Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Arcade Attack

Repetitive hack-and-slash doesn't excite much.
Kids say
Based on 2 reviews
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Arcade Attack
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this cartoon-based action game is entirely about fighting. There are no creative or puzzle aspects to it, just fighting. The ninja turtle characters will attract young kids to the game, but parents of such young children might take issue with the non-stop melee combat.
Community Reviews
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What’s It About?
The story behind TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: ARCADE ATTACK revolves around the villanous Shredder setting off \"temporal surges\" and upsetting the electric grid in New York City. Criminals take advantage of the disturbance and start a crime spree. The ninja turtles run through town and beat people up to save the day.
Is It Any Good?
As the title implies, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Arcade Attack is set up to play like the old hack-and-slash button-mashing games that would often be found in arcades of old. The basic gist of these games is that two heroes walk through a series of streets, alleys, and hallways, beating up anyone who comes along. Real thinking or strategy isn't needed, just pounding buttons at the right times. As a recreation of those kinds of games, TMNT: Arcade Attack is, for better or worse, a success. The repetitive action can grow boring rather quickly, and would have at least been helped by some variety in the bad guys -- but instead you face the same few template villains over and over. When the comic-book panel story scenes that occur between levels are more exciting than the gameplay, that's a problem.
Online interaction: The game can't be played online, but two kids who own the game can play cooperatively through the DS's wireless connection.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Even thought the ninja turtles are very unrealistic cartoon characters, does their fighting still send a bad message to kids? Is there a difference between cartoon violence and realistic violence?
Game Details
- Platforms: Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: UbiSoft
- Release date: November 10, 2009
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- ESRB rating: E10+ for Cartoon Violence
- Last updated: August 31, 2016
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate