Remember Tournament Fighters on Super NES and Genesis? Remember it's "love it or hate it" gameplay that split Turtles fans down the middle? That's the feeling I'm getting after my first hands-on with TMNT Smash-Up for Wii. Only this time, it's a split down the middle of Nintendo fans. Turtles superfans will dig this game – you might as well pull the cash out of your wallet now – but anyone thinking they're getting a full-on Smash Bros. clone might find themselves going back to Nintendo's own offering after a few rounds of TMNT action.
It's not really fair to compare Ubisoft's fighter with Smash Bros. Brawl, but given the fact that the team is made up of ex-Smash devs, and that the game is literally going after Nintendo's own offering ("Smash" up?) we all have high hopes for the fighter. After a few rounds it's obvious that this game is stronger than most of the licensed junk out there – there's an in-depth parry system, slick animations, varied characters and fighting styles, and some in-level prop fun to be had – and with the promise of online and a unique single player mode Smash-Up could be the real deal. Rest assured though; it imitates Smash Bros. but doesn't totally replicate.
