WE TAPED THIS!? Beating TMNT on NES in 1990 - My Retro Life

[@MyRetroLife]

Hey guys -This was a different kind of video for My Retro Life with Manny and I watching through an old VHS tape he recorded in 1990 of him beating TMNT on NES. Let me know in the comments if you liked this sort of thing, and be sure to follow Manny on Twitch for his modern day gaming sessions www.twitch.tv/cousinmanny See you next video!

[@timothykirby4406]

Yes,definitely 👍

[@RandomHajile-j7z]

This was great! Can't wait to see Episode 2 & 3 with the other games on the tape.

[@LEXICON-DEVIL]

This is great stuff. Especially having your family gamers from the actual videos involved. Its pretty sweet seeing real retro gamers as opposed to young gamers getting into retro. Im 34 now and new gamers are so sensitive they cant appreciate where gaming is now compared to the past. We grew up in the best times because we get the best of both worlds.

[@DCourtwreck]

Although Manny said he hasn't played it again as an adult because he knows how hard it will be, I'd like to see him race his younger self. Split screen stream with the VHS recording on one side, Manny live on the other. A race 32 years in the making! Doesn't even have to wait until he dusts off his TMNT skills, could just dive in and document all the attempts until he wins. Has a stream like that ever happened before? I'd think that very, very few people have full length playthroughs from when they were that young. Heck, you could both race the recording.

[@miguelsoto5439]

Dude, I never recorded my gameplay, I'd actually take pictures of games I'd finish, Castlevania, Contra, this TMNT and various others to show my proof of beating a game. One thing though, I have no idea where those pictures are. How I'd love to find em one day

[@EDFCentral]

I'm 43 and finally beat TMNT for nes last night on the Cowabunga collection. Yes I used save states but I'm not Manny level awesome either lol! What a tough game. The final level is brutal! Youre the King Manny to have done this at 9!

[@shinbakihanma2749]

I turned 44 back in august, and I used to play this game over and over. Good to know you were around playing this game like I was when we were kids.😅

[@EDFCentral]

@@shinbakihanma2749 Yes sir! Tiger Heli, Cobra Command, Castlevania, Jackel, RushN Attack, Friday the 13th! Whatever my local convenient store had for rent or the local mom and pop rental store Johnsons Video with the Smoked Ham service on the side! We lived through the best years for gaming!

[@symboltherapper]

Man I had to use save states to beat contra collection. Man turtles was brutal. As a kid I could never pass the technodrome. I’m sure that was a great accomplishment. I can’t wait until I beat it

[@symboltherapper]

@@EDFCentral aww man Tiger Heli, man you took me way back

[@EDFCentral]

@@symboltherapper I need to tackle the contra collection! It's in my backlog. As a kid I could never get passed the seaweed. I was awful at the game. Finally beating it the other day even with save states felt satisfying! I don't feel bad about it, because you had to be the wizard to beat some of those nes titles with the crumbs for continues they gave you back in the day!

[@jamesmarshall4364]

I can't get enough of your channel, Tyler! I'm amazed at the amount of gaming footage your Dad captured in the 80s and 90s. Sadly, my parents never used the camcorder for this kind of stuff, haha. People will probably be watching your home videos for decades to come just to get a glimpse of what it was like back in the day.

[@MyRetroLife]

Thanks James! Really appreciate the comment

[@Endo_4weeks]

Same, wish my parents had done this!!! Timeless and priceless

[@LaC64]

I didn't own an SNES so I'd rent one from blockbuster and record Castlevania IV, Final Fight, R-Type, F-Zero etc... just so I could watch the cool graphics later. Found a similar tape recently in storage. I was like...Why did I record this?! 😁

[@popscola2574]

Rent? Damn what'd they charge a day for that?

[@nesisanesessity9944]

Funny!

[@briantaylorcloe7725]

I would guess 3-4× that of a standard game rental@@popscola2574 those are the prices i remember seeing back in the day. Anywhere between 7-12 bucks per night, or like 20 for a weekend with an extra controller and 2-3 games ...

