Mortal Kombat II (Genesis) Playthrough

A playthrough of Acclaim's 1994 fighting game for the Sega Genesis, Mortal Kombat II.
Played through as Johnny Cage on the medium difficulty level.
Precisely one year after "Mortal Monday" heralded the arrival of Mortal Kombat for the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis, "Mortal Tuesday" likewise marked the launch of its enormously popular sequel's 16-bit console adaptations.
Though its graphics and sounds were substantially worse, the tighter controls and relative lack of censorship in Probe's Sega Genesis version of the first Mortal Kombat led to it being widely regarded as superior to the Sculptured Software-developed SNES game.
The bloodless SNES version of Mortal Kombat quickly became a symbol of how uncool and out of touch Nintendo had become at a time when the company was struggling to maintain its majority share of the market. The company had spent much of 1993 taking cheap shots at Sega with their moral grandstanding during the US Senate hearings on video game violence, and that position had cost them. Unwilling to cede yet another win to their competition, Nintendo finally relented on their censorship policies for MK2, because really, who gives a damn about innocent children when profits are at stake?
That hypocrisy paid dividends when the SNES version became a critical darling and the fan-favorite home version of the game. Despite the damage done by MK1 and the system's reputation for catering to a younger target audience, the SNES version of MK2 managed to sell nearly as many units as the Genesis one did. That's quite a turnaround.
That doesn't mean that Mortal Kombat II for the Sega Genesis sucked, though. Far from it. It wasn't as good as the SNES version in most respects - it looked and sounded less like the arcade game and had fewer game modes - but it was a respectable conversion that played well so long as you weren't using a 3-button controller. For the truly adventurous, it also offered full Sega Activator support. I have no idea how or why that happened, but if you've ever dreamt of how cool it would be to play a 16-bit fighting game by flailing about in a plastic octagon, here's your chance!
It's a very good game overall, though it doesn’t feel quite like the coin-op. The character handling is heavier and the timing of moves and combos is different, but all the characters and moves are faithfully represented, blood still gushes by the gallon, and the new soundtrack - though different from the arcade's - is excellent. It's just unfortunate that it is let down by the digital effects, or rather, the lack thereof. Most of the arcade game's samples were left on the cutting room floor, and their absence is keenly felt now that so many of the crunchy impact sounds have been reduced to wet FM farts.
There's not much practical reason to play MK2's 90s console ports these days, but that's besides the point. Popping this one into the Genesis for an afternoon is a fun reminder of the excitement that came with playing it at the peak of its popularity, and I had a great time getting reacquainted with it all these years later.
_____________
No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
NintendoComplete (www.nintendocom...) punches you in the face with in-depth reviews, screenshot archives, and music from classic 8-bit NES games!

[@YasYaBas]

That’s some top-tier thumbnailing right there.

[@duanemartin4958]

Love that old Sega Genesis sound 😎

[@melissaleoncreolenola]

The simple things in my life was the best ever... not knocking down the journey of MK at all... but this brought back great memories

[@SoulStreak64]

3:52 ...Well that reminded me of the Sweep Spamming joke from the 2021 MK Movie. Even they knew players have the tendency to resort to such.

[@dancir2001]

One of the best game of all times!

[@kr4yzi32k]

Man this game was the goat back in the day.

[@Waterfield_Robbie]

It makes total sense that Cage's best fan is himself at min. 6:00

[@christopherthibeault7502]

I caught that, too. The player is quite keen.

[@ArttuTheCat]

I have played both Super Nintendo and MegaDrive versions of MORTAL KOMBAT II. And in my opinion, i like mostly the Super Nintendo version of this game. It's even smoother, and Shao Kahn always says fatality, babality, friendship, finish him/her, and who wins. My friend's older brother also had this game on his Amiga 1200. 😺👍🕹️🕹️

[@hopetagulos]

SMD ost > SNES ost

[@coomtothebroom778]

I never played the megadrive version of the game but I played the SNES version to death (no pun intended) with my friends. The controls felt so smooth and the action just seemed so seamless. Of course, we were young enough that anything like this at the time felt like it was real life. Great times. 😄🤜💥🤛🕹️

[@TheAxelay]

When it comes down to rom hacks though, the Megadrive wins out the SNES though...

[@iulianispas8634]

Snes was glitchy mess go and wach snes trash .Snes most overrate console with sales based on mass media , ilegal game monopoly and end user stupidity .Sega is a old console, out of gaming industry let it rest in pace and admit was better MF ❤

[@damienlc8895]

​@@iulianispas8634nah mk2 was better on snes. like most multiplatform games from back then.

[@MSR-1701]

This was my first intro to MKII, and has a nice nostalgic spot in my memories.😅

[@damin9913]

I still play mortal kombat 2❤

[@DawnLong-s3k]

So do I

[@spoonshiro]

Played a lot of this one as a kid. From that time period when we would all argue about which home port was the best one when, let's be honest, none of them were really all that great.

