The first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game not directly linked to a movie, television show or comic. Celebrate the Turtles’ 25th Anniversary with this brand new title from Game Arts and Ubisoft.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash Up is a new 4-player brawler for the the Nintendo Wii which also features online multiplayer gameplay, mini games and an original story mode for single player co-created by the man himself, Peter Laird.

The game is being developed by Game Arts; part of the team who brought you Super Smash Bros., and while similar to past projects, Smash Up will contain numerous unlockable surprises to celebrate the history of the half-shelled heroes.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash Up will feature…

• FIGHT AS YOUR FAVOURITE TMNT CHARACTERS - Choose from a wide variety of classic TMNT heroes and villains, each with unique acrobatic moves, weapons and combat skills that will come in handy during the free-for-all brawls.
• SHARE THE FUN - Not only can you immerse yourself in the world of TMNT through the story mode, you can also challenge your friends at home or online in a variety of multiplayer modes including tournament, battle royal, and more.
• IT’S A SHELL OF A BRAWL - Packed with over-the-top ninja action and smack-talking gameplay, Smash-Up offers hours of fun for novice players as well as ninja masters. Finding unique combos and unlocking and special attacks add more elements to each character and battle.
• EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED - Be prepared for interactive levels with moving arenas, gators jumping from the water, and many more surprises. Collect “shells” during battles and mini-games to unlock memorable moments and exclusive content of TMNT’s 25-year history.
• ORIGINAL STORY CREATED BY PETER LAIRD - The single-player story mode offers a completely original story written by Peter Laird (the co-creator of TMNT). But unlike his previous comic books and movies, this time you get to be a part of the story.

Click on the thumbnails for larger views.

The game is expected to hit North America in Autumn 2009, stay tuned as we get more word on a European release date.

Press release [Ubisoft via Games Press]