[@treedeblue]

@@briantaylorcloe7725 they charged more for the CD based systems if remember correctly

[@WorldWithOEnd]

You definitely could rent consoles at blockbuster. I think maybe $5 for renting. It wasn't expensive

[@amrakarmaMisophoniac]

Turning 45 this year and I'm still very proud to be from one of the first generations of gamers. Anticipating my best friend coming into town & bringing his NES (seems I was a Sega boy) are some of my fondest childhood memories. Now I just develop games that nobody plays...lol.

[@relicdad88]

Dude even if nobody plays them heck at least u are doing something productive. I'm 36 n remember playing this game Mario and rad racer oh and mike tysons punch out my grandma had a lil 2 bedroom trailer and she let me hook it up in her room lil while. I never beat any nes games I was 2 little and they were so hard. Think 1st game I ever beat was golden axe on Sega. Boy those were the times even tho my mom had jus split up from my dad I was 2 young 2 understand but man did I love playing games at my mamaws. It would be really cold n the heater was ducts in the floor me n my bros would throw a blanket over it and would make like hot air balloon while it kicked on lol. I had a cousin dat was like 7 yrs older than me id go over 2 his place all I remember was he was always listening 2 Def Leppard and playing donkey Kong on Super Nintendo. I kno this doesn't have much 2 do with ur comment but thats some of my earliest gaming memories. From early 90s to 95 in 96 my mom moved 2 town I live in now and fell in love with playstation twisted metal and resident evil

[@RemoWilliams1227]

Dude I absolutely love this channel, it's like watching part of my own childhood. I was 11 in 1990 and would have been tremendously impressed with you beating Turtles.

[@MyRetroLife]

Hey thanks man. Love those days

[@2LEGION2]

I beat this when I was 6 but with the help of my older brother who was 8 and I find it ironic that I got my boys the cowabunga bundle for their switches and I'm watching my 6 year old son play the originals along with help of his 8 year old brother. My brother passed years ago I'm 39 now and it just clicked and brought back memories of us playing this together and then seeing my sons doing the same and my 6 year old is a daddies boy and looks identical to me so it's just funny yet sort of emotional seeing that. We never recorded anything as kids so seeing this was awesome

[@mrchristoph5674]

You had a good family. More amazing than the retro footage is having a wholesome family.

[@TroySan1985]

yeah thats what i like about this channel ❤

[@B33FY2011]

That was so cool to sit through and watch this over 30 year old playthrough of your cousin beating TMNT.

[@MyRetroLife]

Thanks for sitting through it all!

[@lonreed9743]

I still have a VHS tape with several of my SNES games and early PlayStation. I saved my artwork from Mario Paint and all MK3 fatalities/animalities/endings. Physical gold man!

[@RememberTheGreatsSports]

Funny thing is my wife actually did this herself back in the early 1990s because she had a TV/VCR combo hooked up to her Nintendo and was proud she beat the Disney Magic Kingdom game. Who would have known YT would have shown up and now we all watch people play games. We wish we had that tape still but she said her family recorded over for the latest episode of 90210 or Melrose Place a few years later.

[@treedeblue]

Nostalgia overload here, many of us lived the same emotions playing this game as younglins.

[@AlohaGamester]

I really enjoy these type of videos especially when you have Manny/Mikey along to share their thoughts/memories as well. For anyone else who also likes these type of videos make sure and tune into Manny/Mikey’s Twitch Streams, they’re a lot of fun too.

[@gi_nattak]

What an absolute delight to see Manny the King of Games here on your channel! And a bit surreal after watching all your old vids, to see the both of you all grown up both looking back at this now. Really brings me joy😊Such an incredibly cool cousin and family. So glad y’all did this. Hail to the King, baby!

[@MyRetroLife]

Love this! Thanks for the comment. We had a blast doing this and will do more in the future

[@shinbakihanma2749]

This is a cool video. I wish I had the forethought to record my gaming sessions on VHS as a kid. I was an ace in this game back in 1990 (I was 11 years old). I used to start the game, and immediately kill off 3 of the Turtles, leaving Raphael to undergo a "Radical Rescue" mission to save his captured bros. This was to impose a handicap on myself to make the game more difficult, but I so good at this game, it didn't matter. The water bomb stage was so easy for me. It was only decades later, that I learned how hard this game was for a majority of those who owned it back in the day.

[@mstrikesback168]

You purposely killed of 3 turtles at the start? What a legend! Dang you mustve been good. I could only beat this using the Game Genie.

