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Fight your sense of right and wrong with these 10 odd mash-ups
We realize some people have fantasies and, thanks to the internet, they have an outlet. But some things are so sacred, so untouchable, that they should never be tampered with. We bring this up because this list of ten crazy, unauthorized fighting game mash-ups created with M.U.G.E.N. is just plain disturbing. Never would we have wanted to see Homer and Peter Griffin team up to battle Scorpion and Sub-Zero -- both teams are mortal enemies! Nor would we have wished to see Wolverine take on Mike Tyson or Ronald McDonald and Colonel Sanders throw down against Ryu and M. Bison. We're all for enemies putting aside their differences and finding friendship, but it's really skewing our sense of right and wrong here, guys!
Mortal Kombat's latest kombatants: Cyrax and Kitana
Two more familiar fighters have re-upped their active roster status for next year's return of Mortal Kombat. As part of its Gamescom showing, Warner Bros. Interactive has provided a glimpse of what the fan-wielding Kitana and robotic Cyrax will look like in the new game. (Hint: they look really cool.) The duo joins a roster already confirmed to feature a number of characters from MK1, MK2 and MK3, including: Flame, Jax, Johnny Cage, Kano, Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Mileena, Nightwolf, Raiden, Reptile, Scorpion, Sektor, Shang Tsung, Smoke, Sonya and Sub-Zero. Looks like there's something for everyone there, except for that one guy who wants a character that imparts the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi to his opponents. Sorry, pal.%Gallery-99753%
Mortal Kombat Arcade Compilation makes brief appearance on UK retail website
A straightforwardly named Mortal Kombat Arcade Compilation has appeared (and since disappeared) from UK online retailer ShopTo. According to Eurogamer, the original listing promised an HD collection of the original Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat 2 and Ultimate Mortal Kombat (an updated version of Mortal Kombat 3). The original listing included a November 12th release date. The listing raises some questions. For example, considering the franchise's history, shouldn't this be called the Mortal Kombat ... Kompilation? Additionally, the product was listed only for PS3 -- could it be exclusive to that platform? (Considering the perpetual success of Mortal Kombat on PlayStation Network, that would be somewhat unsurprising.) A WB representative decided not to confirm nor deny the validity of the leak, simply stating "there has been nothing officially announced at this point." However, the rep did note that she will let us (and you!) know "if and when there is anything to announce."
Ed Boon reveals Mortal Kombat: Fire & Ice, a canceled co-op game
While speaking to Game Informer about older Mortal Kombat projects, series creator Ed Boon unveiled one installment of the which never saw the light of day: A co-op action adventure game subtitled Fire & Ice. "When they finished [Shaolin Monks]," Boon explained, "the guys at Paradox were gonna do another one called Fire & Ice. It was gonna be a co-operative Scorpion and Sub-Zero game." We're not sure how the game's writers would have navigated the series' canon to make this union possible (don't those two, like, hate each other?), but we're disappointed nonetheless. To think -- if someone had asked us what our favorite co-op Mortal Kombat game was, and then asked what our favorite 1980s German ski film was, we could have just given them a single, satisfying answer.
Mortal Kombat creator says complexity of fighting games hurts sales
The Mortal Kombat reboot had to have been one of the more interesting surprises around E3. We certainly enjoyed what we saw at the show, which seemed to depict a game very much back to its roots -- you can't get more "MK" than splitting a guy in two with a metal hat, after all. And in speaking with Gamasutra, Ed Boon confirms that he's really gunning for the hardcore players with this latest installment. "Oddly enough, this [new Mortal Kombat] is the first one in a while that we've really made a conscious effort that we are going to focus hard on the hardcore player," he said. While Boon concedes that there are far more casual players out there than hardcore, he values the "opinionated" fans who go online and make their voices heard. Despite the existence of those passionate individuals, Boon thinks it's tough to sell a fighting game nowadays. "While I certainly think there is an audience for that, there's not a very huge audience for the really complex [fighting] games. Unfortunately, the sales numbers kind of demonstrate that," he added. While we certainly understand what he's saying, we'd be hard-pressed to agree. What about games like Street Fighter IV and Tekken 6? How about newcomers like BlazBlue? And that's not even taking into account the success of digitally distributed titles like Marvel vs. Capcom 2 -- so while we'd concede that fighting games can sometimes have a steep learning curve, we'd say now is a wonderful time of resurgence for the genre. Embrace the love, Boon!
