Mortal Kombat (2011) Throwing Back to Classic Mortal Kombat Series

When I played Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition (glad I didn't buy the game immediately) - I had my thoughts it was a Mortal Kombat Trilogyremake with a throwback to the classic series with a newer, better fighting system. Character-wise the original no download roster includes most MK Trilogy characters minus Motaro, Chameleon, Khameleon, Robo-Smoke, Rain (he is DLC ) and for one the boss characters aren't playable because they are extremely difficult to beat and cheap, for balance reasons in VS Gameplay. Yeah, MK Trilogy for the PS1/Saturn had issues with balance in VS Gameplay because the bosses were playable.

So what was taken back from the original 2D Mortal Kombat games? One can notice these throwbacks to the original MK storyline prior to reincarnation aside from the obvious block button and sweep moves:

1.) Kombat Kodes 

These are back though most of them are pretty new like headless combat, armless combat, rainbow kombat, zombie kombat, tournament mode and infinite meter. I still think its return isn't all as cool. 

2.) Some stages have a classic remix in VS Mode when selected with the start button.

3.) The Ladder Mode

 

while you don't get to choose your destiny with several ladders but, you might get a classic throwback. After you fight seven characters, you fight MK1-style Shang Tsung (who can morph, the regular Shang Tsung can't morph even with the old man appearance which balances VS gameplay), either Goro or Kintaro and then Shao Kahn. Shao Kahn is fought at Kahn's Arena which is like MK2 and his death animation is a modification of his death animation in MK2.

4.) The "klassic battles" are back with CPU only versions of Reptile, Jade, Smoke and Noob Saibot. 

To get Reptile, get two flawless victories at the Pit (the shadow must appear) and perform a pit fatlaity (modification of MK I's method). To fight Smoke, well he is seldom hiding at the Living Forest, press Up and Start. For Noob Sabot, fight at the Temple stage and make sure he is there, don't block and you will fight him. Jade is ridiculously difficult since you need to defeat Shang Tsung in the Ladder without getting hit (would have been easier if that Shang Tsung where the non-boss version!)

5.) The Tag Team Mode is a remake of the 2 vs. 2 battle in MK Trilogy, MK4 and MK Gold. 

Unlike the 2 vs. 2 before, you can now tag in and tag out characters like in Tekken Tag Tournament and the Marvel vs. Capcom series. hs has the more traditional tag team where you must defeat two characters instead of just one which for me, MK 2011 should have copied Tekken Tag Tournament's tagging method instead since Shang Tsung, Goro, Kintaro and Shao Kahn don't get a tag partner.

6.) Going back to rumors and making them reality yet again...

MK1 Rumors:

• The game brought in Ermac as an MK1 character, in this game in the MK1 reincarnated storyline, Ermac does appear! Ermac did appear at the Warrior Shrine in MK Shaolin Monks due to a false secret that Ermac can be fought at the Warrior Shrine.

MK2 Rumors:

• The Living Forest fatality was fully incorporated. It was done last tine during MK Shaolin Monks when the player needed to feed the trees to progress.
• The "meathook" finisher was not added but there is a reference there. When fighting at the Dead Pool, one can see people being hang at the meathooks and submerged into acid.
• The fake character Skarlet (termed by some as "Blood") was made into a DLC character.

7.) Throwing back to the movies and other non-canon media:

• Some character designs and movements are based on the MK movie franchise namely:
• Sonya Blade looks like Brigitte Wilson
• Kano has his movie appearance
• Johnny Cage's glasses break in his outro. I enjoy using Johnny Cage against Goro for that reason.
• Shang Tsung's phrase, "Your soul is mine." was taken from the movies. Also noted, Shang Tsung's youthful appearance almost looks like Kabai Singh.
• Shang Tsung in the MK1 Storyline also brings in Kano to fight Sonya. However Sonya doesn't kill Kano here. He also somewhat plans to use Sonya as his key to make sure, Earthrealm loses. In the movie, he wanted to fight Sonya instead of Liu Kang to make the battle easy for him.
• Kitana appears in the MK1 storyline, fights Liu Kang and has a truce.
• Sindel disowns Kitana before she kills all the other Earth Warriors. A bloodier reference to the failed MK Annihilation movie.
• Scorpion's taking the first Sub-Zero (Bi-Han) into the Netherrealm for their battle was similar to that of Johnny Cage's battle with Scorpion in the movie but with Scorpion as the victor.