[@shinbakihanma2749]

@@mstrikesback168 11 year old me was a masochist😅

[@jjgillmen]

I'm 40 now -- I grew up watching the original 1987 TMNT cartoon with my cousin Shaun, God rest his soul, every afternoon at 4:00 on KTXA Channel 21 in Dallas. I remember playing the original TMNT and Turtles in Time arcade games. I had a copy of the first and third (Manhattan Project) games for the NES. I had the toys; heck, I remember those Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle creme pies that Hostess made back in the 1990s. So seeing the Cowabunga Collection, playing all these games again after all these years, brings a smile to my face.

[@MyRetroLife]

So great man. Sorry for your loss

[@brunoramos9747]

You know what's funny I've learned that trick that downtrust with Donatello without the book😊

[@MadDogHoek23]

This was awesome to watch. I’m 41, and I was so much like you guys when I was younger. I was never able to beat this game and this was my first time ever seeing Turtles finished. Thanks for sharing!

[@chopdog6563]

I taped a bunch of gameplay back in the 90s on VHS. A few years ago, I took the time to make captures of all of them. Brings back a lot of memories playing through these games (and wonder how in the heck I got through some of these games).

[@themegaman91965]

I watched the AVGN episode of this game countless times, and Manny really mastered this early! "You just walk through it." *sips beer* So glad you found this tape! I can feel the nostalgia rush of recording stuff in the VHS days! Thanks for uploading it!!

[@MyRetroLife]

You’re welcome! Oh yes when i first saw that years ago I was like “Manny mastered this game at 9 years old!”

[@weiner_hands-guy914]

This footage is amazing. Your dad and family probably created one of the most comprehensive libraries of the history of gaming. Awesome stuff, love your vids.

[@dan1one]

Aunt Michelle was gorgeous. And a real video games legend. A true catch! Beautiful family

[@gamingiscrucial6155]

I just wanna say thanks Tyler. I'm 38 and watching ur videos brings back a ton of great memories for me as I as well owned most of the systems when they came out or shortly after and ur videos make me smile watching those old VHS tapes but also makes me sad as I no longer have my mom who always did her best to get me these games. I actually cried earlier watching one of ur Sega videos cause that's one of my best Christmas memories getting the genesis from her. Thank u for ur one of a kind channel and content.

[@LITTLE1994]

So nice to archive an old achievement over 3 decades ago.

[@paulmenard6219]

Tyler, your narration skills are absolutely amazing. If you’re not trained in this… you do an amazing job. You keep everything so personal… and it’s amazing. I find myself both laughing and tearing up on some of your videos. Masterful editing and great storytelling, just blown away.

[@JustinLaClair]

This is an amazing video and I am totally blown away at all the footage. I can only hope you are keeping your fathers spirit alive and always recording your daughter, documenting her growing up, and sharing all your good times together for her to cherish when she is older.

[@MyRetroLife]

Really appreciate it Justin

[@franksifuentes6651]

Thank you for sharing such a classic memory. Makes me remember my childhood with the same exact games.

[@newjackgaming88]

this was my first game as a kid back in 1990 awesome man !

[@achinesechickin118]

Thank you for sharing this awesome moment with us!!! Tyler you would def be chill to game with

[@davidj.9432]

Great video. I played this for a little bit tonight on my Switch, and all of the haunting memories as a child came back. This game was so hard back in the day for a young kid...

[@mrmacross]

The NES Advantage makes the short jumps in TMNT super easy. Set the turbo dial to maximum and every jump becomes a short jump. It's like an essential accessory for this game.

[@tomaturtle7790]

I lived this game as a kid. I beat the game when I was a teenager after getting past the Airport stage. Iremember buying this game again at a Vintage Stock a few years ago. After I got home I popped in the game and beat it in an hour. I'm a bit rusty now but will play it again on the Cowabunga Collection. I never had a problem with the water stage, but it took me a while to beat the 3rd stage because of the Mecha Turtle boss.

[@lucaslease4571]

I beat this game 1 time in 1992 on the NES after almost 3 years of trying. What a great game.

[@MyRetroLife]

It’s quite rewarding to beat it!

