Machine Guides

Game History

Mortal Kombat II is a legendary fighting game developed by Midway and released to arcades in 1993 as the sequel to the groundbreaking 1992 original. Created by John Tobias and Ed Boon, the game refined the formula that had made its predecessor a cultural phenomenon while addressing many of its technical limitations.

The game was built on Midway's Williams Y Unit hardware, an upgrade from the original's T-Unit board, which allowed for significantly improved graphics, smoother character animations, and the introduction of detailed, multi-layered backgrounds with unique elements like the iconic "The Dead Pool" stage with its acid bath and the "Kombat Tomb" with its spike-filled ceiling. Mortal Kombat II expanded the roster with six new characters joining the returning cast, bringing the total playable fighters to twelve.

What set Mortal Kombat II apart was its evolution of the series' signature features. The game retained the digitized sprite-based graphics and the infamous Fatalities, but introduced a new level of gameplay polish with faster combat, improved combo systems, and new finishing moves including Babalities and Friendships that provided a humorous contrast to the series' trademark violence. The game also introduced more complex stage-specific interactions and secret characters, most notably the hidden fighter Noob Saibot.

The game's cultural impact was significant, with its release coinciding with the height of the 1990s moral panic over video game violence. Mortal Kombat II, along with other violent games, played a central role in the 1993 Congressional hearings that ultimately led to the creation of the ESRB rating system.

How to Play

Objective

The main goal of Mortal Kombat II is to defeat your opponent in a one-on-one martial arts match. You must win two out of three rounds to claim victory in a match. The ultimate objective is to progress through the tournament by defeating all opponents and become the Mortal Kombat champion. The game emphasizes brutal combat with special moves and finishing moves.

Controls

• Joystick: Use the joystick to move your character forward, backward, and jump
• High Punch: Press for high-level punch attacks
• Low Punch: Press for low-level punch attacks
• High Kick: Press for high-level kick attacks
• Low Kick: Press for low-level kick attacks
• Block: Hold to block incoming attacks

Gameplay

• Starting the Game: Press the Start Button to begin your tournament run.

• Character Selection: Choose your fighter from the available roster of twelve unique characters, each with different fighting styles and special moves.

• Combat Mechanics: Engage in one-on-one combat using a combination of punches, kicks, and special moves. Each character has unique abilities that can be performed with specific joystick and button combinations.

• Special Moves: Execute character-specific special moves by inputting directional commands followed by button presses (e.g., back, back + punch for a projectile attack).

• Blocking: Hold the Block button to defend against incoming attacks. Blocking prevents damage from most attacks.

• Finishing Moves: At the end of a match, you can execute finishing moves:

  • Fatalities: Brutal finishing moves that defeat your opponent in a gruesome manner
  • Babalities: Transform your opponent into a baby
  • Friendships: Non-violent finishing moves that show friendship with your opponent

• Round Victory: Win a round by depleting your opponent's health bar through successful attacks.

• Match Victory: Win two out of three rounds to defeat your opponent and advance to the next challenger.

• Game Over: The game ends when you are defeated in a match. Your final score is displayed based on your performance.