| Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 | |
|---|---|
 Cover artwork for the home versions | |
| Developer(s) | Arcade Midway Games
|
| Publisher(s) | Midway
|
| Producer(s) | Neil Nicastro Ken Fedesna Paul Dussault |
| Programmer(s) | Ed Boon |
| Artist(s) | John Tobias Steve Beran Tony Goskie |
| Composer(s) | Dan Forden |
| Series | Mortal Kombat |
| Platform(s) | Arcade,Sega Saturn,Genesis/Mega Drive,Super NES,Game Boy Advance,Nintendo DS,iOS,PlayStation 2,[notes 1]Windows,Xbox Live Arcade |
| Release | November 6, 1995
|
| Genre(s) | Fighting |
| Mode(s) | Single-player,multiplayer |
| Arcade system | Midway Wolf Unit |
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is a 1995fighting game developed and published byMidway forarcades. Part of theMortal Kombat series, it is a standalone update of 1995's earlierMortal Kombat 3 with an altered gameplay system, additional characters like the returning favoritesReptile,Kitana,Jade andScorpion who were missing fromMortal Kombat 3, and some new features.
Several homeport versions of the game were soon released after the arcade original. Although none were completely identical to the arcade version, theSega Saturn port came closest. Some later home versions followed the arcade original with more accuracy. Some versions were released under different titles:Mortal Kombat Advance for theGame Boy Advance in 2001 andUltimate Mortal Kombat for theNintendo DS in 2007. AniOS version recreating the game using a 3D graphics engine was released byElectronic Arts in 2010.
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 was mostly well-received and has been considered a high point for theMortal Kombat series. However, the iOS remake and some other home versions were received poorly.Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 was updated to include more content from previous games in the series asMortal Kombat Trilogy in 1996. The 2011 compilationMortal Kombat Arcade Kollection includes an emulation ofUMK3 as well as the firstMortal Kombat andMortal Kombat II.
Two new gameplay modes have been introduced since the originalMortal Kombat 3: the 2-on-2 mode which was similar to an Endurance match but with as many as three human players in a given round on both sides (these had not been seen in the series since the firstMortal Kombat), and a new eight-player Tournament mode. An extra Master difficulty is present.Shao Kahn's Lost Treasures – selectable prizes, of which some are extra fights and others lead to various cutscenes or other things – are introduced after either the main game or the eight-player Tournament are completed.
To balance the gameplay, some characters were given new moves and some existing moves were altered. Some characters were given extracombos and some combos were made to cause less damage. Chain combos could be started by using a jump punch (vertical or angled) or a vertical jump kick, which creates more opportunities to use combos. Combos that knock opponents in the air no longer send one's opponent to the level above in multi-layered levels; only regular uppercuts do this.
The computer-controlled opponentAI was improved in the game. However, three new flaws were introduced along with the revisions: while backflipping away from an opponent, if the player performs a jump kick, the AI character will always throw a projectile; this leaves the computer character vulnerable to some attacks and can easily lead into a devastating combo. If the player walks back-and-forth within a certain range of the AI character, the opponent will mimic the player's walking movements for the whole round and never attack. If the computer opponent is cornered, the player can repeatedly perform punches without the AI character stumbling back, thus allowing the player to win easily.
UMK3 features several new backgrounds: Scorpion's Lair/Hell (this stage also contains a newStage Fatality, where an uppercut can send the opponent into a river of lava); Jade's Desert (in a reference to hisMK3 ending,Cyrax is seen stuck waist-deep in sand in the background); River Kombat/The Waterfront; Kahn's Kave/The Cavern; Blue Portal/Lost (a combination of the background from theUMK3 "Choose Your Destiny" screen, the Pit 3 bridge, and the mountains and bridge from the Pit II inMortal Kombat II); Noob's Dorfen (based on the Balcony stage, which can now be played using a Kombat Kode without having to fightNoob Saibot to see it as inMK3). Before reaching any of the originalMK3 backgrounds in 1- or 2-player mode, the game must cycle through all of theUMK3 exclusive backgrounds twice. Scorpion's Lair, Secret Cave and Abandoned River stages are selectable by using a password while on the missing Bank Stage cycle. In Scorpion's Lair, fighters can uppercut each other into Kahn's Kave. The original red portal background used for the "Choose Your Destiny" screen is now blue.
