Review: Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection – A Deep Dive into Fighting Game History
The Mortal Kombat franchise stands as a titan in the fighting game genre, a bloody behemoth that has captivated and sometimes scandalized players for over three decades. The Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection arrives as Digital Eclipse’s reverent tribute, a painstakingly assembled compilation aiming not just to resurrect these classics, but to contextualize and celebrate their enduring impact. This isn’t merely a re-release; it’s a digital museum, a history lesson disguised as a brutal brawl.
Unleashing the Past: A Comprehensive Roster of Klassic Kombat
The Legacy Kollection boasts an impressive lineup, encompassing eleven distinct Mortal Kombat titles spread across various platforms. This isn’t simply a port of the arcade versions; Digital Eclipse has meticulously curated versions from home consoles, handhelds, and even forgotten corners of the Mortal Kombat universe. Prepare to revisit:
- Mortal Kombat (1992): Relive the arcade sensation that started it all. Experience the digitized sprites, the shocking fatalities, and the birth of a legend. The kollection includes the Arcade, Genesis, Game Boy, Game Gear and SNES versions
- Mortal Kombat II (1993): The sequel that refined the formula, adding new characters, moves, and even more gruesome fatalities. Experience the Arcade, Genesis, Game Boy, 32X, and SNES versions.
- Mortal Kombat 3 (1995): Expanding the roster and introducing the concept of combos and running, MK3 pushed the series into a faster, more aggressive direction. Play the Arcade, Genesis, and SNES versions.
- Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995): The definitive edition of MK3, featuring returning characters, new secrets, and enhanced gameplay. The inclusion of the WaveNet version of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is a particular treasure, showcasing a rare glimpse into an experimental online iteration of the game. Available on SNES, Arcade, and WaveNet
- Mortal Kombat Trilogy (1996): A massive roster featuring characters from across the MK universe, bundled into a single, chaotic package. Relive the PS1 version.
- Mortal Kombat 4 (1997): The series’ first foray into 3D fighting, MK4 brought new characters and a more cinematic presentation to the arcade. Available on Arcade
- Mortal Kombat Advance (2001): A unique adaptation of Mortal Kombat 3 for the Game Boy Advance.
- Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002): Another GBA adaptation, this time of the more modern Deadly Alliance
- Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition (2003): A GBA version of the game
- Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero (1997): A spin-off action-adventure game starring the icy ninja. While perhaps not the MK’s finest moment, its inclusion provides fascinating insight into the series’ experimental phase.
- Mortal Kombat: Special Forces (2000): Another foray into the action-adventure genre, starring Jax Briggs. While it had flaws, it is another historical curiosity.
This adds up to 23 ways to play eleven different games.
Beyond the Arcade: Unearthing Hidden Treasures and Unique Versions
What truly elevates Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection beyond a simple rehash is its dedication to preserving the nuances of each version. Digital Eclipse hasn’t simply emulated the arcade ROMs; they’ve gone the extra mile to include console ports, handheld adaptations, and even obscure variations. This allows for a fascinating comparative study of how the games evolved across different platforms, showcasing the ingenuity of developers in adapting the core Mortal Kombat experience to vastly different hardware.
The WaveNet Wonder: A Glimpse into Online Kombat History
The inclusion of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 WaveNet is a particularly noteworthy addition. This largely forgotten version of UMK3 represents an early experiment in online fighting games, offering a fascinating glimpse into the challenges and possibilities of networked multiplayer in the mid-90s. While its online functionality is largely defunct in its original form, its presence in the Legacy Kollection serves as a valuable historical artifact, reminding us of the long road that led to modern online fighting game experiences.
Embracing Imperfection: Acknowledging the Flaws and Quirks
Not every game in the Legacy Kollection is a masterpiece. Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero and Mortal Kombat: Special Forces stand as testaments to the series’ occasional missteps, ventures into the action-adventure genre that failed to capture the magic of the core fighting games. However, their inclusion is not without merit. These titles offer a valuable perspective on the creative risks that Midway Games took in attempting to expand the Mortal Kombat universe, showcasing the series’ willingness to experiment and innovate even when the results weren’t always successful.
