The most complete MK experience money can buy.
+ All of the Mortal Kombat characters ever, both famous and not so famous.
+ A truly balanced and fun fighting game. Still one of the best in that aspect.
+ Wii controls are super smooth, really makes it easier for everyone to enjoy MK
+ Great leveldesign & layout
+ Fun Motor Kombat, Kreate a fighter & endurance modes. + Loads and loads of extra content for the hardcore fans !
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- New "Finish Him/Her" system is not as personal to the fighter as the old finishing moves
- Wii controls sometimes glitch and moves wont work (very unusual)
- The whole conquest mode feels very patched on and is both clumsy and boring
- A few bugs here and there, unlocking a character in conquest mode locks up the game...
- Graphics are dated and widescreen support are "wierd"
- Only one slot for custom fighters per profile.
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To put it short this is really the ultimate version of Mortal Kombat. This one has the most stages, characters, music, lore, moves, modes and bosses of all the MK games so far. So If you´re wondering what this game is the short answer is "as much Mortal Kombat as you can possibly handle". Its also a direct port of the Ps2 version of the same game but with Wii controls. If you´re a big MK fan like me this game is really heaven in some aspects. Packed into this lovely game is every character you can possible imagine and its also the best version of them. Its the Sub Zero WITH the mask and its Zombie Liu Kang e.t.c. Every character is very intact and true to their originals. They have just the right moves and just the right sounds and voices. Scorpions harpoon shout "Get over here!" sounds just the same as in MK1 but with cleaner sound of course. The leveldesign is crazy. You get all the cool locations you would expect from a MK game with "Hell" being my personal favorite. But this time the stages are divided into several arenas that can be accessed by hitting you foe into certain points of the arena you´re in. This will for example launch him through a stone wall, down some stairs or through a fence and this will move you both to a different area. This can result in some super crazy fights where one player is uppercutted through the roof to the floor above and after some fighting there launched through the wall into a 3rd section of the stage where the round finally ends. The stages also have "danger zones" where you, if knocked into them, instantly die. They are really frustrating for the player that loses a winning round because of one hit into a danger zone but they are easy to spot so you should try and avoid them at all times. They are all over the top violent and always fun to watch. Simply put they are masterpieces of violence. On one map you have a catapult with a huge burning ball of fire put onto it. If you´re lucky you can send your opponent onto the burning ball wich will kill him in the following order. 1 - He will start burning madly just bursting into flames and screaming. 2 - The catapult will fire and send him flying forever out over a cliff and towards a castle in the background & 3 - He will finally smash into the wall of the castle in super speed effectively killing him like a bug on a windshield with a large "splat" sound and blood all over the wall.
MK: Armageddon also feautures loooads of extra content as if the great fighting engine wasnt enough. First of all you get a "Mario Kart" mode where you race with small childlike models of the fighters in their own little gocarts on different MK themed tracks. This is actually great fun and a welcome break in the fighting. The game also sports a complete system for creating your very own fighter for use in both Single & Multiplayer. You get to pick everything from the characters complete appearance to what kind of horns / wings / ears and or facemasks he/she should have. Then you pick some moves and name your fighters fighting style and of course the fighter itself. The sad thing here tho is that you can only have 1 custom fighter per profile so you cant make both a female version of Scorpion and a female verion of Reptile on the same profile wich is a shame. Then we have the Conquest mode wich is just down right silly. Its a clumsy 3rd person adventure with all of the characters included in some super bad story wher you run down a linear path to earn money (wich you buy Kreate a Fighter parts for, money can also be earned just by fighting in Arcademode, racing or playing multiplayer) and unlock bonus content such as Art and scetches. I actually played this mode until I unlocked a new character but the game actually stopped responding on me... so this whole mode seems to stop working when you reach your first big unlockable wich is of course, just dumb. In addition to this you have the classic Arcade mode and the Endurance mode wich pits you against a neverending stream of opponents with only 1 lifebar of your own. Then you have the Krypt where all the insane amounts of extra content are collected. If you´re a fan you will find endless goodies in here, im guessing most of it will require you to play the conquest mode tho..and you dont want to do that.
