Shacknews Best Co-Op Game of 2022 - TMNT: Shredder's Revenge

It’s been a long, long time since we had a proper Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade-style brawler, but in 2022, Dotemu and Tribute Games delivered in spectacular fashion with TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge. This was both a ridiculously good return to nostalgic form and refined with modern ideas and conveniences to make it one of the most fun TMNT games ever made. It’s also our Shacknews Best Co-Op Game of 2022.

Shredder’s Revenege stands out from the get-go by making its cast of playable characters feel vastly different from one another. Even if the actions are pretty much the same on each character, the way in which character carries out said actions is uniquely their own. Where Leonardo is well-rounded and has good damage and range with his attacks, Michelangelo packs on speed to do combos that some of the other characters can’t. Add April O’Neil, Splinter, and Casey Jones to the mix with their own variety and each character is just awesomely fun to play and learn.

Then, there’s the sheer ease of both online and local co-op systems in Shredder’s Revenge. Whether you’re playing story or arcade, online or off, other players can jump in with relative ease via the crossplay systems of the game. With the problems we’ve had when it comes to crossplay and lobbies in other games in the past, Shredder’s Revenge brings an ease of use to co-op systems that is a breath of fresh air. If you want to go it alone, you also have the option of making your party private as well.

Between the vibrant music, spectacular stages, and beautiful beatdowns of TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, it was already a shell of a time. However, the great cast of characters in play and ease in which you can get together with friends online and off is what pushed this game over the top to become our Shacknews Best Co-Op Game of 2022.

Check out our Year of the Games: 2022 article to see all of the other Shacknews Awards that have been announced so far.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.