‘TMNT’ game for Wii will shell-ebrate 25 years of Turtle Power

This week Ubisoft announced that it will launch an all-new, original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) video game -– the first that is not tied to a TMNT movie, television show or comic book –- which will be a four-player action fighting title. The game is being developed by Game Arts, noted for working on the critically acclaimed Super Smash Bros. Brawl for Wii. Scheduled for release in autumn 2009, the video game will be part of a yearlong 25th anniversary celebration of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Dontello and Raphael.

Hit the jump for press-release stuff, including the obligatory bad turtle pun.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles phenomenon has included the best-selling video game on Xbox LIVE Arcade for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in 2007; and in the late ’80s and early ’90s, the No. 1-rated Saturday morning TV show in the U.S.; the No. 1-rated daily syndicated animated TV strip for children; the No.1 Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy Advance video game in the world and the No. 1 live touring arena show in the U.S.

“We’re really excited to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first TMNT comic and we have a number of radical ‘Shell-ebration’ events planned for 2009,” said Gary Richardson, CEO of Mirage Studios. “The awesome new video game that Ubisoft will release in 2009 is an important part of celebrating this Turtles milestone with fans around the world.”

“There is no better tribute to the Turtles than the creation of a brand-new game that will help to launch the next 25 years of success,” said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft. “It’s our pleasure to partner again with Mirage as part of the worldwide birthday celebration for the Turtles.”