[@ButtaMilkBiscuitsGaming]

Man... we just had great times back then, no worries, just school, afternoon, morning cartoons, hanging out with friends, you just couldnt beat it. Now.... I'm 45 and would give anything just to visit these days. Great times.

[@ctg8563]

Im in my late 30s and as a tmnt fan I learned to love this game and I learned the trick at 15:55 like a few years ago. Also Im probably one of a few or only one who likes the water level even as a kid I liked it but I never beat this game without game genie which I did a few years ago too. I never has a game genie as a kid. Glad you have this recorded on VHS and uploaded it. Great video. Thanks for the memories again.

[@mielthesquid6536]

46:51 a very rare bug here! I played the game so many times and never saw it myself but it is well known. For some reasons you can get hurt during the cut scene before entering the Technodrome and yes it can kill you if your health is low enough. If you die, you resume the game as if you lost against the boss. So crazy you caught this rare bug on VHS!

[@MyRetroLife]

Oh wow! Totally going to share this with Manny

[@westonmeyer3110]

This is an amazing video. You and your cousin commenting on a vhs recording made by your cousin in 1990, that is absolutely insane.

[@DMorg88]

This is my favourite Nintendo game as a kid haha so many hours went into beating this as a kid so cool you have it recorded. Much love again from Canada brother

[@ch0jin]

This is the most incredible video ever. It was cool to finally meet Manny. And thanks for showing me the ending of this game I never finished. 👏

[@mikedoux2521]

I so badly wish your epic dad was still with us 😔 it would be so fun for him to have been a part of this channel.

[@Valentine82]

One of my proudest movements was beating TMNT 1. 👍🏻

[@saarland2china]

THIS VIDEO WILL GO VIRAL!! WELL DONE!

[@charliehustle2591]

Great stuff! Good to see Manny on here again! Lots of memories playing this game and TMNT 2: The Arcade Game with my brother.

[@Narc51423]

I remember having dreams about augmented reality, way before that was even close to becoming a concept, with these games; Being able to control the turtles and have them navigate the terrain on my bed, dresser, the TMNT sewer I had, or even around my classroom while I daydreamed. The same went for Sonic, where I always dreamed of setting up my Hotwheels race tracks and having Sonic navigate the obstacles that I would setup in my room. Also: While we eventually fell away from one another, this reminds me of the relationship I had with my own cousin; Where I would daydream of having an underground minecart that would, after pulling a lever, give me a straight shot to his house (about 30 minutes away) without parental intervention and, most importantly, permission. Lastly: I remember soaking in the SMB3 pools as well. Our imaginations were so vivid that you could completely detach from this world and live in a VR of your own design. Thanks for the trip!

[@DutchGameHunter]

This is great to see. This video reminded me that at the time I also recorded gameplays on video tape with my brother. I had my NES hooked up to the VCR to record it. I had seriously completely forgotten about this and this video brought it to mind. Really amazing!!

[@thesymdicate3396]

This is beyond cool No wonder your dad called your cousin the king of games, seeing a 9 year old tear through this game must have blown his mind.

[@edge6441]

This vid warms my heart man so awesome so raaad! its great to have a cousin that would do that for you! you guys were ahead of your time as a family. cant wait for the next one!

[@johnsgamingandmore1237]

I STILL haven't been able to beat TMNT without game genie to this day. Also wanted to say that what you did for your daughter with Splatoon 3 is really special and seeing that warmed my heart. Hopefully she does the same for her children and carry on the family tradition. Great video. My all time favorite nes game

[@brunoramos9747]

It's impressing to know that a 9-year-old Beat this game😮😮 This game is not easy believe me I know😊😊

[@patrickdiggins85]

I played through the water stage so many times as a kid, I am became quite proficient at completing it. Level 3 was where I had been stuck on for a good 30 years.I kept trying to jump in the sewer section under the rooftops not realizing you do it automatically when you push the directional pad.

[@MyRetroLife]

Ouch I could see that being a problem

[@Noname67486]

Thank you for sharing all your childhood videos. Brings back memories from those times. Love it!!

[@P1983sche]

One time I beat Contra taking ZERO hits and nobody believes me to this day…I need the proof like this!

[@NevanSlone]

“Premium STD” Now that’s marketing.

