The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are icons of pop culture and titans of the video game world, with a legacy built on bodacious beat ’em ups and co-operative fun. But now, a new challenge arrives on Xbox as the Heroes in a Half Shell jump into a different kind of battle.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate trades side-scrolling for the endless replayability of a top-down roguelike, promising a fresh adventure packed with randomised runs, powerful builds, and that all-important four-player action.
Arriving on Xbox with all previous content updates and DLC included from day one, Splintered Fate offers the most complete version of the game yet.
To celebrate the launch and dive deep into the creation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate we had the opportunity to sit down with Tom Westall, Product Director at developer Super Evil Megacorp. We discussed the decision to embrace the roguelike genre, the secrets of co-op design, the excitement of creating new villains, and of course, what the future holds beyond this release.
Please introduce yourself – what is your role at Super Evil Megacorp and on the creation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate?
Hi, I’m Tom Westall and I’m the Product Director for TMNT Splintered Fate. I’ve been working on TMNT Splintered Fate now for nearly 3 years.
So sell it to us – why should Xbox players be interested in TMNT: Splintered Fate?
It’s got Ninja Turtles, action and you can play it with your friends either together on a couch or online around the world. What more could you want?
Splintered Fate has been available on other platforms for a while. What has the team learned from the initial launch and player feedback? Has any of that been incorporated or refined for the new Xbox version?
Each platform has been its own challenge and we’ve learned a lot. We’ve done several updates to the game now and a DLC, all of which is included in the Xbox version at launch. This version of the game is definitely our best yet and we’ve plans to make it even better in the future!
Most TMNT games are side-scrolling beat ’em ups. What was it about the roguelike genre that felt like the perfect fit for telling this particular story? Was the roguelike take always the plan for Splintered Fate or did you find the development process edging it that way?
We knew we wanted to build a roguelike from the start of the development process for this game. When we were pitching ideas to each other of what we’d like to build, when the idea of a TMNT co-op roguelike got floated we all instantly got excited and knew that was the game we needed to make. We wanted to build something unique for TMNT fans but still similar enough that they would feel comfortable playing it, action roguelike fitted that bill pretty well. We’re really happy with how it turned out.
And that roguelike genre is known for its high replayability. How does Splintered Fate encourage players to keep coming back for just one more run, especially for those who might be new to the genre?
We recognise that roguelike can tend to be a bit hardcore but we’ve taken a few steps to mitigate that so even the casual TMNT fan can enjoy the game, inspired by the roguelite subgenre. As you play the game you’ll be earning Dragon Coins, which back in your sewer home lair you can spend to upgrade your stats and abilities, this means that each run you’re going to be a little more powerful than the last time.
Additionally we’ve also got a story mode difficulty for those that want to focus on the story, but it’s still got some challenge to it. Lastly and most importantly co-op really enhances the experience, together we are stronger and having more fun.
Where did you draw inspiration for the game’s art style? And from there, could you elaborate on the creative process of translating it all into a 3D, fast-paced action game?
When developing the art style for TMNT: Splintered Fate, the goal was to create something that felt instantly familiar, true to the core of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe while still feeling fresh and relevant to today’s audience. We wanted it to resonate with longtime fans and also feel inviting to new ones.
From the start, we looked at what we felt were the most iconic versions of the Turtles: the 1987 and 2003 animated series. Those shows left a lasting impression, and we felt they captured the essence of the TMNT identity in different but equally important ways. The intention was never to reinvent the look entirely, but to evolve it, highlighting its strengths while modernizing the aesthetic just enough to reintroduce the world in a compelling way.
Co-op is a cornerstone of any TMNT experience. What were the key design considerations in making the four-player co-op feel both chaotic (another Turtles staple!), but collaborative?
The level design is really important here. Levels have to be sized just right so that you don’t all wander apart and fight solo but then also not so small that you are on top of each other and can’t see the action. Obstacles are placed to cause players to think about positioning but can’t be obtrusive to play.
We also had to think very carefully about how many enemies we spawn in and the composition of those enemies. We have a good mix of high threat enemies that require you to come together to kill them fast and then smaller enemies that force you to split up to take them all down.
Adding to the chaos is the fact that you have to pick your powers as you go, you don’t quite know where your build is going to end up when you start a run.
The game features a host of classic TMNT villains. How did you decide which iconic foes to include, and were there any deep-cut characters you were particularly excited to bring into the game?
We worked very closely with legendary TMNT comic writer Tom Waltz for the story of this game. His knowledge and love of the Turtles is unmatched and we were incredibly lucky to have had him working with us. He brought lots of ideas to the table for who to include.
My personal favorite is Karai, Shredder’s sort of granddaughter who hates the Turtles with a passion. The most exciting villain though for us to make was the one we got to design from scratch ourselves. Gigi is a mutant toad mechanic and features in our DLC, Casey Jones and the Junkyard Jam. She might have a bit of a crush on Casey but that doesn’t slow her down in a fight.
Each turtle has unique powers. Could you walk us through an example of a powerful synergy between two or more Turtles’ abilities that a new co-op squad should try out?
Raph and Mikey spring to mind as a powerful combo. Raph is great at bursting down a single target but struggles with lots of enemies. Mikey’s nunchuks are perfect for beating down groups of enemies. What makes this combo fun is that Raph’s tool ability can pull lots of enemies together and then Mikey can swing in and bash them all at once. Mikey also has a stun ability which is pretty rare in our game but really useful as stopping a big enemy for a moment so Raph can land all the blows of his powerful special ability without getting hit back.
You’ve got the Casey Jones DLC dropping onto Xbox as a free limited time addition. How does that differ from what is included in the base game?
Casey Jones has a really unique style of play. His special ability is to fire a hockey puck that bounces between enemies. This is our first true ranged attack, he then can follow this up with a decisive finishing blow giving him an interesting playstyle of ranged and melee that the Turtles don’t have.
You also get a brand new chapter to play through adding much more variety to the runs.
And further, is that DLC just the start of further planned content drops?
Yes, we’re not quite ready to reveal what’s next but we’re really excited about it and it won’t be too much longer to wait!
And finally, it’s a Turtles game, so we have to finish with the most obvious of questions… Raph, Mikey, Donnie or Leo? Who’s got your back and why? 😉
The beauty of Turtles is that if I went and asked that question to the team I’d be getting a mix of answers from everyone. Personally, I’m a Leo. I find his struggles with leadership to be very relatable but when it really matters he always delivers what is needed.
From designing brand new villains like Gigi the mutant toad to meticulously balancing the “cooperative chaos” that is core to any TMNT adventure, it’s clear that Splintered Fate is a project built on a deep love and respect for the source material.
With the promise of more content on the horizon and the unique ranged/melee playstyle of the Casey Jones DLC available as a free limited-time addition at launch, there has never been a better time for Xbox players to grab their friends and dive into the sewers for one more run.
A huge thank you to Tom from Super Evil Megacorp for taking the time to answer our questions. You can grab Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate on Xbox right now, via the Xbox Store.
And our review thoughts are live too. Want to know how we feel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate on Xbox plays? Our review is right here.
