bigger, stronger enemies and a ton of extra foot soldiers.
Now, we punched up the action with knock-out new attack moves
and crime-fighting scenes like the Ninja Castle. If that doesn't
swallow your shell, we made one more small adjustment [shrinking
arcade cabinet down to an NES box]: introducing the new Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Arcade Game, today's biggest edge for
your NES. Free personal pan pizza coupon from Pizza Hut in every
box.”
To describe
the game's commercial in one word: wild. The NES-exclusive boss,
Tora, grabs a giant ice block and starts pounding the side of
the arcade machine like a mad man (a mad polar bear?) until the
other NES-exclusive boss, Shogun, comes
out and makes long slashing swipes at the screen with his spear
(say that sentence six times sast). What, are you trying to kill
me, Shogun, or get me to beg my parents to buy your game for Christmas?
Konami
Inc. (KON) / Ultra Software Corporation (ULT)
900
Deerfield Parkway
Buffalo
Grove, IL 60089-4510
(708)
215-5111
Up to this
point in the article I have only been referring to Konami and
not Ultra Games. That is because Ultra Games was in actuality
a subsidiary publisher of Konami. Why would Konami need to create
a subsidiary to publish their games?
Back in the
NES days, Nintendo limited companies to five game releases per
year. The creation of Ultra Games was to help Konami get around
that limit. And why impose a limit of 5 games in the first place?
To answer
that question, one needs to go back to the final days of the Atari
and the cause of the video game crash in 1983—namely, the
flood of game titles into stores inundating kids and their parents,
and the total lack of quality control that eventually resulted
in consumers’ distrust of video games in general.
By limiting
game companies to 5 releases per year, Nintendo could ensure a
healthy, but not overcrowded, marketplace of games for their system,
and could see to evaluate each individual title and decide whether
to stamp their famous Official Nintendo Seal of Quality on the
packaging or not.
In 1990, the
Ultra Games subsidiary alone published the maximum 5 releases
allowed: Kings of the Beach, Mission: Impossible,
RollerGames, Snake’s Revenge, and Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game.
Konami, on
their original publishing label, had 4 more 1990 US releases:
Jack Nicklaus' Greatest 18 Holes of Major Championship Golf,
Skate Or Die 2: The Search for Double Trouble, and Super
C.
For the Famicom
that year, yet 6 more additional games from Konami: Akumajou
Special: Boku Dracula-kun, Ganbare Goemon Gaiden: Kieta
Ougon Kiseru, Moai-Kun, Mouryou Senki Madara,
Quarth, and Parodius Da!.
In total,
the tally came to 15 original games all published by Konami or
a Konami subsidiary in just one year. Now you can see the need
for Ultra Games (and, in Europe, Palcom—Konami's international
subsidiary publishing company). How
else would we have been able to live without seeing Super C
and Jack Nicklaus' Greatest 18 Holes come
out in the same year?
Now that we know some history behind the release,
let's drop right into the game.
Sure,
we all know they're the world's most fearsome fighting team, but
who really are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Your first decision
is to pick your Turtle to control.
In the fight against Orkoku Saki,
The Shredder, all of the ninjutsu
techniques
and training sessions I have given you over the years will come
to the ultimate test.
 
When
approached by regular enemies, use a combination of A+B simultaneously
for an attack that will deliver a two-hit blow—an instant
defeat for most of The Foot!
When
that fails, my sons, do not lose heart. Jump kick, jump kick,
and jump kick. And when you finished jump kicking, jump kick again!
I made a funny!
For
Boss Strategies, see my wisdom further down. Now I am going to
prepare some octopi and squid sushi. I hope you Turtles are hungry!
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Trained
in Shredder’s Taekwondo gym, these maximum offenders are
brainwashed to destroy turtles at any cost. Main enemy of Scene
4. |
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This
airborne attacker carries a 50 caliber cannon that will leave
you shell shocked. |
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These
mini-titanium titans are programmed to chew off turtle toes. |
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Three
deadly predators designed by Shogun to weaken his prey. |
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Unicycle
soldiers that will zap you senseless. |
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An
overgrown, mechanical mosquito equipped with a turtle zapping
laser gun. |
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Three
deadly predators designed by Shogun to weaken his prey. |
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Don’t
let this carrot nosed creep fool you. He’s packing heat
seeking missiles that have your name on them. |
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(Note:
This is the best named enemy in all of the NES.) Three deadly
predators designed by Shogun to weaken his prey. |
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A
laser-beaming robot enemy so forgettable that even the manual
forgot to mention it. Pew pew pew! |
It takes a special kind of devotion and work ethic
to do and write the things I have for this site over the years,
this article included. The following maps transcend that completely
and enter into another realm, a scary realm, a realm of semi-illness,
a realm of unbridled OCD.