[@NintendoComplete]

True, but neither were that bad compared to each other or in general, either. I didn't think so, at least. Not when you consider consoles were still a couple of generations away from being able to do perfect ports of contemporary arcade games.

[@spoonshiro]

For sure. MK2 on SNES/Genesis was more than passable for the time, not much reason to go back other than for nostalgia though.@@NintendoComplete

[@redbaron9420]

Well, the MS DOS port was pretty solid, aside from music on Sound Blasters.

[@whyareyoureadingmynickname8158]

Honestly, I think both Genesis and SNES owners were lucky to get decent ports of this back in the day.

[@hopetagulos]

SMD < SNES; SMD ost > SNES ost

[@LITTLE1994]

Yeah, unlike the first game.

[@dmer-zy3rb]

@@LITTLE1994 first game genesis port was good.

[@Dorian_Scott]

As much as I prefer the SNES version, I still really like this port -- especially that soundtrack.

[@danalong1237]

Composed by Dan Forden for the arcade version, Matt Furniss for the Genesis version and James Hebdon, Dean Morrell and Paul Webb for the SNES version.

[@hopetagulos]

SMD ost > SNES ost

[@Dorian_Scott]

@@hopetagulos Could you not spam that? It's getting annoying.

[@hopetagulos]

@@Dorian_Scott ??? 🤔 What?

[@Dorian_Scott]

@@hopetagulos You said *_"SMD OST > SNES OST"_* in _this_ thread, as well as two other threads.

[@NintendoComplete]

TOASTY!!

[@ArttuTheCat]

Shao Kahn: "Is that your best?" 😼🤘🕹️

[@NintendoComplete]

​@ArttuTheCat You will die! 👹

[@Dorian_Scott]

Toast E!!

[@chloeirnes]

How come you're getting red Shadow Kicks every time? I thought they were like, 1/100 or something?

[@senseicorey9979]

I spent So many hours on THE SNES version

[@senseicorey9979]

The sound on this is worse. But the graphics seems better

[@VahanNisanian]

Best version is the Arcade original, though the 16-bit ones are also good.

[@TNHFPRODUCTIONS987]

0:20 why doesn’t the Arcade or the SNES version look this cool I mean this intro here is genius.

[@mobl0x179]

The arcade that intro

[@danalong1237]

2:22: Reliving the War brought me here.

[@stephenmanuel9860]

That thumbnail hit me right in the Nostalgia

[@JonesDylan874]

Not bad, but I'll stick with the SNES version for the Home Console front.

[@MSR-1701]

Only missing bit is no Fergiality (the hidden fatality featuring the then-president (I think?) Of Probe, the developer of MK I and MKII on the Genesis😅

[@Cristianjackson559]

You Have To Access The Test Mode To Activate The Ooh Nasty Do That As Raiden On The Armory Stage

[@MSR-1701]

@@Cristianjackson559 yarp!

[@GamingWithDrew]

Love the thumbnail.

[@britneyspearsvillarosa]

I will always love MK II on SNES and GameBoy but I prefer MK III on Genesis

[@saberkx2060]

The sound is so damn good

[@klasicktha1]

😂😂😂Naw it's terrible

[@bgasman]

That was very incredible I am finished all 12 characters on this game!

[@christopherthibeault7502]

The US Senate hearings, if they were handled much differently, would lead to a far bleaker, censorship-laden world that's worse than today. These sorts of games should apply parental discretion rather than some overarching ban that compels curiosity. I'm glad Nintendo reneged. Were they hypocrites for chasing profits? No, they got sick of playing into SEGA's own marketing campaign and being a whipping boy. Would you care about hypocrisy or even profits when your reputation (i.e. buyers' confidence) is at stake? Besides, the SNES had a few years in its belt and the audience was aging out. Anyway, the Genesis version is a trip. The intro sequence's lightning is timed to the beats of the music (which is the riff from MK3's theme). It's obvious that it cannot quite match the SNES version, representing the turning point where Nintendo retained its audience by adopting the ESRB, thereby negating SEGA's in-house version. If there's anything to thank SEGA for in this situation, it's that they thought to establish a rating system independent of independent groups, particularly the government.

[@affanjamsari5752]

Why is Cage’s aura red in this version? Isn’t it supposed to be green?

[@mywifesboyfriend5558]

On Genesis, it happens far more often

[@afrikaansebamboo7843]

I Played this so much every sound is Nostalgic today, I think it's time to get me a sega console again, mk1-2-3 is gold

[@francocorradi5818]

1:30 The rematch after their fight in the 1995 movie.

