Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (World 4 Players, version X)

Konami's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arrived in arcades in 1989 and offered a frantic, four-player fighting experience. This version, known as "World 4 Players," puts players in control of Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael as they battle through various themed stages facing off against hordes of Foot Soldiers and other adversaries. The gameplay combines elements of traditional beat ‘em ups with unique 2.5D perspectives allowing for attacks both above and below opponents. Players utilize a simple two-button control scheme – jump and attack – to dispatch enemies, utilizing their turtles’ individual strengths in close-quarters combat. This version originated as an export release developed in Japan; its design differs from the original Japanese release, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Super Kame Ninja. A notable quirk of earlier Western releases allowed players to exploit enemy projectiles for easy point accumulation, a feature later removed in subsequent versions. While ports to home consoles like the Nintendo NES followed shortly after its arcade debut and introduced modifications such as additional stages and changes to Raphael's special attack, this original arcade version remains an exciting showcase of cooperative action for up to four players. The game also paved the way for future installments such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Turtles in Time.