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The ability to grab your opponent mid-air and throw him once you have your hand on him.
Characters either begin with multiple outfits, unlock them through play, or purchase them as in-game items. These costumes are sometimes integral to play.
Introduced in MK III, these new finishers would turn your character into an animal that would then kill and maim your opponent, thus ending the round.
Assassins are people who are tasked with the action of violence against peoples, though their general aims are to be discreet and as minimally violent as possible in order to remain discreet if necessary.
Mortal Kombat II introduced a whole new way to finish off and humiliate your opponent. Instead of killing and maiming your enemy, the Babality would allow you to turn your opponents into yes, a baby.
Originally introduced in the console versions of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, a Brutality was a finishing move consisting of a very long combo that resulted in the opponent's body exploding. The concept was reintroduced and altered in Mortal Kombat X.
A concept in games with multiple characters, a screen with pictures of all playable characters with the possibility of stat listings.
Typically found in fighting games, combos are a series of strung-together moves.
An organism consisting of both natural and artificial systems.
High-tech exoskeleton wearing, sword wielding warriors featuring prominently in the Metal Gear and Mortal Kombat franchises. Several characters assume the identity of a Cyborg Ninja throughout several console generations.
Digitized sprites, popularized in the early 90s, were a form of graphics that used footage of real actors, Stop-motion frames of a figure/clay model or 3D renders of characters that were then made digital and put into the game.
Supernatural beings that are created from and serve their respective elements.
Either through a concealing helmet, keeping the whole game in first person, or using clever camera work, the player character is kept faceless throughout an entire game.
Finishing moves are typically moves that end a fight in a traditional fighting game.
Introduced in MK II, these new finishers would no longer kill or brutally beat down your opponent. Instead, your character would present them with a gesture of love and friendship, much to the announcer's disappointment.
Ritualistic suicide, specifically to use a blade across the belly.
Hidden characters appear only when certain conditions are met. Finding them usually requires great skill.
The ability for the player to become unseen, from basic camouflage to fully vanishing from sight.
"The gentle way", a martial art focused on grapples and throws.
This is a concept in fighting or other action games of attacking an enemy in order to keep the enemy in the air, unable to fight back. This is also a tactic in tower defense games of keeping the enemy on the battlefield longer by manipulating towers.
The Lin Kuei (forest demons) are a tribe of assassins based in China, predating the Japanese ninja. They are very prominent in the Mortal Kombat series, and the members take offense at being called ninja.
Martial arts are a popular set of skills that many video game characters possess. Martial arts are the cornerstone of any fighting game, and have influenced many platforming and adventure games.
Murder is the act of ending the life of another living thing against its will without the sanction of a higher governmental authority, such as the casualties that result from acts of war. It is generally intentional, at least in a legal meaning, but not necessarily.
Legendary, stealthy assassins from Japan's feudal era, who are well-trained in the art of the sword, and who may or may not have access to magical powers.
The act of mimicking a dead body in order to fool an adversary.
The Roundhouse is a kick taught in many martial-arts, though believed to have originally been conceived as part of a developed fighting system by monks for Shaolin Kung-fu. Notable real-life users include Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li.
A ninja clan in the Mortal Kombat universe. The clan had a fierce rivalry with the Lin Kuei before they were defeated by them.
A soccer slide tackle is a sideways slide that attempts to knock the ball away from your opponent's feet. It can also be used in a non-sports setting - e.g. to slide tackle an enemy to the ground or simply pass through a narrow gap.
A cloud of fine particles.
Featured mainly in fighting games, special attacks usually require more than just pressing a button to activate. They are usually unique or at least varied between characters.
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