I didn’t need much of a reason to return to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate, a solid roguelike and the best take on the classic franchise in years, but its new Casey Jones & the Junkyard Jam DLC was welcome all the same. This incredibly 90s franchise is alive and well in video game form, and I’ve never been so happy to take a trip to the dump.
Super Evil Megacorp takes us back to the Turtles’ goofily gritty vision of New York and adds everyone’s favourite vigilante, Casey Jones, to the playable cast. Casey appeared briefly in the main storyline but now gets a proper chance to shine alongside a new alternate third chapter and a slew of minor updates.
Casey breaks the norm for Splintered Fates’ playable roster by not being human and by packing a ranged special attack. His wicked slapshot fires a hockey puck that ricochets off enemies and inflicts a guard break status, creating a perfect window to dash in and unleash one of his slow yet powerful combos. He also starts each run with a power-up tool, The Juice, which helps charge that special attack and buffs his overall damage.
It’s a strong kit on its own, but the potential for mixing and matching with randomized build options is where it truly shines. I’ll swap any tool for Meteor Swarm at the first opportunity as part of my plan to build a flame-based loadout, but The Juice serves well until the RNG gods smile. The slapshot quickly became my favourite ranged option in the game, playing well with that fiery dash strategy.
The Junkyard is home to the Punk Frogs, and Splintered Fates’ well-written interactions continue to shine as the heroes talk smack with their bizarre counterparts.
With Splintered Fates’ upgrade system, Junkyard Jam also integrates highlights of Casey’s abilities into the skill system. The Turtles can access Casey’s Inspiration upgrades to borrow his guard break or improve the critical chance on Final Strikes. In return, he benefits greatly from their Inspirations, particularly Leonardo’s for extra special charges or Donatello’s for faster tool charges. All in all, Casey Jones fits into the playable roster’s synergy so well, you’d think he had a shell.
As for why he’s joining the action, Casey’s beloved car, The Slamboni, has disappeared in the chaos of Splintered Fates’ storyline. He enlists the Turtles to help him find it in a junkyard, which conveniently serves as an alternate, shorter route to Shredder’s zone, the Rooftops. Players can choose to head to the Junkyard after defeating Karai in Chapter Two or continue on to the usual Streets zone.
It takes several trips through the new zone to “complete” Casey’s story. While the area is visually distinct, the gameplay follows the same formula—a mix of regular stages, with a miniboss, boss, and shopping trip interspersed. The new bosses add variety and a welcome change of pace. That being said, I would have preferred to replace the now-stale Leatherhead fight in Chapter One instead of losing the dynamic Bebop and Rocksteady fight in the original Chapter Three. While the new boss is fun, it doesn’t quite compare to the intensity of the double-header battle.
Casey Jones fits into the playable roster’s synergy so well you’d think he also has a shell.
The Junkyard is home to the Punk Frogs, and Splintered Fates’ well-written interactions continue to shine as the heroes trade barbs with their bizarre counterparts. I’ll take any excuse to hear this voice cast and writing team in action, but the Frogs’ banter and puns were genuinely funny. I’ll admit I don’t remember them from my childhood TMNT phase, so these kinds of video game cameos are my main exposure to them. For once, they felt like worthwhile additions rather than just another quick hit of nostalgia for megafans.
Unfortunately, Casey Jones & the Junkyard Jam isn’t an exceptionally long experience. Technically, you can jump into Casey’s storyline almost from the beginning of the main game, though some runs should still be spent putting Bebop and Rocksteady in their place. Skipping the Streets stage was easier when returning to the game from the “clear game” state, but I’d advise brand-new players to save the Junkyard for later. It takes a few more playthroughs to fully complete, which can be useful for clearing additional challenges and farming upgrade materials.
Relatively short though it may be, I can only recommend this DLC. Splintered Fates is a must-play for anyone who grew up immersed in the Ninja Turtles, with its pitch-perfect take on the lore and characters. Adding one more playable character is just another topping on an already perfect pizza. Playable Casey, and his synergy with the Turtles, is worth the modest $7 USD price tag alone.
With any luck, Junkyard Jam won’t be our only trip back to these sewers.