Presented
for your pleasure and astonishment is every single map in the
game with their respective number and placement of over 700 enemies,
from the first Foot Soldier all the way to Shredder at the end.
Why? I’ve been asking myself that same question the whole
day. Without any hesitation, I can say that this is the most hardcore
thing I have ever done. (To God I pray that I still have a lot
of living ahead of me if this is my life’s hardcore highlight.)
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Shredder's
right and left hand men, er, mutants of Scenes 1 and 2 (respectively).
They prove that beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes
all the way to the bone.
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My
turtles, Rocksteady is slow. Jump kick him in the head. He
will charge, fire bullets from his machine gun, or attempt
to inflict a blow with his fist. He is rather dimwitted, so
remember to perform swift jump kicks, unless he is firing
his gun in the air. Remember to get out of the way when you
land! |
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Shredder's
right and left hand men, er, mutants of Scenes 1 and 2 (respectively).
They prove that beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes
all the way to the bone.
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Bebop
will prove to be a bigger challenge than Rocksteady, but not
by much. He shares many of the same moves as his bumbling
counterpart, only this time his gun blasts will not shoot
in the air—use that to your advantage when you jump kick.
This is some delicious sushi! |
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Mouser
bombardier by day, Gnat Man by night, you’ll find this
fun lovin’ freak in Scene 2, Part 2 and Scene 3, Part
2.
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Professor
Baxter Stockman has proven to be dangerous in a laboratory,
but in the sewers, he goes down faster than green tea. Jump
kick his flying contraption and move out of the way of the
Mousers! |
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These
two infamous intergalactic bounty hunters are looking to
tag team the turtles. Tora will test your skills in the
radical new and never before Scene 3, Part 1. Shogun will
shock your senses in Scene 6, the one of a kind challenge
that will change you from green to black and blue!
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Say
'sayonara' to Tora with jump kicks when he is readying to
hurl an ice block your way. Just do not freeze in one place
and you will be fine, my sons. Ha ha, I made another funny! |
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Mouser
bombardier by day, Knat Man by night, you’ll find this
fun lovin’ freak in Scene 2, Part 2 and Scene 3, Part
2.
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Professor
Baxter Stockman is back, it seems, but now transformed as
a fly. Like all flies, he is bothersome to catch, but with
enough concentration, he can be swatted. Stay away from his
attacks by placing yourself underneath Baxter, and wait for
him to fly across the screen to deliver a fast jump kick.
He will sometimes come down to use a fly swatter against you.
Sharp reflexes will be your best defense. Use the Pizza Power-Up
when you are low on health. |
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N/A
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My
sons, do any of you know the going rates for gym memberships
these days? I have really been meaning to tone up. Ha ha!
Yet another funny! |
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N/A
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What
is all of this talk about mercury in sushi that I have been
hearing about in the news lately? |
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Ruler
of Scene 5, this hardbodied hooligan likes his turtle meat
extra crispy. And he’s brought his own hibachi blaster
cannon.
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It
will require great patience and perseverance to bring down
Granitor, a great Stone Warrior of Dimension X. Jump kick
him on one side and jump kick from the other side for as long
as it takes while dodging his flame thrower attack. Eat the
nearby Pizza for health and heartburn. |
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These
two infamous intergalactic bounty hunters are looking to
tag team the turtles. Tora will test your skills in the
radical new and never before Scene 3, Part 1. Shogun will
shock your senses in Scene 6, the one of a kind challenge
that will change you from green to black and blue!
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Shogun
is like a Martial Arts warrior I once knew in Japan, except
that his cursed head can detach and fly around the room. Concentrate
on delivering blows to the body with traditional attacks until
the head comes off. Then remember to use your jump kick. If
you are running low on life, pick up the Pizza Power-Up. |
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Granitor’s
army of hard rock hit men. (The instruction manual does
not give General Traag's proper name, and erroneously labels
Granitor as the leader. He is not. Granitor is a Lieutenant.
