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Play as DarkseidSuccessfully complete DC Story mode. Then, press RB at the character selection screen. Note: Darkseid does not have any Heroic Brutalities.
Play as Shao KahnSuccessfully complete Mortal Kombat Story mode. Then, press RB at the character selection screen. Note: Shao Kahn does not have any Fatalities.
Alternate costumesAt character selection screen, press Start when choosing a character.
First number = SEER 3 = 13, 6 = 16, 1 = 21. (B, C, P, N in that order gives you more bells and whistles) 3rd letter = A (puron) or B (R22). Carrier serial number lookup.
Ultimate Icy CounterWhile playing as Sub-Zero, press X(2), Down, Back, X or X(2) to perform Icy Counter. The game registers the opponent's knockback as an attack and can then be countered using Sub-Zero's Icy Counter. If done at the correct angle, you can miss your opponent when countering and set yourself up for another move while your opponent is still frozen.
MovesThe following is a list of the special moves, pro moves, and finishing moves for all characters:
Baraka
Special moves
- Sharp Spark: Press Down, Back, X (hold X for delay)
- Scrape Kick: Press Forward(2), Y
- Chop Chop Blades: Press Back(2), A
- Blade Cyclone: Press Down, Forward, B
Pro moves
- Chop Chop Blades, Scrape Kick: Press Back(2), A. Wait until blades stop cutting, then press Forward(2), Y.
Fatalities
- Stab Slam: Press Back, Forward, Down, Forward, X when close
- Chest Stab: Press Forward(2), Down(2), A when close
Jax
Special moves
- Gun Runner: Press Back(2), X
- Power Fist: Press Down, Back, Y (press X or A after the punch for an extra hit)
- Blinding Light: Press Down, Back, X
- Rocket Blast: Press Down, Back, A
- Double Rocket Blast: Press Down, Back, A, Down, Back, B
- Gotcha Grab: Press Forward(2), Y (tap Y for extra hits)
- Ground Pound: Press Down(2), B
Pro moves
- Double Rocket Blast: Press Down, Back, A, then press Down, Back, B after first rocket appears.
- Power Fist, Gotcha Grab: Press Down, Back, Y. Wait for the move to connect, then press X. Wait for the move to connect, then press Forward(2), Y.
- Ground Pound, Gun Runner: Press Down(2), Back. Wait until your fist hits the ground, then press Back, X.
- Power Fist Head Smash: Press Down, Back, Y. Wait for the move to connect, then press A.
Fatalities
- Head Smash: Press Back, Forward(2), Back, Y when close
- Machine Gun: Press Forward(2), Back(2), A when close
Kano
Special moves
- Kano Ball: Press Back, Forward, B
- Kano Up Ball: Press Down, Forward, Y
- Brutal Throw: Press Down, Forward, X
- Knife Toss: Press Down, Back, X
- Parry: Press Down, Back, Y
- Eye Laser: Press Back(2), X
Pro moves
- Kano Up And Down Ball: Press Down, Forward, Y. Wait until the ball hits, then press Forward, B.
- Brutal Throw Bounce: Press Down, Forward, X. Wait until the body hits the ground, then press Down, Back, Y.
- Jump In Kano Ball: Jump towards opponent, then press X, Back, Forward, B.
- Unblockable Kano Ball: Press Back, Forward, B + RT, release B. Wait until you hear the pro move sound, then release RT.
Fatalities
- Knife Throw: Press Back, Down, Back, Forward, X when one step away
- Flip Stomp: Press Down(2), Forward, Back, B when one step away
Kitana
Special moves
- Bladed Fans: Press Forward(2), X (also can be done in air)
- Square Wave Assault: Press Down, Back, Y
- Rolling Fury: Press Down, Forward, B
- Mystical Teleportation: Press Down, Back, X (also can be done in air)
- Fan Lift: Press Back(2), X
- Razor's Tip: Press Down, Forward, Y
Pro moves
- Square Wave Assault To Bladed Fans: Press Down, Back, Y. Wait until the first punch lands, then press Forward(2), X.
Fatalities
- Fan Throw to The Head: Press Back(2), Forward, X at sweeping distance
- Kiss of Death: Press Forward, Down(2), Back, A at sweeping distance
Liu Kang
Special moves
- High Dragon Fire: Press Forward(2), X (also can be done in air)
- Low Dragon Fire: Press Forward(2), A
- Flying Dragon Kick: Press Forward(2), Y
- Bicycle Kick: Press Back(2), Forward, B
- Dragon's Tail (Cartwheel): Press Down, Back, B and also one of the following:
- Spinning Backfist: Press (after Dragon's Tail) X
- Uppercut: Press (after Dragon's Tail) Y (sets up juggle)
- Zen Trip: Press (after Dragon's Tail) A
- Shaolin Spirit: Press (after Dragon's Tail) B
Pro moves
- Bicycle Kick to High Dragon Fire: Press Back(2), Forward, B. Wait until the end of the Bicycle Kick, then press Forward(2), X.
- Bicycle Kick to Flying Dragon Kick: Press Back(2), Forward, B. Wait until the end of the Bicycle Kick, then press Forward(2), Y.
Fatalities
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- MK1 Arcade Drop: Press Forward, Back, Down(2), A at sweeping distance
- Head Stomp: Press Down(2), Forward, Down, B when one step away
Raiden
Special moves
- Vicinity Blast: Press Down, Back, Y (hold Y for larger blast)
- Lightning Bolt: Press Down, Back, X (Hold X for larger blast)
- Projectile Cancel: Press Down, Forward (cancels Vicinity Blast and Lighting Bolt)
- Energy Teleport: Press Down, Back, A
- Lightning Shock: Press Forward(2), Y
- The Superman: Press Forward(2), B (also can be done in air)
Pro moves
- Double Teleport: Press Down, Back, A, Down, Back, A (perform second teleport immediately after the first).
- Double Vicinity Blast: Press Down, Back, Y. Wait until the first blast hits, then press Down, Back, B.
