Mortal Kombat has also developed its own take on the super bar, a common element in fighting games. The bar consists of three sections; one segment can be used to power up a special attack and add hits, two segments can be used to perform a combo breaking attack and three segments can be used to execute a character specific X ray combo. The X ray combo is a truly cool take on the classic super attack that began with Street Fighter, when performed the game will slow down and display the internal damage (skulls cracking, ribs crunching) that each hit of the attack inflicts. Strategy evolves into managing the bar and choosing whether maximizing specials and breaking combos is more important than executing a one time mega combo. Particularly nasty players will string a combo into a special and top it off with a devastating X ray attack. For the first time in Mortal Kombat tag team battles have been included and add a whole new layer of strategy, new tag attacks can be executed at the cost of a super segment that seamlessly swap one character for another while dealing out a nice combo. Tag battles can be played with four players or two and are some of the best local multi player that I have had in a long time.

Mortal Kombat also introduces the challenge tower; a massive collection of battles and mini games that will challenge you to win under some strange circumstances such as battling without a block or no head on your character. Every time anything is accomplished throughout the whole of the game (excluding multi player) points are earned; cool combo? POINTS, win a battle? POINTS, challenge tower level completed? POINTS. These Mortal Kombat points can be used in the Krypt; a graveyard where you may purchase hidden extras, and there are tons such as new fatalities, costumes, artwork, music and cool game play modes that change up the rules. Fatalities are as gory and cool as ever and if your persistent you might even see a couple of ‘babalities’ (turn your enemy into a baby).

THE MULTIPLAYER

Mortal Kombat features the standard and efficient matchmaking that make modern fighting games so accessible, a few unique modes are thrown in as well such as king of the hill (winner goes on) and mode in which spectators vote on the better fighter. The multi player is balanced, deep and fun. There is no lag at all on either console and will play fantastically on both systems.