For a 2004 PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube title, the cel-shaded graphics hold up remarkably well. The Turtles look exactly like their 2003 cartoon counterparts, with bright green skin and distinct bandana colors that pop. The particle effects for Ninja Magic are flashy without bogging down the frame rate.

The tech expert who can hack computer consoles and use specialized laser devices.

If Battle Nexus has a trump card, it is the inclusion of the original 1989 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade Game.

For fans of the Heroes in a Half-Shell, Battle Nexus is the definitive way to experience the 2003 universe interactively. And in a world where TMNT games are now pixel-art throwbacks to the arcade era, Battle Nexus remains a fascinating oddity: a beat ‘em up that dared to look forward, not backward.