[@koolaid1982]

I HAD THIS VERSION AS A KID ON SEGA GENESIS BETTER THAN SUPER NINTENDO IN MY OPINION THANK GOD FOR MY MOM GETTING THE BEST SHE COULD FOR HER CHILDREN ✊🏾🙏🏾♥️🎮

[@GamerGee]

This ports interesting. Imagine if the genesis had better color support and good compressed audio formats. 😊

[@IrViNg256s]

You're describing the Sega 32X port, it's the Genesis one with better color support and better audio, so close to the arcade

[@GamerGee]

@@IrViNg256s to some degree. They could have done way more. They kept most of the 16bit stuff. Imagine if they really built it ground up.

[@furkancarboga7841]

Dostum merhaba Aynısını mobilden oynuyorum ve çok severek oynuyorum bütün herşeyi yapıyorum ama sadece asid havuzu bölümünde düşmanı havuza atamıyorum sanırım burda süper uppercut yerine başka bir taktik gerekiyor nasıl yapacağım söyle

[@Scottwilkie18]

Childhood

[@purrcat6930]

Back when jade was just a kitana recolour.

[@AliBaba-nu5bm]

There was a game in Sega where two green and yellow creatures were in human bodies, what is the name of that game?

[@lesurge17]

I remember using birthday money to get this at toys r us. I think it was $60 back then. Good memories

[@Jolly-Green-Steve]

Everyone says the 32X version is the best version which is b.s. all it is was the Genesis version with better SFX and higher color palette for the fighters. The SNES is the best version followed by the Saturn. Saturn would be the best if it didn't have all the stuttering loading issues. If Saturn had 6meg ram by default and it wasn't rushed Saturn version would have been arcade perfect. You could still technically make an arcade perfect version for the Saturn if you just ran the game directly from a ram cart like a STV Titan game. I wish some programmer/modder would create ram cart games for the Saturn. I want arcade KI 1+2 on real Saturn hardware!

[@TheAxelay]

Oh it feels like early to mid 1994 to me all over again when I got this game part of a DOUBLE PACK that included Revenge Of Shinobi as well!! This game helped me more than I can ever thank it for. Sure it was down played by so many game magazines in the day like EGM or GAME PRO but it's still my MK 2 game though and I still play it with many various quality of life rom hacks out there!!! Half of 94 devoted to this, probably should've of bough SSF 2 as well but I did buy MK1 instead when I could've bought Fatal Furry 2 instead?! By 1995 Killer Instinct changed my perceptions alot in fighting games even over MK3 as well...Who remembers Rise Of The Robots as well?! Luckily I didn't that either sigh...

[@NintendoComplete]

Wow, with Shinobi? What a random pairing. Where did they sell that combo? MK1 was good, but so was FF2. Ride of the Robots, though. Smh. That one even got a CD-i version. A match made in heaven, wouldn't you say?

[@TheAxelay]

@NintendoComplete , I do know it was a Sega Oziesoft exclusive at the time via 1994 here. Paid a good price I think like $79 here, never forget a good deal like this.

[@LITTLE1994]

While it is true the SNES version is the better port, the Genesis release is faster.

[@manslikeaqeelsonicadvances8566]

Nice 😊

[@iulianispas8634]

I love Sega music on mk2 and i prefer it over arcade . I use to wake up during night to play it

[@BareKnuckleBlaze]

While I love Sega, I have to admit that the SNES version is graphically superior and the sfx sound slightly better. Also, the Megadrive version lacks a lot of Shao Kahn's voicelines. I'm not sure why, since the ones in the game sound fine (probably limited cartridge space now i think about it). The actual songs that play though are great. I love how the song that plays before you fight is so jaunty, it makes it funny for some reason. Finally, I appreciate that you did a bunch of different finishers. I've watched another person play UMK3 and only do either a character or stage fatality, which gets old after a couple times in a row

[@DawnLong-s3k]

Remember, Johnny Cage was the guy who defeated Goro and earned a Flawless Victory.

[@CharlieGapperson]

Request: Can you do Ristar next?

[@LisaHeffernan-ie9st]

Bro got a flawless victory on Shau kahn. Insane crap

[@Wesley_C]

I have played MK2 here on SNES, I prefer the SNES.

[@solarflare9078]

Good port, but man, Mortal Kombat II's AI is just plain cheap no matter the version, it seems.

[@songoku9348]

Hyping yourself due to JCVD being in MK1 I see. I’m gonna pre order it later today, and I almost never pre order any game as I usually just buy a game the day it comes out but for MK1 I’ll make an exception.

[@NintendoComplete]

Haha you know, it was sheer luck. I recorded this awhile ago, so I was stoked that they announced him being in it.

[@sonic-bb]

damn this is not what it looked and sounded like on my genesis. Mine looked more and sounded more like the actual arcade release. so strange

[@daniellentes8042]

Talk about nostalgia

[@belykhdm]

the best version of the game is the arcade version!

