TMNT Shredder's Revenge Game Designer Talks Usagi and Mutant Mayhem

In an exclusive interview with CBR, Tribute Games game designer Fred Gémus discusses TMNT: Shredder's Revenge -- Dimension Shellshock DLC.

Turtle power is the order of the day in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge -- Dimension Shellshock DLC. Not only does this expansion include the addition of a survival mode, which allows players to transform into the villains from the main game, like Shredder, Bebop, and Rocksteady, but it also introduces two new characters for all modes: Miyamoto Usagi and Karai. To top it off, there is a plethora of new stages and color palettes that pay homage to the different eras of Turtlemania.

In an exclusive interview, CBR caught up with Tribute Games' game designer, Fred Gémus, to learn more about the DLC and what influenced the choices for this expansion. Gémus also discussed how open the team would be to collaborating with the creators behind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. For fans of Shredder's Revenge hoping to see more additions, Gémus layed out what needs to happen in order for future DLC releases from Tribute Games.

CBR: Survival mode allows you to mutate into foes like the Shredder. What inspired this approach instead of just making them characters that fans could play from the beginning?

Fred Gémus: Just like fans, we really wanted to be able to play as some of our favorite villains at one point, but creating a new character, even based on an existing boss, requires a lot of work. We decided to focus our efforts into bringing completely new and unique characters to the game, [like] Usagi and Karai, and figured out a way to still be able to play as Rocksteady, Bebop, and Shredder, with them appearing with limited yet powerful move sets as bonus power-ups for the survival mode. This made it possible for them to use the same powerful attacks they do during the boss encounters [and] was better suited for the narrative context of the mode.

The new stages of survival mode are eye-catching, to say the least. The Mirage one, in particular, serves as a wonderful tribute to the comics. The interactive environment also reminds me of another Sega classic Comix Zone. What were the influences you looked to for this stage?

We wanted to create one-screen images that felt fun, like a classic fighting game background, but also otherworldly, allowing us to pay homage to the rich history of TMNT. The Edo level was also a way for us to create an environment that would feel familiar for Usagi while also feeling appropriate to the martial arts world of the Turtles.

The Foot and enemy variants feel like a fresh experience here. How did you settle on this new batch of characters and abilities?

We knew that a survival mode would not only need new foes but also require enemies capable of ramping up the threat they pose as the challenge increases. This is why we decided to add some new enemies with new behaviors inspired by previous enemies. For example, we have foes that fire projectiles in the original game, but now, we've added an enemy that can fire a bomb projectile, creating a deadly area of effect for both players and other enemies.

We also wanted to improve all our previous enemies by giving them the possibility to scale their difficulty based on the current challenge level of the survival mode: enemies can increase their difficulty from rank 1 to rank 3, making them more aggressive and harder to beat as they go up. We even introduced new behaviors as they increased in rank -- for example, having Stone Warriors eventually be able to teleport around the arena.

RELATED: TMNT Franchise Earns $1 Billion in 2023 Amid Mutant Mayhem Release

The color palette change option is another cool feature and a nice homage to the franchise's past. How did you settle on the eras to cover here?

Our choices were guided by wanting to cover as much ground as possible, franchise-wise. We wanted to have palettes that looked like more classic 8-bit sprites but others that reflected the colors of the action figures and the wide library of TMNT animated series, comics, and movies.

Karai is an interesting addition to the DLC since she wasn't a part of the original 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series but is a huge part of Shredder and the Foot's history in the main story. Why the decision to include her here?

At Tribute Games, we are fans of all the incarnations of the Turtles, from the original comics to the latest movie. Karai was our way of paying homage and thanking the younger generation of fans who supported Shredder's Revenge. The 2003 series wasn't our muse for the game -- but including diverse characters representing later incarnations only made sense so that all fans of the Turtles get at least one goodie from their favored era.

Going back to Karai, how did you decide on her fighting style for the game?

With Karai, we wanted to create a character that felt both methodical and powerful. We felt that it not only worked well with her character but was also something our fans would enjoy. We decided to have her start with slower yet powerful attacks, but as players successfully chain her different attacks into combos, she builds up energy that actually makes her move faster. You'll see her getting surrounded by this energy as you play and will feel her movement speed increase with it, making it even easier to keep these powerful combos going. She really is an amazing character for players looking to push our combat system to its limits.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is another fantastic addition to the lore and introduces a new generation to the Turtles. Many of the characters from the movie already appear in the game, and I understand both properties are different in tone and appearance, but are there any plans to cross over these two worlds in the future? Say, for example, the addition of Superfly?

That's a great idea! For sure, we would be all ears if Seth Rogen would call the Tribute phone at the office -- and starstruck. [Laughs].

Now that the Dimension Shellshock DLC will be out in the world, what is the plan for the team next in terms of TMNT?

The whole Shredder's Revenge project and Dimension Shellshock was a blast to work on, and we would be pleased to put more of our ideas and dream cameos into this game. However, we don't have anything we can confirm at the moment. Any new DLC will depend on the fan reception and success of Dimension Shellshock. We'd love to keep adding to the Turtles, especially with a great collaboration alongside Dotemu and Nickelodeon.

Tribute Games is in a great place right now. Our team can't wait to work on what's next, whether it's Turtles-related or something different.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge - Dimension Shellshock DLC releases on August 31.

Sergio Pereira has been writing about pop culture for over 15 years, specializing in the areas of comic books, film, television series, pro wrestling, and video games. He has written reviews, lists, and features for the likes of CBR, Screen Rant, IGN, Looper, Ranker, Grunge, SYFY Wire, Wrestling Inc., and Fortress of Solitude, while also hosting a podcast and scripting YouTube videos for a variety of highly acclaimed channels. He is also the author of various short stories, the fantasy comedy novel The Not-So-Grim Reaper, and the co-screenwriter of the drama film, The Lifesaver. Follow him on Twitter at @sergiowrites or find him on Facebook, and get in touch with him via his official website to discuss everything from the endearing greatness of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to why Nightwing is the most underrated comic book character of all time and deserves to be the true leader of the Justice League.