[@WesDoesGames]

Great video. While I never played the NES TMNT, I do have really fond memories of the arcade version of Turtles in Time. Once or twice a year my elementary school class would go on field trips to a local roller rink, and I would spend the majority of my time trying to beat TMNT and the similar Simpsons arcade game. I knew I'd have to play as much as I could because who knows when I'd get another chance. Games really were an extra treat back then

[@MyRetroLife]

They truly were. I have so many roller skating rink memories with arcade games and bowling alley arcades

[@WesDoesGames]

@@MyRetroLife extra points when the concession stand had cherry Icees to drink while playing :)

[@fordxbgtfalcon]

I watched the entire video. I love these types of videos. The nostalgia is overwhelming!

[@MyRetroLife]

Awesome thanks for watching the entire thing!

[@JP-fq4vc]

There was something about this video that captured the exact same feeling of playing this back in the day. Spot on about the charm Manny!

[@vaultg8057]

this is the most underated retro gaming youtube chanel ever.

[@KaosandRiot]

Wow the countless hours I spent on the NES and SNES , such fond memories and part of my video game journey. The beginning being pong then the Atari 2600

[@dontletmebrown]

The king of games himself, what a treat!

[@MyRetroLife]

Glad you enjoyed this

[@Aenima308]

This is one of my favorite videos on KZbin, I hope there are more!

[@GtotheNextLevel]

This was a great watch, Tyler! I’m always in awe of Cousin Manny’s skills. This game still sticks in me quite a bit, heh, but it’s so cool to see how even as young as he was, he spotted those glitches. If I were him and I had died there after beating the technodrome, I would have been so upset! 🤣

[@MyRetroLife]

Thanks man. Yeah he was visibly upset even in 2022 watching this!

[@robzo87]

I remember going on vacations in the early 90’s (especially 1990) there is a home video of me and my cousin playing, Mike Tyson’s punch out, and I’m pretty sure it’s a good bit of recorded footage on that tap. Anyhow…it’s always exciting seeing the new footage from the archives, Tyler. Please do more hour long series.

[@mstrikesback168]

that game was great!

[@robzo87]

@@mstrikesback168 one of my favorites

[@icy.t]

Yessss so excited to watch this after work! almost an hour long episode too 🥳

[@erniesdeck7550]

I really found this so enjoyable I watched the whole thing which I rarely do. it was just great I hope I see both of you again in some way shape or form.

[@Craplatte]

This was awesome! I definitely would love to see you continue this format.

[@mattthemagnificent3648]

New to the channel, loved this video. Definitely took me back. Born in 1984 and this was definitely my life growing up, trying to beat Battletoads and Simon's Quest with my cousin. Looking forward to watching more. Subbed.

[@figvania4805]

You are doing what your dad set out to do. Making memories with your kid. Awesome!

[@parrydogsickle]

Great video! Made me nostalgic for these classic games of the 80s and 90s. You and your cousin Manny should try Shredder's Revenge! It was recently released on multiple platforms and is a great throwback to classic TMNT arcade beat 'em ups.

[@charliefaro6555]

This was a great video and im glad youre making new videos...and watching old VHS is AWESOME!!

[@colindunham5717]

Oh my goodness! This a real treat Tyler! AWESOME!!’

[@OldSchoolLife]

My husband and I both beat this game when we were in our early 20's. I agree on the underwater part, the music, the sense of urgency, and that damn seaweed! (It looks like Manny made it through without much trouble, though!) I think one of us figured out the trick with Donatello's bo on Rocksteady, and then using the bo on the giant Mouser while pressing pause. The most aggravating part (for me, at least) was the inside of the Technodrome. Fighting loads of enemies there, plus trying to find your way to Shredder without getting a Game Over. But it was so satisfying once we got through it.

[@symboltherapper]

Dope man, love seeing the retro video and home videos taking me way back

[@EDFCentral]

Just got a wave of nostalgia! At 25:48 behind Manny is the Hot Wheels City Sto and Go playset! I had that as a kid!

[@mielthesquid6536]

I think it's wonderful you still have this VHS. What a time capsule!