- Lightning Shock To Teleport: Press Forward(2), Y. Wait until the opponent is almost punched, then press Down, Back, A.
Fatalities
- Ground Slam: Press Down, Forward, Down, Up, Y when one step away
- Electrocution: Press Back, Forward(2), Down, B when one step away
Scorpion
Special moves
- Spear: Press Back(2), X
- Fiery Teleport: Press Down, Back, A (also can be done in air)
- Inner Flames: Press Down(2), Y (hold Y for longer flame)
- Hell Fire: Press Down, Back, Y
- Hellish Slide: Press Down, Back, B
Pro moves
- Double Fiery Teleport: Press Down, Back, A, Down, Back, A (immediately do second Fiery Teleport after the first)
- Air Teleport, Fiery Teleport: Press Down, Back, A (while in air), Down, Back, A (immediately do second Fiery Teleport after the first)
Fatalities
- Toasty!: Press Down(3), B at sweeping distance
- Lava Pool: Press Forward(2), Back, Down, A when close
Shang Tsung
Special moves
- Skull Fire: Press Back(2), Y
- Sky Fire: Press Down, Back, Y
- Slide Launch: Press Down, Forward, B
- Soul Steal: Press Down, Back, A
- Body Switch: Press Down, B, Forward, X
- Hot Escape: Press Down, Back, B
- Hot Skull: Press Y after Hot Escape (this is a Pro Move)
- Hot Blast: Press A after Hot Escape (this is a Pro Move)
- Body Switch: Press Down, Back, Forward, X
Pro moves
- Multi-Fire: Press Back(2), Y. Wait until the fireball appears, then press X. Wait until the fireball appears, then press Y (up to three fireballs).
- Slide Launch: Press Down, Forward, B. Wait until the slide connects, then press Up, B.
Fatalities
- Back Breaker: Press Back, Down, Forward, A when close
- Morph: Press Down(2), Forward(2), Y when close
Shao Kahn
Special moves
- Shoulder Charge: Press Forward(2), B
- Rising Emperor: Press Back, Forward, B
- Energy Shield: Press Down, Back, A
- Pulse Blast: Press Back(2), X
- Choke Punch: Press Forward(2), X
- Hammer Smash: Press Back, Forward, Y
Pro moves
- Double Choke Punch: Press Forward(2), X. Wait until the punch connects, then press X + Y.
- Shoulder Charge To Rising Emperor: Press Forward(2), B. Wait until the shoulder charge connects, then press Up + B.
Fatalities
- None
Sonya
Special moves
- Ring of Doom: Press Down, Forward, X (can be done twice)
- Deadly Kiss: Press Down, Back, X
- Leg Grab: Press Back, Forward, B
- Bicycle Kick: Press Down, Back, B (can also be done in air)
- Kartwheel Flip: Press Down, Forward, A
- Square Wave Punch: Press Down, Back, Y
Pro moves
- Bicycle Kick, Air Bicycle Kick: Press Down, Back, B. Wait until blood appears, then press Down, Back, B.
- Double Ring of Doom: Press Down, Forward, X. Wait until the knee touches the ground, then press Down, Forward, X.
- Leg Grab Bounce: Press Back, Forward, B. Wait until the opponent hits the ground, then press X + Y.
Fatalities
Mk Vs Dc Scorpion Fatality
- Kiss of Death: Press Down(2), Back, Forward, X at sweeping distance
- Neck Breaker: Press Down, Back, Forward(2), B when one step away
Sub-Zero
Special moves
- Icy Counter: Press Down, Back, X
- Ice Nugget: Press Down, Back, Y (unblockable)
- Icy Freeze: Press Down, Forward, A
- Tombstone Teleport: Press Down, Back, A
- Cold Slide: Press Back + A + B
Pro moves
- Teleport To Icy Counter: Press Down, Back, A. Wait until you are in the ground, then press Down, Back, X.
- Cold Slide To Teleport: Press Back, Forward, B, then press Down, Back, A.
Fatalities
- Freeze Kick: Press Back(2), Down, Back, B when close
- Freeze Slam: Press Back, Forward, Down, Forward, Y when close
Batman
Special moves
- Smoke Capsule: Press Down, Back, Y
- Batarang: Press Down, Forward, X (can also be done in air)
- Leaping Shadow Kick: Press Down, Forward, B
- Leg Take Down: Press Down, Back, B
- Sneaky Batarang: Press Down, Back, X
- Dark Absorption: Press Back(2), Y (projectile absorption block)
- Smoke Escape: Press Down, Back, A
Pro moves
- Double Batarang: Press Down, Forward, X, then press Down, Back, Y.
Heroic Brutalities
- Bat Swarm: Press Down, Back, Forward(2), B when close
- Grappling Hook: Press Down(3), Up. Wait until landing on the ground, then press A at sweeping distance
Captain Marvel
Special moves
- Solomon Escape: Press Down, Back, B
- Strength of Hercules: Press Back, Forward, Y
- Atlas Clap: Press Down, Back, Y
- Power of Zeus: Press Down, Back, X
- Achilles Bolt: Press Down, Back, A
- Mercury Bear Hug: Press Back, Forward, B
Pro moves
- Power of Zeus Extended: Press Down, Back, X, then press Forward, Y
- Mercury Bear Hug Attack: Press Back, Forward, B, then tap Y during the Mercury Bear Hug
Heroic Brutalities
- Slam & Stomp: Press Down, Forward, Back, Forward, X when close
- Ground Slam: Press Down, Back, Down, Forward, Y when one step away
Catwoman
Special moves
- Whip Sting: Press Down, Back, X (can also be done in air)
- Lasso Grip: Press Back, Forward, Y
- Kitty Surprise: Press Back, Forward, A
- Raging Cat: Press Back, Forward, B
- Somersaulting Fever: Press Down, Forward, A
- Nine Lives: Press Down, Back, B (certain projectile/move dodge)
Pro moves
- Whip Sting, Lasso Grip: Press Down, Back, X, then as soon as Whip Sting connects, press Back, Forward, Y.
