There have been many iterations of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles since their origin in a 1984 comic book series. From live-action films, to Saturday morning cartoons, to even video games, the TMNT have become some of the most iconic characters in the history of pop culture. The same can even be said of supporting characters such as April O'Neil.
As a news reporter and later ally of the Ninja Turtles, April O'Neil has appeared in many different forms over the years, and makes a brand-new appearance in the 2023 animated film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. The character has also appeared in many TMNT-centric video games, but is only playable in these six titles over the years.
6 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters
April O'Neil's first playable appearance in a video game was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters for the Sega Genesis in 1993. Although the NES and SNES versions of the game only featured the four main turtles as playable characters, the Genesis version includes more, including O'Neil as well as the turtles' vigilante ally Casey Jones.
This appearance by April O'Neil also sees her donning a look that differs greatly from her usual one. While the character is often seen sporting an iconic yellow jacket, Tournament Fighters shows her wearing a red tank top and blue gloves as she takes on various boss opponents, some of whom were made playable themselves in future re-releases.
5 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Melee
Released over a decade after April O'Neil's previous video game appearance, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Melee ushered in an era of TMNT games based on the 2003 animated series on Fox. The same goes for that game's iteration of April O'Neil, who is playable here with a design based on her look from that series, sporting tied-up red hair.
Like the animated series, this April O'Neil is also voiced by Veronica Taylor, who is also known for her time voicing Ash Ketchum in the original English dub of the Pokemon anime . April also has two costume variations that can be unlocked in the game, giving her alternate looks for the summer and winter seasons.
4 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up
Thankfully, fans of April O'Neil didn't have to wait another decade to play as April O'Neil in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video game. Released on the Nintendo Wii in 2009, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up was another 2D fighting game centered on the animated characters, commemorating the franchise's 25th anniversary.
April O'Neil is once again playable, with Veronica Taylor reprising her role as the voice behind her. The character is, however, missing her red hair in exchange for a blonde ponytail, but her jumpsuit is at least yellow like the character's iconic jacket, and has an alternate costume based on the 2003 animated series. She also wields dual swords just like Leonardo.
3 Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
Characters from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise later returned to the world of fighting games in the 2021 crossover title Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, which is reminiscent of the Super Smash Bros. Franchise albeit featuring characters from Nickelodeon-owned shows. The game's roster includes Leonardo, Michelangelo, Shredder, and April O'Neil.
In this game, April is seen sporting her yellow jumpsuit and red hair, making for perhaps her most iconic look in any video game appearance she's had thus far. Her moveset also showcases her skills as a news reporter, as she utilizes a microphone and video camera in some of her attacks, making her a tricky yet useful character for experienced players.
2 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
The 2022 video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge takes inspiration, art-wise, from the 1987 animated series that originally launched the TMNT franchise to popularity. In the game, which looks and plays just like an old-school Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles beat-'em-up, April O'Neil is one of many playable characters.
Similar to her appearance in Nickelodeon All-Stars Brawl, April O'Neil here appears in the short red hair and yellow jumpsuit look that she became known for in the 1987 series. This time around, her moveset is more based on athletic kicks and punches, but some still incorporate her microphone as an homage to her occupation.
1 Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is far from the first or the only crossover video game between Nickelodeon characters. Characters from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise have also appeared in the Nickelodeon Kart Racers series. In 2022, the series received its third installment, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway.
This game is the first of the Nickelodeon Kart Racers series to feature April O'Neil as a playable character, joined by plenty of other TMNT figures like various iterations of the turtles. Her spot on the roster also replaces that of Shredder, who appeared in the previous entry, though this is probably a fact that turtles would revel in.