Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles FAQ (starring Melzo McPhun) date is most likely sometime around: April 18th, 2001 this is version: 2.0 (another update, this is just crazy…) if anybody has any sudden insights or revelations about this game, why don't you mail: phunruss@hotmail.com Contents of this FAQ: 1: Intro: This is the part you can skip. As I reflect tearfully on my childhood, I may get violent, but don't take it personally. 2: Our Heroes: A quick rundown of the good guys. They actually vary quite a bit, so pay attention, pal. 3: Food and Other Stuff: What does all this Japanese equipment do? 4: Where to Go and Who to Meet: A fairly complete walkthrough of this game. This is my first FAQ, so if I go off track and rant about society a little, blame my editing. I've also cleaned up most of my profanity, I'm proud to say. 5: Stuff From Behind the Fridge: Rumors, hints, oddities, and... recycling? 6: Special Thanks and Copyright Info: Helps cover my literary ass. What's new in this version, huh? - various punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors have been inserted to keep those emails coming - a few shortcuts have been found and are noted - restored some sexual innuendos eliminated in the last revision - 45% more bitching and complaining Changes in version 1.0… - more specific descriptions and locations for the overhead map, so you can better understand what the hell I'm talking about - much more info on the enemy grouping system, an aspect of the game that didn't get nearly enough attention last time - corrected some info errors - edited the ever-present spee1ing and punctuation mistakes Special thanks and free parking should go to: - Frank Maggiore (golden_road15@hotmail.com) for his helpful and incredibly thorough info regarding the enemy change system (check out the miscellaneous section if you're interested), and a few other random corrections. - Bob Myers (kornincubus@hotmail.com) for various little tidbits I left out, as well as some Party Wagon navigating tips. - Brian Weireter (ssjcow@hotmail.com) for pointing out the correct way to obtain the Missiles in Area 3. - Don Rickles (cave_of_sylph@hotmail.com) for getting me off my ass to write this damn thing. Donny also claims the Bizarre Spinning Thing is, in fact, a turbine or propeller of some sort commonly found in dams. Uh… do turbines usually resemble salad shooters? - Gamefaqs.com and about.com for helping this information reach the masses (yes, all six) of NES owners that still have an interest in this game. ******************************* ONE: So why the hell did I write this? ******************************* Remember these guys? You probably do if you own this game. When I first bought this, I was sorely disappointed (I was also only eight years old). I recently found it moldering in my closet and gave it another try. To my amazement not only do I enjoy it, I also feel it is the best of the NES trilogy (which also includes The Arcade Game and the lackluster Manhattan Project). Ultra chose not to use villains from the TV show and action figure line, and instead decided to create their own. Even though most of the enemies in this game are less menacing than ridiculous, it's still possible to really enjoy it. But hey, I'm here to explain how to beat this game, not go on about how I used to hate it. That's what advertisers are paid for, and I'm not getting paid a dime for this. No, sir. So don't complain to me if something here is missing or incorrect, because you know what? I'll laugh in your face. Then I'll send my brother Jelbo McCormick round to your house with his guitar. This, being the first of the TMNT line of games, is somewhat surprising since it is so radically different from the others in the series. The game is set up more like a maze with some adventure elements (it's kinda like Zelda 2 without the spells, experience, weapons, towns... actually, it's nothing like Zelda). Each area has its own separate little plot and goal, all with the common idea of defeating Shredder and the Foot Clan. There is also an interesting system of enemies that I have never seen before or in any game since. You start with the standard Foot Soldiers, Mousers, and these weird purple flying vulture things. However, if you kill all the enemies on a screen and linger in an area for a bit, the set of enemies will change. Sometimes you get giant frogs replacing the Foot Soldiers, or these stone wrestler guys, or a gold-colored cyborg thing with a chainsaw. Likewise, the other enemies are replaced. It's really an interesting and unique way to add challenge to a game. You never know when the change will occur, or if it will be for the better. *************** TWO: The Turtles *************** The heroes' real difference is in the range and power of their weapons; they are exactly the same in terms of speed and endurance. Leonardo: His katana blades have a decent range, but somewhat weak attacking power. Use him frequently in the earlier levels to get a hang of the controls when the going's not so tough. Raphael: You'll probably only want to bust out this guy in the first few stages, or in the swimming level in case you lose somebody. His sais only hit up close but do a good amount of damage. Michelangelo: Mike's the loser in this adventure. He's doesn't really have any positive qualities at all, besides his speed. That's really too bad, because he was my favorite in the cartoon. Donatello: By far the character of choice. His bo has great range and kills most foes (even some sub-bosses) in a couple hits. Do whatever it takes to keep him alive. ************************ THREE: Weapons and Items ************************ Weapons are left behind randomly by enemies and come in packs of twenty, whereas the items are found along the trail in plain sight. Single Shuriken: If you're battling on ground level, these are perfect to dispatch most weaker enemies in a single shot. Triple Shuriken: Three at a time makes it a lot easier to deal with those bloodthirsty creatures of the sewers that have an annoying habit of flying just out of reach. Boomerangs: The really neat thing about these powerful projectiles is that you can catch them to reuse them again and again. Who would've thought that something so cheap, productive, and economically sound could come from the wild and wacky land of Australia? Scrolls: The instruction manual gives some unpronounceable Japanese name for these things but I just refer to them as The Really Powerful Paper Thingies That Beat The Crap Out Of Anything They Come Into Contact With. That's a bit technical, so I refer to them as Scrolls to save space. (Unlike the other weapons, this one must be found in specific places. No enemy will leave it behind for you.) Missiles: Ammo for the Party Wagon, which appears only in key areas in the third stage. They come only in packs of ten. Unfortunately, they're a necessary evil to destroy the odd purple barriers you encounter while cruising. Mr. Invincibility: Pretty self-explanatory, although very, very rare. I think maybe I found three of these in the whole game. You spin around in a sort of continuous somersault with your weapon in front of you. Of course, this ridiculous-looking attack mortally wounds any bad guy in a single hit. Ropes: These seem like kind of an unnecessary afterthought to the game. They are needed to grapple across gaps between rooftops (a requirement in Area four). Otherwise they look kind of cute with the icon of the funny little man in the corner of your screen. Quarter Slice of Pizza: These teaser powerups refill a scant two life bars and don't help much near the game's conclusion, when a single attack can take that much from you. Half