Ok, I admit I've been running from this one for a while. Besides games like Ghouls N Ghosts and Pac-Man, TMNT was always one of the hardest games in my book. I recall once getting to the Technodrome as a lad(can't remember if I beat it or not), but that was it. I reaquired the game a few years ago, tried it out and quickly was reminded of it's difficulty. Since that time I have gone back and beat Ninja Gaiden and Mike Tyson's Punch-Out, two other games from my childhood that I wasn't able to finish back then(as mentioned in previous threads).

Yesterday I finally had to go back and give it a whirl. I used a video walkthrough on Youtube as I was playing, seeing what lied ahead and the best way to tackle it. This doesn't always work, since the enemy sets will randomly switch and the location of the Technodrome can switch spots on that level. Anyways, I get to the final level without continuing. Made it to Shredder a few times but got hit with his mutagen gun. Frustration.

Even though I hadn't planned on it, today I decided to go back and try again. I had added a ton of boxart today after the deluge of new entries to the game database. Seeing all of these great old boxarts gave me that extra motivation that I needed. I didn't feel like messing with the vid walkthrough today, as I didn't plan to spend much time with the game; either it happened or it didn't. I found a few better ways to make it through the levels than I had saw in the walkthrough, so not using it may have actually benefitted me. I ended up dying on the level where you locate the Technodrome and started to feel like I was wasting my time on this run. I then continued and beat that level, then went on the to final level. I actually made it to Shredhead without having to continue, but quickly got a shot of mutagen and had to use my last continue. Making it to Shredder with little life to spare, I decided to use a method of defeating him I had read about a few times before: standing on the right platform and knocking him off the left platform with Donnie's bo, then smacking him when he tries to jump back up. It sounded way to simple. I had even saw a video of someone doing this yesterday with Mikey, but again, it looked too simple and I was sure there was some trick to getting it to work. Well there wasn't. I just struck him twice to knock him off the platform, then clubbed his ass as he tried to jump back up. Tin Grin goes down!

Of course I am pretty stoked about beating this game, but in retrospect it isn't quite as difficult as I had thought. It's really just a matter of not letting one of your turtles die, so as not to re-start a level. The bosses aren't too hard, especially if you have a healthy Donnie to use. Finding a building with pizza makes it easy to fill up your health meter by simply exiting and re-entering the building. The final level is pretty tough, but very manageable if you're on your toes. Shredder can be cheap with his one-shot kill, but the method I mentioned earlier negates that. Almost 20 years of frustration down the drain.

 As usual with threads like this that I create from time to time, I want to hear some of your stories. Have you guys and gals beat any games that had vexed you for some time? Any particularly rough games you were able to finish and want to share your story about? I know people usually don't give me their stories, but I love to hear then and it never hurts to ask. So....gimme stories.

Gratz! The only thing I can remember from TMNT was that lousy GOLDEN SEAWEED! ARGHHH! Well, that and how much more I liked TMNT2.

I occassionally play Castlevania on the VC. I need to get in the mood, remember the Belmonts sucked back then, and remember the gameplan: Holy Water = GOD. I'm stuck in Stage 4 right now, but practice makes perfect.

Oh, and Starfox 64. Easy to beat but I need all the medals so I can unlock Expert mode. Over the New Years I went to my parents home and played it there. I would have gotten a medal on Venom 2 but Slippy died, GRRR.

My 11 year old cousin asked me why the heck I would want to unlock a harder version of Starfox. I told him I wanted to get the medals there, too. He shook his head and continued getting owned in Castlevania Portrait of Ruin...generation gaps hurt me.

Thanks Chadius.

I finished Castlevania on GBA a year or so ago. I got to the part about where you are and was wondering how the heck I was able to finish it as a kid.

Starfox 64 is an awesome game. I've played all of them except Command, and there isn't one game in that series that even comes close to 64 in my opinion. I've always meant to go back and try to up my high scores on it, just never got around to it. Good luck on unlocking Expert mode. Be sure and let us know when you do :)

Your cousin may be a noob, but at least he is playing a good game. In a worse case scenario he could be playing 50 Cent Bulletproof...

man you my hero... I really try that game as a Kid but was frustrating.
Ghost and goblins was a piece of cake for me.

I could not beat Adventure Island (NES) as a lad; played it over teen years later and managed to beat the thing. If you lose your axe on levels 7-4, 8-1, 8-2, 8-3, or 8-4; then you are in for one frustrating but possible battle!

This game sets the standard for hard. I personally know of no one else who beat this, nor has anyone on this site claimed they did when I boasted about my beating it.

I beat TMNT way back when. I will NEVER attempt to play one level of that game again!! Way too hardcore.

Now, what you need to do is play TMNT IV, the best game in the series by far.

TMNT kicked my ass. Never been able to beat it, and I really don't care anymore. Other games are probably harder though. Has anyone beaten Battletoads? Or beaten Contra without the Konami Code?

I love this game. I never beat it, but my older cousin did when we were young. I was utterly amazed when he did it. I could get as far as the Technodrome but couldn't beat it. I love this game though dangit. It was a very well designed game even though it was a "unfair" at times.

Sigh sigh sigh. I watched the long play of this on youtube. The funny thing is that I enjoyed watching it. Although the guy didn't use the exact same strategies and tactics I would have used. He did get to the end!

elgefe02: Thanks man, but I'm really not that great a game player. Just persistent. Oh, and if you beat Ghosts n Goblins, then you're my hero. :)

fagarcia75: Cool deal on beating Adventure Island. I only had a very brief run-in with the game in my youth. I was trying to find a good deal for the game on Ebay last year, but I started getting layoffs at work and had to quit Ebaying. I hope to get it one day though.

d21lewis: This game is something else isn't it? I still think the opening theme is some of the coolest music I've ever heard.

thekitchensink: I have it. I love it. I might even agree that it's the best in the series. I wish it was more challenging though. Still a great game. Graphics still look great to this day, the co-op is fun as hell, and I love throwing enemies at the screen. :)

ikilledkenny: BattleToads is one tough mama jama. Me and a friend had rented it years ago, and I'm sure you can guess where we got stuck at. I do want to get my own copy of the game eventually and give it another go. I did beat Contra years ago(I believe), but didn't really try without the code as it seemed impossible. I'd still like to try one day though.

ramberk: Agreed, it is a very fun game. I love the whole feel of the game, it's look and ambiance, if you will. Of course the controls aren't as smooth as later games in the series, but it still has it's own charm. I love watching vids on Youtube of people playing old games also. I don't watch emulator runs, but legit ones I really dig.