When it came to mutant turtles, Konami could do no wrong in the early 90s. In fact, their first NES game was so popular that it got a port to the ZX Spectrum, which seemed like a dream come true for anyone who was still saving up their pocket money for a console. The port cost a tenner, which was an extortionate amount at a time when most Speccy titles still went for £3.99 in Boots, but it seemed like a good deal for what looked like a faithful port of the NES title at least, until you hit the first boss, Bebop. Bebops a cakewalk on the NES. Youre locked into a single screen as he paces back and forth, only dealing damage if you walk into him. Which is why its all the more alarming on the Spectrum port when a horrible pink blob thats supposed to be Rocksteady appears and immediately wipes the floor with you. He mercilessly tracks you down, walking casually through mid-air to reach you and draining your life energy with a single touch. The secret, which you may never last long enough to figure out, is that unlike the Bebop battle youre not actually locked in. The only way to win is to scamper backwards through the level with Rocksteady in pursuit like a vengeful ghost, leading him around until he finally explodes. Its insanely tough - even Shredder, the final boss, only bounces harmlessly around like the ball from Breakout. To kids, Rocksteady seemed unkillable, and most of us were had to wait for a NES to ever see the second level.