Slice of Pizza: They are much more valuable than the Quarter Slices, because they regenerate... yes, half of your energy! Unfortunately, that also means they're a lot rarer. Whole Pizza: These can be a lifesaver when a turtle is ready to throw in the towel. They are usually found at dead ends or past a large group of enemies. Needless to say, they replenish every life bar. ********************* FOUR: The Walkthrough ********************* Each enemy will be described as encountered. Since this isn't King's Quest V, enemy hit points and such shouldn't be a big deal. A brief description should do, right? There are only a few enemies on the overhead map... Foot Soldiers: These poor bastards hopelessly wander around, with no clear idea of where you are. A single hit takes care of them, and you can squish them while riding the Party Wagon. Roller Cars: Be very careful around them, because they move faster than you and will crush you to death in one hit.... er... I mean... they'll refill all your energy... Planes: In the fourth area, a low-flying jet will occasionally drop you a little present in the form of an incendiary bomb. Here's a weird trick: Attack the bomb as it hits the ground and explodes and you'll destroy it, causing a second explosion. You might even get points. Practical? Hell no! But think of how you'll amaze the in-laws... Searchlight Drones: Helicopters search all corners of the fifth Area. They'll pose no threat to you unless you're spotted by their searchlights, in which case they'll send those wickedly clever Foot Soldiers after you. < Area 1: Rescue April > Stages:6 Best Route: Sewer 2, Sewer 4, Warehouse 2 Captured Turtle: none, despite Splinter's bogus hints -- Sewer 1 -- (Note: You can skip this level by simply walking around the building. Keep to the outside to avoid the Roller Car. It's possible to destroy the Car with patience and timing, but why the hell would you take a risk like that?) New Enemies: Mouser: An annoying critter that slowly follows you along the floor. You may have to kneel to take it out. Purple Flying Thing: Pesky vulture-like creatures may pose a bit of a problem for Raph and Mike, who seriously blow when it comes to overhead attacking. Foot Soldier: Much smarter than they are on the map, they can actually jump and throw shuriken at you. Donatello can take them down with barely a glance. Comments: This stage was probably only meant to serve as a warm-up. Take your time learning all of the techniques here (oh, wait... there really aren't any) and be sure to get used to each turtle's attack and range properties. The enemy type won't change in this level, so you can practice all you want without fear of suddenly running into... oh, say a crazed chainsaw-wielding maniac like in the next area. About halfway you'll pause for a quick Sub-Boss battle with a Foot Soldier, but don't worry. He's no different from the others in the game. Be sure to grab the Quarter Slice on the way out. (Here's a bit of advice: pizza slices will always reappear if you reenter the stage from the Area map. Don't listen to Splinter. His advice is for the first graders that this game was probably meant to appeal to.) -- Sewer 2 -- New Enemies: Bebop: He's not a Boss, but he's not quite a regular enemy, either. If you hit him a few times with Donatello's big wooden stick, he'll explode and you'll be showered with confetti. Comments: Your first real fight will occur at the end of this stage. As Rocksteady and April wait on a ledge overhead, you will need to take on Bebop. He doesn't have much for fighting style. He just runs around with his head down and jumps around a bit. He has five life bars, which are easily depleted by Donatello. After Bebop's apparent demise, Rocksteady will flee the scene with April in tow. -- Warehouse 1 -- (Note: This stage is unnecessary. Unless you need the Whole Pizza, which is a bitch to reach, there is no point in visiting here.) New Enemies: Wall Leaper: This remarkably boring pest does pretty much nothing but jump around on the ceiling. A single strike from even Mike will dispatch him. Chainsaw-Wielding Maniac: Looking much more dangerous than he really is, this guy just walks around and occasionally jabs at you with his chainsaw. He can take a few hits, though, so it's best to take care of him from above or below. Stone Wrestler Guy: If you get too close to him, he'll duck down like those tornado drills at school and be invulnerable. Attack him from a few paces away before he has a chance to launch one of his annoying crescent-shaped objects at you. Comments: There isn't really much to say about this level that hasn't already been said. If you decide to pursue the Quarter Slice and Whole Pizza on the upper floor, just make sure you take out the Chainsaw Maniac from below and keep in mind that you'll need to defeat him and at least one Stone Wrestler again before you return to the map. -- Sewer 3 -- (Note: Although Splinter may happen to mention that one of your captured friends is here, you won't find him hanging around anywhere. The only possible reason you could have for willfully venturing in here is to see the incredibly rare Mr. Invincibility item, which appears about as often in this game as the ghost of Louis Farrakhan.) New Enemies: Patriot Bug: A colorful flying insect will dive at you if it happens to fly over you. A quick upward strike will decimate them, as they often show up in swarms. Armored Toad: This one often appears as a Sub-Boss early on. He's not much to fuss over, with only a short range tongue attack and a leap providing any danger. Flaming Pyromaniac: Apparently smoking at the gas station is some sort of trend, because this burning baddie is all over the place. He can throw out smaller flames that act of their own accord, but a single hit takes them out. The fireman himself isn't much of a problem, either. Comments: The enemy type will almost definitely start changing here, so get used to it. If you grab the invincibility and haul ass to the end, you can kill the Sub-Boss (which will most likely be an Armored Toad) and make it partway back before it expires. Use Donatello to take out the Pyros in two hits. If you're watching for the kamikaze insects, you should be fine. -- Sewer 4 -- New Enemies: Inflyte: This bizarre-looking creature will fly in your general direction and off the screen if you approach it. Of course, Don can bring it down with a single strike; the other folks should play keep-away if possible. Comments: There's another one of those helpful Quarter Slices at the entrance to this stage, which will regenerate if you leave and return. There's a Sub- Boss battle halfway through this incredibly short level. Your opponent will most likely either be an Armored Toad or a Chainsaw Maniac, although sometimes a Foot Soldier will appear. -- Warehouse 2 -- New Enemies: Large Hornet: The strongest of the flying enemies, this creature will move horizontally until you kill it. Raph is a great choice for dealing with them, but Leo and Mike need two or three strikes to finish it. Swarms of them are common. Tank Bot: This irritating mechanical being clomps around, shooting lasers your way. The lasers can be destroyed, but they take more damage than the Bot itself. A couple of hits from Don will destroy it. Foot Bandit: The programmer that designed this guy must have been really in a hurry to get the hell out of the office. This ridiculous looking enemy will follow you around while hopping on one foot and throwing strange boomerang- like projectiles your way. Pull out Don to put him away in a hurry. Comments: Get a feel for how the conveyor belts work. You'll be seeing a lot of them later. (Not that there's really any trick to them.) After