- Whip Sting, Kitty Surprise: Press Down, Back, X, then as soon as Whip Sting connects, press Back, Forward, A.
- Pounce Grab into Whip Crack: Press Back, Forward, B. Wait until the final scratch, then press Back, Forward, X.
Heroic Brutalities
- Neck Breaker: Press Down, Back, Down, Forward, Y at sweeping distance
- Claw Attack: Press Forward, Back, Forward, Back, B at sweeping distance
Darkseid
Special moves
- Omega Beam: Press Back(2), X
- Anti-Air Omega Beam: Press Back(2), Y
- Omega Tremor: Press Down(2), B
- Omega Knee: Press Back, Forward, B
- Omega Force: Press Down, Back, A
Pro moves
- Omega Force With Head Smash: Press Down, Back, A. Wait until he lands, then press X + Y.
- Double Anti-Air Omega Beam: Press Back(2), Y. Wait until the beam hits, then press Back(2), X.
Heroic Brutalities
- None
Deathstroke
Special moves
- Close Flash Bomb: Press Down(2), A
- Far Flash Bomb: Press Down(2), B
- Pistol Shot: Press Back, Forward, X
- Lunging Stab: Press Back, Forward, Y
- Stomach Stab: Press Down, Forward, X
Pro moves
- Double Pistol Shot: Press Back, Forward, X. Wait until the first shot is fired, then press Forward(2), Y.
Heroic Brutalities
- Gunshot: Press Forward(2), Down, Forward, Y when close
- Neck Breaker: Press Forward, Down, Back, Forward, A when close
The Flash
Special moves
- Fast Escape: Press Down, Back, A
- Super Uppercut: Press Down, Back, Y
- Teleport Uppercut: Press Down, Back, B
- Around The World: Press Back, Forward, B
- Flurry Punch: Press Back, Forward, Y
- Teleport Flurry: Press Down, Back, X
Pro moves
![Scorpion Scorpion](/uploads/1/2/3/7/123713227/658127833.jpg)
- Teleport Flurry Throw: Press Down, Back, X. Wait for the last hit of the flurry, then press LB.
- Teleport Uppercut Into Super Uppercut: Press Down, Back, B. Wait just before the first uppercut connects, then press Down, Back, Y.
- Like the Wind, Super Uppercut: Press Y(2), X. Wait until the last of the combo sequence connects, then press Down, Back, Y.
- Like the Wind, Teleport Uppercut: Press Y(2), X. Wait until the last of the combo sequence connects, then press Down, Back, B.
- Triple Teleport Uppercut: Press Down, Back, B. Wait until the last uppercut connects, then press Y. Wait until the last uppercut connects, then press Y.
- Triple Super Uppercut: Press Down, B, Y. Wait until the last uppercut connects, then press Y. Wait until the last uppercut connects, then press Y.
Heroic Brutalities
- Flashy Beatdown: Press Back(2), Forward(2), B at sweeping distance
- Whirlwind Slam: Press Down, Forward, Down, Back, Down, Forward, A when close
Green Lantern
Special moves
- Summoned Hand Grip: Press Down, Back, X
- Justice Grip: Press Down, Forward, A
- Strength of Will: Press Down, Back, Y
- Judgment Hammer: Press Back(2), A
- Wall Barrier: Press Back, Forward, B
Pro moves
- Triple Overhead Hammer: Press Down, Back, Y. Wait until the previous hit lands, then press Down, Back, Y. Wait until the previous hit lands, then press Down, Back, Y.
Heroic Brutalities
- Orb Squeeze: Press Forward, Back, Down, Back, A at sweeping distance
- Hammer Smash: Press Back, Forward, Down(2), B at sweeping distance
The Joker
Special moves
- Laughing Fist: Press Down, Back, A
- Joker's Wild: Press Down, Back, Y
- Bombs Away: Press Forward(2), B
- Bombs Away Close: Press Forward(2), Y
- Bombs Away Medium: Press Forward(2), A
- Bombs Away Far: Press Forward(2), B
- Put It There Pal: Press Down, Back, X
- Sinister Heels: Press Back, Forward, B
- Funnyman: Press Back, Down, Forward, A
- Magic Trick: Press Down, Back, B and also one of the following:
- Surprise Pistol Whip: Press (after Magic Trick) X
- Surprise Bomb: Press (after Magic Trick) Y
- Surprise Stomp: Press (after Magic Trick) A
- Surprise Slide: Press (after Magic Trick) B
Pro moves
- Surprise Pistol Whip And Shot: Press Down, Back, B, X. Wait until the pistol whip connects, then press Down, Back, Y.
- Surprise Pistol Whip, Funnyman: Press Down, Back, B, X. Wait until pistol whip connects, then press Back, Down, Forward, A.
- Seven Sinister Heels: Press Back, Forward, B, then tap B as fast as possible after the move.
Heroic Brutalities
- Gunshot: Press Forward, Back, Forward, X when close
- Playing Cards: Press Back, Down, Back, Forward, Y when close
Lex Luthor
Special moves
- Target Practice: Press Down, Back, X
- Powered Palms: Press Down, Forward, Y
- LexCorp Rocket: Press Down, Back, A (can also be done in air)
- Hot Flames: Press Back, Forward, A
- Evasive Maneuver: Press Down, Back, B
- Rocket Boots: Press Back, Forward, B
Pro moves
- LexCorp Rocket To Evasive Maneuver: Press Down, Back, A, then press Down, Back, B.
- Powered Palms To Rocket Boots: Press Down, Forward, Y. Wait until the second palm strike connects, then press Back, Forward, B.
