I'm fond of Beyond the Supernatural, although the lack of support the system gets is nearly criminal.

I'm fond of the first book because it's great 1980's level monster-hunting fun - you've got a fire psychic and a guy with a magic ghost detector that he built in his basement and an old professor who can cast some spells - they go out and find the wierdness and horror hiding in america and hunt it down.  In addition to that there was even a section with an unpowered class for playing similar to CoC, with plain normal folks dealing with ghosts, and some really off the wall senarios.

I'm fond of the second book because it's the first book turned up to 11, but set solidly in the real world.  No one's abilities works unless they're close enough to some sort of weird horrible creature, so it makes perfect sense that the telekinetic doesn't float his way down to James Randi's house and claim the one million dollar prize - that telekinetic talent only really works when something's trying to eat your brain.  And where before you had people with cobbled together psychic equipment and the like, now you've got people who shoot psychic bullets out of guns and other hard-line action movie stunts.  It's like psychic superheroes who only can use their abilities when it's gone pear-shaped.  It's a real shame none of the promised expansions to the book every appeared - the magic-using class is completely shafted because there's no spells to use.

Actually, Mutants in Orbit is a combined sourcebook for RIFTS and TMNT.

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TMNT is a great implementation of the rules wrapped around a fun and as the cover says, strange setting.

RIFTS for sheer setting potential. The way the rules were used may not be as great as TMNT, but it still plays well if you're familiar with them. And if you can't, you still have a setting that's brilliant for badass over the top everything-plus-the-kitchen-sink-and-a-few-things-you-forgot action fests.

Quote from: jcfiala;264117I'm fond of the second book because it's the first book turned up to 11, but set solidly in the real world.  No one's abilities works unless they're close enough to some sort of weird horrible creature, so it makes perfect sense that the telekinetic doesn't float his way down to James Randi's house and claim the one million dollar prize - that telekinetic talent only really works when something's trying to eat your brain.  And where before you had people with cobbled together psychic equipment and the like, now you've got people who shoot psychic bullets out of guns and other hard-line action movie stunts.  It's like psychic superheroes who only can use their abilities when it's gone pear-shaped.  It's a real shame none of the promised expansions to the book every appeared - the magic-using class is completely shafted because there's no spells to use.

Boo ya.  The second book's approach, which I find brilliant, is panned by people who were expecting the powerless victim horror often found with the first book.  This second book is about heroes who choose to stand up and fight.  The explanations for how the supernatural exist yet remain hidden are creative and make you wonder why they haven't been done before.  I consider this game Siembieda's masterpiece - it's the game that made me fall in love with Palladium again.

Quote from: RPGPundit;264218Actually, Mutants in Orbit is a combined sourcebook for RIFTS and TMNT.

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I believe there are two version of the book.  One was released before Rifts came out and the a revised one afterwards.  I could be wrong though, because as I've said before it's been years since I played TMNT.

Quote from: peteramthor;264583I believe there are two version of the book.  One was released before Rifts came out and the a revised one afterwards.  I could be wrong though, because as I've said before it's been years since I played TMNT.

No.  The book has always been a combined TMNT/Rifts sourcebook.  The Glitter Boy on the cover, as well as the variant Glitter Boys inside should be a bit of a hint.

The first printing was March of 1992 (Rifts first appearred in 1990).  Although currently listed as "After The Bomb Book 6", the original publication says nothing of the sort.  It's labelled: "An adventure & sourcebook for After the Bomb & Rifts," and it was originally advertised as a Rifts book compatible with TMNT.  It's part of the early days of Rifts stuff, along with Vampire Kingdoms, Sourcebook One, Atlantis, and England.  It was notable at the time because it contained the revelation of what the date was in the world of Rifts, and when the apocalypse occurred.

The book is neatly split between the TMNT ethos and what makes Rifts popular.  The TMNT stuff is almost entirely exemplified by new creature types for characters in that game.  The Rifts stuff consists of mecha and haphazard starship construction rules.

It was a fairly blatant attempt to create some cross-game fans.  It was intended to get TMNT fans to convert to Rifts, and Rifts fans to pick up the (then) poorly selling TMNT.  I think it did it's job moderately well, because it's fairly consistently in the Palladium back catalog.  Although now its job is to boost sales of the TMNT2/After The Bomb RPG (AtB is probably the only reason the book has been reprinted in recent years).

Gabriel2 is right, only one version of the book that I am aware of.

Yes, and the setting material (for either game) is really excellent.

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Quote from: peteramthor;264583I believe there are two version of the book.  One was released before Rifts came out and the a revised one afterwards.  I could be wrong though, because as I've said before it's been years since I played TMNT.

TMNT Guide to the Universe is a space book that is strictly a TMNT supplement (although still usable with other games in the Palladium system).  It covers Utroms, Triceratons, Fugitoid, etc.  There are rules for space combat and vehicle construction.  The setting covers a LOT bigger stretch of space than Mutants in Orbit does.

TMNT Guide to the Universe was out way before Rifts, so maybe you're confusing it with Mutants in Orbit.

Anyways, to the OP's question: TMNT is by far the best Palladium game in my opinion.  The supplements are all quality as well.  Transdimensional TMNT, Mutants Down Under, TMNT Adventures, and Mutants in Avalon being my favorites.  Heroes Unlimited and Ninjas and Superspies are both good, and highly useful as supplement for TMNT or on their own.  I've tried Robotech and Rifts and neither really grabbed me.  I just recently picked up Mechanoids and Palladium Fantasy 1st Ed.  I haven't finished reading them yet.  They're both interesting from a historical perspective and seeing how the Palladium rules evolved.  In terms of getting me fired up to play it, Mechanoids is doing a lot more than PFRPG.  I'd be interested in getting a copy of 1st Edition Beyond the Supernatural.

None of the games released post-Rifts has really done anything for me.

Splicers...eh.

Rifts: Chaos Earth- neat idea but the books are really very light on actual gaming material.

Systems Failure- I liked a lot in terms of the post-apoc feel, but character generation is too bloated, and the bugs didn't grab me as bad guys.


One thing I've noticed with the new editions of old games- Heroes Unlimited and Beyond the Supernatural, Palladium has tried to follow the D&D model of having multiple core books needed for play.  Pick up a copy of HU2 and you're good to go right?  Well not if you want some equipment, for that you need the GM's Guide.  You pick up Beyond the Supernatural 2 and want some monsters or magic spells?  For that you need some more supplements, which have never been printed.  

The earlier games did a great job of putting everything in one medium sized book for a reasonable price.  

I am intrigued by Dead Reign, which comes out his month, but my experience whith recent Palladium products makes me want to wait till I see a copy before deciding to buy or not.