you climb the ladder, wait a moment and the Foot Bandit (note from Frank Maggiore: look closely and you'll see there're actually TWO of these guys, overlapping each other almost completely… good eye, Frankie) will hop over you harmlessly, allowing you to pass as long as you don't attack him. Just over the stack of crates you'll find April and your first real Boss. ___ Kidnapper of April: Rocksteady ___ Tactics: Rocksteady can jump at you and shoot his machine gun, but why would you bother fighting him on the floor? There are two ways to tackle this guy. The courageous (ie: stupid) technique is to battle it out on the ground, which means probably taking heavy damage and switching turtles. Of course, you can always jump back onto the crates, change to Donatello, and swing downward repeatedly. Rocksteady will run into the corner and make a small hop every once in a while, which should be just high enough for your bo to hit him, emptying his six life bars rather quickly. After you defeat him, April is saved. < Area 2: Defuse Bombs > Stages: 2 Best Route: (If you need me to explain this, you're probably hooked up to an artificial respirator and suffering from some cataclysmic retardation.) Captured Turtle: none -- Hoover Dam -- Comments: The wildlife here is of the standard variety. The enemy type will switch several times, most likely. There are three Sub-Bosses here, one at the end of each floor. The first is either a Chainsaw Maniac or a Foot Soldier, but the other two are almost always Stone Wrestlers. After you get the Half Pizza Slice, try not to get too close to the left edge of the screen, since the irritating Inflytes are everywhere. The third floor is somewhat challenging; you have to climb a ladder to the upper tier and make a difficult jump to the exit. Make sure you're on the very edge of the platform and tap A as lightly as possible while holding left. It may take a couple of tries. Don't get hit by any remaining Wall Leapers when you land, or you'll get knocked off. You can skip the third Sub-Boss if you don't need the Whole Pizza. -- Hudson River -- (Special directions: From the Dam exit, head east and look for a broken section in the railing. Don't be afraid to jump in- remember, you can breathe in water.) New Enemies: Electric Current: I guess New York water is different from Chicago's, because you can get as close to the electricity in this stage as you want without touching it and you won't be hurt. Anyway, this isn't a big deal unless there's a long line of them. You can only pass unharmed when the current is off. Seaweed: Don't get anywhere near this crap, or you'll be dragged down to a watery grave. This is fatal no matter how healthy your turtle is, so if you find yourself drifting toward it, change to Raph or Mike. Coral: Touching this causes you some sort of electric shock, with only minor damage. The real danger is when there's a lot of it, which can drain your energy pretty quick. Again, Raph or Mike is your victim of choice. Bizarre Spinning Thing: Just what the hell is this anyway? I'm convinced it's some sort of graphical glitch. Timing is critical if you wish to escape the wrath of the Bizarre Spinning Thing. Although the damage is negligible, it can hit you multiple times unexpectedly, and the pain adds up. Time: You have two minutes and twenty seconds to defuse the eight bombs the Foot Clan has set to blow up the Hoover Dam. Why exactly they plot to do this is unclear. Personally, some of my targets would be the Headquarters of the American Dairy Association, the DMV, and the studio where they filmed Wild Wild West. If you suddenly realize you have no chance of getting them all on time, take your turtle with the lowest health and kill him quick. Not only does this spare you a Continue, but the bombs you have already disarmed stay that way. Comments: Your mission is to disarm the bombs and escape alive. It's not overly difficult, but it really helps if you know where they are. They're not hard to recognize. Bomb #1: This one's just to the right of where you start. Simply touch a bomb to defuse it. Bomb #2: Take the first passage up and you'll find it in the upper left corner. Bomb #3: Return to the lower area from #2 and head to the right. It's just past a couple of those annoying Currents. Bomb #4: Continue right to the passage leading upward. Negotiate the devilish Bizarre Spinning Thing and you'll spot it as soon as the screen finishes scrolling up. Bomb #5: This one is located in a slightly out of the way alcove just to the right of #4. You'll be pulled in toward it, which makes bypassing the electricity much easier. Of course, the reverse is also true as you try to escape. Bomb #6: Go up a screen after #5 and attempt to navigate this corridor. The walls are lined with Coral, so make sure you have at least two other fresh turtles to see you through to the end. If you're very lucky, you can make it without having to switch characters. When you reach the split in the path, take the higher route. You'll find the bomb waiting patiently up here. Bomb #7: Careful after defusing #6: you will slowly but inevitably be pushed toward the Seaweed. Head back to the fork in the road and go down. The bomb will be right there. Bomb #8: Head downward one last time (take either path) and make your way through the passage filled with Coral and Seaweed. If you absolutely must take hits, make sure to stick to the top so the Seaweed doesn't pull you under. It is possible to make it to the end and the last bomb without getting hit here, but have someone with nearly full health do it just in case. < Area 3: Find Splinter > Stages: 7 Best Route: Building 1 (missiles), Waste Facility 2, Building 5 Captured Turtle: immediately inside the right entrance of Building 3 -- Building 1 -- (Note: Found west of your starting point.) New Enemies: Tracker Eye: You may have run into this critter earlier, but what difference does it make? A single strike will take him down. You'll find it rambling around on the floor, and it can hit you some if you don't get rid of it right away. Blue Mangler: Another single-hit pest, it poses really no threat unless you let it get close to you. Otherwise, it just kind of hops around aimlessly. Foot Balloon: If this odd-looking thing happens to fly over you, it'll drop what looks like a key or something on you for minor damage. Use overhead strikes to dispose of it quickly. Vulcan Bot: Not only does this monster breathe flame at you, but its head will also attack you after the body is destroyed. Don can do this in two hits, but the others will need to be cautious. Comments: Besides the Missiles, there's not much to do here. The Quarter Slice on the first floor should be given to Don, if he's hurting at all. When you reach the upper floor, the first thing you'll notice is the Missiles icon in the upper left. (Thanks go to Brian Weireter for finding the non-retarded way to do this.) Proceed to the right end of the floor, hop the pit, and circle around to the top where the Missiles are chilling. Just walk across the small gap, and you should be able to collect them with no problem. If you're taking the direct route to the end, ten Missiles will do the job nicely. However, if you plan on exploring, you should probably pick up twenty. Unfortunately, you'll have to exit and return to get the next ten. When your Missile reserves are satisfactory, you can continue. -- Waste Facility 1 -- (Note: There's really no reason for traveling this far off the beaten path. The only point of interest is, of course, the Missiles at the end, but since you should be fully stocked already, it ends up just being a waste of time.) Comments: If you use the manhole to enter this area, you won't get