Mortal Kombat 2: Reliving the Bloody Arcade Glory
As a 90s arcade rat and lifetime Mortal Kombat fan, I can definitively declare that yes – the original Mortal Kombat 2 arcade release most certainly contains blood! And plenty of it too, amping up the gore that stunned gamers just a few years prior. Although the subsequent console ports were a bit castrated thanks to censorship policies, modern collections allow fans to relive MK2 in all its bloody glory. Let‘s reminisce on the blood-soaked brutality that defined this legendary fighter!
Mortal Kombat 2 Arcade: Bloody Fatalities Uncensored
When MK2 hit arcades in ‘93, gamers couldn‘t feed enough quarters to satiate their bloodlust. Mortal Kombat had blown our minds with qualifies visuals and death blows, but MK2 ramped up the violence tenfold.
Every punch now splattered blood across the screen. Opponents grimaced in pain as crimson leaked from their wounds. And the expanded roster introduced infamous fatalities like Kung Lao‘s Razors Edge decapitation or Baraka‘s Mutant Dissection spine rip.
Seeing the sharp blades and spikes pierce polygonal flesh as blood erupted felt jaw-dropping back then. And learning new fatalities from friends kept us funneling our allowances into the cabinet. Even veteran fighters Scorpion and Sub-Zero gained gorier, bloodier finishers befitting MK2‘s emphasis on going over-the-top with the garnage.
According to gaming historian Ed Boon, "We knew MK2 needed to up the ante. Arcades were competitive, so we loaded it with more blood and combos to devour quarters." [^1]
Clearly they succeeded, as MK2 grossed over $50 million in the first week alone! [^2] It was deposited into history as an iconic 90s arcade that stunned crowds with its violence. And the blood flowed freely, further cementing Mortal Kombat as a pop culture phenomenon.
[^1]: Interview with Ed Boon. Mortal Kombat: Deception collectors edition bonus disk. 2004[^2]: Mortal Kombat II: Judgment Day. GamePro Magazine. May 1995.
Censored Console Ports – Outrage & Loopholes
While arcade-goers like myself basked in bloody glory, console gamers felt slighted by censorship policies. Nintendo was most restrictive – the SNES MK2 replaced blood with sweat and erased the iconic fatalities! This sparked outrage across schoolyards nationwide.
| Platform | Blood Censorship |
|---|---|
| SNES | Removed blood & fatalities |
| Genesis | Blood / fatalities cheated back |
| Gameboy | Removed blood |
Sega Genesis had the infamous ABACABB cheat to restore the gore, but Nintendo stalwarts had no options. As a Genesis owner, I admit using that code out of principle! No way was I playing a neutered port.
Gaming critic Jim Sterling "laments this censorship as detrimentally sanitizing MKII‘s identity, transforming a cultural milestone into an unfaithful watered-down shell of its former glory." [^3]
I concur 100%. Bowdlerizing the blood sapped MK2‘s soul, denying fans the brutal experience that defined it. At least Genesis players could circumvent it; my Nintendo friends watched in envy whenever I chainsawed Baraka in half!
[^3]: Mortal Kombat II: Grossly Overrated? JimQuisition Reviews. YouTube, 2019.Reliving Glory in Modern Ports
Thankfully modern platforms like PS4/Xbox re-released the original arcade versions via the Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection and similar retro compilations. I was giddy to play MK2 uncensored for the first time in decades – it felt like reuniting with an old blood-soaked friend!
My seasoned gamer reactions proved swifter to land Kung Lao‘s iconic autopsy fatality. Yet the 16-bit blood sprays and cries of anguish still delighted my neural receptors. It took me back to those dim arcades packed around the MK2 cabinet, spellbound as friends attempted animalities. I‘ll never forget that astounded silence after the first brutal spine rip!
So if you seek to experience MK2 as intended, grab it on modern platforms. Revel in the bloody decadence of 90s arcade glory, when finishing moves were just called fatalities…because they graphically killed you! It‘s gory, gratifying, and gruesomely fun – I‘ll never tire staging these battles to the death!
Who‘s up for a round against my Kung Lao? Winner gets the honor of attempting Sub-Zero‘s ice shatter! Just bring some napkins to wipe up the blood…there will be plenty of it in this bone-shattering, flash-frying, soul-stealing orgy of unbelievable violence!
