LCD Handhelds

[oldmanwinters]

http://i.imgur.com/xaIhiRfl.jpg (https://imgur.com/xaIhiRf)
http://i.imgur.com/1YjosfXl.jpg (https://imgur.com/1YjosfX)
I came across some interesting information (http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5150899.html)on the 1989 Konami LCD game.

Apparently, the game's concept must have been pretty novel to warrant a patent for "Hand held video game with simulated rescue."

Here's the abstract:

Title: Hand held video game with simulated rescue
United States Patent 5150899
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5150899.html

A novel hand held electronic LCD video game with 19 player-controlled ninja turtle figures individually displayable under player manipulation to simulate rescue of a kidnap victim. The player controls the displayed position of the turtle figures to defend against attack by game controlled mouser figures and throwing star figures. A game processor controls display of player and game controlled image segments to simulate movement of mouser creatures and throwing stars attacking the player controlled turtle figures. The player controlled turtle is manipulated to perform simulated underwater swimming to obtain dynamite multiple times and a key to free the victim. The player must also manipulate the turtle figure to approach and free the victim while simulating punching and use of a sword to defend against attack. One of three levels of difficulty may be selected by the player.

More information is contained in the full version. Most of the language in the patent is pretty technical as it describes almost every possible move the player can make in the game. Still, I think it is interesting that something like this exists.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a56/slimer2erasmus/TMNT/IMG_8601.jpg
The game from which the pictures are taken is actually selling for nearly $50 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110110990181&ssPageName=MERC_VI_RSCC_Pr12_PcY_BIN_Stores_IT&refitem=110091975198&itemcount=12&refwidgetloc=active_view_item&usedrule1=StoreCatToStoreCat&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget)!

Does anyone have any fond memories of these games? I owned this one and Turtles 3: Shredder's Last Stand. I still have the latter, but I seem to have misplaced the former.

[Roseangelo]

Oh man, I got so excited when you said it was selling on eBay for nearly $50. I have all of these games and they're not currently in my for sale pile, but I'm not THAT attached to them. However, I now see that's a BIN auction and I doubt it'll go for that much.

I spent endless hours playing all of these games. They were quite fun. Interesting patent info, too. Thanks for sharing!!

[oldmanwinters]

I always wondered what the Basketball game was like.
How did it play? Was it any good?

Official ninjaturtles.com description (http://www.ninjaturtles.com/html/handheld.htm):
Believe it or not, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the evil Shredder have agreed to set aside their differences, and their weapons, in order to meet on the basketball court. In this first annual classic, you'll always control the Turtles on offense, trying to run up the score against a shrewd Turtle thrashing team.

Why would Shredder and the Turtles would agree to a friendly pick up game? I guess anything is possible!

Here's a gameplay image I grabbed from an old ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110091975198&ssPageName=MERC_VI_RSCC_Pr12_PcY_BIN_Stores_IT&refitem=110159129074&itemcount=12&refwidgetloc=active_view_item&usedrule1=StoreCatToStoreCat&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget) listing:
http://i.imgur.com/keWtg65.jpg (https://imgur.com/keWtg65)

[Roseangelo]

I liked the basketball game. It could be really hard/frustrating because if you just shoot baskets at every chance you get Baxter Stockman will block all of your shots. But once you figure out his pattern and the strategy to get past him you could get pretty high scores.

[oldmanwinters]

Does anyone remember anything about Tiger's Dimension X Assault?

http://i.imgur.com/pH517swl.jpg (https://imgur.com/pH517sw)
Ken Mitchroney must have done the art to this.
Who was this Berserko (who apparently changed his name from "Drakkus" to get his revenge on the Turtles) mentioned in the game description?
What was the basic style of play?

[Masked Ninja]

We have an photo buried somewhere of a much younger me playing a TMNT handheld game... I think it was the first one, as that looks really familiar to me. I must have been eight at most, maybe younger.

I loved those old handheld games. Probably because they were the closest thing to Nintendo that I was allowed to have as a kid. :trazz:

[ZariusTwo]

Who was this Berserko (who apparently changed his name from "Drakkus" to get his revenge on the Turtles) mentioned in the game description?
What was the basic style of play?