far. To collect the Missiles, you need to find the building entrance, which is down and to the right of the sewer. You'll have to use one Missile to get here. When you reach the sidewalk, press Select to leave the Party Wagon and proceed on foot. Inside, there's more of the same action you saw in the first Building. When you reach the lower floor, the ladder leading up will take you to the Whole Pizza you couldn't get earlier. If you are knocked into the water while fighting in the sewer, you'll mysteriously be unable to swim and will reappear at the sewer entrance (with the Party Wagon waiting for you) . When you do finish successfully, you'll have to walk from the manhole all the way around to the Party Wagon (the barrier you destroyed previously will be gone), avoiding the Roller Cars and fighting a few wacky Foot Soldiers. -- Building 2 -- (Note: You'll be passing these twin structures after the first few barriers, and it might not be a bad idea to stop in. There's a new weapon here that will make the Boss incredibly easy.) New Enemies: Schizo: Here is the first guy you'll really want to be careful of. When you hit him, he'll split into two smaller guys, and _those_ two will multiply again. Since it takes three or four hits from even Donatello to put down the smallest men, you should avoid hitting him if at all possible. Comments: The two Sub-Bosses (either Pyros or Vulcan Bots) are no problem, and other than the newly introduced enemy, the battles should be pretty easy. When you first reach the sewers, you can grab a Whole Pizza by carefully jumping into the small alcove. If you can get it without falling in, you should have no problems with jumps in the future. At the end of the sewer section, you'll find your first Ropes. While they're not really necessary until the next Area, you'll need them if you plan on exploring any further here. The next screen up presents you with a very powerful new weapon: the Scrolls! Give these to a rarely used turtle (so you don't accidentally grab another item) and save them for emergencies. -- Building 3 -- (Note: Head south and to the east of Building 2 to find this place, although there's not really much to find here except one of your captured friends. If you've lost more than one turtle at this point, you will rescue the very first one you lost.) Comments: You can get all of the helpful stuff here without venturing onto the dangerous roof. The Ropes in the left Building aren't really a big deal, but the Half Slice you find on the right side can be regenerated with patience. If you do decide to check out what's above, make sure to grab the Whole Pizza, which is probably much-needed by now. The huge gap on the right side can only be jumped from the left (and even then it's damn near impossible) so don't bother with it. If you do fall, you'll miraculously only lose a single life bar. -- Building 4 -- (Note: To find this place, you'll have to ditch the Wagon for a bit to walk through the alley and reach the two buildings. You might encounter a few Foot Soldiers, but everyone knows they aren't a problem.) Comments: Make use of your ability to strike upward through floors. Otherwise, you're going to take a beating. When you ascend the first ladder (assuming you entered the left building), switch to Don to take out the tougher enemies you'll find (if you get Schizos, move to the left and let them approach so they fall down the ladder). Get the Half Pizza Slice and go to the roof. This is where those Ropes make their function known. The gap with the orange pipes on either side is the one you'll have to cross. More Scrolls will appear in case you lost the others. Careful hopping between buildings, though. The enemies on the other side will often knock you down, so jump to the right to get them to appear and they'll walk off the edge. The functional Rope will not save you if you fall on it from an enemy's attack. The right building only has Missiles, so you can bypass it if you want. -- Waste Facility 2 -- Comments: From Building 4, take the lowest street possible so you can go around all those annoying barriers. When you reach the extreme bottom right of the map, shoot a Missile up and follow it for a bit so it destroys all the Roller Cars and the barrier. If you've got ten or more Missiles, you can spare a few on any other Roller Cars you encounter. There's nothing aside from the usual enemy variety inside the building, but the sewer section can be slightly difficult. Grab the Half Pizza Slice along the way. When you reach a tall brick platform with an enemy (usually a Vulcan Bot) on top, just let it walk off the edge. The Whole Pizza at the end is incredibly helpful; regenerate it and get ready for the last stage of this Area. -- Building 5 -- Comments: Use Donatello, and this place is cake. At least until you reach the rooftop... __ Splinter's Captor: Mecha-Turtle __ Tactics: This Boss has two forms, and both can be pretty difficult if you aren't equipped with Scrolls. If you are, let em fly and you'll win easily. If not, this is going to be tough. He first appears as a blue version of you, using Leo's sword. Try to lure him up into the air and attack him from below. Donatello can hit him from long range carefully without being hurt. His one advantage over you is that he won't get knocked back when hit. After you manage to take his five life bars, he'll transform into some sort of flying robot that can fire rockets. He gains back six life bars. There's not much you can do about it except destroy the projectiles when you can and watch out for the small gun he can shoot. If you decide to escape, you can jump into the pit, but you'll be sent back to the Waste Facility 2 entrance. Upon destroying the impostor you'll save Splinter. < Area 4: Locate Blimp > Stages: 17 Best Route: Building 01, Maintenance Tunnel 02, 04, 05, 07, 09, 12, 15, 17 Captured Turtle: unlucky old 13 -- Building 01 -- Comments: See that ?01" on the wall when you first enter? Each level in this Area is numbered for your convenience. How considerate of those programmers. The LSD they took before they designed the enemies must have worn off by the time they reached this point. Splinter is surprisingly helpful at times here, and informs you that you're looking for Tunnel # 18. You're sure to be needing the Whole Pizza above the entrance after the battle with Mecha-Turtle, so grab it and head up to the next floor. There're some Ropes in case you didn't bother to get any in the last Area. When you reach the rooftop, you'll need to use all three of them to get to the other side. There aren't any enemies or anything. And that's the last you'll see of them. Pointless? Of course! That's the fun of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! After the exciting Rope scene, there's a Half Slice of Pizza and a bunch of middle-strength enemies (most likely Tank Bots and Foot Bandits). The Bots' lasers can be a pain in the ass. If you have extra Scrolls, now's the time to whip em out. -- Maintenance Tunnel 02 -- New Enemies: Laser Security Alarm: This stationary device doesn't really ever make problems in life. Found either on the floor or ceiling, one quick swipe destroys it. Usually pairs of them are found, shooting lasers at each other. Maybe they get bored... Comments: Donatello will make life very easy in this entire Area. Since Foot Bandits fall in two hits, and any other pests in one, you should pass through here fast. The Bandit Sub-Boss is a joke. -- Maintenance Tunnel 03 -- (Goes from 02 and 04 to 06.) New Enemies: Spikes: Well, it's not exactly an enemy, but guess what? They're a huge annoyance. Spikes cause a steady life bar of damage per hit, and that adds up fast. Trouble is, sometimes