The Perfect Game

Mortal Kombat 2, despite its technical flaws and glitches is a perfect game, and this isn't coming from someone who couldn't stop shoving quarters into the arcade cabinet when the game first came out. In fact, I had never even touched the game until earlier this year when I purchased my PS3 for Metal Gear Solid 4 (which, if I may say, isn't too shabby either).

I had heard Blake talk about his love for Mortal Kombat 2 before, but I never really thought to ask about it, I had always imagined all Mortal Kombat games being about complicated combos and cheesy fatalities. But considering the game was a mere 5 Dollars on the Playstation Network, I gave it a shot. Now, I won't say that you will love it from the get-go, even I was torn over whether or not I liked the game, but I stuck with it and with Blake's help I had all of Liu Kang's moves down in about a week (playing the game for about 30min to 1 hour a day), and from there I was hooked.

There are a lot of reasons why I'm so fond of MK2, mainly the fact that it has the best speed and controls of any fighting game I have ever played. Now that I think about it, its really hard to name just one or two things that make me love it. So, in a semi-disappointing conclusion, you really just have to play it. There are a lot of different platforms from which to try it, I'd recommend the PS3 if possible, its a perfect arcade port with online play, plus the game works really well on the PS3 controller and its only 5 bucks on the Playstation Network. I've played a couple of other ports, but I'm sure Blake has played more, so I'll leave it up to him to recommend some other versions in the event that you haven't bought a PS3.

Unlike Matt, I come from a time when gamers still huddled around arcade cabinets in smoky pool halls hoping for a peek at a new Fatality. MK2 is a big part of my life; a game I consider more of a religion than simply an obsession. I saw the game release in my local arcade and watched in shock as a Mysterious monk named Kung Lao split a screaming victim in two with the brim of his razor sharp hat, spattering blood and exposing bones and sinew. This took everything the first MK had to offer and amplified it 10,000 times. As I inevitably became addicted, I once spent $70 dollars (a whole paycheck) on the game learning every single move, fatality and babality through word of mouth and game mags while defeating opponents with crowds of ohhing-and-awwing onlookers and being slaughtered by players too proud to speak when spoken to. MK2 was a big deal when it came out.

The two-player experience is a perfect blend of strategy, timing and skill with controls that are complex enough for a fighter, but easily memorized after a few games. The 9 playable characters share the same move set excluding special moves. Beyond that are some of the advanced techniques like crossover kicks, corner trapping and of course, combos... Not 15 hit combos but 2 to 4 hit combos that are balanced, extremely gratifying and require quick reflexes and positioning rather than simple memorization. The speed and timing of each character and these special moves is tweaked to perfection and MK2 is one of the last fighters to effectively use blocking as a major part of the gameplay. In fact, a battle between two experienced players is more like a game of chess and often consists of predicting your opponent's next attack and countering with the best possible move or combo.

Do you remember the last time you played every character in a fighter? When you think you've squeezed out every ounce of joy and exploited every nuance of a particular character, you will find a new favorite and start all over again and because all kombatants have the basic moves in common, picking up a new fighter is easy.

Of course, what makes the series famous is its buckets of blood and fatalities any horror fan would

appreciate. The developers added Babalities and Friendships in response to the "outrage" caused by the first game. These friendships are a sight to behold and are sure to leave you happily dumbfounded if you're new to the concept. Also, the game is plagued with a few glitches that add to the charm such as the conveyer belt on the Armory Stage and eternal Deep Freezing that resets the Fatality timer. The characters are motion captured, digitized actors so the visual style is a little outdated and campy by today's standards but this simply adds to a game that never took itself too seriously.

The premium choice should be the PS3 version. It's arcade perfect, it costs $5 and has free online play which is only occasionally laggy. I have played this game more than any other title on my PS3. Next I would choose Midways Arcade Treasures 2 for the PS2, It includes MK 1, 2 and 3 and lots of other great games like Xybots and Timber for under $20. The SNES and Genesis versions were nothing to sneeze at either. The SNES one sounds, looks and plays very close to the real thing and includes all the gore. The Genesis version is a little faster at the expense of a few missing frames of animation, sound and music. In the case of this game, avoid the portable versions and you're set.

That said, the coin-op is my first choice. Nothing beats the feel of a joystick in your hand and a flesh-and-blood opponent at your side.

The best strategy for a newcomer is to select a character with easy but effective moves like Liu Kang or Mileena and practice the basics like Foot Sweeps, Uppercuts and Blocks until they feel comfortable. Next, try mastering the special moves and a few fatalities. Finally, take on the advanced techniques like crossover kicks and combos. By this time you'll be having a blast. Trust me, give it a shot. I am still addicted after 15 years, this is why it's the perfect game.


-matthew taylor

-blake leftwich