General Traag leads the Rock Soldiers. Also, if it is not
yet clear to you, I have no life to speak of.)
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A
second foe of stone from Dimension X! Defeat him with your
jump kicks and dodge his gun blasts. This is only the first
of three bosses in this scene, so stay alert, my sons! |
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Once
a warlord of alien planets, Krang fights side by side with
Shredder in Scene 7.
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Krang
does not look powerful, but looks can often be deceiving.
Equipped in his Android Suit, he proves to be quite deadly.
He will kick when approached closely, and shoot out fist missiles
when far away. When his eyes change color, prepare to jump
out of the way of his charged eye beam attack. Jump kick Krang
all the way back to Dimension X! |
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Ruler
of Scene 7, you’ll face off against this old foe in
the ominous Technodrome.
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Orkoku
Saki is a most powerful adversary. Focus on finding the fake
first by attacking both Shredders until one of their helmets
comes off to reveal the fraud. Focus your attacks now on the
real Shredder, sideswiping his sword slashes to save your
shell. If you accidentally inflict enough damage on the clone,
the fake Shredder will disperse and Shredder will create a
new one in its place. When you see the real Shredder backing
up to the side of the screen, he is preparing to assault you
with a retromutagen attack that will blast you back into a
pet turtle and will cause you to lose a life. Move with swiftness
and make your way over to Shredder in time to dodge the blast.
With enough effort, the real Shredder’s helmet will fly
off and the end of Orkoku Saki’s reign will be close
at hand. I have faith in you, my Turtles! |
See the Cowabunga Cutscenes
page for pictures and video of all the game's cutscenes.
Donny here. So you wanna
scope out the prototype of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II:
The Arcade Game? You've come to the right place and to the
right turtle!
The same RD031 marking and 8/2 date on the cartridge’s
front label are found on the stickers on the CHR and PRG (written
as “PROG”) EPROMs, too. You can also see some Japanese
characters written below that. 
translates to “sample”. Bossa nova!
This
sample is NTSC region coded, so judging by the August 2nd, 1990
markings on the label and EPROMs, this copy predates the official
North American release in December by four whole months.
This
prototype is on an NES-TLROM-02 PCB. The released version's board
is NES-TLROM-03.
Just
check out the MacGyver job on the back, guys! This thing has more
soldering than a Turtle Comm! The wires are for making the CHR
and PRG EPROMs work on a non-EPROM board like this NES-TLROM-02.
Having
exhausted the game and beating the prototype version on Michaelangelo's
Nintendo, taking photographs of nearly everything in the game
along the way, then comparing those shots to the released TMNT
II game, I could find no obvious differences. The Foot are
the same, the copyright and title
screens are the same, all
of the cutscenes are the same, same
overt Pizza Hut advertisements everywhere (hey, don't blame
us for selling out to pizza!), even the same cheats work [i.e.
B, A, B, A, Up, Down, B, A, Left, Right, B, A , Start on the title
screen].
Quite
a bummer, dude!
After
dumping the game, it turns out the same is essentially the same
except for one thing: the build ID on the retail game is MAST900801,
while in this prototype, it's SAMP900802. The prototype was made
one day after the final retail version!
I'd
hate to be the one who shelled out the money for this game. Get
it? Shelled out? I bet that guy must feel like a total
numbskull—
Thanks, Donatello.
I think I can take it from here. You were my least favorite Turtle,
by the way. You nerd.
I have had
disappointments with prototypes before in the past, but nothing
compares to the hurt of this one. Four months before its official
release, and everything seems to be this finished?
Of the 12
previous NES prototypes that have passed into my hands, only one
actually had an obvious non-glitch difference—Princess
Tomato in the Salad Kingdom. And that difference was in
the translation. And that difference in the translation was the
replacement of the word “pot” for “vase” in
the game’s stores. That’s right, of the thousands spent
on procuring prototypes, “POT” TO “VASE” IS
ALL I HAVE TO SHOW FOR IT. But this prototype has made me snap
a little. Ha, ha, ha! Tonight I dine on turtle soup! Ha, ha, ha!
I am slowly drifting into a deep madness from which I will never
return.
I think I'll
take up Master Splinter's suggestion and go out for some sushi.
Raw fish is sounding better and better to me.
 
 
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