they're placed so that, if you fall in, you have to backtrack a bit to reach safe ground. Comments: The first of a series of single-screen stages, these are really just passages to the next part of the map. After you slash the Foot Balloons from above, you shouldn't have a problem crossing the conveyor belts to the exit. -- Maintenance Tunnel 04 -- (Goes from 02 and 03 to 05.) Comments: Pop the Balloons through the wall, but avoid the Schizo. Let him chill and he won't make trouble. -- Maintenance Tunnel 05 -- (Goes from 04 to 07.) New Enemies: Magnet: Another environmental hazard, the Magnets pull unwary turtles in towards them. Most of them are harmless themselves and serve only to drag you into Spikes and other stuff. A few, though (towards the end of the Area), actually cause damage to you on their own. Glitch, maybe? And how do magnets attract turtles? Maybe Splinter paid for braces or installed metal plates in their heads or something... Comments: The Bandit is easy to take out with a short-range weapon or Shuriken. If you aren't used to jumping around Magnets, you'll take some damage, so have a B-list turtle do the dirty work. -- Maintenance Tunnel 06 -- (Goes from 03 to 08.) Comments: Here's a rather difficult stage. While hopping conveyor belts, Bandits and Hornets make life miserable for you. Raphael gives you a decent shot at survival here, so use him to take out Hornets in midair and try to kill the Bandits before the conveyors carry you into them. Getting hit usually means falling on the Spikes, and if you get trapped beneath a platform, forget it. -- Maintenance Tunnel 07 -- (Goes from 05 to 08 and 09.) Comments: You should be seeing those annoying purple Planes with some frequency now, so you can try out my neat trick I mentioned at the beginning of this walkthrough. This stage isn't too much to handle if you're using Don. Just remember to swing downwards to hit any Hornets that you can't duck (likewise for any Bandits that are just below range, and Alarms). There's a valuable Half Pizza Slice (from here on in the game any and all pizza is ?much-needed?), which comes in handy for the small series of Magnets and Spikes at the end. -- Maintenance Tunnel 08 -- (Goes from 06 to 07 and 09.) Comments: Smash the single Foot Balloon and, as before, avoid the Schizos. You may need to take the low road, but that shouldn't be a problem, since the Schizos are dumb as bricks. -- Maintenance Tunnel 09 -- (Goes from 07 and 08 to 10, 12, and 13.) Comments: Moving from ladder to ladder is a lot harder than the pitiful Sub- Boss you'll find here. -- Maintenance Tunnel 10 -- (Goes from 09, 12, and 13 to 11.) Comments: The Hornets at the entrance will most likely get a cheap hit in on you, but if you take out the others from above, the jump isn't too difficult. -- Maintenance Tunnel 11 -- (Dead end.) Comments: Taking the conveyor belts confronts you with a Foot Bandit and a chance to attack the Tank Bots down below. Unfortunately, though, when you actually get to the bottom they'll all return, making the Whole Pizza more trouble than it's worth. -- Maintenance Tunnel 12 -- (Goes from 9, 10, and 13 to 14 and 15.) Comments: The Whole Pizza at the end makes up for this stage being rather difficult. A few awkward jumps over Spikes subtract energy quickly, and the Laser Security Alarms are numerous. The pizza is in the upper right corner over the second-to-last conveyor belt. Since the incredibly powerful NES can only display so many images on screen at once, it may not be visible. Don't worry, though, it's there. I promise. -- Maintenance Tunnel 13 -- (Goes from 9, 10, and 12 to 14.) Comments: If you've lost any allies by this point (most def), you'll find one tied to a girder. -- Maintenance Tunnel 14 -- (Goes from 13 to 12 and 15.) New Enemies: Quicksand/Lava Stuff: If you're unlucky enough to have to jump over this crap, switch to the turtle with the lowest health, since this espresso-looking substance is fatal. Remember to look before you leap, too. The last thing you want after making it across safely is some dude knocking you back in. Comments: Make sure to take out all the enemies first before making the jumps across the conveyors. Scrolls are always worth walking across a few Spikes for, so why not grab them? Before you jump over the quicksand-type material mentioned above (probably just flames), kill the Hornet that appears when you scroll forward a bit. -- Maintenance Tunnel 15 -- (Goes from 12 and 14 to 16 and 17.) Comments: Any Scrolls you've got will make the trip through here a lot easier. Always throw one before you make a jump, so anybody waiting to ambush you will be taken care of. You can get the Whole Pizza without damage if you knock out the Laser Alarms, then fall off the conveyor belt while holding right. This second, alternative Mystery Substance jump is a lot easier than the one in Tunnel 14. -- Maintenance Tunnel 16 -- (Dead end.) Comments: Here's an interesting level that looks like it's going somewhere, but doesn't, which makes it cool. You'll find Mr. Invincibility here waiting for you (the second one, and you're well over halfway through the game), along with a Half Slice and Whole Pizza. Pick up your friend first, give the Half to whoever's in need, and hop over the conveyor belts to give the Whole to somebody that's really hurting. If any of the Castlevania-like Schizos bug you on the way back, feed them a Scroll or just let them walk on ahead. -- Maintenance Tunnel 17 -- (The end.) New Enemies: Sarcophagus Wall: On your way to the Blimp, you'll encounter these strange spiked panels that attempt to crush you. Make the drops fast because, that's right, one hit will mortally wound you. This is definitely one of the most difficult parts of the game. Comments: If you've got any Scrolls left, the first part of this stage should be fairly easy. Use them to combat the Laser Security Alarms and other enemies (usually Foot Bandits and Hornets) from long range. Hold left when dropping off the last conveyor belt to reach safe ground. Grab the Quarter Slice on the next screen, and drop down again. Switch to a wounded turtle and avoid the enclosing walls of spikes by dropping first to the right, then the left, and left again. Be sure not to hold the directional button for too long, or instead of gracefully landing on the next tier, you'll step across. If this turtle has Scrolls or something you want to hold onto, change to someone empty-handed, since you can't avoid the Triple Shuriken. The third and last screen in this vertically-scrolling nightmare has more spiked walls, so make the drops quickly and accurately, but don't try for the Whole Pizza. This is the only item in the game which there is NO way to collect. It's just a trap. If you find yourself still trying to get it, you're an idiot. When you reach the bottom of the shaft, get ready, because another Boss confrontation is just inside the door. __ Mechanical Monstrosity: Big Mouser __ Tactics: So, what do you do when you're out of ideas for an enemy Boss character? Well, if you're Ultra, you take the weakest enemy in the game and make it really huge. You can always slap on an innovative name like they did, as well. Basically, if you didn't lose Don, this guy's about as difficult as a blind quadriplegic on Valium. Have Donny stand directly below the creature, between its legs. Swing upwards steadily. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. The lasers from its eyes will miss you. You'll destroy the normal Mousers it belches out at you while hitting the light bulb in its mouth. He's not too hard with any other character, either. If you're down to your last man and almost done for, try this neat trick. When he opens his mouth to expose his weak point, press Start to enter the subscreen and come back. His mouth will be closed, but the ?tongue? will be barely glimpsed and you can get him from the side if you watch the lasers. Combine this with Donatello and you can wipe him out in seconds. < Area 5: Assault on Technodrome > Stages: 5 Best Route: varies Captured Turtle: Storage Facility 2 -- Storage Facility 1 -- (Location: Western fenced-in building.) New Enemies: Wall Scorpion: It looks more like an octopus, but this medium-strength bad guy doesn't bother you much unless you're climbing the walls, in which case he's the most annoying thing on Earth. He only moves once in a while, and can't change direction mid-flight. That's your chance to sneak by him on the ladders. Roc: This weak little avian menace can dive at you, similar to the Patriot Bug but not nearly as strong. It sometimes carries a small boulder in its talons. Like the Scorpions, this guy is a pain while climbing. Don't bother trying to destroy the stones; they're a lot stronger than the bird. Comments: Raph is a good choice for this one, since he can take down everybody in one hit, and fast. Destroying the bricks leads down to cleverly placed Spikes (on the left) and Boomerangs (on the right). The only other points of interest are on the second floor. Getting up here is daunting, but, thankfully, unnecessary. Remember two things about the Wall Scorpions. One: once they start moving, they cannot change direction until they stop. Don't forget that you can shimmy left and right while climbing the walls, and you shouldn't have much trouble avoiding them. Two: when a Scorpion goes off the screen, he is gone for good. The Whole Pizza on the left isn't all that difficult to reach. There shouldn't be any Scorpions here, but if some do show up, move back to the right and return until there aren't any. A Roc may appear with a boulder to drop, but you can avoid it easily. When you reach the extreme left side, you can jump to the Whole Pizza with no problems. The Scrolls in the upper right corner are a different story. Make sure the screen is scrolled all the way to the right before you head on up. The only way to negotiate the Scorpions is to keep away from them until you have an opening. Wait until a couple leave the screen before you take a shot at it. Keep in mind that you can only get on a ladder from the ground. So if you miss the jump, you have to go all the way back to the bottom. To add to your enjoyment, getting knocked down also means being juggled for heavy damage (you can change turtles during your ?hit? animation). Hey, maybe you should just think about passing these up, huh? -- Storage Facility 2 -- (Location: Lumberyard, dead center of the map.) Comments: There's a Half Pizza Slice that's easy to obtain at the right end of the ground floor. Go downstairs and make a cheesy jump over Spikes (it's pretty hard to get by unscathed, just tap the A button) to find a captured buddy. On the top floor, there's a Quarter Slice on safe ground, and a surprisingly accessible Whole Pizza. Since you can get on the ladder from this floor, you can destroy all the enemies and work your way up to it comfortably. This is the last really good spot to regenerate Pizzas in the game, so make use of it. -- Subterranean Cavern 1 -- (Location: Northeast manhole.) New Enemies: Maneater: I can't tell exactly what this thing is supposed to be (as usual), so bear with me. It has pretty good defense (three hits with Donny) and can roll around in a ball, making it hard to hit. If you have any kind of Shuriken, use it to pick at him from far away. You can squat under his shots, so you should be okay if you chuck stars at him quickly. Hanging Things: It looks like a little hand or something, but if you travel under this weird creature attached to the ceiling, it drops bubbles on you. The weaker turtles have to hit it a couple times, so don't just rush past them. Brain Cells: Floating serenely through the air, this transparent being will burst into four pieces if you approach. If there's more than one or lots of other enemies are on the screen, it may split into two, or one, or none at all. One hit nullifies it. Mohawk Porcupine: You'll encounter this goofy-looking being deep within the caves. He moves around in small hops, stopping occasionally to launch a barrage of needles at you. He can take quite a beating, too. But on the plus side, he can't attack you through walls, so nail him from above or through an obstruction of some sort. Comments: Your goal in this Area is to find the Boss, who is holed up in one of these three caves. If you use a Continue, its location will usually change (but not always). Head down from the entrance, and you'll soon reach a door with a Foot symbol above it. You'll discover one of these in each cavern. (Back in the days of my rather retarded youth, I referred to these as ?Foot Lockers?.) Just inside lies one of two things: a dead end (which you can jump around in but holds absolutely nothing for you), or the Area's Boss. If you encounter the latter, skip down to the Tactics section for details. I don't really know the odds of finding the Boss, but it usually seems to be the second or third cave you check. If this wasn't it, you'll have to return via the ladders all the way on the right side of the second floor. There's a Half Slice of Pizza here for any damage you incurred on the way. -- Subterranean Cavern 2 -- (Location: Southeast manhole.) Comments: You'll probably be ambushed by Maneaters upon entering here, so have any special weapons ready. When you reach the bottom passage of this remarkably short level, wait a bit to see if the enemies on the ground will move out of your way. If it looks like you'll be hit, just drop down. Taking damage here is nearly unavoidable. There isn't anything of note in this cave, so if the Boss doesn't turn up, book out of here. -- Subterranean Cavern 3 -- (Location: Southwest manhole.) Comments: You should probably visit the central building to heal everyone if they aren't at decent health already. You'll encounter several Maneaters and Porcupines in wide open areas, so try to get them to leave the screen instead of wasting energy in a fight. Except for the floor with the pair of Maneaters, you won't have the luxury of waiting at the top of ladders for the melee to clear up, either; the Hanging Things and Brain Cells will knock you off. Woe to thee that finds not thy enemy in the door. The return trip is hell. Definitely check the other two caves before scouting around in here. __ Shredder's Mobile Fortress: Technodrome __ Tactics: If you don't have Donatello, this battle is going to be a trial. Hang back for a while before jumping onto the tank treads, because the red fork in front of the vehicle will create electricity after a bit. Be careful hopping on; for some reason, the small steps on the left side cause damage. The Technodrome has six targets: two side-mounted guns (you should take out both), two red forks that emit electricity (one in the front and back), a hatch that Red Foot Soldiers leap from, and the eye itself. If you're hurting and want to get it over with, destroy the two guns first, since they cause unneeded hardship. The shells aren't hard to avoid. You might also want to rid yourself of the Foot-producing hatchway, since they can kick you or throw stars at you from behind while you're busy with the Boss. Donatello is really the only character that can safely scrap the tuning forks (or whatever they are) with his regular weapon without getting hit by the electricity, so don't bother with them unless you're feeling peppy. (Wasting weapons on them is not recommended, since you're safe from them in the middle