The graphics in MK: Armageddon are a direct port from the Ps2 with some wierd widescreen support. The textures are nicely designed but feels very dated at times and the game IS played in 16:9 but still some parts of the game feels very stretched out wich is a shame. The game still looks OK tho. You still get a very nice MK feeling thanks to the graphics. The sound is superb. Everything from the commentator to every characters voice is done the right way and punches kicks and special moves sounds just as brutal as they should. The Music goes in a typical MK vein and feels just right for the fighting !
The big thing to notice in this version of the game tho is the new Wii controls. They make special moves so much eaiser for those that never really got the hang of the "up, down, punch" thing. Simple motions with the Wiimote will now execute special moves for you and once you get the hang of it it works like a dream ! Lets take my personal favorite Scorpion as an example where a back -> forward motion with the control will launch his harpoon, a forward -> back motion will do his teleport kick and a down -> up move will do his fire attack. This system is also worked into the new finishing move system wich is, im afraid, not as good. Its still very very cool since moves you make with the controller will result in a long finishing combo where a quick thrusting motion will rip out the heart and a forward -> up motion will rip off the head but the system takes away all of the personality that was in the old system. I want all of the characters to have completely unique finishing moves. I want my Scorpion to rip his mask of, revealing the Ghost Rider head and then have him flame his opponent to bones and ashes. They could have baked in the new Wii-controls into that old system instead.
All in all tho this is a VERY solid Mortal Kombat game that any fan of the series will truly appriciate and I can safely say that the Wiicontrols are a great success. You can of course still go old school and play the game with a gamecube or classic controller if you want but even I, old school as I am, prefer the new system. It actually is as smooth as Ed Boon wants you to think it is! Its a very balanced and fun fightinggame that now also has a truckload of extramodes and content that makes the value of this release go up even higher.
If you own a Wii and are looking for a solid fightinggame this is really the only choice for you at the moment. The spirit of MK truly lives on and tho you can clearly feel its a Ps2 port and tho the game has some bugs and glitches its still truly worth buying !
+ A truly balanced and fun fighting game. Still one of the best in that aspect.
+ Wii controls are super smooth, really makes it easier for everyone to enjoy MK
+ Great leveldesign & layout
+ Fun Motor Kombat, Kreate a fighter & endurance modes. + Loads and loads of extra content for the hardcore fans !
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- New "Finish Him/Her" system is not as personal to the fighter as the old finishing moves
- Wii controls sometimes glitch and moves wont work (very unusual)
- The whole conquest mode feels very patched on and is both clumsy and boring
- A few bugs here and there, unlocking a character in conquest mode locks up the game...
- Graphics are dated and widescreen support are "wierd"
- Only one slot for custom fighters per profile.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To put it short this is really the ultimate version of Mortal Kombat. This one has the most stages, characters, music, lore, moves, modes and bosses of all the MK games so far. So If you´re wondering what this game is the short answer is "as much Mortal Kombat as you can possibly handle". Its also a direct port of the Ps2 version of the same game but with Wii controls. If you´re a big MK fan like me this game is really heaven in some aspects. Packed into this lovely game is every character you can possible imagine and its also the best version of them. Its the Sub Zero WITH the mask and its Zombie Liu Kang e.t.c. Every character is very intact and true to their originals. They have just the right moves and just the right sounds and voices. Scorpions harpoon shout "Get over here!" sounds just the same as in MK1 but with cleaner sound of course. The leveldesign is crazy. You get all the cool locations you would expect from a MK game with "Hell" being my personal favorite. But this time the stages are divided into several arenas that can be accessed by hitting you foe into certain points of the arena you´re in. This will for example launch him through a stone wall, down some stairs or through a fence and this will move you both to a different area. This can result in some super crazy fights where one player is uppercutted through the roof to the floor above and after some fighting there launched through the wall into a 3rd section of the stage where the round finally ends. The stages also have "danger zones" where you, if knocked into them, instantly die. They are really frustrating for the player that loses a winning round because of one hit into a danger zone but they are easy to spot so you should try and avoid them at all times. They are all over the top violent and always fun to watch. Simply put they are masterpieces of violence. On one map you have a catapult with a huge burning ball of fire put onto it. If you´re lucky you can send your opponent onto the burning ball wich will kill him in the following order. 1 - He will start burning madly just bursting into flames and screaming. 2 - The catapult will fire and send him flying forever out over a cliff and towards a castle in the background & 3 - He will finally smash into the wall of the castle in super speed effectively killing him like a bug on a windshield with a large "splat" sound and blood all over the wall.