Some elements fromMK3 are missing inUMK3. The only biographies featured are those of Kitana, Jade, Scorpion and Reptile (theninja characters who were not included inMK3), which are the only four shown duringattract mode, while all of the biographies and the full-body portraits of theMK3 characters are missing. The biographies that do appear in the game are presented differently from those inMK3, as are the endings. The storyline images and text do not appear. Finally, the Bank and Hidden Portal stages fromMK3 were removed (Jade's Desert serves as a placeholder where The Bank stage used to appear once the player reaches the originalMK3 level cycle).
The Sega Genesis and SNES versions were released the same month asMortal Kombat Trilogy and incorporated that game's finishing moveBrutalities, an 11-button combo which causes the character to rapidly beat on their opponent until they explode.
The arcade version features all playable characters fromMortal Kombat 3, who were portrayed by the same actors:Cyrax (Sal Divita),Liu Kang (Eddie Wong),Kabal (Richard Divizio),Kano (Richard Divizio),Kung Lao (Tony Marquez),Stryker (Michael O'Brien),Jax Briggs (John Parrish),Nightwolf (Sal Divita),Sektor (Sal Divita),Shang Tsung (John Turk),Sheeva (stop motion),Sindel (Lia Montelongo),Smoke (Sal Divita),Sonya Blade (Kerri Hoskins) andSub-Zero (John Turk). The boss and sub-boss fromMK3,Motaro (stop motion) andShao Kahn (Brian Glynn, voiced bySteve Ritchie), also return. Shang Tsung's transformations are accompanied by announcements of the name of the character he is changing into.
There are four additional characters that are playable from the start: several ninja characters from the first two games that have been absent fromMortal Kombat 3 return inUltimate Mortal Kombat 3, includingKitana,Jade,Reptile andScorpion on the prototype version;[2] a new UltimateKombat Kode was added in revision 1.0 to enableMileena,Ermac, and ClassicSub-Zero as secret characters.
More are unlockable via the Ultimate Kombat Kode:
Finally, Smoke's human form can be unlocked via a code entered right before a match.[3]
Returning characters were warmly welcomed by critics as an improvement to the "lackluster roster" ofMK3 with "the greatly missed" Kitana, Mileena, Reptile, and especially Scorpion.[4][5] The female ninja characters (Mileena, Kitana and Jade), returning fromMortal Kombat II, were portrayed by a different actress, Becky Gable,[6] due to the lawsuit issued by Katalin Zamiar and some of the otherMKII actors againstMidway; they were also given a different set of outfits and hairstyles, which were again identical for all of them (in the game there are just threepalette swapped character models for male, female and cyborg ninjas, not counting theMK3 Sub-Zero but including Classic Sub-Zero).
There are also two new hidden opponents and console exclusives:Noob Saibot (John Turk) andRain (John Turk). Although Noob Saibot was featured in the originalMK3, he is no longer a palette swap of Kano but instead of a ninja; as before, he is fought via a Kombat Kode. Rain is featured in the game's opening montage (except on the Sega Saturn), but he is actually a fake hidden character that is not found in the arcade game. Both Noob Saibot and Rain were made playable for the16-bit console versions, although Sheeva was removed, and the two boss characters are playable via a cheat code.
Like previousMortal Kombat games,Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 debuted in arcades. It first appeared in select arcades in early November 1995.[7] Arcade owners who already ownedMortal Kombat 3 were provided with the option to upgrade toUltimate Mortal Kombat 3 at no cost.[2] In 2008, theMortal Kombat series co-creator, designer and producerEd Boon said thatUMK3 is his favorite2DMortal Kombat title.[8] It was also the last game he has programmed himself.[9]
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 was ported to manyhome consoles with varying results, including home (Super NES,Genesis andSega Saturn) and portable consoles (Game Boy Advance andNintendo DS), theXbox Live Arcade, andiOS-based mobile devices and mobile phones. A planned port forPlayStation evolved intoMortal Kombat Trilogy. The game was also bundled with the premium version ofMortal Kombat: Armageddon for thePlayStation 2 and included in compilation releaseMortal Kombat Arcade Kollection for the PC,PlayStation 3 andXbox 360. The developers and publishers of the various releases includedAcclaim Entertainment,Avalanche Software,Electronic Arts,Eurocom,Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, andWilliams Entertainment. The later versions usually feature online play and other improvements over the arcade version, and in some cases even 3D graphics.