[@MyRetroLife]

I’m very thankful it survived several moves and over 30 years

[@mr.j_autoart]

been watching your channel for awhile now and thank you for sharing all this. your dad captured not only your childhood gaming but mine as well. my family just never taped it lol. gaming was a huge part of our life and really was top notch at the time compared to today. wish we could go back.

[@ayopao_]

not sure how many of these tapes survived but would love to see more of these type of videos!

[@saarland2china]

Cant believe you were able to beat this as a kid!! :)

[@brunoramos9747]

People have no idea how lucky we were back in a day😊😊😊

[@JamesWithee]

Dead ass this one one of the hardest games. I had to use game genie to see the end of it. I’ve bee met anyone who as beaten it. Legendary vid.

[@jopezu]

this is amazing. instant subscription!

[@MyRetroLife]

Thank you! More to come

[@flyingplantwhale545]

Dude your entire channel is a historical treasure.

[@MaSgasK-g7z]

I'm reliving my childhood through your videos. Keep it up!

[@lambtron1265]

The NES Advantage was boss as hell. So is this playthrough! Thanks for sharing, good stuff.👌🍻

[@YakkoWarnerTower]

Oh man! the memories I remember playing TMNT, Super Mario Brothers, the Classical Mario Kart, Star Fox, F Zero, that Animanicas game Monopoly and etc on the SNES.

[@fredo3161]

My older bro would record his playthroughs as well. I used to watch Mega Man 2, complete with death splices, all the time. Later on when I was older and playing PSX, I would record all the FFVIII FMVs and play those back constantly. Good times with VHS.

[@jovo9000]

Ah man, this was a great video! I checked out Manny's twitch. He was playing Cuphead. He really is the king of games!

[@Prosper85]

Manny is legit my hero LOL. For anyone who doesn't know TMNT was ridiculously hard so to beat it at age 9 is one great achievement.

[@amatherly81608]

I'm curious on when you were born, I swear we have to be around the same exact age. I was born in 1985. But, this is one game I could never beat as a child and I swear this right here makes me wanna play it again. Tyler, I love your videos! This channel is so special on how much it captures the time.. I bet your dad would be so proud of you today and what you were able to accomplish with all these old videos. Keep gaming my friend🤘😎

[@MyRetroLife]

Hey thanks! I was born in April of 1986 so you are correct! Appreciate you watching and commenting.

[@3581richard]

I love these retro videos of your childhood.Video games were so amazing and awesome growing up.i loved my handed down atari 2600 from my brother,going to the arcades and spending hours popping quarters.Getting my first Gameboy and my nes and my snes and my Sega CD and PlayStation and PS2.Nothing compares to the feeling of unboxing and playing a new console or the marketing that was done to promote them.Todays gaming industry is great but it can never be as great as it was growing up in the 80s and 90s

[@boosk2127]

Ahh that Tunnel Runner sound bit. Excellent game.

[@jaybennett2740]

Your videos are are always Awesome

[@WhoaMykey]

Great stuff guys. Manny Mikey and Tyler thank you all also thanks to dad for filming the nostalgia/great memories

[@WhoaMykey]

You really hit the main points of retro gaming and I have to only appreciate what you bring to the table

[@tmangaming91]

Awesome video, absolutely loved it. Raphael has been my favorite since I was a kid.

[@thenostalgiabusiness]

Oh man, I was waiting for a modern day interview with the King of Games!

[@kevransted9452]

I’m 44 and this brings back awesome memories. I need to get the cowabunga collection now.

[@apap1586]

Wow. I'm 45 years old so I was 12 going on 13 in 1990 ; I remember doing that myself taping my games. I still have my NES hardware a ,CRT and it still works.

[@WakandaForever1776]

I used to do this. I remember Game Pro used to sell vcr tapes with tricks and tips.

[@shane1489]

Never in my gaming career have I beaten this. Even trying again as an adult.

[@kickflipdemon]

15:56 the famous avgn you can just walk across gap and manny just flips up and then walks across just cuz he can

[@More_BRAAAINS]

Awesome video! Despite playing this game practically everyday as a kid I still have never beaten it. I'm 37 now and I'm thinking of picking up the Cowabunga Collection for the switch so I might have another go at it.

[@mikebison]

I remember watching an older kid that was the son of my dads friend getting all the way to the technodrome. He quit when just one turtle got captured. Didn’t see the ending until KZbin.