http://files.filefront.com/Teenage+Mutant+Ninja+Turtles+Demo/;6777445;;/fileinfo.htmlNow, this may not excite some of you, but it definitely has me going (especially after all those crappy recent TMNT games)...
If you were into the TMNT in any form (I was first introduced through the TV series and then learned of the comic... I've been a nostalgic freak for them ever since), and liked the gameplay of the new series of Prince of Persia games, then you'll probably want to check this demo out.
Normally I wouldn't bother posting this on here, but I am because the game actually seems like it might be cab friendly! I was vaguely hoping but not expecting this to be the case, but it looks like it might be. That being said, the Demo's controls are not remappable and theres practically no UI, but I would hope and expect total control mapping freedom in the final release. The only real hitch I foresee is the launching of the game, as Ubisoft is known for using "Starforce" CD protection drivers, and they're a real pain to circumvent, considering I would want my DVD-rom free for other things.
But what really got me going and considering it a cabinet triumph are the controls and the camera. Unlike the PoP series, the camera is totally fixed (moves and follows you on its own) and all the controls are non-analog... so NO NEED FOR MOUSE. Not only that, but the demo had only about 4 or so buttons that were required for the game itself, so no needing to fidget around and consolidate button usage. The demo has only one player support, but the camera positions gave the character lots of breathing room, so I would expect at least 1 more player to be on screen, if not the 4 player experience I would hope for.
The graphics are also not as heavy on techincal detail as I thought they would be, although very heavy on style and art direction. If I were buying this for a PS3 or Xbox360 I would probably be dissapointed, but here it works perfectly. I'm not sure if the game requires a Directx9 card yet, but I will be in awhile when I install it on my mame machine (which has a Directx8.1 card)
EDIT: It works perfectly with Directx8.1 (requires Pixel Shader 1.1) and it's lowest supported resolution is 640*480
The gameplay is very fast paced and I foresee huge replay value. It's definitely taken the PoP style gameplay and tweaked it for ease of use and speed. Everything is fast, well animated, and very satisfying. The demo has alot of manuevering/jumping and some fighting, which is top notch. Playing as a single player, they've introduced a clever way of integrating the four turtles together for battle. You can basically switch between them (with a slick spinning animation) at anytime, but they all seem to be aware of one another in the game continuity, and there are actually combo moves you can do, where you can use two (or more?) turtles at a time. I don't know if actively switching between the turtles is in any of the more recent TMNT games, so it reminds me of the first NES game... which is always nice..
I'll be posting a proper review of this game after it comes out (March 20th) but until then I would definitely suggest people download the demo and give it a try.
EDIT: You can edit the controls freely via the "TMNTControls.ini" file in the program directory... and that includes any GUI functions like Escape and Enter, so thats good..
http://files.filefront.com/Teenage+Mutant+Ninja+Turtles+Demo/;6777445;;/fileinfo.html