A port for the3DO Interactive Multiplayer was being developed by New Level but was canceled in 1996.[10] Cited reasons for the cancellation include development delays which pushed the release date too far beyond the peak ofMortal Kombat 3's popularity and the fact that the Mortal Kombat franchise had no established presence on the console.[11]
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Wave Net (an abbreviation for Williams Action Video Entertainment Network[12]) was a rarenetwork version of the game that allowed foronline multiplayer matches. It was tested only in theChicago andSan Francisco areas that used a dedicatedT1 line, connected directly to Midway's Chicago headquarters. It is highly unlikely that any Wave Net test games were ever released to the public after the infrastructure was dismantled, and so there are no knownROM image dumps of this version. One of the reasons this version was not widely adopted was the cost of T1 lines at the time: the setup cost several thousand dollars per arcade installation, plus a few hundred dollars for each cabinet using the hardware.[12] Williams' plan was to use WaveNet to upload new games and game updates, which they would provide to arcade owners for free in exchange for a cut of the games' revenues.[12]
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) version was developed by Avalanche Software and published by Williams Entertainment in June, 1996 in North America, and by Acclaim Entertainment on November 28, 1996, in Europe. This version of the game uses the code fromSculptured Software's prior port of the originalMK3 released a year earlier. The limitations of the system led to many cuts being made to fit everything in the SNES cartridge: the announcer no longer says the characters' names, Sheeva was removed,[notes 2] only the five new arcade backgrounds are featured, and Shao Kahn's Lost Treasures chest has only 10 boxes instead of 12. Also, many changes affect the game's finishing moves: Rain and Noob Saibot have no regular Fatalities or other finishing moves; Kitana's "Kiss of Death" only inflates the opponent's heads, reusing the effect from Kabal's "Air Pump" Fatality; Sonya Blade's Friendship fromMK3 is used, as opposed to her Friendship from the arcade version ofUMK3; Ermac's head punch Fatality is altered; Scorpion's "Hellraiser" Fatality is different (he takes the opponent back to the Hell stage, where the opponent simply burns to ash) and is no longer censored like the arcade one.Animality finishing moves were also removed, while still keeping the Mercy move, which originally served as a requirement for Animalities inMK3. On the other hand, Brutalities were introduced; a finishing move in which the player attacks their opponent with a series of kicks and punches which result in the victim exploding. At the same time, some changes were actually improvements over the arcade version. Rain and Noob Saibot are made into playable characters for the first time. Mileena, Ermac, and Classic Sub-Zero are playable out of the box. Motaro and Shao Kahn are unlockable characters for two-player fights, although only one player can choose a boss at a given time. A cheat code allows access to three separate cheat menus, where the player can drastically alter gameplay, access hidden content or view the characters' endings, among many other things.