anyway.) When you finally do get around to attacking the eye, make medium-height jumps so that you don't touch it (big damage). You can also get it from the side, but this is slightly riskier due to the way it moves. Once you have the timing of the opening and closing eye down, you've won. A final note of caution, however: remember how those little steps mysteriously hurt you earlier? They'll hurt you again as you walk off the edge while the eyeball explodes*. If you have less than a life bar and a half, you're about to get very pissed off. So if everyone's as low as this, it's time to throw in the towel (use Mike). *: For some reason, you can occasionally make it by this ?glitch spot? unscathed. I have no idea what triggers this little oddity. Most of the time you will take the hit, however, so if everybody's near death, it's usually a good idea to just give it up, since you'll save yourself money on the Rogane bills when you inevitably rip your hair out. < Area 6: Assassinate Shredder > Stages: one, and it's huge Best Route: up at first intersection (third floor) Captured Turtle: lowest right corner of ?pink? section -- Technodrome Interior -- New Enemies: Laser Soldier: You're getting awfully close to your destiny, and the resistance is especially heavy in the final stage. This jetpack-propelled nightmare is as bad as they come. Duck him when he flies by, and don't attack him unless you've got spare Scrolls. He has too much energy to bother with, and he's passive unless you hit him. Dodge the stray lasers and you should be able to escape mortal harm. Wall Cannon: A sharp contrast to the previously mentioned killer, the Wall Cannon doesn't do much except swivel around and shoot incredibly slow bullets at you. Hit it a few times and it'll explode, making a hole in the wall. The best part is, if you go down a ladder and return, it'll still be destroyed. Whirlybird: Yet another abstract creature, this thing merely flies horizontally, waiting to be destroyed. You've seen it dozens of times before. Metal Ostrich: Who could ever guess that such a dumb-looking creature could be so strong? If you're lucky, this guy'll kick the bucket after four hits from the bo. He hurts you a lot, too, so take refuge on a higher platform when you can, and just keep plugging away until he goes down. Comments: This final level is big, and if this is your first time here, you'll probably perish quickly. If you've already used both your Continues, don't get your hopes up. The inside of the now-defunct Technodrome is split into three parts: the ?pink? section (floor and ceiling color), the ?white? section, and the ?blue? section. There are a couple of different routes to take, but they don't vary much. As soon as you enter the subscreen, you'll notice your radar's broken. That doesn't really matter, since there's no map. You should be fighting Foot Soldiers and Mousers when you begin, so try to keep them as long as possible by only killing the ones you have to and letting the others follow you. This doesn't matter much, though, because they're sure to be replaced by the new enemies by the time you reach the third floor. If you want to run down and grab the Whole Pizza, destroy the Wall Cannon from above first. Use Don to kill the Whirlybirds in a single blow. If you're missing a turtle, you might want to head down the ladder to get him back. Be warned, though: the path is not easy. Otherwise, take the ladder leading up. If you went up, you'll meet the Ostrich enemy for the first time. Don't drop down next to him. Wait for him to hop over to you, and beat him with the bo until he gives up. If another one appears before you jump to the top, you'll take some abuse. Avoid the second Ostrich and enter the door. See that vertical shaft? That's the point of no return. If you want to take the lower route for some reason, turn back now. If you pass the two gaps and head to the left, you'll find Scrolls, which are helpful, but not imperative. Make sure you take out the Wall Cannons using a special weapon before you jump or you're likely to get knocked down to the next screen. If you have no throwing items, Don or Leo can jump and tag it from a decent range. Just make sure to wait until it's done firing. If you go down two floors and to the right, you'll find a Half Slice of Pizza. Don't be fooled by the amount of enemies in the hallway; they're not guarding anything special. Pass this pie and instead move left, jump the hole, and go down the ladder, where you'll find a Whole Pizza just waiting for you. How about that... If you went down at the fork in the road, you'll be confronted with a room full of huge Spikes and your new Ostrich friend jumping around on them. Still wanna go this way? Head to the left (making a series of horribly difficult leaps) until you find a minuscule gap in the floor, and drop down there. You'll fall into another passage lined with those big Spikes. I have no idea how you're supposed to get through this without being hurt. Just jump to the left (try to avoid the multiple Ostriches that are following you) until you reach safe ground. Take the ladder down, and cross yet a third floor of Spikes (once again without the benefit of platforms, folks) to find one of your friends tied up. He'd better hook you up with a free lunch at McDonald's or something, after what it took to find him. If you return to the corridor above and walk left, you'll find the door to the ?white? section, guarded by a Laser Soldier. Wait until he hovers around without doing anything, then make a break for it. The Whole Pizza in the enclosed space is where the separate routes meet up again. If you took the lower way, the Pizza will be hanging just out of reach. Go left from here and down into the pit. On the right side of the next screen, you'll find the third, and last, Mr. Invincibility. Take it and jump down to the last ?white? area screen. You can make it to the door easily; just be warned that you'll no longer be invulnerable when you emerge on the other side. The ?blue? portion of this level is very brief and linear. However, it is the most physically torturous part of the game. Even if everybody's at full energy, expect to have at least two or even three of them near death by the time you reach the ladder on the right side. Basically, the only thing you need to remember when attempting to pass through this stage is that the Laser Soldiers will become very violent if you attack them. Try to duck beneath them as they pass, then walk on ahead of them. Of course, if they're flying really low, you're screwed. Hopefully Don has full energy, because he's the only one that can destroy Whirlybirds in one hit. When you reach a tiny, enclosed passage, advance very slowly. When you run into a Laser Soldier, kneel. He'll fire a few shots over your head, then move back and disappear. Be patient with this, as there are about a dozen of these guys in here. Take out the Whirlybirds with throwing weapons if you have them. If a Laser Soldier should happen to follow you into this claustrophobic little hallway, you'll have to defeat him or he won't leave you alone. When you finally get upstairs, you'll fight a Laser Soldier Sub-Boss. Put this guy away as fast as you can, because he'll only bring your health down even lower. If he hovers right above you while you're ducking, switch to Donatello and swing downwards. This will actually hurt him. When he's finished, enter the door and get ready for the finale. __ Mastermind of the Foot Clan: Shredder __ Tactics: Shredder appears on the center platform, so position yourself on the right one. Change to Don (no matter how badly he's hurt), and hit him as soon as he becomes substantial. He'll be knocked off to the