Where were the Ninja Turtles in PS1/N64 era?

[phart010 | 1,708]

I just noticed the lack of TMNT in this era... what were they doing?

[Deadeye | 1,596]

They got caught up in the pineapple on pizza drama and had to hide out until the heat cooled off.

My guess is there wasn't a movie to tie it to at the time. Or troubles with the converting brawlers to 3D at the time.

[erac | 78]

Here's what it could've looked like :P (pic of Turtle Arena, a Q3 engine game).

[zeppelin03 | 314]

I think I would have been in the age range for a game like this.  I don't recall myself or friends being into TMNT at that point.  Maybe interests for their target market were elsewhere.  We did start getting Rugrats and other stuff around then.

[Scrobins | 1,727]

They were bracing themselves for an adversary far worse than Shredder or Krang: Michael Bay.

[Hammerfestus | 3,863]

Growing lips?

edit: and noses.  Oh your god the noses.

Edited May 30, 2020 by Hammerfestus

[mbd39 | 2,026]

1 hour ago, zeppelin03 said:

I think I would have been in the age range for a game like this.  I don't recall myself or friends being into TMNT at that point.  Maybe interests for their target market were elsewhere.  We did start getting Rugrats and other stuff around then.

I think this is the right answer.

TMNT was no longer popular with kids, and the adults who grew up with TMNT weren't old enough to be nostalgic for them yet.

 

[Tulpa | 3,519]

15 minutes ago, mbd39 said:

I think this is the right answer.

TMNT was no longer popular with kids, and the adults who grew up with TMNT weren't old enough to be nostalgic for them yet.

 

They were so oversaturated that they kind of burned out in the mid-late 90s. The cartoon ended in 1996, and there was a live action show from 1997-1998 that was kind of a continuation of the movies and was also somehow a Power Rangers crossover, but it had some pretty big departures from the original formula and the ratings were abysmal. The franchise wouldn't get revived until 2003, so I have to think that no one thought they were viable at that point.

 

 

Edited May 30, 2020 by Tulpa

[Reed Rothchild | 9,550]

Supplanted by Power Rangers and Pokemon

[AstralSoul | 502]

TMNT popularity in the late 90s has waned and wouldn't be revived again until 2002 or so with the reboot cartoon. Then after a few years popularity dropped again, and was revived again with a CG movie and another cartoon reboot in 2012 on Nickelodeon. So in the N64/PS1 era, the turtles just weren't "in" at the time unfortunately.

[fox | 1,668]

This thread makes me want a set of Blue, Purple, Yellow, and Red N64 controllers

[Nostalgic Machine | 27]

Resting!

[MeganJoanne | 365]

I was working at Toys R Us in the mid-late 90s, and the TMNT toy line wasn't doing well. It seems hardly anyone was interested in them. They had a lot of stupid ones, themed turtles then. I though for sure they were going to completely die off the way things were going, also thought they should've, were past their prime.

[jonebone | 1,307]

Speaking of TMNT, on a semi-related note, did you see that Stern just announce a pinball for this, releasing next month?  Already reserved one as my first pinball purchase.  Glad to see the franchise getting more love these days!

[Nostalgic Machine | 27]

1 hour ago, MeganJoanne said:

I was working at Toys R Us in the mid-late 90s, and the TMNT toy line wasn't doing well. It seems hardly anyone was interested in them. They had a lot of stupid ones, themed turtles then. I though for sure they were going to completely die off the way things were going, also thought they should've, were past their prime.

The late 90's were a sweet spot for a lot of nostalgic stuff these days. I remember going to Kay-Bee Toys in Salem, MA during the mid-late 90's and scoring stuff like a CIB NES Advantage for $10, model 2 for $70, bin games CIB NES stuff for $5-$10, etc. Same with FuncoLand! Place was a goldmine in the late 90's!

[cartman | 195]

1 hour ago, jonebone said:

Speaking of TMNT, on a semi-related note, did you see that Stern just announce a pinball for this, releasing next month?  Already reserved one as my first pinball purchase.  Glad to see the franchise getting more love these days!

It's too fucking expensive 6,099$ for something that innately wears a lot because there's an iron ball involved that has to pounce on every component of the machine. Then you have to fuck around with spare parts and also know how to configure the electricity.

I'm sure i'd have a blast playing it but fuck me if i'd ever go through all the hassle of owning one.

[T-Pac | 7,568]

Obviously the turtles were busy playing N64...

Jokes aside, though, I grew up in the early 2000s and although I was fascinated by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, it just seemed too vintage and inaccessible to properly sink my teeth into. And by the time TMNT rose to prominence again, I had already discovered a superior cartoon ninja franchise: Naruto!!!

