Nintendo Switch Critic Reviews

TMNT: Splintered Fate is not only a finely crafted roguelike, it's also one of the best takes on the franchise in recent memory and an instant contender for its best video game.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is the crossover game that you never knew you wanted. Ninja Turtles mixed with Hades is a great combination that is fun solo or with friends!

For fans of this type of game and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles themselves, Splintered Fate does the job admirably and doesn't skimp on development of the characters, providing a faithful love letter to the franchise. Stay calm, take it step by step, and have a quick bash whenever the mood takes you to ensure a fun and long-lasting experience. Bossa Nova!

It may be easy, at a glance, to look at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate and dismiss it as “we have Hades at home.” There’s a nugget of truth there, as we are looking at an action roguelike clearly inspired by Hades, with a smaller scale in many ways. But does Hades have co-op, or the TMNT? Nah, dudes. Splintered Fate has a specific goal, and it definitely delivers on that goal. It’s a fun time, with a lot of structural solidity and the fun co-op gaming vibes you should expect from a TMNT game. It doesn’t feel cheap or sloppy at all, and even singleplayer can keep your attention for several runs over dozens of hours. I’m still working on it despite winning several loops already, and spinning around like a maniac with my boy Mikey still doesn’t feel old yet.

I really liked Splintered Fate despite these complaints mostly because the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are my favorite superheroes, but also because Hades is the best roguelite developed since The Binding of Isaac. Much like the Darksiders games, Splintered Fate may be borrowing elements from other games, but it has its own identity. It’s absolutely worth a shot, especially if you have the ability to play multiplayer regularly. It’s good to see the Turtles in a game that’s not ostensibly a brawler, and I was surprised by how well they took to the roguelite genre.

It captures the spirit and form of the Ninja Turtles, but introduces a concept and a series of well thought-out mechanics from a less explored genre within this universe.

The developers of the new TMNT games took a lot of ideas from the creators of the indie hit Hades and come up with a really fun game with great co-op, but lacking in original ideas.

Whether you're a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or simply enjoy roguelikes, there's a lot to love about Splintered Fate. Aside from being well presented, its core gameplay is ever-so moreish thanks to a wide variety of upgrades being available. And thanks to local and online co-op options, you don't have to play alone.

I’ve played a lot of Ninja Turtles games recently. Though I’ve got a strong nostalgic connection to the franchise, the games don’t usually hook me. This one was a little different. The mechanics, along with the smooth challenge build-up and robust progression systems, snagged me immediately. I bounced off the story pretty hard, but I kept coming back anyway. You just want one more run, until it’s something like one in the morning. Between that and the multiplayer, TMNT: Splintered Fate is a worthy addition to an exclusive list of roguelike gems.

All in all, combined with its snazzy visuals that look delightful in handheld mode on the Nintendo Switch and the surprisingly good performances of actors for every character, this game is a treat. While it doesn't do much to evolve the genre, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is a blast the moment you fire up the game and you’ll be a lean, mean fighting machine in no time.