Modern Enhancements: Fine-Tuning the Kombat Experience
While the Legacy Kollection aims to preserve the authenticity of the original games, it also incorporates a number of modern enhancements designed to improve the overall playing experience.
Visual Fidelity: Reviving the Retro Aesthetic
Digital Eclipse has implemented a range of visual options designed to cater to both purists and those seeking a more modern presentation. Players can choose to emulate the look of classic CRT monitors, complete with scanlines and curvature, or opt for a cleaner, more pixel-perfect rendering. The inclusion of resolution scaling options, particularly the 4x resolution for Mortal Kombat 4, allows players to experience these games in a level of detail previously unseen.
Training Mode: Honing Your Kombat Skills
The inclusion of a robust training mode is a welcome addition, providing players with the tools they need to master the intricacies of each game’s fighting system. Features such as input displays, distance trackers, and move lists make it easier than ever to learn combos, experiment with special moves, and hone your skills before stepping into a match. The ability to toggle on developer menus and unlock secret characters further enhances the training experience, allowing players to delve deeper into the hidden depths of each game.
Rewind Feature: A Safety Net for the Novice Kombatant
For those who struggle with the unforgiving difficulty of classic fighting games, the Legacy Kollection offers a rewind feature, allowing players to quickly undo mistakes and try again. This feature is particularly useful for navigating the notoriously challenging single-player modes of the early Mortal Kombat games, providing a safety net for players who are still learning the ropes.
Customizable Controls: Tailoring the Experience to Your Preferences
The Legacy Kollection allows players to remap the controls to their liking, ensuring a comfortable and intuitive playing experience. While some versions may have minor labeling issues, the overall functionality of the control customization options is solid, allowing players to tailor the game to their individual preferences.
The Krypt: Unearthing the Secrets of Mortal Kombat’s Past
Perhaps the most compelling feature of the Legacy Kollection is The Krypt, a virtual museum dedicated to the history and development of the Mortal Kombat franchise. This section is packed with concept art, design documents, interviews, and other behind-the-scenes materials, offering a fascinating glimpse into the creative process that brought these iconic games to life.
The Kreation of Mortal Kombat: A Comprehensive Documentary
The centerpiece of The Krypt is “The Kreation of Mortal Kombat,” a multipart documentary that chronicles the genesis of the series, from its initial conception to its meteoric rise to fame. Featuring interviews with key members of the development team, this documentary provides invaluable insights into the challenges and triumphs of creating a game that would redefine the fighting game genre.
A Timeline of Kombat: Contextualizing the Series’ Evolution
The interactive timeline within The Krypt offers a valuable historical context for the Mortal Kombat series, charting its evolution across different games, platforms, and eras. This feature helps players to understand the key innovations and design choices that shaped the series, providing a deeper appreciation for its enduring legacy.
Online Kombat: A Missed Opportunity at Launch
Unfortunately, the online multiplayer functionality of the Legacy Kollection is one of its weakest aspects. While the game does feature rollback netcode for several of the included titles, the lack of lobbies, group options, and other essential features significantly limits the online experience. While Digital Eclipse has promised to address these issues in future updates, the current state of online multiplayer is a significant disappointment.
Initial Imperfections: Addressing Launch Day Concerns
At launch, the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection has been plagued by a number of technical issues, including input lag, audio glitches, and other bugs. While Digital Eclipse has acknowledged these issues and is working to address them in future patches, they detract from the overall experience. The absence of sound effects in the 32X version of Mortal Kombat II is a particularly egregious oversight, rendering this version virtually unplayable until a fix is implemented.
The Verdict: A Flawed but Fascinating Tribute
Despite its flaws, the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection remains a valuable and compelling tribute to one of the most iconic fighting game franchises of all time. Its comprehensive roster, deep historical content, and modern enhancements make it a must-have for Mortal Kombat fans and fighting game enthusiasts alike. While the online multiplayer issues and technical glitches are disappointing, they do not detract from the overall value of this lovingly crafted compilation. With its educational depth and extensive content, this Kollection offers a unique perspective on the legacy and origins of Mortal Kombat that no fan should miss. The Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is available for Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.