Heroic Brutalities
- Body Twist: Press Down, Forward, Down, Back, Y when close
- Missile Attack: Press Up(3), X when one step away
Superman
Special moves
- Heat Vision: Press Back(2), X (can also be done in air; also can be repeated)
- Inhale Capture: Press Down, Back, Y
- Soaring Knockout: Press Down, Forward, Y
- Ice Breath: Press Down, Forward, A
- Ground Tremor: Press Down, Down, B
- Shoulder Charge: Press Forward, Forward, B
- Up, Up and Away (Hover): Press Down, Back, A and also one of the following:
- Hover Heat Vision Close: Press (after Up, Up and Back) X
- Hover Heat Vision Far: Press (after Up, Up and Back) Y
- Ground Tremor: Press (after Up, Up and Back) A or B
Pro moves
- Inhale Capture, Soaring Knockout: Press Down, Back, Y, then press Down, Forward, Y.
- Super Ground Tremor: Press Down(2), B. Wait until the first hit on ground connects, then press Down + X + Y.
- Soaring Knockout: Press Down, Forward, Y. Wait until just before Superman punches, then press Down, Back, (A, Y, or B).
- Inhale Capture, Up Up and Back: Press Down, Back, Y. Wait until just before Superman punches, then press Down, Back, (A, Y, or B).
Heroic Brutalities
- Ground Pound: Press Down(2), Forward(2), X when close
- Freeze Slam: Press Forward(2), Down, Back, B when close
Wonder Woman
Special moves
- Wondrous Spin: Press Down, Back, B (can also be done in air)
- Divine Princess: Press Down, Forward, Y (can also be done in air)
- Splits Grab: Press Down, Forward, A
- Gotcha Girl: Press Forward, Forward, B
- Handstand Burst: Press Down, Back, A
- Lasso Grab: Press Back, Forward, X
Pro moves
- Handstand Burst, Splits Grab: Press Down, Back, A. Wait until her legs connect, then press Down, Forward, A.
- Handstand Burst: Press Down, Back, A. Wait until she grabs their leg, then press Down, Back, Y.
Heroic Brutalities
- Lasso Slam: Press Up, Back, Down, Forward, X at sweeping distance (jump, wait to land, then finish the Brutality combo)
- Lasso Spin: Press Forward, Back(2), Forward, B at sweeping distance
The following video is of all Fatalities and Heroic Brutalities being performed:
Easy 'Combo Champion' achievementPlay as Sonya Blade, and perform her Bicycle Kick on an opponent to get ten hits each time and get the 'Combo Champion' achievement. Alternately, play as The Flash. When the fight begins, press Away, Forward, Y. He should charge at your opponent and do a series of punches which gives you a 11-hit combo.
Easy 'MK Arcade Champion' and 'DC Arcade Champion' achievementTo normally get these achievements, you must complete the game with all characters in Arcade mode from each side. If you do not want to play as all the characters, you can simply play as your favorite character, and once you reach Dark Kahn, press Start, and choose 'Player Select'. Choose a fighter you have not completed Arcade mode with yet, and defeat Dark Kahn with him or her. Also, it is much easier to play on the Very Easy difficulty so you can defeat Dark Kahn easily with the characters you are not familiar with.
AchievementsAccomplish the indicated achievement to get the corresponding number of Gamerscore points:
- DC Chapter 1 done (10 points): Complete Story Mode DC Chapter 1.
- DC Chapter 3 done (15 points): Complete Story Mode DC Chapter 3.
- DC Chapter 5 done (20 points): Complete Story Mode DC Chapter 5.
- MK Chapter 2 done (10 points): Complete Story Mode MK Chapter 2.
- MK Chapter 4 done (15 points): Complete Story Mode MK Chapter 4.
- MK Chapter 6 done (20 points): Complete Story Mode MK Chapter 6.
- Story mode MK (50 points): Complete the MK side of Story Mode.
- Story mode DC (50 points): Complete the DC side of Story Mode.
- DC Arcade Champion (50 points): Complete Arcade Mode on the MK side.
- MK Arcade Champion (50 points): Complete Arcade Mode on the DC side.
- Dark Kahn! (50 points): Unlock Both Characters.
- Compeditor (50 points): Play 200 Versus Matches.
- Fatality! (10 points): Do anyone’s fatality.
- Brutality! (10 points): Brutality!
- The Finisher (100 points): Perform all finishing moves in the game.
- Combo Champion (20 points): Perform a 10 hit combo in arcade mode.
- Baraka Expert (5 points): Complete Baraka's expert combos.
- Batman Expert (5 points): Complete Batman's expert combos.
- Catwoman Expert (5 points): Complete Catwoman's expert combos.
- Deathstroke Expert (5 points): Deathstroke Expert.
- Flash Expert (5 points): Complete Flash's expert combos.
- Greenlantern Expert (5 points): Complete Greenlantern's expert combos.
- Jax Expert (5 points): Complete Jax's expert combos.
- Joker Expert (5 points): Complete Joker's expert combos.
- Kano Expert (5 points): Complete Kano's expert combos.
- Kitana Expert (5 points): Complete Kitana's expert combos.
- Lexluthor Expert (5 points): Complete Lexluthor's expert combos.
- Liukang Expert (5 points): Complete Liukang's expert combos.
- Scorpion Expert (5 points): Complete Scorpion's expert combos.
- Shangtsung Expert (5 points): Complete Shangtsung's expert combos.
- Shazam Expert (5 points): Complete Shazam's expert combos.
- Sonya Expert (5 points): Complete Sonya's expert combos.
- Subzero Expert (5 points): Complete Subzero's expert combos.
- Superman Expert (5 points): Complete Superman's expert combos.
- Wonderwoman Expert (5 points): Complete Wonderwoman's expert combos.
- Darkseid Expert (5 points): Complete Darkseid's expert combos.
- Shaokhan Expert (5 points): Complete Shaokhan's expert combos.
- Arcade Master (20 points): Beat Arcade Max without using a continue.
- Training mode master: (50 points): Finish expert combo mode on MK and DC.
- Special Moves Pro (100 points): Do all special moves including JF's.
- Online Chat Match (20 points): Win a chat room match Online.
- Pugilist (10 points): Get all 4 hits in KK mode in an Online match.
- Sway-zee (10 points): Counter a KK attack in an Online match.
