Client
Nickelodeon
Role
Senior Art Director
The Project
Commissioned by Nickelodeon, TMNT: Dark Horizons was designed to bring the energy of the rebooted Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series into the hands of a new generation of players. The goal was to create a side-scrolling game that honored the show’s fast-paced action and bold personality while appealing to longtime fans through visual callbacks and classic TMNT vibes. Working closely with the team, I helped define the game’s visual direction—aligning it with the tone of the series while expanding the universe through interactive design. The result was a vibrant, high-energy experience that felt both nostalgic and new—and fans loved it. The game became a hit among younger audiences and longtime Turtle fans alike.
The Vision
My vision was to bridge the energy of the show with the rhythm of gameplay—making it feel like you were stepping right into an episode. Every element, from color choices to character movement, was designed to capture that signature TMNT attitude with a modern, stylized edge and serious comic book energy—bold, fast, and full of attitude. I focused on building a world that felt authentically TMNT, translating the show’s stylized animation into an interactive space with layered environments, iconic villains, and visual cues that fans would instantly recognize. The goal was to make every level feel like a page from the turtles’ universe—alive and dynamic, yet fresh for a new generation.
More than a game,a uniquely immersive experience.
A team of players
Our team focused first on the conceptual side: the vision for the game, mechanics, core concepts, aesthetics, PC & NPC, levels, narratives. It was key to keep everyone on the same page, managing expectations, workflow, and end results. Tons of meetings in-house and outbound: with our team, with their team, with the client, stakeholders, managers of managers and their dogs. We all knew what we wanted to achieve and the influence, responsibility, and love we have for what we do, the brand & the players.
In the development phase, we brought all of these to life. Our team of programmers, coders, 2D & 3D artists, engineers, put everything together, from the background sounds, background assets, FX, animations, levels, tutorials, badges, icons…roughly around 700 assets. And don’t forget key players: the testers. (Yes, playing games is a profession).
The reaction was amazing: the game became one of the most played games all across Nickelodeon platforms, from the UK to Chile.
Legacy in Motion: Creativity Meets Execution
A true AAA production—both in budget and ambition. Every detail was carefully planned, with flexibility built into the roadmap to adapt roles, timelines, and milestones as the project evolved. In many cases, roles are blended intentionally to optimize resources, foster collaboration, and keep momentum high.
A key strength of the project was empowering the team to take ownership of great ideas. Designers and concept artists who sparked concepts during brainstorms had the opportunity to bring them to life during development. The same went for our developers, whose creative input enriched the process—blurring the lines between technical and artistic execution. That overlap resulted in features with a genuine wow factor and a game that honored the TMNT legacy while pushing it forward.
Crossing Dimensions: TMNT's Mobile Leap
The success of the online version of TMNT: Dark Horizons exceeded all expectations. With the most resource-intensive work already complete—assets, animation, audio—we pitched Nickelodeon the idea of porting the game to Android and iOS to extend the IP into mobile. It was a smart, scalable move: we added a few new features and reached a wider audience through a much bigger platform.
The biggest challenge? Preserving the visual quality and adapting the interface for touchscreens. Once those were solved, the game truly came alive on mobile. The updated UI and controls didn’t just work—they elevated the experience. Keep in mind, that this happened back in 2014, when cross-platform development was far from streamlined. Today, tools have evolved, but back then, creativity and collaboration were our greatest assets. Huge thanks to the amazing team at Quadramma—Bubba (Gaby), Santi, Ariel, and Javi—for making this epic game a reality.
PS. That’s my iPhone 5 with the broken-down connector
