I just posted a rather long-winded comment, by joystiq standards at least, regarding my recent encounters with TMNT Smash up, which i figured beared repeating

TMNT: Smash Up!!

Reality of the game is some way in-between my own rather optimistic expectations, and those of the doubters who claimed that it was impossible to do a good TMNT game. As a celebration of TMNT history, the game could have been infinitely better, given that it only has 16 characters, and three of them are rabbids.

To re-emphasize: three of TMNT's 16 characters, are Rabbids.

They made some odd exclusions, while they definitely didn't favor one continuity in particular (voices and personalities seem taken right out of the new cartoon, but Shredder isn't a Utrom in this game like he was there), and they distinctly ignored anything that was exclusive to the old cartoon. The arcade mode's story definitely could have been fleshed out more (and done from different perspectives. You're limited to the set of basic hero characters through which to do the mode, villains you unlock, like Karai and Shredder, are unavailable, at least thus far)

As a Brawl clone, though, the game plays it's role to the hilt, from custom name control schemes, to the acquiring of Shells in the place of coins, to the using of those shells to unlock trophies, as well as the basic combat, with a double-jump, rolling dodges, and a very basic set of directional attacks. It falls far short of Brawl in terms of aerial combat, but adds elements like off-the-wall attacking, and i find its grabbing mechanics much more useful. Items are definitely a little disappointing, in that they don't really feel right

It divides the modes up like Smash Bros, too. An all-star mode of sorts, available from the beginning, except here they just keep throwing the foes at you constantly, in the same stage, and you have to keep fighting until you go down, which i find a bit more fun than Smash Bros' iteration. Arcade mode, if compared to Classic, is a *lot* less varied, if only because of the smaller roster, but also because of the fixed story.

tldr version: It's a solid fighting game and a neat smash bros clone, but could have done so much more as a celebration of TMNT history.

"and those of the doubters who claimed that it was impossible to do a good TMNT game."

You mean people who obviously didn't play TMNT games in the 8 and 16-bit eras.

Maybe a good TMNT game not made by Konami?