Berzerko appeared in the premiere of the Red Sky seasons, he designed The Technodrome and was betrayed by Krang. He resurfaces with a new weapon which is easily destroyed by the conclusion, and his lair, the Hall of Science was taken over by Krang, Shredder, Rocksteady, and Bebop

[Ninjinister]

Fifty bones!? Ye've got to be crapping me. I got that for $2 just last year.

[oldmanwinters]

Berzerko appeared in the premiere of the Red Sky seasons, he designed The Technodrome and was betrayed by Krang. He resurfaces with a new weapon which is easily destroyed by the conclusion, and his lair, the Hall of Science was taken over by Krang, Shredder, Rocksteady, and Bebop

Oh, that's right, I remember that episode now. Thanks!

I've added a poll to this thread.
My money's one the original to take this vote by a landslide! I mean, come on, it had its own patent for being a novelty!

[oldmanwinters]

Sorry to double post, but I saw this and thought it was too awesome not to share. Its the complete sprite collection [or at least concept art for them] for the first game:
http://i.imgur.com/Fbk0xUV.gif (https://imgur.com/Fbk0xUV)
http://patents1.ic.gc.ca/details?patent_number=2012383#imageview

This site has some more cool behind the scenes pictures on the game's creation.

[Ninjinister]

Hand-drawn representation of LCD sprites? Sweet!

[oldmanwinters]

I recently snagged a TMNT1 Konami handheld (http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a56/slimer2erasmus/TMNT/IMG_8601.jpg) for a great price! It brings back lots of great memories!

But I've got a question about the gameplay that maybe somebody can explain to me. The official instructions say:
you must retrieve bombs and set them off around Shredder's Asylum until the shatter-proof shield shatters (careful - if the bombs aren't perfectly placed, April will go up in smoke).
http://www.ninjaturtles.com/html/handheld.htm

I don't understand how I'm supposed to place the bombs around April's capsule. Most of the time I can just touch the capsule and the bomb will go off normally (it takes a few tries to break the capsule). Sometimes, however, something goes wrong and April blows up and I get Game Over. I press directional and attack commands but nothing seems to change the bomb's placement. Any advice from those of you who have been playing the game for a while?

[Jester]

Does anyone remember anything about Tiger's Dimension X Assault?

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a56/slimer2erasmus/TMNT/dimension_xhandheld.gif
Ken Mitchroney must have done the art to this.
Who was this Berserko (who apparently changed his name from "Drakkus" to get his revenge on the Turtles) mentioned in the game description?
What was the basic style of play?

I had it...wish i still did. I made my own POGs with the cardboard box back.

[oldmanwinters]

I had it...wish i still did. I made my own POGs with the cardboard box back.

Dude, POGs are so Old-Skool!

[Redmage1987]

I own the 1989 one. Sitting right next to me actually, right next to my Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Game Wizard. Also got a few VR Troopers Games for my Game Wizard. Use to rack up scores on them like no other, lol. Anyone else ever heard of Game Wizard?

[Ninjinister]

I've got that there Dimension X Assault. Got it on eBay still in the package about a year ago for like $12. The instructions are weird as hell; they only refer to Foot Soldiers as "Cyber-Soldiers", and it indicates that they, along with Bebop and Rocksteady, are Berserko's minions.

[oldmanwinters]

Here's a couple of foreign handheld LCDs with which I'm not familiar:

"Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles" by Grandstand
http://i.imgur.com/WUPTz2j.jpg (https://imgur.com/WUPTz2j)
http://cgi.ebay.com/Teenage-Mutant-Hero-Turtles-Grandstand-LCD-/370512695192?pt=UK_Toys_Games_Games&hash=item5644470f98

"Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles: Four for Four"
http://i.imgur.com/Go52Lhv.jpg (https://imgur.com/Go52Lhv)
http://handheldempire.com/game.jsp?game=1044

[Ninjinister]

I've seen Four for Four on the official site but that Grandstand one is new to me.