The Sega Genesis version was developed by Avalanche Software and published by Williams Entertainment on October 11, 1996, in North America and by Acclaim Entertainment on November 28, 1996,[citation needed] in Europe (Mega Drive version). Much like the SNES port, this version of the game uses the code fromSculptured Software's prior port of the originalMK3 released a year earlier. Due to the limitations of the system's hardware, the Sega Genesis port featured inferior graphics and sound to that of the SNES port. Like on the SNES, Sheeva was removed, Shao Kahn's treasure chest has only 10 boxes, the announcer no longer says the characters' names, Kitana's "Kiss of Death" only inflates heads, Scorpion's "Hellraiser" Fatality is different, Sonya's Friendship fromMortal Kombat 3 is used, and the game retains the Bank stage.[notes 3] There were, however, several differences. Unlike the SNES version, the Genesis version features more stages: with the addition of the five new ones, it also features six of the original ones fromMK3, including the Subway, Bank, Rooftop, Soul Chamber, The Temple, and The Pit 3. There are several additional cuts regarding special and finishing moves: both Animalities and Mercy were removed; Rain and Noob were given a Brutality, but no other finishing moves; HumanSmoke shares Scorpion's combos, rather than having unique ones; in Stryker's Friendship, the running characters are replaced by dogs. It did, however, have exclusive features in comparison to the arcade. Again, like the SNES port, Rain and Noob Saibot are made playable characters along with bosses Motaro and Shao Kahn, and Mileena, Ermac, and Classic Sub-Zero are playable without any need of codes; Brutalities are also included in this version. Shang Tsung can morph into Robot Smoke, Noob Saibot, and Rain, which is not possible in the arcades, while Nightwolf is given the Red Shadow shoulder move that was later used inMKT. This version also features a rendition ofPong entitledMK4, which is the same as the one that appeared in the Genesis/Mega Drive port ofMK3.
The Sega Saturn version was developed by Eurocom and published in 1996 by Williams Entertainment in North America and byGT Interactive in Europe. It is based directly on the version ofMortal Kombat 3 that was released for the PlayStation and PC. It thus has the same graphical quality and menu system. Since the arcade intro sequence is missing, Rain does not appear in the game, yet the message Kombat Kode "Rain can be found in the Graveyard" is still displayed. It also contains several elements ofMK3 that were removed for the arcade version ofUMK3, such as "The Bank" level and Noob Saibot being a shadow Kano as inMK3 (not a black ninja as in the arcade version ofUMK3). There are a few new Kombat Kodes, but several that were present in the arcade release do not work any longer. The secret characters can be unlocked via a secret options screen, eliminating the need to enter three separate Kombat Kodes to unlock them (this is much faster, especially since unlocked characters cannot be saved); the Kombat Kodes themselves were also shortened to have six slots instead of ten.
Mortal Kombat Advance is the title given to the Game Boy Advance port of the game, which was developed by Virtucraft and published by Midway Games in North America on December 12, 2001, and in Europe on March 1, 2002. This version is based on the SNES port, but each character (except for Noob Saibot and the bosses) has only one individual Fatality and one Friendship. Three hidden characters can be unlocked by completing any tower other than Novice: Human Smoke (Warrior), Motaro (Master), and Shao Kahn (Grand Master). The GBA control system features two fewer buttons than those used inUMK3, which results in many special moves' button sequences being consolidated or changed. The violence in this game was toned down due to a younger fanbase using the GBA (though the game is still rated "M for Mature") and there is less blood.
On all "Premium Edition" copies of the PlayStation 2 version of 2006'sMortal Kombat: Armageddon, a near arcade-perfect version of the game is included in the first disc. However, it is impossible to save unlocked characters in this version without accessing the EJB menu.
The Xbox Live Arcade version has very few differences from the arcade original. There are some minor glitches in the network play onXbox Live and there is no option to save the Kombat Kode unlocked characters. Online leaderboards were created to keep track of all time network stats and friends, the screen size was adjustable for anything between 4:3 and 16:9 televisions, and unlockableAchievements were also included. The game was accidentally released by Midway on the digital download service on the Friday evening of October 20, 2006, but was quickly pulled about 20 minutes later. According to Xbox Live director of programming,Major Nelson, an emergency meeting was called to discuss what to do about the game's release, knowing some keen users had already purchased the game. The decision was made to go on and release the game on the next morning, four days before its scheduled release date. As of 2010, it remained as the only post-launch XBLA game to be released on any day other than Wednesday. As of June 2010, the game cannot be downloaded as it was removed from XBLA due to "publisher evolving rights and permissions". Those who have purchased the game before this date can re-download and play online.
