Mortal Kombat II

About Mortal Kombat II (SNES)

Mortal Kombat II is a fighting game developed by Midway for arcades in 1993 and ported to the Super Nintendo by Sculptured Software, published by Acclaim in September 1994. Designed by Ed Boon and John Tobias, it is the sequel that turned Mortal Kombat from an arcade hit into a cultural phenomenon, and the SNES version notably kept the blood and gore intact after the censored first game disappointed fans.

After Liu Kang’s victory in the first tournament, Shang Tsung lures Earth’s warriors to Outworld for a new tournament hosted by the emperor Shao Kahn. Twelve warriors fight through Outworld’s arenas toward Kintaro and Shao Kahn himself, with Fatalities, Friendships and Babalities waiting at the end of every match.

Detailed Gameplay

Mortal Kombat II is a best-of-three-rounds fighter built on digitised actors, fast combos and finishing moves. The SNES port preserves the arcade roster, stages and finishers, with hidden fighters to discover.

Twelve playable warriors

• Liu Kang returns as Earthrealm’s champion, with flying kicks and fireballs.
• Kung Lao fights with his razor hat, which he can throw and use in close combat.
• Kitana and Mileena are rival assassins with fans and sais, plus very different finishers.
• Baraka brings Tarkatan blades, Jax brings metal arms and power moves, and Raiden brings lightning.

Returning and hidden fighters

• Johnny Cage, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Reptile and Shang Tsung return, with Shang Tsung able to morph into other fighters.
• Kintaro, the four-armed Shokan warrior, guards Shao Kahn as the sub-boss.
• Shao Kahn himself is the final boss, with a hammer, taunts and devastating throws.
• Hidden fighters Jade, Smoke and Noob Saibot can be fought and, in some cases, unlocked through special conditions.

Fatalities, Friendships and Babalities

• Winning two rounds leaves your opponent dazed and triggers the famous Finish Him prompt.
• Each fighter has multiple Fatalities, from Liu Kang’s dragon transformation to Kung Lao’s hat split.
• Friendships let the winner offer a gift instead of a kill, while Babalities turn the loser into a baby.
• Stage Fatalities throw losers into pits and hazards on selected arenas.

Game Highlights

• Uncensored on SNES: Blood and Fatalities kept intact, unlike the first game’s SNES port.
• Twelve fighters plus secrets: Kitana, Mileena, Kung Lao, Baraka and hidden Jade, Smoke and Noob Saibot.
• More finishers than ever: Multiple Fatalities per fighter, plus Friendships, Babalities and stage kills.
• Outworld at its peak: Living Forest, Dead Pool and Kahn’s Arena remain series icons.

Controls

On the SNES controller, Mortal Kombat II maps its five attack buttons plus block and run. - D-Pad: Move, crouch, jump and block by holding away from your opponent. - Y Button: High punch. - B Button: Low punch. - X Button: High kick. - A Button: Low kick. - L Button: Block. - R Button: Run. - Start Button: Pause the match.

Tips and Strategies to Win

Mortal Kombat II favours fast, close-range pressure and careful use of special moves. - Learn one fighter’s basic combo string and a safe special move before trying Fatalities. - Use the run button to close distance quickly, but do not run blindly into uppercuts. - Block low against sweeps and crouching punches, and stand-block against overhead jump attacks. - Practise Fatality inputs in short bursts away from matches, since the Finish Him window is brief. - Against Shao Kahn, stay patient, block his hammer swings and punish only his whiffed attacks.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How many characters are in Mortal Kombat II? A: There are twelve playable fighters, plus Kintaro and Shao Kahn as bosses and hidden fighters Jade, Smoke and Noob Saibot to discover.

Q: What is the difference between a Fatality, a Friendship and a Babality? A: A Fatality kills the dazed loser in gruesome style, a Friendship ends the match with a joke gift, and a Babality turns the loser into a baby. All are performed with specific inputs during the Finish Him window.

Q: Can I play Mortal Kombat II online for free? A: Yes, you can play Mortal Kombat II online for free in your browser here, with no download or installation needed.