Mortal Kombat II

Review

by Colin Williamson

Ah, there's nothing like kicking back with one of those nutty Mortal Kombat games. Since the early '90s, Midway has been pumping out MK game after MK game -- one-on-one fighting titles with digitized actors, goofy special moves and more gore than a George Romero film festival. Most people regard Mortal Kombat II to be the best of the series, thanks to its balanced gameplay, crisp control and decent graphics.

The thin plot involves the humiliating defeat of tights-wearing sorcerer Shang Tsung and the birth of a new Kombat tournament run by cocky overlord Shao Khan. Oh, heck -- it's just an excuse to get a bunch of people in a ring and start dismembering each other. While Kano and Sonya have been left behind from the first MK, the original fighters have gotten a facelift and a bunch of new special moves, and newcomers like Kung Lao and Kitana make things interesting.

Once you've beaten your opponent twice, it's time to "finish him" in classic MK style. By memorizing button combinations, you can oust your opponent to the great beyond in a spectacular fashion (and it usually involves decapitation or full-body explosion). More bizarre are the game's "Friendships" and "Babalities," which spare mercy on your opponent by giving them a birthday cake or turning them into babies (ooookay).

There aren't many differences between the 32X MK2 and the actual Genesis version, the 32X featuring high-color characters (though grainy, 32-color backgrounds), improved music and the full voice acting of the Arcade version. It's kinda disappointing that they didn't opt for the larger characters of the Arcade version, with the 32-bit architecture to spare. Ah well.

MK2 on the 32X isn't a quantum leap above its 16-bit cousin, but it'll do in a pinch if you've got an extra 32X sitting around and collecting dust.