-CasualCart

[LostLevel83 | 86]

45 minutes ago, CasualCart said:

Obviously the turtles were busy playing N64...

Jokes aside, though, I grew up in the early 2000s and although I was fascinated by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, it just seemed too vintage and inaccessible to properly sink my teeth into. And by the time TMNT rose to prominence again, I had already discovered a superior cartoon ninja franchise: Naruto!!!

-CasualCart

You nailed it. Major transition for sure!

[MeganJoanne | 365]

2 hours ago, Nostalgic Machine said:

The late 90's were a sweet spot for a lot of nostalgic stuff these days. I remember going to Kay-Bee Toys in Salem, MA during the mid-late 90's and scoring stuff like a CIB NES Advantage for $10, model 2 for $70, bin games CIB NES stuff for $5-$10, etc. Same with FuncoLand! Place was a goldmine in the late 90's!

Funcoland was a great part of those years for me. Back in 1999, TMNT (NES), cheapest NES game (I bought) aside from Super Mario Bros/Duck. A mere 25 cents for the first TMNT game. And so many other games were reasonable, with the most expensive being ones like Megaman 5 at $25, Dragon Warrior III and IV and $30 and Lolo 3 and $30. Most NES games could be had for just a few a bucks, only challenge was finding them, and the traveling to different locations in the hunt and hope to find a desired game. And when you lucked out and there it was, whoa, talk about over joyed.

Edited May 31, 2020 by MeganJoanne

[Nostalgic Machine | 27]

35 minutes ago, MeganJoanne said:

Funcoland was a great part of those years for me. Back in 1999, TMNT (NES), cheapest NES game (I bought) aside from Super Mario Bros/Duck. A mere 25 cents for the first TMNT game. And so many other games were reasonable, with the most expensive being ones like Megaman 5 at $25, Dragon Warrior III and IV and $30 and Lolo 3 and $30. Most NES games could be had for just a few a bucks, only challenge was finding them, and the traveling to different locations in the hunt and hope to find a desired game. And when you lucked out and there it was, whoa, talk about over joyed.

Oh, how I pine for those golden years, lol. I remember the most expensive cart at Funco was the gold copy of LoZ back in 1997 for like, $20. They never had any of the more expensive stuff in stock. Nothing super rare. Plenty of peripherals, though. I'd stock up on crazy stuff like the Four-Score and NES Satellite in the legendary "MISC" bin.

If I remember correctly, the average NES game was about $4.99 back when I was sweeping those stores as an eager 9-12 year old (1997-2000).

I remember lucking out at random road side yard sales in the mid 90's, too. Vividly recall scoring Kirby's Adventure, cart with manual, in one of those classic clear NINTENDO rental cases. All items were pristine, it was like only the box was missing. Lady only wanted $1, and my mom threw it right down on the table! One of those classic childhood memories.

[GPX | 1,370]

I’d agree on the general opinions above that by the mid-to-late 90s, interest on the Turtles were waning.

I do think there is also a likely second reason. This being the PS1/N64 were primarily geared as 3D consoles, and due to the “primitive” 3D engine for their time, a game requiring 3D graphics catering for Ninja fighting mechanics (fast and responsive 3D action) would not be suitable until by the next wave of generations ie. PS2/GameCube.

[mbd39 | 2,026]

6 minutes ago, GPX said:

I’d agree on the general opinions above that by the mid-to-late 90s, interest on the Turtles were waning.

I do think there is also a likely second reason. This being the PS1/N64 were primarily geared as 3D consoles, and due to the “primitive” 3D engine for their time, a game requiring 3D graphics catering for Ninja fighting mechanics (fast and responsive 3D action) would not be suitable until by the next wave of generations ie. PS2/GameCube.

As if lack of quality would ever prevent a popular license from being made into a game. Waning popularity was the reason.

[mbd39 | 2,026]

Also, where was He-Man during the NES era? The show ended in 1985, but there was a movie in 1987 and the toys were still around. It's a franchise that's all about merchandising. Seems like it was begging to be a NES game.

 

[phart010 | 1,708]

7 hours ago, fox said:

This thread makes me want a set of Blue, Purple, Yellow, and Red N64 controllers

With green backs

[Tulpa | 3,519]

2 hours ago, cartman said:

It's too fucking expensive 6,099$ for something that innately wears a lot because there's an iron ball involved that has to pounce on every component of the machine. Then you have to fuck around with spare parts and also know how to configure the electricity.

I'm sure i'd have a blast playing it but fuck me if i'd ever go through all the hassle of owning one.

Dude, have you priced new pinball machines? That's typical for Sterns. Jersey Jack machines are actually pricier.

You can always go used if you want to pay less.

Edited May 31, 2020 by Tulpa