left corner, so use this valuable time to gain a footing on the left ledge. When he jumps back up at you, time your swing to get him in midair, and he'll fall back again. Be careful, because if he touches you, be prepared to lose at least four life bars, possibly more. You can keep this pattern going until you beat him. If you lost Don prior to arriving here (I commend you for making it here without him), somebody better be packin Scrolls. Use Don's technique with the Scrolls, and you can win easily. Any other attacks will not push him away from you, so this will not work with anyone else's normal weapons. Got it, pal? One last word of advice: don't get hit by Shredder's gun. As in all other TMNT games, one hit reverts you back to an ordinary, garden-variety turtle (in other words, you're dead). After you drain Shredder's eight life bars, you get to enjoy the corny ending. ********************** FIVE: Miscellaneous Stuff ********************** Here's some random info on the world of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, some of it helpful, most of it not, but all of it fun. If you have any tidbits you'd like to contribute, don't hesitate to drop me a line at phunruss@hotmail.com. Back Attack and Downward Strike: Some turtles, like Leo and Don, can hit enemies standing behind them if they are close enough. Don's bo actually covers a good distance behind him. This is extremely helpful for crowd control and lets you clear out an area. Conversely, if Don swings downward, the ?hilt? of his weapon can damage foes hanging out over his shiny green head. Remember this when you're dealing with low-flying enemies, since his standing attack usually misses them. Roller Car Magic: If you encounter a Roller Car in a tight passage while cruising in the Party Wagon, hit Select to emerge on foot. The rival Car should disappear, allowing you to continue safely. This doesn't always work, though, so leave yourself enough time to reenter the Wagon before you get squashed (this can be good for laughs, though). Rationing Boomerangs: It's a bit tedious, but if you toss out a few Boomerangs, switch to another guy and catch them, he'll possess them afterward (until you get a new weapon). Keep in mind that if he's got anything good on him (like Scrolls), it'll be lost. You can use this to distribute these neat trinkets to everybody. Pizza Regeneration: Well, this is almost universal knowledge, but here goes anyway. If you exit a level that had a pizza of any sort in it, it will return upon future visits. (In case my occasional mentions of ?regeneration? during the walkthrough confused you, this should clear things up.) The Confounding Conundrum of Enemy Groups: While the specific time and place that the enemy changes will take place are random, some elements such as the stages and the villains they will become are not. In fact, it's not that hard to predict who'll be chasing you around on the next screen if you get to familiarize yourself with the level you're on. There are usually only two groups of bad guys in each stage (Area 6 can have several). If you've been doing your homework, you'll notice a pattern for them. Each set of creatures has a ?weak? enemy, a ?flying? enemy, and a ?strong? enemy. Some of them have one or two additional guys thrown in, but this little formula remains pretty constant. Check out this list for the full details... Group A 1: Mouser 2: Winged Mouser 3: Winged Mouser 4: Foot Soldier 5: Foot Soldier Group B 1: Wall Leaper 2: Wall Leaper 3: Spaceship Dude 4: Chainsaw Maniac 5: Rock Guy Group C 1: Eyeball Creature 2: Patriot Bug 3: Patriot Bug 4: Giant Frog 5: Flaming Guy Group D 1: Blue Cockroach 2: Foot Balloon 3: Foot Balloon 4: Multiplying Zombie 5: Mech-Knight Group E 1: Hamburger Laser Shooter 2: Hornet 3: Hornet 4: Foot Bandit 5: Foot Bandit Group F (you only find these guys in the last Area) 1: Spinning Flying Thing 2: Spinning Flying Thing 3: Spinning Flying Thing 4: Laser Soldier 5: Metal Ostrich As you can see, the enemies in the groups roughly correspond to each other somehow. An enemy will be replaced by its relative of the same number when changes occur. Let's say you were fighting group C and it suddenly became D. The Flaming Pyro would turn into a Vulcan Bot, the Eyeball would become a Blue Mangler, etc. Each Area also seems to have a default group that stays the same whenever you play. Area 1 has group A as the set you start with in the first two sewers, group B in the fourth sewer and first warehouse, and group E in the second building. Notice the Area 5 enemies aren't included in this little bestiary, since they never change. Area 6 is also special since there are several enemy groups. There are a couple of ways you can (slightly) control the changes. If you're a fighting a really easy group, like A, have one of the Mousers follow you around so you can keep these guys for a while. You can do this with any group you like, of course, but make sure you let only the weakest enemy follow you around, since the other ones are usually slow. If you want to switch groups, you can try entering and reentering a level until the one you want appears. Keep in mind there're only a couple of groups in each stage, so if you're looking for Foot Bandits in the Hoover Dam, you're going to be disappointed. A good question is if there's a Game Genie code or something to keep one set of enemies for the whole game, using group A to beat it quick or F to make your little brother cry. I've tried random codes with a few friends, but so far all we've found are some stupid color changes (we've been pretty busy playing Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 and Onimusha). So if anybody knows of a way to do this, mail me about it and I can have my brother take you out to dinner or something as a symbol of my gratitude. I'm sure I've succeeded in making this sound a lot more complicated than it is, but if you've actually played this game, you should know exactly what I'm talking about. It's strange that an innovative concept like this hasn't been used in any other games (at least that I've seen), but that just gives me one more reason to put off disassembling my NES and turning it into a toaster or a salad shooter or something. Other Things of Note: When I was a young little bastard (say, oh... fifth grade), there was a rumor that if you waited around near the railroad tracks in Area 5, Shredder would appear on a train at midnight. (Too bad Splinter wasn't wearing a watch...) Another one concerning the exact same spot claimed that you could find a new bo for Donatello on the crates at the very bottom of the screen. Of course, there has been absolutely no confirmation of these rumors at all, but isn't it nostalgic to remember how we used to talk about that sort of stuff during lunch at school? 6. Legal Crap Special thanks should go out to Al Bass for the tip on rationing Boomerangs. God bless ya, Al. It should also be noted that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and all related characters are trademarks of Mirage Studios, Inc. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles NES Game Pak is a trademark and copyright of Konami Industries Co., Ltd. Lastly, this entire document is a copyright of Melzo McPhun, its author, and if anyone uses this as a means of profit or displays it without permission, they are subject to a legal ass whuppin courtesy of yours truly. This is just a friendly warning, folks. That about wraps it up. Thanks for taking the time to read this. If it helped you in any way at all or made you enjoy this game half as much as I did, I feel I have helped our nation's suffering. Take it easy and feel free to mail me if I missed or botched something.