[oldmanwinters]

I've seen Four for Four on the official site but that Grandstand one is new to me.

Does TMNT: Four for Four play similar to any of the other LCDs? The picture of the gameplay kinda reminds me of TMNT3: Shredder's Last Stand.

[Ninjinister]

Does TMNT: Four for Four play similar to any of the other LCDs? The picture of the gameplay kinda reminds me of TMNT3: Shredder's Last Stand.

Couldn't tell you. As I said, I've only seen it on the site.

[PizzaPower]

Sorry to double post, but I saw this and thought it was too awesome not to share. Its the complete sprite collection for the first game:
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd174/slimer2erasmus2/02012383drw_afp_4_s0_25_r2-1.gif
http://patents1.ic.gc.ca/details?patent_number=2012383#imageview

This site has some more cool behind the scenes pictures on the game's creation.
now this is really cool.

[oldmanwinters]

I recently acquired the obscure Konami handheld "Four for Four." Most of the existing online information (http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Konami/TMHT4For4.htm) about it shows the U.K. "Hero Turtles" release, but my copy is evidence it probably received a U.S. release too.
http://i.imgur.com/096548pl.jpg (https://imgur.com/096548p)
http://i.imgur.com/yVdUSH2l.jpg (https://imgur.com/yVdUSH2)

Gameplay is among the simplest of all the Konami handheld TMNT games. The turtle character does not move forward or backward, but can only attack, jump, and turn around/attack, similar to the gameplay from the other Konami handhelds. There are only four enemies: Rocksteady, Bebop, Shredder, and Krang's Android. Playable characters are Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo, although there are no differences in the sprites, so they might as well just be "4 lives" since you cycle through the Turtles until each lifebar is depleted. I'm guessing the lineup of heroes and villains is the basis of the "Four for Four" title.

And alternative title for this game could have been "Foot Clan Villain Decay," as the big bads have been reduced to the lowly status previously occupied by Foot Soldiers in other games. Levels consist of Rocksteady, Bebop, and Shredder attacking the player either individually or in combination waves. They are each felled by a single hit, but reappear constantly until the end of the round. R&B have the same attack patterns, but Shredder is craftier in that he will always enter in the opposite direction from which the player is facing. After a certain number of kills, Krang's Android will appear at the right side of the screen and fire off his rocket fist attack continually while the other enemies continue their own attack patterns.

Points are awarded for each successful kill: 10 points for Rocksteady or Bebop, 40 points for Shredder, and 80 points for Krang. I don't think points ever reward the player for anything other than the high-score memory. So far I've only made it as far as Level 9, when the action really speeds up. I think it's fun for what it is. Rounds are very short and fast paced, so the action doesn't get as dull and repetitive as it does in previous games like TMNTII: Splinter Speaks or TMNTIII: Shredder's Last Stand. Kudos to Konami for requiring only a single AA battery to play it.

[oldmanwinters]

I think Mame is still a better emulator for this, but very sharp looking digital fan-recreation of the old Konami lcd handheld game!
https://itizso.itch.io/konami-ninja-turtles?fbclid=IwAR2asY5Vzy2S3X29mmlJ-apJ-as4Kwf64rYGR20lQ4gD2bqGr_fujwkqF5w

more game mods:
https://itizso.itch.io/retrofab

Don’t know much about the website, so browse at your own discretion!

[Mad Dog McMutt]

I had the Splinter Speaks one when I was a kid. I even managed to beat it. The sound clips in it sounded really goofy.

[IMJ]

Anyone remember what those old Tiger handhelds used to cost at retail? Just curious....

[Coola Yagami]

Anyone remember what those old Tiger handhelds used to cost at retail? Just curious....

I'm thinking 10-12 bucks for the low-end cheap ones, 15-20 for the Tiger and Konami ones.

[CyberCubed]

It's funny that in the days before mobile phone games existed, our generation grew up on these.

[Coola Yagami]

It's funny that in the days before mobile phone games existed, our generation grew up on these.

It was the only way to play videogames at home until my parents finally broke down and bought me a NES.