TMNT: Tactical Takedown is an unexpectedly challenging TRPG

by

It’s crucial to avoid forming an immediate opinion about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown. While it would be exciting to see these turtle warriors in a beat-’em-up like Shredder’s Revenge or an open-world game akin to the Batman: Arkham series, it isn’t mandatory for every Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) game to be action-packed. In fact, some fans might recall the 1985 TMNT & Other Strangeness tabletop RPG and could liken the strategy-based Tactical Takedown developed by Strange Scaffold to this turn-based role-playing game (RPG). During the Day of the Devs event at GDC 2025, I had a chance to try a demo for this grid-based TRPG and found it surprisingly brisk and demanding.

I’m just the party dude, man

At the onset of Tactical Takedown, a significant series of events unfolds for the four turtle siblings. The demise of Splinter and Shredder has occurred, leaving a void in their lives. Although they remain united as Mikey, Leo, Donny, and Raphael, their bond weakens due to the absence of their mentor. This is depicted at the game’s start when solitary Mikey is found in the Turtle Lair during the tutorial, which gets invaded by the Foot Clan. In this new regime led by ninja master Karai and technology advisor Baxter Stockman, familiar adversaries for TMNT fans, Mikey is caught off guard and must defend against numerous intruders while scrambling to reunite with his team in New York City.

In the tutorial, the grid-based battle system calls for strategic thinking since Mikey has limited health and lives. Therefore, it’s crucial to use his action points thoughtfully each turn because about six enemies usually attack simultaneously. Paying attention to the power and reach of Mikey’s attacks helps in managing the crowd. Also, fresh green tiles often appear on the map while red ones vanish, indicating that our characters can’t afford to huddle in one spot for too long.

Lean, green, and mean

After a brief skirmish, I discovered it would be advantageous for Mikey to slash his nunchucks at as many adversaries as he could before leaping to a spot presumably beyond their reach. Notably, Mikey possesses a long-range attack known as Gangway, which consumes two action points but returns one when used effectively against enemies, thus maximizing its efficiency in suitable scenarios.

In a twist of fate, Mikey escapes one perilous situation (the frying pan) only to find himself in another (the city streets), where he’s overwhelmed by Foot soldiers and robots. Meanwhile, it seems New York City drivers pay no mind to pedestrians, running over anyone on marked squares. Interestingly, this dangerous scenario works to Mikey’s advantage, as he can activate his unique ability, which boosts him and shocks nearby enemies, causing them to freeze in place like roadkill for the level. By utilizing this tactic, Mikey managed to stay alive until Raphael arrived on the scene during a cutscene, just before the demo concluded.

In this game, I wasn’t given an opportunity to test the movesets of the other three turtles, but the main storyline includes 20 stages that are allocated among the four brothers. Additionally, players can tailor the skills for each turtle, enabling them to optimize their performance and conquer a level effectively.

On May 22, 2025, you’ll be able to get your hands on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown on PC through Steam. If you want a sneak peek, a demo for the game is already available on Steam.

This sneak peek is derived from the demo exhibited by the publisher at the Day of the Devs: San Francisco Edition event, which took place during GDC 2025.

Read More

2025-03-22 22:27