Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is a 2D fighting game released in 1995 by Midway. It was first made for the arcades and is part of the Mortal Kombat series. The game is an updated version of Mortal Kombat 3, with changes to how it plays, new features, and more characters. Fan favorite playable characters like Reptile, Kitana, Jade, and Scorpion returned after being missing from the previous game.
The game was later released on home consoles, but none of those versions were exactly the same as the arcade original.
When Mortal Kombat 3 came out in arcades in the mid-1990s, fans had very high expectations. Unfortunately, many players were disappointed. The game removed many popular characters, added new gameplay mechanics like that irritating dial-a-combo that some people disliked, and changed the setting to a more modern, non-Asian style that didn’t feel okay to many fans. Missing favorites like Raiden, Scorpion, Johnny Cage, and Baraka made things worse.
Because of the fan backlash, Midway released an updated version the next year called Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. It brought back popular ninja characters, added a few new stages, and fixed some issues. However, it did not completely change how MK3 played, and some problems from the original game were still there.
The game boasts over 20 selectable characters (Image source)
The Story
Get ready for a bloody battle! Jump into Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and choose from 22 fighters. Use classic Fatalities, Brutalities, Friendships, and Babalities while fighting across many otherwordly stages. Play solo or with friends in multiplayer Kombat Mode and battle your way to defeat the Emperor of the realm of Outworld, Shao Kahn.
FINISH HIM!
Box, manual, and cartridge of the game. <a href=https://retromtl.com/cdn/shop/products/IMG_5769-2_580x.jpg?v=1624476855">Image source)
The Graphics and Sound
Because this version is on a weaker system, the graphics are more limited but still good. All five new arcade stages are included, but some details and background parts were removed to save memory. Some character animations are missing a few frames, but this is hard to notice during gameplay.
Due to cartridge limits, many characters share the same fighting stance, moves, and animations. Most of the ninja characters reuse special moves and fatalities from others. For example, Human Smoke uses Scorpion’s moves and Reptile, and Kitana and Sonya share the same flying punch. All the ninjas also look almost the same, just with different colors, and even their ending images are very similar. If you are looking for unique characters, you won’t find much here.
Another disappointment is the lack of stages. Most of the original MK3 backgrounds from the arcade version are missing,
The music is mostly reused from Mortal Kombat 3, but not all tracks made it into the game. Some music exists only in the sound test and not during gameplay. Several voice clips, including Shao Kahn’s famous taunts and some character voices, were removed to save space. Even with these cuts, the game still sounds familiar to Mortal Kombat fans.
Gameplay video sample of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 on the SNES. Watch in 360p for near TV resolution of that time.
The Gameplay
This is where Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 really stands out. Even though the graphics and sound are not as strong as the arcade version, the gameplay feels very close to it. The moves are easy to do, the Super NES buttons work well, and the unfair computer difficulty from MK3 was fixed here.
This version adds Brutalities, which are cool and fun, but very hard to perform. One downside is that Animalities were removed, even though they were easier to use and would have fit the game better. Still, if you accept this as a simplified version, it is easy to enjoy. The game also keeps many of MK3’s glitches and adds a few new ones where some players may find them annoying, while others may enjoy messing around with them.
Fighting games are meant to be replayed, and Ultimate MK3 on the Super NES offers excellent replay value. There are many secret Kombat Kodes, hidden bosses, multiple endings, secret treasures, hidden fatalities, special moves to master, and extra modes to try. With friends, it provides lots of fun and the classic Mortal Kombat action.
My Verdict
Really a Yes, if you want a fun fighting game and still own a Super NES with friends to play with. No, if you plan to play alone or already have better consoles like the PS1, PS2, Xbox 360, or Sega Saturn, which offer the better versions of the game. Still, it is worth trying if you’re a Mortal Kombat fan or a collector who loves the classic MK era before 3D versions took over.
Play it on the beloved Super Nintendo/Super Famicom or play it on a great emulator.
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