- Freefall (10 points): Do a freefall special move in an Online match.
- Switch-A-Roo (10 points): Do a freefall switch-a-roo in an Online match.
- Challenger (10 points): Play 10 Ranked Matches.
- Online Champion (50 points): 25 Ranked Match wins in a row.
- Competitor (50 points): Play 100 chat lobby matches.
- Humiliation (20 points): Get a flawless victory Online.
- Raiden Expert (5 points): Complete Raiden's expert combos.
(Redirected from Bloody Fatality)
Sub-Zero performing the infamous 'Spine Rip' Fatality on Scorpion (Ed Boon's[1] and John Tobias'[2] favorite Fatality) in the first Mortal Kombat
A Fatality is a gameplay feature in the Mortal Kombat series of fighting video games. It is a finishing move in which the victor of the final round in a match inflicts a brutal and gruesome execution onto their defeated opponent. Fatalities are performed after the announcer says 'Finish Him/Her' by players entering, within a short time frame, specific button and joystick combinations while positioned a specific distance from the opponent. The Fatality and its derivations are arguably the most notable features of the Mortal Kombat series and have caused a large cultural impact and controversies.
- 4Variations
Conception[edit]
While creating Mortal Kombat, Ed Boon and John Tobias started with the idea of Street Fighter II style system and retained many of its conventions but tweaked others. The most notable additions were graphic blood effects, more brutal fighting techniques, and especially the fatal finishing moves (this was a novelty as the traditional fighting games ended with the loser simply knocked unconscious and the victor posing for the players),[3] although the 1987 fighting game Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior had previously featured blood and beheadings. According to Boon, it started with an idea to enable the player to hit a dizzied opponent at the end of the match with a 'free hit', and that idea 'quickly evolved into something nasty.'[4] Tobias recalled it differently: 'Our first idea was to use them as a finishing move for final boss Shang Tsung, who was going to pull out his sword and behead his opponent. Then we thought, 'What if the player could do that to his opponent?'[5]
The first Fatality they did was of Johnny Cage (the only character that was created for the game at the time) punching off an opponent's head, which was created by Daniel Pesina[6] and implemented by Boon.[7] Tobias and former Midway Games programmer Mark Turmell stated that initially no one at Midway expected players to find the Fatalities in the game.[7][8] Tobias said: 'When we watched players react to the Fatalities, we knew we had no choice but to give them more.'[5]
Gameplay[edit]
Unlike special moves, a Fatality may require certain distances and quick button sequences in order to achieve the desired result. Usually, every character has their own special Fatality that must be performed at a certain distance from the opponent,[9] the three distances being: close (means that the finishing move would not work unless the player is right next to the opponent),[10] sweep (means that the player should stand a step or two away from the opponent, but still within the distance that a sweeping low kick should hit),[10] and far (means at least one jump's length away from the opponent).[10]
Each character has signature Fatalities. Traditionally for the main and important characters of the games their Fatalities are usually a reflection of either their storyline or their special abilities: e.g., Sub-Zero's Fatalities have traditionally involved the use of his powers of ice (though his spine rip was found to be the most famous of the Fatalities), whereas Scorpion's storyline of a hellspawn ninja spectre involves the use of setting someone ablaze or using his famous spear. The number of individual Fatalities varies depending upon the game; while characters in Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance had only one, Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3 and its updates (Mortal Kombat Trilogy and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3) featured as many as four.
Cultural impact[edit]
The Fatalities were featured in ScrewAttack's 'Top 10 OMGWTF Moments' due to the competition it gave to other games including Street Fighter II and how it popularized the arcades,[11] as well as in machinima.com's list of top ten gaming memes.[12] The 2012 film Wreck-It Ralph shows a cyborg resembling Mortal Kombat's Kano performing his signature heart-ripping Fatality move on a zombie.
By 1996, 'Fatality' had become a generic gaming term for a lethal finishing move,[13][14] including the official termed Fatals in the Killer Instinct series. In the game ClayFighter 63⅓ the Fatalities were parodied in the form of Claytality. 'Fatalities' also expanded into the shooter genre, most notably in the Gears of War series as 'Executions'.
Variations[edit]
In many games in the franchises there are also different types of Fatalities and Finishers:
Animality[edit]
This finisher allows the player to morph into an animal and maul their opponent. This style of Fatality debuted in Mortal Kombat 3.[15] According to Boon, his team 'listened to what the players said about MKII and the Animalities that they thought were in there but really weren't. To answer all these rumors, we put Animalities in MKIII [sic].'[4]
In order to perform an Animality, the player must first grant his opponent Mercy, the act which revives the opponent in lieu of delivering a final blow or performing a Fatality by restoring a small amount of health. Should the opponent be defeated again, an Animality may be performed.[15][16]
Babality[edit]
Introduced in Mortal Kombat II, the Babality turns an opponent into an infant version of the character.[13] Sometimes the opponent will wear a miniature version of the clothes he or she wore when fully-grown, complete with smaller versions of accessories such as Raiden's hat or Johnny Cage's shades. In MK3 and its updates, the generic green 'Babality!!' text and the sound of a baby crying used in MKII is replaced with pastel colored alphabet blocks and a short lullaby with the end portion of Rock-a-bye-baby. Their initial appearance in Mortal Kombat II Revision 2.1 came with some glitches including one that allowed players to perform attacks after the Babality was performed.[17]
Babalities were introduced as a deliberately absurd counter-argument to the controversy that the original received for its violent content, and a tamer counterpart to the typical Fatality. Some fans found them humorous and enjoyable, while others felt they were an unwelcome, out-of-character intrusion in what is otherwise a 'serious' game. The moves were later dropped in an effort to abate this criticism. The Babalities, however, made a return in the relaunch game, featuring special animations for each character (for example, baby Reptile comes out of an egg and baby Raiden plays with lightning).