Preview: Mortal Kombat
While E3 attendees file out of a darkened room after a demonstration of the new Mortal Kombat, series co-creator Ed Boon is approached by a pair of enthusiastic fans. He gladly gives them a few autographs, and his face lights up in surprise when he learns that they've grown enamored with the fighting franchise in their 18 years of existence -- despite being born well after its inception. Has Mortal Kombat really been around for almost 20 years? Working from NetherRealm Studios -- owned by Mortal Kombat's new custodian, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment -- Ed Boon doesn't limit his interaction with fans to chance encounters. The upcoming reboot is being driven by three major requests from series fans, which Boon calls his "marching orders." They've suggested a return to the M-rated presentation following 2008's Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (check), a deeper fighting system (check) and, of course, a new set of outrageous fatalities (check out that perforated spleen). Boon claims that every combatant's interior, from the soon-to-be-shattered bones to the sickeningly squishy internal organs, has been modeled. It's not often that you get to literally see an artist's blood, sweat and tears in a game, but Boon assures me that when attacks find their mark, all "that shit pours out of them."
WB's new 'Mortal Kombat' tests our might in 2011
Warner Bros. announced a new Mortal Kombat game this morning, and Seven of Nine is nowhere to be found. The game, called simply Mortal Kombat, appears to be a return to the classic Mortal Kombat 2/3 style of gameplay -- extremely quick, 2D fighting -- which has been given a fresh coat of 3D paint and a very noticeable 60 frames-per-second framerate. It also features a man being sliced open at the groin with a spinning hat. It adds a new tag team mode for up to four players, allowing teams to play through a "co-op arcade mode" or compete online against other pairs of e-murderers. The game is being developed by Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon and NetherRealm Studios (the former WB Games Chicago) and is slated for launch on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2011.
'Mortal Kombat Rebirth' footage gets over here [Update]
Just under eight minutes of something related to Mortal Kombat has been posted on YouTube. The video features Jax -- sans cybernetic arms -- grilling a mysterious perp in a police station. Through some (laborious) exposition, he describes new humanized (and gross) versions of Reptile and Baraka, along with Johnny Cage and a young, beardless Shang Tsung. At first glance, one might assume it's footage from the new, possibly derailed Mortal Kombat movie. Another possibility, given the video's proximity to E3 and its introductory nature, is that this is a tease for the next Mortal Kombat game. Furthermore, the name of the newly created YouTube account is MortalKombatRebirth, which sounds like a perfectly suitable title for a new entry in the series. A third and altogether frightening possibility: This is all a prelude to a new movie / game tie-in. We know Warner Bros. is interested in the franchise, so it's safe to assume something is on the horizon. We've contacted WBIE for more info. One way or another, it seems likely we'll hear more by next week. Update: Latino Review claims that it's a test video directed by Kevin Tancharoen, and offers a near-complete list of the featured cast. Update 2: Actress Jeri Ryan, seen in the short playing Sonya Blade, offered further comment about the project on Twitter. "It's not a game trailer," Ryan said. "Actually was made for the director to sell WB on his vision for a reimagined MK film." She said she had "No idea yet what WB's reaction to it was." [Via Kotaku]
Game Informer rates the best and worst Mortal Kombat fatalities
After roughly 28 years in production and 43 separate iterations, it's inevitable that the Mortal Kombat series would have picked a few bad eggs in the Fatalities department. Game Informer has taken it upon itself to dig through the archives and uncover the best and very worst that the series has to offer. Now, lest there be any confusion, we're not talking about Babalities or pap like that. We're talking terrible finishers like Bo Rai Cho's penchant for blasting his enemies with a venomous murder fart. Yeah, it's adorable. Oh, and at one point, Smoke blows up the whole planet, killing every man, woman and child on it. ... Yeah, we're not sure if that's a good or bad one either.
Finding a new dimension for gaming at the 3D Gaming Summit
A small crowd of movie and game producers met this week at Universal City in Los Angeles for the first-ever 3D Gaming Summit, to sit down and discuss the trend of 3D imaging in gaming and film. Much of the talk at the summit was speculative -- with almost no actual consumer devices on the market and nearly none within price range of the average consumer anyway, gaming in 3D isn't much more than an idea at this point. Most of the technology companies in attendance are still working to get content producers to use their systems to create games and films rather than selling hardware directly to consumers. Still, the panels and discussions at the summit offered an interesting look at what many believe to be the eventual future of the industry. From a lunchtime interview with Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil director Paul W.S. Anderson to a Playstation Move demo (and a panel moderated by a Joystiq editor), the 3D Gaming Summit showed off a lot of guesswork, a few interesting demos, and a few big holes that will need to be filled if 3D gaming is going to ever take off.
Proposed Swiss game ban detailed, won't target all violent games
Until very recently, there had been a massive void in our knowledge about the violent game-banning bill which was recently ratified by Switzerland's National Council. With language stating it would outlaw the sale of games featuring "cruel acts of violence against humans and human-like creatures for in-game success," we feared it would constitute a ban on, like, everything. Fortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case -- Swiss politician Evi Allemann recently explained in an interview with Swiss news site 20 Minutes (via GamePolitics) that the bill would only affect around 12 "individual games" with extremely graphic content, such as Manhunt and Mortal Kombat. Allemann commented that PEGI is "not enough," stating that Switzerland or even Europe needs its own body for video game ratings. Apparently, not everyone agrees -- the 20 Minutes article includes a link to a petition against the bill, as well as its adjoining measure which would outlaw the sale of PEGI 16 or 18 games to minors. We'd like to remind these petitioners that Swiss 16-year-olds can legally drink beer, so hey, let's not get greedy.
Rumored third Mortal Kombat movie hits legal snag
Just when our hopes for a third Mortal Kombat film were at their highest, a new legal battle has to come and crush them into the dirt. According to The Wrap, the new film -- a recently rumored reboot from Warner Bros -- has run into legal troubles. It seems that Threshold Entertainment has taken Warner Bros to court, claiming that it had a licensing agreement with Midway before the company was acquired by Warner Bros. Threshold, which worked with Midway on the first two Mortal Kombat films, claims the two companies extended their agreement in 2006 to make a third film, and states further that this agreement was upheld by a bankruptcy court after Midway's acquisition. Now, the company is suing Warner Bros. on the grounds that it "failed to work with Threshold in the development and production of the third 'Mortal Kombat' film." Potential damages are to be specified later. Whatever the damages may be, it's hard to imagine they could be any more damaging than releasing a third Mortal Kombat film. [Via GamePro]
Rumor: Warner Bros. working on Mortal Kombat film reboot
According to horror film news site Bloody Disgusting, anonymous sources have revealed that Warner Bros. Pictures is currently looking to reboot its recently purchased, long dormant Mortal Kombat film franchise. "But Joystiq," you might be asking, "why has the Mortal Kombat film franchise been long dormant?" Our dear, naive readers: This is why the Mortal Kombat film franchise has been long dormant. If you've got friends at the WB, you should consider forwarding them that little slice of cinematic history. Bloody Disgusting reports that Oren Uziel, a new screenwriter who penned a yet-to-be-produced murder mystery titled Shimmer Lake, is being considered to write the film. Now, we've never met Uziel, but we hope he heeds our advice: Take the job. We guarantee it will be the easiest writing gig you'll ever have.
Job listing claims Next Mortal Kombat will 'revolutionize online play'
The pieces of the puzzle that is the next Mortal Kombat continue to come together. WB Games Chicago (formerly Midway's Chicago studio, a.k.a. the MK team) has put out a help wanted sign for programmers looking to "revolutionize online play" with the series' next installment. The posting mentions that WB is "looking to position Mortal Kombat as the 'gold standard' for network play," and that whoever lands the job will "push the boundaries of what is possible with online interaction," including "brand-new features that will revolutionize online play." Pretty big words. We're not exactly sure how WB will go about turning the online fighting game experience on its ear, but we'd love to hear your ideas in comments. [Via TRMK]
Warner Bros. highlights Mortal Kombat, Spy Hunter IPs in Midway acquisition
After snatching up Midway and dumping some of its execs, Warner Bros. looks like it's finally starting to get somewhere with its acquisition. There's a new guy heading up what is now WB Games Chicago and, according to Develop, Warner Bros. has confirmed that Mortal Kombat and Spy Hunter are now part of its forthcoming plans.Acquiring these Midway properties gives Warner Bros. opportunities not only for new games (or re-releases of old ones), but also projects "adapted for film or TV, leveraged for consumer products, or licensed to third parties." While we wouldn't mind seeing someone take a stab at a new Mortal Kombat game, we desperately hope Warner Bros. doesn't go for a new movie. The world does not deserve any more of this.
Mortal Kombat team sheds Midway skin for 'WB Games Chicago'
Picked up by Warner Bros. in the auctioning off of Midway Games' assets, the development studio behind the Mortal Kombat franchise has seemingly been re-branded by its new corporate overlords. Superannuation spotted the info in the LinkedIn profile of Connie Gabelein, a human resources employee currently with Warner Bros. and formerly with Midway (and apparently never part of the management that was recently let go from the failed publisher). Ms. Gabelein lists her position as a "recruiter/HR generalist for the WB Game family of studios, which includes Monolith Productions, Surreal Software, Snowblind Studios and WB Games Chicago."Furthermore, former Midway CTO/now "head of WB Games Chicago" Michael Weilbacher's LinkedIn profile seems to corroborate our suspicions. We've contacted Warner Bros. and Midway for comment and will update this post with more information as we get it. Source 1 - SuperannuationSource 2 - LinkedIn Profile of Connie GabeleinSource 3 - LinkedIn Profile of Michael Weilbacher
The NBA rejected this Mortal Kombat-themed NBA Jam court for some reason
Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon continues to tweet about rarities from the MK archives, this time a Kombat-themed court intended for one of Acclaim's NBA Jam or NBA Hangtime games. "The spine held up the backboard," Boon explained. "The skull was the hoop and the flesh head was the basketball. Would've been fun!"In the following tweet, Boon offers the reason that this disgusting court didn't make it into the game. Unsurprisingly, despite the cachet the Mortal Kombat series had, the NBA declined to allow a basketball court made of human body parts into a game with its name on it.This court works pretty well as a shorthand for the ridiculousness of the Mortal Kombat series' emphasis on outrageous, nonsensical gore. See the full image, including the hoop and ball graphics, after the break.[Via GameSetWatch]
Amid Midway / Warner Bros. transition, Midway name up in the air
Various outlets reported this morning that, based on the Twitter accounts of a few Midway employees, the company name will be dissolved in the acquisition of Midway by Warner Bros. Midway's Geoff Mogilner told us this morning that those reports are simply unfounded. "The name and the mark are owned by Warner Bros. and it is up to them to figure out the branding strategy," Mogilner said to Joystiq. In the midst of buying and selling various Midway properties, basic things like the company name can easily be swept under the rug and forgotten about while people talk about intellectual properties and trademarks.According to Mogilner, when WB officially acquired Midway in an auction last month, it not only bought various IP (Mortal Kombat, Spy Hunter, etc.) but also the branding. "They [WB] bought the assets and the trademark and all the copyrights and the logo and all that ... to say the name is dead, it's silly but, ya know, it's premature -- the company Midway Games, Inc. still exists," Mogilner told us. He is, of course, speaking about the remaining studios still owned by Midway -- Midway Newcastle and San Diego among them -- who he says are still up for auction, "At this point, as long as they're open, we can still get bids. We're actively trying to figure out that situation. We were required (and it was prudent) to give notice to the people at those studios." We've contacted Warner Bros. for comment on whether or not it will continue using the Midway name on future ex-Midway products and have yet to hear back as of publishing.Update: Warner Bros. has responded to our request for comment with, well, no comment. We asked the company if it will be using the Midway name going forward on ex-Midway products, to which WB officially responded, "We [WB] are not yet commenting on Midway." That's all (for now), folks![Via Big Download] [Image]
Mortal Kombat film producer files suit against Midway
With Midway reportedly looking to sell off its Mortal Kombat assets, one concerned party hopes to peer underneath the tent the beleaguered publisher has pitched inside the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and settle the sticky issue of intellectual property ownership. Film producer Lawrence Kasanoff and his company, Threshold Entertainment, have filed a suit in the hopes of eliciting judgment "declaring the existence and scope of its licenses, interests and intellectual property rights in Mortal Kombat-related intellectual property." In other words: "Hey, isn't that some of my stuff in this garage sale?"It is the suit's assertion that the Mortal Kombat franchise is "far more a creation of Threshold and Kasanoff than of Midway," with Threshold's film adaptations and TV shows allegedly signifying more creative input than that of Midway, which was "almost entirely limited to the videogames." That's right! Bet you didn't know that Mortal Kombat was a "videogame" before it became an award-winning film franchise!Threshold backs up its claims by pointing out the "minimal back-story and mythology" provided by the games, as well as the "flat, cookie-cutter characters" it had to use as a basis for its derivative works. Indeed, anybody who's seen "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation" is sure to agree that the 78 characters in that rich, compelling film -- including the cyborg and the lizard guy -- were so much more fleshed out right until they all died or something.[Via GamePolitics]Source -- Complaint (warning: PDF)
Mortal Kombat's Goro, actual size
On screen, Mortal Kombat's top-knotted, four-armed Goro was a menacing, scary figure, towering over our hapless Sub-Zeros and Raidens. This vintage picture from Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon's Twitter, reveals that, in real life, Goro was just a li'l guy.Of course, we knew the stop-motion model for the character wouldn't be fully human-sized, because that would be a ridiculous expense and effort for absolutely no payoff. But we're still delighted to see the actual sculpture used in the game, in all its diminutive glory. We also like how "homemade" the studio looks -- actual Mortal Kombat images were lit by a desk lamp taped to a cookie tin taped to some other stuff.[Via Giant Bomb]