Ninja Turtle Tips

The turtles are back in TMNT™ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for Xbox 360™ and the challenges that await them are fierce, but we're here to help. The following tips and tricks will set you up for success with Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. Whatever your turtle and whatever your challenge, keep the following in mind and you should triumph.

The brothers cooperate.

Faster!
Sonic isn't the only videogame hero that's rewarded for speed. Our Turtles are graded on how swiftly they finish a level as well. Unlike other platformers, TMNT isn't about exploration, but about navigating the environment as quickly as possible.

Stay in the habit of always looking ahead at the next obstacle to ensure that you don't get hung up on where to go next. Also, note that there is often more than one way to navigate an area, so look for that faster opportunity when it presents itself.

Around the Corner
For so long, games only allowed you to shimmy in a straight line, preventing you from swinging yourself around the corner of a ledge. However, you can do just that in TMNT and you'll be required to do so to navigate some of the trickier areas. Keep this in mind.

That's a big hammer.

Recovery Time
All the speed in the world won't do you much good if you die. If you find yourself dangerously low on health, back off and hold still for a few moments and your turtle's health will replenish.

Slow it Down
Picking your spots to use your slow-motion attacks to dominate should be based primarily on sheer numbers. Try using it when the area is completely filled with enemies to maximize its effectiveness. If you use it to polish off the last members of a first wave, you may find yourself up a creek when the second wave attacks.

Power Up
If you hold down the attack button long enough, you can unleash a devastating attack on a large group of enemies simultaneously. However, if you get hit while powering up, you will miss the attack and empty out your slo-mo meter as well. Try leaping across an unpopulated corner of the area and begin your attack from there. Your charge attack has a long reach, so don't worry too much about being out of range.

Donatello's pole vault.

Find the Leader
You won't always be pitted against a mob of mindless thugs. More dangerous enemies will drop into the mix, especially in the latter parts of the game. Any time you see a unique enemy on-screen, make them your number one priority, otherwise they will wreak havoc on you while you're engaged with the more common enemies.

Evasion
Don't forget to make consistent use of your evasion abilities, like back rolls. You aren't just graded on the speed at which you complete the level, but how quickly you take out the bad guys as well. Since you lose ground on your slo-mo meter every time you get hit, stay out of harm's way whenever possible, and never let yourself get surrounded.

Memorize and Repeat
Once you complete a level, you unlock the Challenge Map version of that level. When you play through the level the first time, try to memorize as much of it as you can, keeping in mind the trouble spots. Then, immediately play the Challenge Map version of the level while it is still fresh in your mind.

Article by Ryan Treit