Brutality[edit]
Introduced in Mortal Kombat Trilogy and the Super NES and Genesis versions of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, this finisher allowed players to perform a combo which would cause the opponent to explode. Brutalities were not very popular, as they were extremely difficult to accomplish, requiring the player to memorize and perform a special 11-hit combo.[16] Many felt the pay-off was lacking with the only result being a fiery explosion where the victim disappears and an unrealistic amount of bone and flesh (including several rib cages and skulls) are sent flying and covering most of the screen (in some versions, the bone and flesh flies completely offscreen).
This finisher did not appear in another game until Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, in which it wasn't explicitly used as a finisher, but rather as a power-up. A move similar to the Brutality also appeared in Mortal Kombat: Deception, in the form of a Fatality of Li Mei: her Fatality was to rapidly strike the opponent repeatedly, then to step back and pose as her opponent twitches for a moment, before exploding in a pile of gore.[18] Brutalities make a return appearance in the 2015 title Mortal Kombat X, featured as enhanced versions of certain moves used as the finishing blow in the decisive round of a fight.[19]
Faction Kill[edit]
Introduced in Mortal Kombat X, the fighter chosen performs a unique fatality pertaining to what faction the player is part of in the game. Each faction has five faction kills, however the player has to play continuously for one single faction to reveal every faction kill available to that particular faction.
Friendship[edit]
The fighter performs an act of kindness, leaving the opponent unharmed at the end of the fight. These actions include Sub-Zero making a snowman, Noob Saibot throwing a bowling ball and hitting a few pins, Stryker holding out a stop sign as if to stop traffic and allowing all the other fighters to run past, or Jax taking out a jump rope and using it. Developers described the inclusion of Friendships as 'a counter to all the blood and gore', saying they wanted a different aspect to the game.[20] In MKII, Shao Kahn would announce 'Friendship.. Friendship?', while in MK3 and MK:T he would say 'Friendship.. Friendship, Again?'[21][22]
Hara-Kiri[edit]
The Hara-Kiri (which is Japanese for a certain type of ritual suicide, and literally means belly cut; even though Kenshi is the only character who uses the Hara-Kiri in this form) is a move in which the losing player kills him/herself upon defeat at the end of the last match, rather than be finished off by his/her opponent. Examples of Hara-Kiris are Sindel performing a back flip and landing head first, Liu Kang internally combusting, Kabal stabbing himself between his eyes, and Darrius crushing his own head. It is the first time in the series in which the defeated player is allowed to perform a finishing move. The maneuver debuted in Deception but has not been included in any subsequent series installments.
Although it was called just a Fatality in-game, the first example of a suicidal finishing move in the series was actually Cyrax's 'self-destruct' move from MK3 and Mortal Kombat Gold: Cyrax, a cyborg, enters a code on to his arm panel and moments later explodes along with his opponent in a manner reminiscent of the ending of the first Predator movie. Smoke went farther with his Fatality, since he destroys the whole planet (and every living being on it) with giant bombs. In MK Gold, Cyrax adopted this Fatality together with his own, while Smoke adopted Cyrax's self-destruct as his Hara-Kiri in Deception.
Heroic Brutality[edit]
Heroic Brutalities appear in the Midway/DC Comics crossover game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe as exclusive finishing moves for the DC heroes.[10] While they are similar to Fatalities, a Heroic Brutality doesn't kill an opponent, since normally the DC heroes don't kill people. These can range from somewhat gruesome like Green Lantern's, in which he crushes his enemy in a bubble of green energy breaking all of their bones, to rather comical such as The Flash's, where he lifts the enemy into the air with a tornado and simply punches them down. Heroic Brutalities are not to be confused with the Brutalities of MK3, as they require hit combos similar to the normal Fatality hit combo. Given the fact that they are the least violent non-parody finishing moves in Mortal Kombat history, Heroic Brutalities were not well received among either the MK series' fandom or the DC series' fandom community, as even the DC comics themselves are often far more brutal.[23]
Kreate-A-Fatality[edit]
For Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, the Fatality concept was completely revised. In all previous games, finishing moves were in the form of a button combo, activating a scripted animation sequence. For MK:A, the old system was replaced with a new Kreate-A-Fatality, or 'Kustom-Chain-Fatality' system. After defeating an opponent in two rounds (with default settings), players are given a limited amount of time to perform one of several violent moves (such as ripping an organ out) attributed to a button and direction combination. The time then resets and the player can perform a second move, but the time bar decreases more rapidly after each move. It is also possible to 'fail' the Fatality by running out of time before performing a final finishing move (such as ripping the opponent's head off). Once the player reaches 10 chains, he/she must use a finisher or else the Fatality sequence will stop and the player will not receive a rank or reward. If time runs out before the player can end the chain with a final fatal move, no rank or reward is given and the Fatality is not counted, regardless of how many moves were completed.
This concept has been met with a mixed reaction, with some fans and critics preferring the more interactive nature and freedom of the Kreate-a-Fatality system, and others missing the previous games' character-specific ending moves and alternatives to killing the opponent.[3] Originally, there were individual character-specific Kreate-a-Fatality moves for each character, but this feature was dropped, reportedly due to such a feat's infeasibility (especially in regards to the Kreate-A-Character option, which individual moves would not translate to). This kind of fatality has only been in this game.
Stage Fatality[edit]
Stage Fatalities brought environment interaction within the series, occurring when a player uses a part of the stage or map to execute a finishing move that is not a standard character Fatality. Some examples of Stage Fatalities are having the victim fall into a pool of acid or a pit of spikes, or to be run over by a subway train; the stage then does not darken. Stage Fatalities are present in the series from the first Mortal Kombat, though are absent from MK: Deadly Alliance.
MK: Deception features more Stage Fatalities, renamed Death Traps, than any previous Mortal Kombat game. A special button combination is no longer required, as the opponent only needs to be either standing or hit in a particular spot on the stage. Unlike previous Stage Fatalities, Death Traps can be initiated anytime during a round and only require the opponent be hit into them, meaning an instant victory. However, if they are not executed in the decisive round, the fight does not end, going on to the next round. This action acts as a ring out. It was possible for some Death Traps to kill both fighters simultaneously, in which case the round went to the player who had taken the least damage, or Player 1 if both players had full life bars.
