The video game industry is responsible for creating some truly captivating original content, but there are also times where developers commit to adapting already existing IPs. These adaptations of pre-existing licenses can be hit or miss from time to time, with some of them serving as quick cash grabs that don't really capture the magic of the property at hand. There are rare instances, however, where a developer gets a hold of licensed properties and produces games that fans can be proud of. One such developer is Traveller's Tales, and its popular LEGO series has been responsible for some of the best licensed games for over a decade.
The LEGO franchise has adapted some of the biggest names in pop culture and film, with Star Wars, Marvel, and Lord of the Rings making up just a fraction of the games in the series. That being said, it's been a few years since the LEGO games tackled an original property. With LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga serving as Traveller's Tales' ultimate return to the galaxy far, far away, the developer may want to freshen things up by tackling a property that LEGO fans haven't played with before. There are certainly plenty of options out there, but Traveller's Tales might want to take a trip to the sewers to give the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the LEGO treatment.
TMNT and the LEGO Philosophy
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are one of the most recognizable franchises to come out of the colorful 80s and 90s. The team of Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo may have started as brooding protectors in their original comics, but later animated appearances made them into the coolest pizza-eating reptiles around. They are responsible for many fond Saturday morning cartoon memories for gamers all over the world, and their popularity has managed to carry them into the present day. They're pop culture icons, and it's this status that makes them an excellent candidate for a LEGO adaptation.
With most LEGO games, it seems the inspiration comes from drawing on the nostalgia of a particular brand. The LEGO Group has already recognized the popularity of TMNT in the past, as numerous LEGO sets based on the 2014 film and the Nickelodeon animated series have been made before. This could help make a LEGO TMNT game more possible, as Traveller's Tales often uses real-life LEGO sets to influence the creation of its games. It should be noted that game development is a bit more complicated than simply grabbing an IP and running with it, but if the pieces are already there, then it would give Traveller's Tales a good place to start.
Story Potential in LEGO TMNT
When it comes to actually forming a story for a LEGOTMNT game, there are decades of source material to draw on for any kind of narrative that Traveller's Tales could create. Considering just how much content there is to take inspiration from, it would probably be in the best interest of the game to take an approach similar to that of the LEGO Marvel Super Heroes games. That series took heavy inspiration from the comics and films, but still managed to create original stories. A LEGO TMNT game would have almost as much opportunity to do the same thing, with the comics, animated series, and films serving as story inspiration.
The colorful cast of characters that have made appearances through the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise would likely be able to fill out a pretty solid narrative. In addition to the core brothers, characters like April O'Neil and Casey Jones could serve as key parts of the story where they may take a backseat otherwise. The assortment of villains in the franchise could also give the game plenty of boss fights, especially if Shredder takes center stage like he will in the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge. As is the case with most LEGO games, there would also be plenty of room to inject some of the series' signature humor along the way.
TMNT + LEGO Gameplay Potential
Bringing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into the LEGO franchise could make for some fantastic gameplay opportunities. Each of the Turtles are known for their unique combat abilities, as well as their distinct personality traits. The LEGO franchise often shows an incredible attention to detail when it comes to incorporating these character details into gameplay, especially when it comes to the series' puzzles. The same could be done for TMNT, where characters like Donatello could excel at puzzles that require an affinity for technology, and Michelangelo could work in his skateboard to grind up to inaccessible areas.
A LEGOTMNT game would also likely be able to work the Turtles into the current LEGO formula with little issue. It likely wouldn't be as wildly expansive as LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga appears to be, but the more open nature of recent LEGO games could still work with the heroes. Traveller's Tales could look to LEGO Marvel Super Heroes for inspiration on a potential open hub, as both the TMNT stories and that game take place in New York City. If the developer wanted, it could just take those assets and rework them to fit the Turtles, and the LEGOTMNT game would have an expansive open world.
There really is no telling what Traveller's Tales is going to do once LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga finally launches after its long-awaited release. It's entirely possible that the developer will want to take some time once the game comes out, as the nature of The Skywalker Saga's development has likely left much of the company a busy. Hopefully whenever Traveller's Tales does decide to jump into a new LEGO project, it turns out to be something fresh and exciting that can draw in new players while giving longtime fans something new to chew on. TMNT fans will just have to wait until then to find out if they'll be able to kick some plastic shell.