On June 27, 2007,MK co-creator Ed Boon officially confirmed a Nintendo DS port entitledUltimate Mortal Kombat.[13] The game, developed by Other Ocean Interactive and published by Midway Games on November 12, 2007, in North America and on December 7, 2007, in Europe, is an arcade-perfect port ofUMK3, and includesWi-Fi play and brings back the "Puzzle Kombat" minigame fromMortal Kombat: Deception. Additionally, when unlocking Ermac, Mileena and Classic Sub-Zero with Kombat Kodes on the VS screen, they will remain unlocked, thanks to the inclusion of player profiles.[14]
In December 2010,EA Mobile released aJava-based port of the game for mobile phones.[15] The game features only six playable fighters (Cyrax, Liu Kang, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Sonya, Kitana) and a single boss character (Shao Kahn).
In December 2010, Electronic Arts published their remake of the game for iOS. It features a wireless two-player mode that could function over either Wi-Fi orBluetooth connections. Although the gameplay remains true to the 2D original, the digitized sprites of the arcade machine were replaced with 3D rendered graphics. Control was implemented via an on-screen joystick and buttons, utilizing the iOS-based devices' capacitive touchscreen. Network communication allowed for scores to be posted online, and a simplified control scheme was also included to improve accessibility. The character roster was incomplete, featuring only nine playable characters (Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Kitana, Nightwolf, Jax, Sheeva, Sonya, Liu Kang, and Stryker). Success at playing the game would unlock two additional fighters (Ermac and Jade). Both boss characters were included as CPU-only opponents. The game also features achievements. In June 2011, EA updated it to include the full roster and six new arenas.[16]
The game is a part of the digital release packageMortal Kombat Arcade Kollection, developed by Other Ocean Interactive andNetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive for the PC,PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011.Arcade Kollection also includes the firstMortal Kombat andMortal Kombat II.
In 2019,Arcade1Up released a home arcade cabinet that includedUltimate Mortal Kombat 3, alongsideMortal Kombat andMortal Kombat II.[17]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRankings | X360: 68%[18] DS: 73%[19] |
| Metacritic | X360: 70/100[20] DS: 73/100[21] iOS: 54/100[22] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| AllGame |    (SSAT)[33] |
| Computer and Video Games | SMD, SNES & SSAT: 4/5[23][24] |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | SSAT: 8.6[25] SNES: 6.9[26] |
| Next Generation | Arcade & SSAT:[27][28] |
| TouchArcade | iOS:[29] |
| VideoGames & Computer Entertainment | SSAT: 8/10[30] |
| Maximum | SSAT:[31] |
| Sega Saturn Magazine | SSAT: 91%[32] |
Reviewing the arcade version, aNext Generation critic expressed concern that theMortal Kombat series was headed for the same rutStreet Fighter had fallen into, in which unnecessary updates of the same game replaced new installments. He remarked that even the biggest change the game made, the four new characters, was rendered uninteresting by their recycling of the graphic sets of previous characters. However, he added that "To be fair, there is none of theMK quality, detail, or gameplay missing, just about everything you want is there."[27] According to a laterIGN retrospective, "the revision helped to win over some frustrated fans, but followers ofJohnny Cage,Raiden, andBaraka remained perturbed."[34]
Critical reception of the game has varied depending on the version under review. The initial releases were generally well-received by critics, especially the32-bit Sega Saturn version.EGM named it their "Game of the Month", commenting that it is a "near-perfect" translation of the arcade version, with the only problem being the long loading times.[25]VideoGames rated this port a review score of 8/10, calling it "simply a great game" and stating that "if there was ever a definitiveMK game, this is it."[30] InGamePro, Major Mike summarized that "Saturn owners left out in the cold whenMK 3 hit the PlayStation can now gloat: Ultimate has arrived, and it offers more fighters, moves, fatalities, and secrets thanMK 3." While he criticized some elements of the game itself, such as the weak fatalities, he held that the Saturn conversion faithfully replicates the arcade game in every respect.[35] A reviewer forNext Generation agreed that the Saturn version is an impeccable conversion apart from the "miserable necessity" of load times during Shang Tsung's morphs, but criticizedUltimate Mortal Kombat 3 for offering too little improvement over the originalMortal Kombat 3. While noting that since the original MK3 had never been released for the Saturn, the publishers could not be accused of trying to sell consumers the same game twice, he felt MK3 was a slapdash and unexciting entry in theMortal Kombat series.