Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

Midway Games

Company type	Private
Industry	Video games
Founded	1989
Fate	Defunct (2010)
Headquarters	Chicago, Illinois , United States
Products	Mortal Kombat series, including Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is an action-adventure title launched in 2005 by Midway for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox platforms. This game serves as a spin-off within the Mortal Kombat universe, retelling the storyline from Mortal Kombat II (1993). Players assume control of the Shaolin warriors Liu Kang and Kung Lao, either solo or cooperatively, as they defend Earthrealm against invading Outworld forces.

Conceptual plans for a Liu Kang-focused spin-off date back to the early 2000s but were initially abandoned following the unfavorable reception of earlier adventure-based entries such as Mythologies: Sub-Zero (1997) and Special Forces (2000). The official announcement of Shaolin Monks came in 2004, aligning with Midway’s initiative to produce yearly Mortal Kombat installments. Designed to resonate with franchise enthusiasts, it integrates classic fighting game mechanics including Fatalities, combo chains, and a versus mode.

Upon its North American release on September 19, 2005, the game was praised for effectively adapting the series into an adventure format and its cooperative gameplay features. Nonetheless, opinions varied regarding its storyline, visual presentation, and relatively brief duration. Commercially, it achieved success by surpassing one million units sold.

Gameplay

Players can engage in three main modes: single-player, cooperative play where two participants advance together unlocking unique areas and items, and a versus mode that facilitates player battles within select arenas. Additionally, the game includes a playable demo of The Suffering: Ties That Bind and an arcade-perfect emulation of Mortal Kombat II sourced from Midway Arcade Treasures 2.

The combat system in Shaolin Monks is multi-directional, enabling seamless attacks on multiple adversaries at once. Combos can be sustained across several enemies, incorporating aerial strikes and throws. The game retains signature moves familiar to series fans. Experience points gained primarily through defeating foes are used to enhance combos and unlock special abilities. Environmental dangers such as spinning spike wheels and bottomless pits function both as instant defeat mechanisms for enemies and as interactive elements for solving puzzles to reveal hidden content.

Returning from previous titles, Fatalities are executed via a meter that fills through combo performance, allowing players to perform these finishing moves regardless of the opponent’s remaining health. Characters showcase various revamped Fatalities and can access Multalities—special Fatalities targeting multiple opponents simultaneously. The game also reintroduces Brutalities, which temporarily boost attack strength after being triggered.

Story

The narrative of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks follows the events depicted in Mortal Kombat II, picking up after the original Mortal Kombat. Following Liu Kang’s victory over Shang Tsung on his island fortress, Shang Tsung escapes through a portal to Outworld accompanied by his allies as the island collapses beneath them. Liu Kang and Kung Lao struggle to flee toward Wu Shi Academy.

At the academy, Raiden issues a warning about an impending assault by Baraka and his Tarkatan warriors; during this attack, Baraka kidnaps Sonya Blade. Shang Tsung’s strategy involves drawing Liu Kang’s group into Outworld to confront them outside the official tournament framework, thereby endangering Earthrealm’s security.

Under Raiden’s guidance and with assistance from Johnny Cage, Liu Kang and Kung Lao traverse Outworld meeting allies while uncovering Emperor Shao Kahn’s expansionist objectives. Shang Tsung impersonates Raiden to bolster his power by orchestrating defeats against Liu Kang’s comrades.

The Shaolin monks ultimately overcome Shang Tsung and Kintaro before facing Shao Kahn himself. With Raiden’s support, they defeat the Emperor and are declared champions. As they celebrate their victory securing Earthrealm’s future, Quan Chi ominously retrieves his Amulet, foreshadowing forthcoming dangers.

Characters

The central heroes in Shaolin Monks are Liu Kang and Kung Lao, with support from allies such as Raiden, Johnny Cage, Kitana, Sub-Zero, and Jax, who assist players during various segments. The game’s boss adversaries include Shao Kahn, Shang Tsung, Mileena, Jade, Reptile, Baraka, Goro, Scorpion, and Kintaro. Optional boss encounters feature Ermac and Kano. Additional characters such as Sonya Blade, Kabal, Noob Saibot, and Quan Chi primarily appear within cutscenes. Smoke provides optional mission assignments, while Blaze is seen in a background battle. Finishing the game unlocks Sub-Zero and Scorpion for play in story mode. In versus mode, playable fighters include Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Johnny Cage, Kitana, Reptile, and Baraka; all except Liu Kang and Kung Lao require token collection to unlock.

