The smell of pizza (no pineapple, please) and the sound of "Cowabunga" are still fresh in the air for gamers as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge celebrates its one-year anniversary. The Heroes in a Half-Shell aren't quite done with their latest video game yet, as publisher Dotemu and developer Tribute Games are ready to unleash a new DLC titled Dimension Shellshock. This additional content will feature a new game mode, alternative color schemes for the characters, and a brand-new playable character in the form of TMNT ally and samurai rabbit Miyamoto Usagi -- from Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo comic book series.
In anticipation of Dimension Shellshock, which is set to be released later this year, CBR chatted to Tribute Games Marketing Manager Eric Lafontaine and Narrative Designer Yannick Belzil to find out what they have up their sleeves for gamers. The two discussed what fans can expect from this new DLC and why they wanted to focus on Usagi.
CBR: Congrats on the success of the game and the upcoming one-year anniversary. Why the decision to introduce a new gameplay mode now?
Eric Lafontaine: Thank you for your kind words! While the main game of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is a whole lot of fun, we wanted to offer something different that could test players' skills in new ways. The new mode will bring a fresh twist to fighting the Foot Clan, introducing new Foot Soldier variants, wild new locales, kooky character cameos, and hazards that will keep players on their toes.
By introducing the new gameplay mode, we aim to provide players with a new opportunity for cooperative play. Playing with a group is an important aspect of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles experience, and it was important to enhance that aspect by offering new ways to enjoy the game together. We hope this new mode will bring even more enjoyment and excitement to the game, and we look forward to sharing it with our dedicated fan base.
What goes on in the background in terms of creating a new gameplay mode after the game's release?
Yannick Belzil: A lot of brainstorming and pizza! The Tribute team needed to assess the situation and really sit down with the development team to do a solid post-launch evaluation. We then gathered feedback from what reviews said to what players wanted in order to figure out improvements. Fans proposed a lot of things they wanted to see next, and we already had a lot of ideas we had not gotten to yet. So we had a lot to choose from.
Why did you choose to include Usagi as a playable character over other characters like the Punk Frogs, who appear as NPCs in the game?
Lafontaine: Upon revealing our complete line-up of playable characters for the launch, a wave of anticipation swept across the globe. Players wanted more characters, and leading the charge was none other than Usagi Yojimbo. As huge fans ourselves, it was a no-brainer to bring the sword hare into the game.
What considerations did you put into Usagi's fighting style, especially considering there is another sword-wielding character in Leonardo?
Lafontaine: With Usagi, we wanted to offer a different gameplay experience that would bring an extra layer to our combat system. Usagi was conceived to be a character with strong air abilities. For starters, he's the only one who can double jump, meaning that he can completely change trajectories, avoid potential hazards, or perform combos in the air. Where other characters would perform their dive kicks or jumping attacks, Usagi can launch a combo string of attacks -- similar to what he can do on the ground -- meaning that he can take out enemies when they are at their weakest. These powerful aerial moves truly make this bunny hop!
The version of Usagi that appears in the 1987 animated series is slightly different from the character in Stan Sakai's books. Plus, there's a Netflix series about the Rabbit Ronin now. What was the main reference point for the character as he appears in this game?
Lafontaine: Our main reference point was Stan Sakai's original Usagi Yojimbo comics, which have been captivating readers since 1984. While we love the 1987 animated series, we wanted to pay homage to Sakai's work and capture the essence of his vision for Usagi. We aimed to create a version of the samurai rabbit that felt like he walked off the pages of Sakai's comics and seamlessly integrated into our pixelated world.
While Usagi is known for his action-packed adventures, we also wanted to capture the quieter, meditative moments that are present in Sakai's storytelling. This posed a unique challenge within the fast-paced gameplay of our game, but we strived to incorporate those aspects into the character's animations, interactions, and overall presence.
With the upcoming DLC and the popularity of the game still being high, what are the chances of further DLCs after this latest one?
Belzil: It all depends on the reaction of the fans! But for the moment, we're fully focused on Dimension Shellshock to deliver the best possible fan experience.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge will release the new DLC Dimension Shellshock later in 2023.