[28] Rich Leadbetter ofMaximum commented that whileUltimate Mortal Kombat 3 does not measure up to contemporaryCapcom fighters in terms of gameplay, it is unsurpassed in its huge number of secrets and replayability. He also praisedEurocom's conversion, saying it is a superior effort to Williams' conversion ofMK3 for the PlayStation.[31] Rad Automatic ofSega Saturn Magazine, likeEGM andGamePro, praised the game's retention of the full content and quality of the arcade version, but also added, "Capcom have just released three bona fide awesome 2D beat 'em ups onto the Saturn, and ... I couldn't honestly say that I rateMK3 above them."[32] A review byComputer and Video Games called it an "excellent conversion of a greatcoin-op", as well as "[e]ssential for fans, and something well worth consideration from all Saturn owners."[23]
Reviewing the Genesis version,GamePro's Bruised Lee said the graphics and controls are solid by 16-bit standards, but the arcade version's voices and music are poorly reproduced, and the game offers too little beyond the previous installments of the series, all of which had already been released for Genesis. He summarized, "Mortal Kombat fans looking for a quick fix should enjoyUMK3, and players new toMK will find this game a treat. If you're looking for a new fighting game experience, however, you'll have to wait forMK4."[36] He scored the Super NES version lower in fun factor but higher in graphics and sound, stating that this version duplicates the arcade game's voices and music very well. However, he repeated the central point that the game is essentially a slightly modified retread ofMortal Kombat 3.[37] The four reviewers ofElectronic Gaming Monthly likewise praised the quality of the Super NES conversion while noting that it offered little new for fans of the series.Dan Hsu in particular remarked, "Does anyone else feel a little cheated? After all,Mortal Kombat 3 was released for the SNES just a year ago. Now, we're gettingUltimate MK3 (a decent improvement overMK3) while a couple of other systems are gettingMortal Kombat Trilogy. Perhaps SNES carts can't hold enough memory to handle Trilogy. Even so, I wouldn't want to buyUMK3 knowing that a betterMK package exists."[26] The SNES version was nominated forNintendo Power Awards '96 in the category "Best Tournament Fighting Game".[38] Years later,Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 was also named as the best retroMortal Kombat game by Alex Langley of Arcade Sushi in 2013.[39]
Ultimate Mortal Kombat for the Nintendo DS was given a review score of 7.8 out of 10 from IGN's Greg Miller, who wrote that "if all you want is a really solid, fun version ofMortal Kombat 3 that can go online, that's what you're going to get. It's good stuff all around."[40] GameSpot's "Best and Worst of 2006" included the XBLA version among the five best fighting games of the year.[41]
IGN rated the game 97th on its "Top 100 SNES Games of All Time".[42] In 2018,Complex listed the game 68th in their "The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time" writing: "Although not as jaw-dropping asMK2 was when it first came out on the SNES, this was still a great port of the arcade classic."[43]
Ed Boon, one of the creators of the series, has statedUltimate Mortal Kombat 3 to be his favoriteMortal Kombat arcade title.[44]
Due in part to the Genesis and Super NES versions being delayed until the 1996 Christmas season, spawning rumors that they would never be released, those versions met with disappointing sales.[45]
Looking back now, we should have made [sic] the Genesis & Nintendo versions ALSO asMortal Kombat Trilogy instead of selling 2 games at the same time.[46]
Mortal Kombat Trilogy was released by Midway in 1996 as a follow-up toUltimate Mortal Kombat 3. UnlikeUltimate Mortal Kombat 3,Mortal Kombat Trilogy was not released in arcades but was instead released for the Sony PlayStation,Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn and PC, as well as for theGame.com andR-Zone.Mortal Kombat Trilogy features the same gameplay and story, but includes all of the characters from the first three games, adding several completely new ones. Also, it introduces features such as the "Aggressor" bar, a meter that fills during the course of the match to make a player character faster and stronger for a short time, and theBrutality finishing moves (which were then incorporated into the Super NES and Genesis versions ofUltimate Mortal Kombat 3).
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 was also later remastered to be released as part of theMortal Kombat Arcade Kollection in 2011.
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