TMNT’s MTG Commander Deck Is Packed With Video Game References

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Wizards of the Coast is releasing a special ‘Commander’ deck inspired by the upcoming set that celebrates popular video games.

I totally remember when the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles first blew up – it was the golden age of arcades, and everyone was getting consoles at home. For a lot of us fans, our first experiences with the Turtles were either struggling through that super-difficult NES game, or even better, playing the arcade game with friends. Those were the days!

The TMNT Commander Deck References Iconic Video Game Moments

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover event starts on March 6th with a brand-new Commander Deck. Called ‘Turtle Power,’ this deck uses all five colors of Magic and includes 43 new cards. Players can choose any combination of the four turtles and Splinter to lead the deck as Commander, thanks to a special ability called ‘Partner’ which allows two characters to share the role.

At a preview of the new set, the designers shared that the Commander Deck drew a lot of inspiration from classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video games. For example, they created a creature card based on the electric seaweed from an old NES game, and they featured Shredder making shadowy copies of himself, just like in the games.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles began as a comic book, but they quickly became popular in video games, first appearing on the NES in 1989. Since then, they’ve been featured in numerous successful games, with the first 11 TMNT titles selling over 18 million copies.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles most recently appeared in the 2025 game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown. Given their long history, it’s natural that gaming would be a key component of the TMNT/Magic: The Gathering collaboration.

TMNT Brings Video Game References To Magic: The Gathering

Besides cards that specifically feature games, the set also includes cards based on general video game concepts. For example, Arcade Cabinet distributes counters across several creatures, Game Over destroys all creatures, and Level Up is an enchantment that adds extra counters to one creature.

It’s really cool when obscure references from other media show up in Magic: The Gathering collaborations, like the memorable laughing scene from Final Fantasy 10. And players who struggled with the notoriously hard old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games will enjoy being able to challenge others with those same frustrating obstacles.

Okay, as a gamer, I have to say this set is awesome! If you’re into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Magic: The Gathering, you absolutely need to check it out. Honestly, I didn’t think the two would ever come together, but Wizards of the Coast totally nailed it!

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2026-02-17 22:08