Traditional Stage Fatalities, seen since the original MK game through MK4, made a return in the new Mortal Kombat. Button combinations are once again used to perform Stage Fatalities.
Miscellaneous[edit]
- Fergality: The Mega Drive/Genesis version of Mortal Kombat II featured an exclusive finishing move that allowed Raiden to transform his opponent into Probe Ltd. employee Fergus McGovern, who worked on that port of the game. This finisher could only be performed on the Armory stage.[24]
- Multality: Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks features Multalities, which are Fatalities performed on multiple common enemies at one time.
- Animalities and Brutalities were both rumored to be featured in MKII, but were only later added in MK3 and Mortal Kombat Trilogy, respectively. The rumored types of Fatalities that did not actually exist in any of the games included 'Nudalities'[25][26] and 'Weirdalities', among others.[27]
- Quitality: In Mortal Kombat X, if a player rage quits an online multiplayer match, their character will instantly die with their head exploding, and the other player will be awarded victory.[28]
Notable Fatalities[edit]
- In December 1994, GamePro polled readers for their favorite Fatalities and published the results in their March 1995 issue. All were from MKII: Jax's 'Arm Rip', Sub-Zero's 'Ice Grenade', and Shang Tsung's 'Soul Stealer'.[29]
- GamePro counted down their '12 LAMEST Fatalities' from various fighting games in 2008. Those from Mortal Kombat were: Liu Kang's 'Death by Arcade Machine' (MK3, #12); The Flash's 'Tornado Slam' (MKvsDC, #11); Raiden's 'Mini-Raiden' Friendship (MKII, #10); Jax's 'Amazing Growing Man' (MK3, #9); Scorpion's 'Penguin Egg Grenade' and Rain's 'Baby Elephant Blast' Animalities (UMK3/MKT, tied at #8); Sindel's 'Killer Hair' (MK3, #7), Kano's 'Stomach Pounce' (MKvsDC, #5); Babalities (#3); and Kano's 'Ripping Out an Invisible Heart' in the censored Super NES version of the first game (#1).[30]
- UGO.com, in 2008, counted down their top eleven Fatalities: Stryker's 'Stun Gun' (MK3); Sub-Zero's 'Fun with Ice' (MKII); 'Pit Stain' (MK stage Fatality); Kitana's 'Kiss of Exploding Death' (MKII); Friendships; Kabal's 'Death by Face' (MK3); Jax's 'Big Finish' (MK3); Liu Kang's 'Way of the Dragon' (MKII); Scorpion multiplying himself (UMK3/MKT); Kano's 'Heartbreak' (MK); and Smoke blowing up the Earth (MK3).[31]
- In 2010, Game Informer published a list of the series' best, worst, 'and downright confusing' Fatalities.[32]
- Best: Liu Kang's 'Dragon' (MKII); Sub-Zero's 'Spine Rip' (MK); Reptile's 'Head Snack' (MKII); Jade's 'Head Gymnastics' (MK:D); Sektor's 'Compactor' (MK3); Jax's 'Arm Pull' (MKII); Dairou's 'Ribs to the Eyes' (MK:D); and Sindel's 'Scream' (MK3).
- Worst: Liu Kang's 'Cartwheel' (MK); Kano's 'Knee Stomp' (MKvsDC); Kitana's 'Kiss of Death' (MKII); Kabal's 'Inflating Head' and 'Scary Face' (MK3); Rain's 'Upside-Down Uppercut' (MKT); and Bo' Rai Cho's 'Fart of Doom' (MK:D).
- Most confusing: Liu Kang's 'Arcade Machine' (MK3); Jax's 'Giant Stomp' (MK3); Johnny Cage's 'Three Head Punch' (MKII); Cyrax's 'Self-Destruct' (MK3); Darrius' 'Rearranger' (MK:D); and Smoke's 'Earth Detonation' (MK3).
- In 2010, ScrewAttack counted down their list of the top ten series Fatalities: Reptile's 'Facial Surgery' (MK4); Quan Chi's 'Leg Beating' (MK4); Dairou's 'Ribs in the Eyes' (MK:D); Cyrax's 'Trash Compactor' (MK:DA); Kano's 'Skeleton Remover' (MK3); Baraka's 'Blades-in-the-Chest' (MKII); Scorpion's 'Party Popper' (MK:DA); Johnny Cage's 'Punching Bag' (MK:SM); Liu Kang's 'Dragon Transformation' (MKII); and Sub-Zero's 'ESRB-Maker' (MK).[33]
- They later published a list of their top ten worst Fatalities: Tanya's 'Neck Breaker' (MK4); Kabal's 'Scary Face' (MK3); Sindel's Hara-Kiri (MK:D); Kenshi's 'Eyeball-Popper' (MK:DA); Quan Chi 'Makes You a Giraffe' (MK:DA); Raiden's 'Accident' (MK:D); Reptile's Animality (UMK3); Motaro's 'Head Yoink' (MKT): Liu Kang's 'Cartwheel' (MK); and every finisher in MKvsDC.[34]
- That same year, IGN also posted their 'unofficial' Top 10 Fatalities: 'Giant Jax' (MK3); 'Strykersaurus-Rex' Animality (MK3); 'Kitana's Kiss of Death' (MKII); 'Sub-Zero Crushed Ice' (MKII); 'Reptile Gives You Some Tongue' (MKII); 'Kung Lao's Hat Trick' (MK:SM); 'Sektor Squash' (MK3); all Babalities; 'Sheeva's Manly Forearms' (MK3); 'Scorpion is Hot' (MK); and 'Smoke Asplodes the Earf' (MK3).[35]
- In 2013, WatchMojo.com listed their 'Top 10 Mortal Kombat Fatalities': Scorpion's 'Toasty!' (MK); the Joker's 'Bang Bang' (MKvsDC); Kung Lao's Rabbit (MK:SM); Shang Tsung's 'Soul Stealing' (MKII); Kitana's 'Kiss of Death' (MKII); Kung Lao's 'Hat Slice' (MKII); Liu Kang's 'Dragon' (MKII); Quan Chi's 'Leg Beatdown' (MK4); Noob Saibot's 'Make a Wish' (MK2011); and Sub-Zero's 'Spine Rip' (MK).[36]
- Prima Games, in 2014, counted down their selection of the top fifty Fatalities from the entire Mortal Kombat series, with the top ten being Baraka's 'Lifting Stab' (MKII); Noob Saibot's 'Make a Wish' (MK2011); Kitana's 'Kiss of Death' (MKII); Johnny Cage's 'Nut Buster' (MK:SM); Ermac's 'Mind Over Splatter' (MK2011); the 'Pit' Fatality (MK); Dairou's 'Eye Stab' (MK:D); Kung Lao's 'Blade Drag' (MK2011); Kano's 'Heart Rip' (MK); and Sub-Zero's 'Beheading, Complete with Spine' (MK).[37]
References[edit]
- ^Midway (October 11, 2006). Mortal Kombat: Armageddon Premium Edition. Midway. Level/area: 'The History of Fatalities' commentary.
