Mortal Kombat is known for two things – digitized fighters and fatalities. That was their gimmick to get gamers to drop quartersin the arcade machines and garner sales in the home market. I believe it was the 3D Mortal Kombat that was the first to let go of digitized graphics in favor of 3D, Mortal Kombat 4, I think it was. They did not stick to that style though as the more popular Mortal Kombat releases before and after having returned to their digitized roots.
For some reason, the world of Mortal Kombat works so well with this art style. Honestly, when Capcom did Street Fighter the Movie, I was expecting a hand drawn cartoon style Mortal Kombat release. That never happened. Officially anyhow.
I have to say, for a fan production, this is quite impressive looking. It just makes me wish we would have gotten an official release in this style.
Fatalities are easier to go over the top with, such as Reptile’s. His reptilian head is enormous and comical adding a fun edge to the violent nature of Mortal Kombat.
The underlying engine powering Mortal Kombat 2 Anime Edition is Mugen. An engine that started life in 1999 and over a decade later finally saw its first stable release.
If you are not familiar with Mugen then you are in for a treat. At this point, pretty much any fighter from any commercial game that could be made a fighter has been. Want to have Mario face off with Sonic? Wait, that was probably done in a Super Smash Bros release already. Okay, um, want to see Mario take on Shang Tsung (with all his morphs)? Yeah, you can do that in Mugen.
Just download the character packs and follow the instructions to put them in. Want to have them fight on Green Hill Zone from Sonic 1? I am sure someone made that level, if not, instructions are available to make them yourself.
The options are limitless, within a fighting game sense. I am hesitant to say that because people have made scrolling shooters in Open Beats of Rage before, that is a brawler game engine.
Please note, there is a download link available in the description of the YouTube video embedded above, but there are no guarantees on it. If you download it, please scan with a virus program or seven before opening. Just to be safe.