MK: Armageddon also feautures loooads of extra content as if the great fighting engine wasnt enough. First of all you get a "Mario Kart" mode where you race with small childlike models of the fighters in their own little gocarts on different MK themed tracks. This is actually great fun and a welcome break in the fighting. The game also sports a complete system for creating your very own fighter for use in both Single & Multiplayer. You get to pick everything from the characters complete appearance to what kind of horns / wings / ears and or facemasks he/she should have. Then you pick some moves and name your fighters fighting style and of course the fighter itself. The sad thing here tho is that you can only have 1 custom fighter per profile so you cant make both a female version of Scorpion and a female verion of Reptile on the same profile wich is a shame. Then we have the Conquest mode wich is just down right silly. Its a clumsy 3rd person adventure with all of the characters included in some super bad story wher you run down a linear path to earn money (wich you buy Kreate a Fighter parts for, money can also be earned just by fighting in Arcademode, racing or playing multiplayer) and unlock bonus content such as Art and scetches. I actually played this mode until I unlocked a new character but the game actually stopped responding on me... so this whole mode seems to stop working when you reach your first big unlockable wich is of course, just dumb. In addition to this you have the classic Arcade mode and the Endurance mode wich pits you against a neverending stream of opponents with only 1 lifebar of your own. Then you have the Krypt where all the insane amounts of extra content are collected. If you´re a fan you will find endless goodies in here, im guessing most of it will require you to play the conquest mode tho..and you dont want to do that.
The graphics in MK: Armageddon are a direct port from the Ps2 with some wierd widescreen support. The textures are nicely designed but feels very dated at times and the game IS played in 16:9 but still some parts of the game feels very stretched out wich is a shame. The game still looks OK tho. You still get a very nice MK feeling thanks to the graphics. The sound is superb. Everything from the commentator to every characters voice is done the right way and punches kicks and special moves sounds just as brutal as they should. The Music goes in a typical MK vein and feels just right for the fighting !
The big thing to notice in this version of the game tho is the new Wii controls. They make special moves so much eaiser for those that never really got the hang of the "up, down, punch" thing. Simple motions with the Wiimote will now execute special moves for you and once you get the hang of it it works like a dream ! Lets take my personal favorite Scorpion as an example where a back -> forward motion with the control will launch his harpoon, a forward -> back motion will do his teleport kick and a down -> up move will do his fire attack. This system is also worked into the new finishing move system wich is, im afraid, not as good. Its still very very cool since moves you make with the controller will result in a long finishing combo where a quick thrusting motion will rip out the heart and a forward -> up motion will rip off the head but the system takes away all of the personality that was in the old system. I want all of the characters to have completely unique finishing moves. I want my Scorpion to rip his mask of, revealing the Ghost Rider head and then have him flame his opponent to bones and ashes. They could have baked in the new Wii-controls into that old system instead.
All in all tho this is a VERY solid Mortal Kombat game that any fan of the series will truly appriciate and I can safely say that the Wiicontrols are a great success. You can of course still go old school and play the game with a gamecube or classic controller if you want but even I, old school as I am, prefer the new system. It actually is as smooth as Ed Boon wants you to think it is! Its a very balanced and fun fightinggame that now also has a truckload of extramodes and content that makes the value of this release go up even higher.
If you own a Wii and are looking for a solid fightinggame this is really the only choice for you at the moment. The spirit of MK truly lives on and tho you can clearly feel its a Ps2 port and tho the game has some bugs and glitches its still truly worth buying !
