DESCRIPTION

Up to four players can take the roles of Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello — the famous "heroes in a half-shell" — to fight together, through interactive environments, against a mysterious new enemy and his dangerous minions. In 2003, fans enjoyed a revival of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with both a re-launch of the popular animated series and the release of Konami's cel-shaded Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 128-bit console game. In 2004, the new television series began its second season, which serves as the basis for this video game sequel.

Like its predecessor, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus offers an above-the-action view of its various battleground settings, which the turtles and their friends must navigate by running and jumping. Players may find the platform challenges at least as prominent in Battle Nexus as they were in 2003's game, but plenty of enemies lurk about in this game as well. Fighting is still the main focus, and characters can perform a wide selection of combo moves and jump attacks.

In the game's "Story" mode, characters cooperate to beat up bad guys and complete objectives. Missions may require a team of four characters, but the computer can control teammates if there aren't enough players. All characters on a mission share a single, large, life bar, which may influence tactics and encourage teamwork. In the game's "Battle Nexus" mode, up to four players can fight against one another. In addition to the turtles, playable versions of the turtle's greatest allies, such as Splinter and Casey Jones, can be unlocked. Longtime fans should also appreciate the game's other unlockable bonus: an emulation of the arcade's original 1989 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles side-scrolling brawl-fest. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide