Honestly, the gameplay in MK used to be the star but it hardly became the most popular 3d fighter. The story has always been my favorite part of the franchise, in addition to the campy mythology. Since Ed Boon has said that the franchise is resetting, I'm both hopeful and worried about this game. All those iconic characters and storylines, are they now gone? Are characters going to be remixed? I just hope that we learn more about the game at E3 and that it really does come out this year. A brand new Soul Calibur, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, AND Street Fighter in one year! Fighting game fans should be skeeting right now.

Gagamus

MK used to be awesome for a very simple reason: Realistic graphics. This gave you the opportunity to kill realistically looking blokes and feel like a brutal badass. After they switched to 3D it's just been comedy hour. Horrible. The animation is kinda good, just not fitting. Please let Next gen MK grow some balls and be gruesome again. That's kinda what MK is all about.

Realistic animations, realistic graphics, realistic blood will equal MK rebirth.

solidblur

MK is still a popular franchise.

reptile168

Need to make a Universe fighter. SF vs MK.

Hadouken that Scorpion!

mergedwarrior

@eastx:
Agree,
I couldn't get into the 3D ones at all, those looked and played like shit, everything was dumbed down...

But Trilogy and other 2D MKs, pretty much ruled back in the days.

neojam

Bring back NBA JAM, duh.

Jaimz11785

@DrunkenNinja12: It's sad that you dont know Mortal Kombat, and if you are being sarcastic, that just makes it more sadder....tsk tsk tsk

Mortal Kombat is a dead franchise to be honest, but it also has a very large fanbase, so...yeah....Ed Boon will make loads of money on this...

Plus I think they will use Unreal Engine 3, which I think is a mistake, they should move ahead to RAGE!!

kingme

*yawn* Kotaku's favorite past-time, another bash-Midway post.

p.s. "Midway" isn't plural.

benderbendingrodriguez

MKA was the best MK. I can't wait to see what they do with the next gen hardware.

munkah

When will we get a 3D Rampage?

Wookiee1

maybe I'll be able to actually beat my fiancee on this one....

:-P
a man can dream

mAaron

What the fuck is Mortal Kombat?

Isn't it spelled COMBAT? With a "C"?

DrunkenNinja12

If you guys haven't heard, Mortal Kombat is being taken back to square one and revitalized. Imagine Gears of War type visuals and gore and the series retold with seriousness instead of tongue-in-cheek "too many gibs on one screen" syndrome.

I'm optimistic about it. But, I will not judge until I actually see the game in action.

NESv1

They should head back to the 2D era, eventhough MK3 was a little junky.

Benjo

Mortal Kombat has bad with every release after MK3:Ultimate. Up to that point, they were some of the greatest fighting games available. They need to do away with the 3-d fighting, alternating fighting styles mid-fight, alternating weapons mid-fight. Take it back to strictly 2-D whoop-ass with blood and fatalities. Leave the rest out and it might have a chance.

Capp

It's funny that my friend still loves the shit out of Mortal Kombat. He doubted the hell out of me when I said the Smash Bros Series shits on it and MK is nothing but what was supposed to be a Street Fighter Clone/Killer that failed at doing so. He even went as far to get them all over 1,2, and 3 for Genesis, MK4 for N64 and Deception and Deadly Aliance for Gamecube now he wants PS2 for Armegeddon. I would take a whole series of Tekken,Steet Fighter, Smash Bros(I have all 3), and Soul Calibur.

Mk fell from glory not due too badness, but the 6 year gap between 4 and Deadly Alliance with no real games. I think if they kept it constant after Mk4 it would still be a top or good Fighting game.

The last 3 didnt feel budget, they just felt... well the same damn games,

I hope they do a Capcom and do a 2.5D(which is less likely because they are using Unreal). I dont know why but I always imagined MK going to the gameplay style of Power Stone.

Wellhereweare

So much hate for the MK franchise. Well... at least I like it.

I follow it a little... but this game is supposed to be a complete reboot of the series.

Hopefully its cool.

FrigidAir44

Every Mortal Kombat game has been utter crap, including 1 and 2, but at least they had novelty factors like fatalities and the like. Wow... it's impressive that the games keep coming anyway.

cybereal

the last MK had mario kart kind of shit, so now is gonna be like Mortal Kombat Party or what?

FwanK

Armageddon was the nail in the coffin for me. Was supposed to be this grand wrap up of the "current" MK universe storyline...

Instead it's was chock full of confusion and 40+ disconnected endings. (X gets power of a God, then either is killed or kills Y)

TRT-X

They should take a page from Capcom and update the original 2D. With high definition, realistic backgrounds, green screen fighters, and updated effects this classic might find a new home in the arcade once again.

D-Lish

@peAr_nectAr: Yeah, that could be fun. I agree, barring a huge shift in the way the game worked from MK1-3 it still wouldn't be as good as SF2/GG/SNK/etc ;)

DaiMacculate

That's a great example of an ad you'll never see today. A game cabinet, housing a game about murdering your opponent in the most vicious and violent way possible, where the characters are reaching out to grab your children.

FLAWLESS VICTORY!!

Sinnix

I thought Shaolin Monks was just great. Although not a true Mortal Kombat fighting game, it was a good direction for the series.

Tricon

Another Mortal Kombat? I thought that game died out already ... and I don't see the need for bringing it back. How about investing some time and money into some new material?

kupoporo

@Machete_Bear: I think you just sparked the fall of the videogame industry.

Time for me to get a new hobby, jerk.

Afore Notation

MK2 in Hd would be great. Still terrible digitized people in 1080p. I would play that. I still dream about the original and mk2... I need to rip off peoples heads and watch their digitized spinal cord flap around in 1080p.

Seriously, Midway. Go back, use modern cameras and re-digitize everything. I want you to digitize buckets of blood and gore and not pixel draw those in.

OR, a 2d animated (in the guilty gears fashion) MK would kick but, wouldnt look so cheesy. The world needs more Scorpion.

Derigor

If they can revive this like they are doing with SF4 then it might be good. as long as they don't make it as bad as MK4 was then it might have a chance but they should stick to the 2D versions and not the 3D

MURDERFACE

Anyone else notice:

You decide...

Machete_Bear

The create-a-fighter feature in Armageddon was pretty cool, although I kinda wish that it didn't require you to play through Konquest mode a million times to get enough point to really tinker with the available moves. I'll agree that 3D MK games really don't have a lot of charm, though. That's why I bought UMK on DS, though. It's a really good port of UMK3 for arcade, so I simply couldn't pass on it.

kubevubin

I'm down with them going back to the 2D approach with HD digitally captured characters with 3D backgrounds. I don't know the feasability of that though. I remember back when there was a forum thread from the guy who worked on Street Fighter: The Movie: The Game, he mentioned that he didn't know why MK limited it's color detail for it's characters until they tried to do something more detailed. Short story: big pain in the ass.

But yeah, 2D would be cool and it would bring the classic feel back. I don't know how well it would sell, but I'd probably buy it.

Guitaratomik

It would be rad if they busted out with a new side scrolling MK. I really have not enjoyed a single MK that was 3D.

Kewk

This might have already been said, but I could have SWORN that Midway said that last Mortal Kombat would be the last.

As long as they never make another game like that side-scrolling Sub Zero game, I think the gaming industry won't go into recession again. I mean, seriously, I thought that game sucked with I was eight years old....EIGHT! Everything is awesome when you are eight!

Afore Notation

A true 2D sequel that is as dark and interesting as the first 2 would be great. Of course that would never happen because Midway lacks the vision that Capcom has.

I want one or two fatalities and that is it. I dont want extra bones when people exlode (why did Jax have 3 skulls) and I don't want dial-a-combos. Go back to grass route fans and give us a proper Mortal Kombat. Give me a prequel to MK1

Strider-No.9

MK has sucked pretty hard since...whatever the fifth game was. MK IV was fun only because it had a pretty good speed to it, but they've never managed to top MK II. The characters are all SO slow and heavy now...it's barely playable, I find.

Mr. Fap☆Fap!

I still have my MK trilogy for PS1, what a great game, now the 3D ones it's not good, Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter are meant to be 2D.

jocaju

I love the MK universe (very notalgic for me) even though the game arent the best or most the most technical, they are still loads of fun. If you want a fighter without silly themes, men who look like women, and fighting as 13 year old boys then MK is your only choice. I love Tekken and DoA but those game cant touch the atmosphere of the MK universe.

AEREC

MK needs a return to 2d, and I really do suggest going back to the style of the first and second of digital capture (in HD maybe?) and do psuedo-3d backgrounds. If they could make it so it's Marvel vs Capcom 2, but with digital image capture players and fatalities, I'm in. Basically MK Trilogy bred with MvC2, that's all I'm asking.

MJDeviant

Toasty

kyosuke9999

Poor MK. We all wish you were done better by.

RichardChaos

I guess they still think Mortal Kombat's one of the few well's they've got that hasn't run completely dry.

Considering that the painful entries (Deadly Alliance and Deception) sold very well and are in the top 5 best selling fighters in NA, I'd say they're right. They've outsold VF and Tekken.

SG79

MK2 was the best MK. MK3 was FUN but just a LITTLE too silly to take seriously.

WiNG

I'm a lifelong Mortal Kombat fan. Possibly because I got into it pretty late. UMK3 was the first one I played extensively at a friend's house and MK4 was the first one I owned. Just last night I played MK Armageddon for a while.

Anyway, I'm interested in a new entry, but it does need to be a significant improvement over the latest ones.

LeChuck

@Arkos: SO King of Fighters 12, Guilty Gear, and SF4 are not going to be brought by anyone, by your logic.

Modus_Operandi

@KaliKOtt: I can also go to Wiki and get the entire history and back stories for Count Chockula, Frankenberry, and the Boo Berries. Doesnt mean its comprehensible.

Modus_Operandi

I don't know why people keep exclaiming that they should make a 2D fighter. Its 2008, a 2D fighter would suck balls and no one would buy it. Even you 2D fanboys would likely change your mind about buying it if it was actually produced.

Arkos

This is our last one, we swears it!

Raynre

I for one am all for this action!!!!1111

xxBetaMaxxx

@Modus_Operandi: MK has a storyline, you can go a whole day just wikipedia-ing for all the MK characters and the series storyline and you will get your fill

KaliKOtt

If this wasn't a complete reboot I wouldn't be interested (I didn't even try Armageddon). But from what I've heard of the direction it could be interesting. If they make it darker, dial back the cheese a bit, streamline the roster, go back to a more realistic art style (I've never been of the art style they've used since it went 3D), and are still able to keep some of that MK humor, it could be fun.

We'll have to wait and see how they execute it though.

Guitaratomik

Hey at least they're not doing 3D Rootbeer Tapper..

Wait that would actually be kind of cool.

Mr.Waffleton

Here's the really scary part. Word is the team behind and Ed Boon, if Im not mistaken he's still working on these tites, are big fans of Gears of War and there was an interview where he stated he'd like the next MK to be alot like that. Dont worry Ed youre half way there. MK has no comprehensible storyline either.

Modus_Operandi

I'm a huge fan of the series still. I know they aren't anywhere close to the deepest fighting games, but I'm a simple man who enjoys corny characters, ridiculous violence, and unlocking millions of useless things.

shipwreck

Ugh midway...I used to be the biggest MK fan

but until you make Super Hyper Mortal Kombat Trilogy HD you won't be getting any love from me

You at least announce a new MK game with Hype...like screens?

KaliKOtt

Maybe the new MK game will be similar to SFIV's design. Or Smash Bros. MK:DA was a pretty good game IMO - Midway has the capability to pull this off.

Knuckler

After Mortal Kombat 3 I kind of stopped giving a shit about the series. It was never even that great of a fighting game. Soul Calibur and Street Fighter is what I think to be some of the best. In comparison MK is just crap.

JustJake

@DaiMacculate: So, like, Street Fighter IV? 2-D fighter with 3-D graphics? I'd definitely be up for that. Though the gameplay still lacks depth compared to games such as Street Fighter and Virtua Fighter.

peAr_nectAr

@eastx: Exactly, I'd be interested in MK if they did a "back to basics" 2D fighter with some updated graphical stuff.

Especially if they go back to photo-animation, on today's systems that could look really cool, IMO, with the right touches.

DaiMacculate

Looks like Rayden and Kano are trying to scare the shit out of those kids to teach them a lesson about trying to play mature games. If your chin isn't above the control panel, you're probably too young to play mortal combat.

BigDanG

Man, that kid in the blue shirt looks so f-ing scared.

Fenris Wolf

I was always a fan of the MK series until Armageddon. What a disappointment that game was. I agree, the dial-a-combos have to go, but they were neat & quick in 3/Ultimate/Trilogy.

Trilogy & 2 were my favorites. I wish Trilogy wasn't so friggin' buggy as hell though; I can't play more than 2 matches before the game freezes or locks-up. =\

def PD

so whats wrong with another MK game? I Would love to have a new 2D MK game for next gen.

CookieMasterPunk

Hey, Midway! Re-make Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, and remove the copious amounts of SUCK from it.

-EDGE-

if they make another MK they should make it 2D and HD with the characters taken from filmed material.
I mean if they filmed the characters as they did in the 2D ones but with today´s technology (HD look, more fps/more space for the videos) that could look pretty cool.
Regarding another 3D MK: bleh.

tomsamson

@r1nce: Lovely catch.

And it's a shame all LAI's newer cases are all curvey, brightly coloured pieces of yuck.

NameYourCharacter

The first new Mk of the last gen changed things up significantly and I liked the last 3 MK games. I'm interested to see them evolve it. I realize it's not internet cool to say you dig MK, but I think the number of copies sold show that people do care, despite the amount of hate the series sometimes gets.

Razlo

@Redriadrum: Amen brother.

cdr

They killed Mortal Kombat they slowed the combat to a crawl. No amount of new characters and levels are going to change that. They know it too. Why the hell do you think they keep adding platforming elements to the game?

Ghede

Oh, bullshit. When MK was reinvented during the previous gen, the first game in the series (Deadly Alliance) was actually pretty fun. Yes, then they kept cloning it with more bells and whistles while not really fixing any of the problems, but at least we got one or two decent games out of it. No reason to believe it won't happen again here.

KaneRobot

It's funny how they show kids on the ad but the game should be rated mature.

skobar

Hooray a franchise that's been surpassed about 10 times now!

I miss the glory days of MK. :(

SkutSkut

Thye announced they working on the game last year. Apparently, it's going to feature a completely new roster of characters although I'm sure we'll see some familiar faces. Honestly though, the only fighting game I want right now is Tekken 6.

Buttah

Where would they go after Armageddon basically featured every single mortal kombat character ever. I remember Ed Boon saying something about reinventing the franchise only keeping a few old characters and mainly having new ones. If they do that then why not simply make a new game. Where they can come up with a new story, mythology etc.

I think people that think MK suddenly got worse when it went to 3D are wrong though. I think what really happened is the fun of it being this ultra gory game wore off once many other games did it too.

Zim

2008 is a big year for fighting games. SSFIIT: HDR, SFIV, SCIV, KoFXII, Tekken 6 and more. Too bad MK is the one I don't care about.

Ryu Kazama

Yawn.

njhardcoreguy

Best. Advertisement. Ever.

Redriadrum

They should bring back a 2d game, the 3d aspect was never good for mortal kombat. Plus, when they decided to put a long, boring single player adventure quest thing to unlock all the characters i never played again. You want to unlock all the characters? Find the hidden chest behind the rock at the waterfall! ...

Mpalm.

Yeah, they SO need to return to 2-D. After Armageddon, I picked up Ultimate for the DS. I found myself playing that more than the "über" one. How about a port of Trilogy, or make a new 2-D game with all of the fighters ever?

Zaxxon Q Blaque

Mortal Kombat jumped the shark at least 5 years ago.

PaulHunter

I don't think I've ever bought a Mortal Kombat game. I remember playing it on SNES, and it wasn't even very good then. Why bother with this stuff? It seems like the brand became obsolete a long time ago.
I go to work and I don't hear the douchey frat boys I work with talking about their "sweet Mortal Kombat" tournament they participated in the night before. It's all Halo's and Gears of War nowadays. Put Mortal Kombat to bed, please. It's tired.

wKarrde

I have that exact Leisure and Allied Industries cabinet at home.

/So very, very proud.
//Timezone kicked ass!
///Not really interested in another Mortal Kombat.

r1nce

I was never into fighting games that much....I got into gaming about the time the Super Nintendo rolled into the scene. But it looks like I may be finally gaining some interest in this genre thanks to Street Fighter IV

MagnusGman

Does Midway have any other game besides Mortal Kombat?

chaindrop

The series lost a lot of the charm once they switched to 3D... The dial-a-combos need to go, too.

eastx

Ninja Gaiden gore and gameplay, with Soul Caliber IV BBW boobs?........One million SOLD!

ShinobiFist(PSN-XBL)

It's been so long..Get over there was it?...hmm..Maybe they should stop.

Jechticknight

It hasn't run out of suck either.

NameYourCharacter