Platform(s)	Game Boy
Genre	Action
Players	1
Developer	Konami
Publisher	Ultra Games
Released	1990
Playtime	Around 1h

Cowabunga! The green ninja heroes are back and meaner than ever, this time in a portable format. In this sequel, you'll once again don your bandana and join the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in their relentless battle against the vile Shredder.

April's found herself in another pickle, and it's up to you and our mutant heroes to rescue her. You'll need to battle through hordes of Foot Soldiers across five stages, starting on the streets of New York and culminating in the depths of the Technodrome.

Pick and choose, win or lose

At the start of the game, you'll choose your fighter from one of the four turtle brothers. Unlike the previous installment, you can't swap characters mid-game — once you pick your turtle, you're stuck with them until you complete the stage. Fortunately, each turtle is just as skilled at kicking butt as the next, so you're in good hands no matter who you choose.

You can also choose your starting stage, and if you're feeling brave, you can jump straight to the final level! However, to unlock the true ending, you'll need to play through the game in order, starting from the first stage.

The controls are functional but may feel sluggish at times, though this is mostly due to the game's pacing. Despite their famously slow pace (pun intended), the turtles can still dispatch enemies quickly with rapid button presses.

Looks and sounds

Fall of the Foot Clan is visually impressive, even surpassing the graphics of its big brother, the NES. The cutscenes between stages are particularly noteworthy, with stills that look like they were ripped straight from the TV show! The sprites are large and well-detailed, and despite the Game Boy's lower resolution, there's no mistaking what enemies you're up against. The music is excellent, even though there isn't much variety. But who needs variety when surf rock has never sounded so good? Be sure to wear headphones to fully appreciate the awesome stereo effect!

Tips from the dojo

• If you get flanked by enemies from both sides, quickly tap the d-pad left/right while attacking: This will kill both enemies simultaneously!
• If you run out of hit points and are just about to become turtle soup - pause the game! When the game is paused, press the following in order: UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, B, A. This will restore your health in full, but use it as a last resort, as it will only work once!

Short and sweet

The game isn't particularly difficult, and you'll most likely complete it without breaking a sweat, perhaps during a long car ride. That said, it's an exciting hour of gameplay as you'll constantly be swarmed by enemies. Each turtle can take around 10 hits before being captured by the Foot Clan and once all turtles are captured, it's game over. The only way to regain health is by eating — you guessed it — pizza! The real challenge though lies in defeating the end-of-stage bosses before they take you down.

Turtle time

Overall, this is a solid game for fans of the show, especially if you're looking for a quick and fun experience before diving into the arcade conversion. The playtime may be short, but it packs in plenty of shell-shocking Turtle action.

3 Donatellos out of 5