The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have appeared in a lot of video games, across countless platforms. For the most part, the characters have largely starred in arcade style brawlers, but there have been some exceptions, including one set to arrive on Steam next month. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown is the first ever turn-based game based on the Paramount franchise. In a new interview with Inverse, developer Strange Scaffold’s founder and game director Xalavier Nelson Jr. offered insight into the working relationship with Paramount, and how some of the game’s unique ideas got approved.
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Strange Scaffold has built a reputation for building small, but well-regarded games. Titles like I Am Your Beast and Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator have been very well-received by players and critics alike, and that apparently got the attention of Paramount. The companies began discussing multiple collaboration ideas, including a TV series based on a now-cancelled Strange Scaffold game. However, the 2 eventually decided on a new game based on the TMNT property.
“At one point, I literally just pulled out a portfolio of everything we were working on to transparently show them. Which is scary when you’re talking to ViacomCBS,” Nelson told Inverse. “But the head of gaming there, Doug Rosen, saw Teenage Demon Slayer Society, and I talked about how we could convert our turn-based character action game into a turn-based beat ’em up in the Turtles universe. His entire face lit up.”
It’s not just the gameplay that sets Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown apart from its predecessors. The game’s story begins with Splinter and Shredder both dead, and the heroes in a half-shell at a point where they’re more divided than ever. The storyline isn’t just background noise, and was instead created as a way of setting up the overall gameplay. The engine for Tactical Takedown only supports having one playable character at a time, so while players will control all 4 Turtles at different points, they shouldn’t expect the kind of co-op presented in games like Shredder’s Revenge. Strange Scaffold wasn’t sure how Paramount would feel about that story concept.
“…they asked us a couple of questions about other plot points, and upon hearing those blanket approved everything. No caveats whatsoever. That was one of the most satisfying moments of my professional life, because it feels like a heist — you get to tell the story of what happens when Splinter and Shredder are dead,” said Nelson.
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Given how different Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown is from what’s been done before, it will be interesting to see how the game is received. It’s clear that Strange Scaffold is taking some big chances with the license, but it could result in something that appeals to both longtime fans of the brand, as well as those that have never played a TMNT game before. Fans won’t have to wait much longer to find out, as the game will be released on May 22nd.
Are you planning to check out Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown? How do you feel about the game’s story? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
