TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge devs discuss the multiplayer
Jonathan Lavigne and Frederic Gemus talk about how multiplayer became a core aspect of the game's design.
We here at Mega Visions are feeling the turtle power, as we couldn’t be more excited for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge. The upcoming retro-style beat ’em up by Tribute Games and Dotemu brings the classic TMNT gameplay back to the forefront. And that includes creating a top-notch multiplayer experience.
In addition to the nostalgia factor, multiplayer is a core aspect of the game’s design, as the game’s director Jonathan Lavigne states in a new behind-the-scenes video:
I’ve worked on a TMNT game before, but it’s the first time I’ve worked on the ’87 version of it, which is the version I grew up with. And I think what makes it really good is the tone. Like, it’s really upbeat and the crazy characters of the series — how the game is easy to pick up and play, and also having fun with friends.
Jonathan Lavigne, Game Director and Co-founder at Tribute Games
Turtle-powered multiplayer in Shredder’s Revenge
Lavigne and game designer Frederic Gemus talk in the video about the importance of multiplayer in Shredder’s Revenge. They built the game with co-op multiplayer in mind, as that is such an iconic aspect of other TMNT games that they wanted to recapture.
The developers also explored the new Story Mode, which features the same levels in a different presentation. Taking place on a world map screen, you can revisit stages you’ve already beaten and complete new challenges. It’s a more modern way to play through the game, though a straightforward Arcade Mode is also available.
Gemus described the importance of multiplayer in shaping the game’s design:
Multiplayer is part of the whole DNA of the game itself. We really wanted to make a multiplayer experience first. So that means a super easy to jump in / jump out game. You can play locally or online, but the whole game design also supports the multiplayer. Now, we finally have some Party Pizzas — so no more fighting for who gets the pizza or not. Everybody gets a slice!
Frederic Gemus, Game Designer at Tribute Games
(Don’t worry, though — if you’re craving the nostalgia of arguing with your teammates over health pickups, there are still individual pizzas as well.)
Want to learn more about TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge before it launches this year? Our own Bobby Mills detailed everything we know about the game so far here. We also got the chance to talk with the game’s composer Tee Lopes at PAX East in April; check out that interview here. And be sure to check back with Mega Visions for the latest updates on your favorite half-shelled heroes.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is developed by Tribute Games and published by Dotemu. It will launch for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Microsoft Windows in 2022.
Via YouTube.
