Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection serves up ample old-school gameplay nostalgia, though it’s appeal it limited.

The Cowabunga Collection brings you 13 games in one bundle. And even though some of them are pretty much the same, there’s enough. And a blast for the Teenage Mutant Turtles fans! But that’s it. It doesn’t have any improvements or new stuff that could make it more appealing for a new generation.

The entire TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection has clearly been crafted by a team that loves the TMNT – not just the games, but the shows and comics as well. It’s not only full of some of the best Ninja Turtle games ever made (and also the other ones), but the team at Digital Eclipse has gone above and beyond by adding a treasure trove of unique Ninja Turtles art & other creations. They’re also chock full of options, cheat codes, new features, and behind-the-scenes images. It’s truly unfortunate that the online component makes it so hard to find a match, and when you do get into a game it’s often woefully laggy. The input delay could also be improved. That said, this is still the most complete TMNT game collection available. If you’re feeling nostalgic for this era of Turtles gaming and don’t feel like spending nearly $550 on eBay to get the originals – plus all the time and effort of getting a retro gaming setup up and running – this is one shell of a collection.

Like with any collection of retro games, if you have fond memories of playing what’s included here, you’re likely to enjoy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – The Cowabunga Collection more than those who don’t. And while there are some games here that are still enjoyable, there are others that we can’t imagine anyone genuinely having a fun time with. Still, as retro collections go, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – The Cowabunga Collection is comprehensive, and you can’t fault that. Add in all the fan-pleasing extras and you have a collection that is sure to find an audience despite its shortcomings.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is a true labor of love from Digital Eclipse. Although the quality of the games included may be scattershot, ultimately, there's still enough good content to appeal to fans and non-fans alike.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is aimed at a potentially huge audience, given the extraordinary success of the Ninja Turtles in the early 90s, but it inevitably remains a product that only nostalgics will truly appreciate.

I’m not sure how I feel about this collection. I didn’t enjoy most of the games I played. And yet, this release does an admirable job gathering up so much Turtles history and memorabilia. You’ve got the games, the box art, the concept sketches, the music, and the TV stills. You have a clear snapshot of the Turtles hype train running at full speed. The effect is so complete this collection feels like a curated museum exhibit. On the other hand, the games are mostly bad. The action is repetitive, the difficulty balance is busted, and the stage design is mostly an afterthought. If you’re looking for a thoughtful essay on Ninja Turtles history, then look no further. If you want a bunch of fun games, The Cowabunga Collection is not for you.

Of the 13 games in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection, five or six of them are of legitimate quality and stand up to the type of scrutiny that a modern palette demands. As for the rest of them? If you spent a childhood playing them and you have your nostalgia goggles on, the drawbacks might not matter, but they’re unlikely to win over new fans.