Development

Following the release of Mortal Kombat: Special Forces (2000), a spin-off focused on Liu Kang was initially planned but postponed due to John Tobias’s exit from the company and the poor reception of that title. By October 2004, Midway Games president David F. Zucker described Shaolin Monks as a foundational step toward establishing yearly releases within the Mortal Kombat franchise.

Producer Shaun Himmerick sought to create a Mortal Kombat experience enriched by a more complex narrative, merging adventure game components with the series’ traditional fighting gameplay. Co-creator Ed Boon took on the role of creative director and contributed to the development of the fighting system. The development team prioritized integrating action with multi-directional combat to avoid repetitive "button mashing," granting players freedom to execute moves in any direction. Classic elements from Mortal Kombat were incorporated to strengthen its appeal.

Inspired by Ed Boon’s favorite installment, Mortal Kombat II, the storyline centers on Liu Kang and Kung Lao, reflecting that game’s legacy. The versus mode originated from an accidental bug during testing and was designed to incorporate adventure-style elements uncommon in previous series entries. The engine powering the game differs from that used in Mortal Kombat Deception, aiming to rival other titles within the adventure genre. Cooperative play supports joint moves and exploration opportunities unavailable in solo mode; plans initially considered support for more than two players. Audio direction was managed by Dan Forden, while Jamie Christopherson composed the musical score.

Reception

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks exceeded one million copies sold and garnered predominantly positive critical acclaim. On GameRankings, it maintains average scores of 79.10% for PlayStation 2 and 80.64% for Xbox. Reviewers applauded its effective transformation of the franchise into an engaging action title, highlighting gameplay features such as Fatalities and combo mechanics reminiscent of classic Mortal Kombat as well as God of War. 1UP.com praised the challenging artificial intelligence that encourages inventive strategies, while GameZone found boss battles particularly satisfying due to their tactical demands. The cooperative mode was recognized for unlocking secret bonuses but criticized for restricting progress continuation in single-player mode. It earned a nomination from GameSpot as one of the five Most Surprisingly Good Games of 2005.

XPlay commended the extensive variety of combos and finishing moves, recommending cooperative play for an enhanced experience. TeamXbox shared this view, emphasizing improved combo execution when playing with two participants. The game received the Satellite Award for Best Action/Adventure Game of 2005.

Regarding story and presentation, IGN criticized the voice acting as forced, particularly for Liu Kang and Raiden’s characters. GameZone complimented visually appealing environments, especially highlighting the Pit stage. TeamXbox found the narrative enjoyable despite mixed opinions about other Mortal Kombat stories. GameSpot noted issues with excessive backtracking and a convoluted climax involving unclear betrayals. WorthPlaying observed that the plot heavily relies on nostalgia by featuring fan-favorite characters like Johnny Cage and Raiden assisting the protagonists, contrasting with their prior title, Deception.

Controversy

The London-based agency Maverick Media produced an advertisement for Shaolin Monks titled "Blood on the Carpet," which was criticized by the Advertising Standards Authority for promoting and endorsing violent behavior. The commercial illustrated a confrontation in a boardroom that escalated into explicit acts of violence, including stabbing and decapitation. After receiving complaints, the ASA directed Midway to avoid repeating such content and recommended they seek guidance from CAP Copy Advice prior to releasing future advertisements.

Legacy

Paradox had plans for a follow-up game centered on Scorpion and Sub-Zero called Mortal Kombat: Fire & Ice, but financial difficulties led to its cancellation. Ed Boon regarded Shaolin Monks as the finest spinoff in the series and mentioned that discussions about a sequel ceased when the Moorpark studio was shut down.

In October 2013, Boon hinted at the possibility of an HD remake, showing enthusiasm for developing one eventually, although not imminently. He also disclosed that earlier talks had taken place regarding an enhanced version for the PS3 and Xbox 360 platforms several years prior.