[@SUSPENSE1986]

Best soundtrack

[@jackkent7430]

Yo is this ai playing or are you a beast ?!

[@LampHatScott]

In order to beat MK2 you have to cheese the hell out of the enemy AI to get past it after the 1st fucking fighter. There behaviours that the AI expresses that people exploit to get far in it. For example: Jumping backwards to get the AI to jump in order to get an uppercut punish.

[@DawnLong-s3k]

For me, the AI started to get tougher after the 5th or 6th fight. I still can't beat Mileena, not even on Very Easy.

[@bigduke5902]

Becoming man is realizing Mortal Kombat never held a candle to Street Fighter.

[@mywifesboyfriend5558]

Street Fighter sucks dog nuts. Silly characters, silly story, shit gameplay. Mortal Kombat will always be #1 ALWAYS. NO REPLIES WILL BE SEEN CASE CLOSED

[@ositotupapa]

in the past Play both version Snes wins in graphics and sfx, Genesis wins on smooth gameplay and music

[@Scottwilkie18]

That intro

[@g.7136]

Why everything sound like farts on Sega Genesis?

[@JuraIbis]

SEGA!!!!

[@rockhyde7775]

Not an awful port by any means. But I hear all the time MK1 on the Genesis outsold the SNES version because of blood. Why is that such a big deal? (I don’t understand it) Uncensored equals sales, apparently.🙄

[@JuraIbis]

I was never a fan of the Genesis/Sega etc. I always found everything was moving too fast and weirdly compared to the NES but to be honest, this is one of those times a game needed the raw CPU power those consoles had to operate correctly. The Nintendo versions are disasters.

[@JorgieTV01]

Mega drive ❤

[@Shane-5150]

yes

[@tun-tunninc.6492]

Johnny Cage looks like Butthead. 🤣🤣

[@dpa2008]

La música es fenomenallll

[@dngr_4209]

3:12

[@willdevil158]

Yo, are you on tiktoks?

[@NintendoComplete]

Nope, sorry!

[@dazmh101]

Why do i find this game is hard on easy!?

[@DawnLong-s3k]

Even Very Easy is hard.

[@bryonboyd6587]

This game screams on arcade

[@hikedayley9309]

ShaoKahn talks too much

[@steveg9088]

The sounds sucks and some of the animation is missing. One of my sega buddies use to tell me, this is better than SNES LOL..

[@kascnef]

SNES is uncut too

[@seanbaskett5506]

So inferior to the SNES version.

[@DawnLong-s3k]

Wrong

[@seanbaskett5506]

@@DawnLong-s3k Right

[@luansilvail]

And a very slow version

[@nobled1248]

This version sucked

[@DawnLong-s3k]

Wrong

[@AGL-yr6zv]

The Super Nintendo version is way better than the sega version cause in the sega version there's too many missing things missing voices missing sound effects missing the intro opening missing bios and the background endings to each character and I rate this MK2 version zero stars nada

[@Dewani90]

When I saw Mileena kicking you from the other side of the screen I was like "at least disguise the cheating a little", then Kitana started to blatantly reading your controller inputs and i was like "that's street fighter levels of cheap", then I noticed Rayden likes dubstep, all of his sfx would go just fine with a mixing board, also jade started throwing you from the ground... is there any woman in MK 2 that fights without cheating? and it seems Jhonny has some respect for Shao Kahn's family jewels, as he didn't punch that time, either that or there is nothing for him to punch, like a barbie doll.

[@NintendoComplete]

Oh man, yeah. I've never figured out how to be good at Mortal Kombat. The AI is so cheap. Hahaha maybe Shao Khan became so resentful after being turned into a eunuch.

[@yellowblanka6058]

@@NintendoCompleteThe arcade version of MK II increases in difficulty with each victory and reads your inputs, I think the console versions do as well. The only way to overcome it is to cheese the AI, which to me isn't a very fun way to play a fighting game, which is one reason I've never liked MK II/3. If the only way to win is to cheese a certain move over and over because the AI just insta-counters everything else you do, that's just not enjoyable to play.

[@NintendoComplete]

​@@yellowblanka6058Yeah, MK was always a game better played with a buddy. The AI is obnoxious.

[@yellowblanka6058]

@@NintendoComplete Which is a shame as I appreciate the visuals/music etc. but the AI eventually countering everything you do (like instantly grabbing you EVERY TIME you go for an uppercut) just makes it not very fun to play. Given that, I'm amazed II/3 were so well received by the gaming media back in the day. MVG did a break down of the code, including the very code that shows the input reading and the difficulty increase with each victory over on his channel. The non-Japan regional variants of Super Street Fighter II Turbo read your inputs as well.

[@muthafuckawhatchusay]

forgot how dinky the music for this was on the genesis