- ^'John Tobias, Mortal Kombat co-creator | Interview | The Gameological Society'. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
- ^ abEast, Tom (2008-01-07). 'Mortal Kombat: Armageddon'. Official Nintendo Magazine. Retrieved 2010-03-28.
- ^ ab'Mortal's Master: Programmer Ed Boon'. GamePro. IDG (86): 38–40. November 1995.
- ^ abTen years ago, 'Mortal Monday' brought us controversy, game ratings, and Mortal Kombat, 1UP.com, September 13, 2003
- ^'An Oral History of 'Mortal Kombat''. MEL Magazine. 2018-11-26. Retrieved 2018-12-25.
- ^ abARGpodcast (2018-06-26). 'ARGcast Mini #14: Making Mortal Kombat with John Tobias'. RetroZap. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
- ^Leone, Matt (January 9, 2013). 'The story behind Total Carnage's confusing ending'. Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
- ^'Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe: Ed Boon interview'. CraveOnline. 2008-10-08. Archived from the original on September 4, 2009. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
- ^ abcdReynolds, Pat (March–April 2009). 'Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe Strategy Guide by Pat Reynolds'. Tips & Tricks. Larry Flynt Publications: 5.
- ^'ScrewAttack Top 10 OMGWTF Moments'. ScrewAttack's Top 10. GameTrailers. July 11, 2008. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
- ^'Top 10 Gaming Memes'. Youtube.com. 2011-01-08. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
- ^ ab'The Next Generation 1996 Lexicon A to Z: Fatality'. Next Generation. No. 15. Imagine Media. March 1996. p. 33.
- ^Best Fatalities in Video GamesArchived 2013-01-16 at Archive.today, 1UP.com, May 13, 2010
- ^ abGreeson, Jeff; O'Neill, Cliff. 'The History of Mortal Kombat - Mortal Kombat 3 (1995)'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2007-10-05. Retrieved 2010-04-06.
- ^ ab'History of Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat 3'. UGO. 2008-10-28. Archived from the original on 2010-06-14. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
- ^'Babality!'. Bbh.marpirc.net. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
- ^Joey Cuellar and Bryan Dawson, Mortal Kombat: Deception Official Strategy Guide (Indianapolis: Pearson Education, 2005)
- ^Futter, Mike. 'Mortal Kombat X Will Feature Over 100 Brutalstrikes'. GameInformer. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
- ^The One Amiga 75 (Dec 1994)
- ^Brad Shoemaker (2006-05-28). 'The First Fighting Game That Let You Just Be Friends'. Game Spot. CNET Networks. Archived from the original on 2013-01-24. Retrieved 2007-12-02.
- ^Dan Clarke. 'Mortal Kombat: Deception - XBOX'(Review). GameRankings. CNET Networks. Retrieved 2007-12-02.
- ^'The Top Ten Most Ridiculous Things to Come Out of Mortal Kombat'. 4thletter!. June 22, 2010.
- ^Severino, Anthony (February 3, 2011). 'Top 10 Old School Mortal Kombat Characters'. Game Revolution. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
- ^'Mortal Kombat III'. GamePro. No. 77. IDG. February 1995. p. 148.
- ^'The 16-Bit Gamer's Survival Guide'. GamePro. No. 93. IDG. June 1996. p. 70.
A year ago that's what we were told: Nudalities would be in [Mortal Kombat 3]. However, Williams Entertainment changed its plans and released the game without Nudalities.
- ^Mortal Kombat II (GEN) FAQ/Move List by ineluki, GameFAQs, November 1st, 1994
- ^Moser, Cassidee. 'Mortal Kombat X Will Punish You For Rage Quitting'. IGN.com. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
- ^GamePro 68 (March 1995)
- ^Shaw, Patrick (2010-05-31). 'The 12 LAMEST Fatalities, Feature Story from GamePro'. Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on October 30, 2011. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
- ^'UGO.com Games - Top 11 Mortal Kombat Fatalities'. Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on October 28, 2008. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
- ^Mortal Kombat's Best And Worst Fatalities, Game Informer, May 03, 2010
- ^Top 10 Mortal Kombat Fatalities, ScrewAttack's Top 10, ScrewAttack, August 1, 2010
- ^Top 10 Worst Mortal Kombat Fatalities, ScrewAttack's Top 10, ScrewAttack, August 29, 2010
- ^'IGN's Unofficial Top 10 List of the Best Mortal Kombat Fatalities - PS3 Feature at IGN'. Uk.ps3.ign.com. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
- ^'Top 10 Mortal Kombat Fatalities'. WatchMojo.com. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
- ^Workman, Robert (April 2014). 'The Top 50 Mortal Kombat Fatalities of All Time: 10-1'. Prima Games. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
External links[edit]
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