Mortal Kombat 3

Midway Games

Company type	Private
Industry	Video games
Founded	1989
Headquarters	Chicago, Illinois , United States
Products	Mortal Kombat series

Mortal Kombat 3 is a 1995 fighting game developed and released by Midway Games specifically for arcade platforms. As the third primary entry in the Mortal Kombat series and a follow-up to 1993's Mortal Kombat II, it showcases a lineup of fighters confronting the revived antagonist Shao Kahn, who has brought back his wife Sindel and initiated an assault on Earthrealm.

Retaining the franchise’s trademark graphic violence, the title introduces new Fatality finishing moves, such as the innovative Animalities. It also marks the debut of combo attacks—preset sequences of consecutive strikes—and incorporates a "Run" button enabling rapid dashes. The "Kombat Kodes" feature permits players to enter specific symbols before matches to activate additional content.

While achieving commercial success and receiving mostly favorable critiques, Mortal Kombat 3 drew some backlash for omitting several popular characters, including the series’ iconic figure Scorpion. These absences were rectified in later versions: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) and Mortal Kombat Trilogy (1996).

Gameplay

Building upon its predecessor’s foundation, Mortal Kombat 3 enhances gameplay by adding a "Run" button coupled with a meter system that balances offense and defense. Players can only run forward, which consumes meter energy both through movement and executing combos.

The game introduces "Chain combos," also known as "dial-a-combos," which are fixed attack sequences that cannot be interrupted once started. These often conclude with moves that launch opponents into the air, allowing for additional juggle combos. To cater to varying player abilities, a "Choose Your Destiny" difficulty option is available in single-player mode.

Certain arenas feature interactive elements where fighters can uppercut adversaries through ceilings, causing battles to shift to different stages and altering the usual stage rotation. This mechanic applies to standard uppercuts, ground combo uppercuts, and Kung Lao’s "Whirl Wind Spin." However, knocking out an opponent does not trigger stage changes.

All finishing move types from Mortal Kombat II return, including Fatalities, Babalities, and Friendships. New for MK3 are Animalities, where combatants morph into animals to defeat foes. Executing an Animality requires first performing a Mercy—which restores a small amount of the opponent’s health after winning two rounds—followed by defeating them again. Additionally, three fresh Stage Fatalities are introduced on the Subway, Bell Tower, and Pit 3 levels.

The title also debuts "Kombat Kodes," six-symbol sequences input at the VS screen during two-player matches that alter gameplay, unlock hidden fighters, or display secret messages. The "Ultimate Kombat Kode," a ten-symbol code entered on the game over screen after all continues are exhausted in single-player mode, unlocks a robotic version of Smoke. Arcade operators had the ability to reset this code through the diagnostic menu. These codes were promoted across gaming media and connected with other Midway products such as pinball machines Jack-Bot, No Fear: Dangerous Sports, and Theatre of Magic, creating cross-promotional content and concealed messages.

Plot

Following his defeat at the hands of Liu Kang in the previous installment, Shao Kahn initiates a scheme that has been dormant for 10,000 years. He commands his Shadow Priests, under the leadership of Shang Tsung, to resurrect his former wife, Queen Sindel—not in Outworld, but within Earthrealm. This strategy enables Shao Kahn to penetrate realms and reclaim Sindel, gradually fusing Earthrealm into Outworld and draining billions of souls. Only a handful remain protected by Raiden, who cautions that Shao Kahn must be stopped but is unable to intervene directly. To eradicate the survivors, Shao Kahn sends extermination squads, compelling Raiden’s chosen fighters to mount a resistance. After Shao Kahn is ultimately defeated, all humans in Earthrealm are restored.

The narrative also explores several important subplots:

• After defeating Shao Kahn in Outworld, Liu Kang becomes a target of the emperor’s squads and joins forces with Kung Lao to spearhead a rebellion that also seeks to liberate Kitana’s Edenia.
• The Lin Kuei clan transforms some of its assassins into cyborgs: Cyrax, Sektor, and Smoke undergo automation, while Sub-Zero and Smoke resist and abandon the clan. Smoke is eventually captured and converted alongside Sektor and Cyrax, programmed to hunt Sub-Zero, who aligns himself with the rebellion.
• Jax rescues both Sonya and Kano while in Outworld; Kano escapes and sides with Shao Kahn’s forces. Sonya and Jax return to Earthrealm to alert their government but are disregarded, leading them to join the insurgency.
• Although allied with Shao Kahn, Centaurians and Shokan remain embroiled in conflict. Sheeva, Sindel’s guardian, suspects Motaro’s elevation to general signals treachery and contemplates opposing Kahn following the apparent deaths of Kintaro and Goro.
• Motivated by vengeance against the Black Dragon clan, Kabal joins the rebellion after discovering Kano survived.
• Stryker, the lone survivor from New York City’s invasion, is compelled by a vision from Raiden to join other fighters in resistance.
• Haunted by ignored premonitions of invasion, Nightwolf participates in the human counterattack by casting a protective spell over his ancestral North American lands, directly challenging Kahn’s occupation.
• Johnny Cage falls victim to Shao Kahn’s extermination squads, seemingly killed by Motaro.

Characters

The roster includes 14 playable fighters along with one hidden character.

New additions:

• Cyrax (Sal Divita) – Yellow cybernetic assassin from the Lin Kuei; second among three cyborgs.
• Kabal (Richard Divizio) – Former member of the Black Dragon clan.
• Nightwolf (Sal Divita) – Native American shaman warrior.
• Sektor (Sal Divita) – Red Lin Kuei cyborg assassin; first of the trio of cybernetic ninjas.
• Sindel (Lia Montelongo) – Revived Queen of Edenia under Shao Kahn’s control.
• Sheeva (stop motion) – Female Shokan loyalist serving Shao Kahn and protector of Sindel.
• Stryker (Michael O'Brien) – Riot control officer.

Returning fighters:

• Jax (John Parrish) – Special Forces major collaborating with Sonya.
• Kano (Richard Divizio) – Black Dragon criminal evading capture.
• Kung Lao (Tony Marquez) – Shaolin monk opposing Shao Kahn’s rule.
• Liu Kang (Eddie Wong) – Champion who previously defeated Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn.
• Sonya Blade (Kerri Hoskins) – Special Forces lieutenant pursuing Kano.
• Sub-Zero (John Turk) – Defector from Lin Kuei rejecting cybernetic transformation.
• Shang Tsung (John Turk) – Sorcerer serving Shao Kahn.
• Smoke (Sal Divita) – Indigo Lin Kuei cyborg assassin; unlockable via Ultimate Kombat Kode.

Boss characters:

• Motaro (stop-motion) – Centaur sub-boss adversary.
• Shao Kahn (Brian Glynn; voice by Steve Ritchie) – Emperor of Outworld and final boss encounter.

Noob Saibot (Richard Divizio) returns as a secret opponent.

Development

Although the development team explored the possibility of incorporating 3D graphics into Mortal Kombat 3, they ultimately chose to continue utilizing sprite-based visuals consistent with earlier installments.

The game featured a subdued color scheme and prominently digitized character models, marking a departure from the mixed digitized and hand-drawn approach seen in MKII. For the first time in the series, backgrounds included pre-rendered 3D elements. Visually, the style transitioned from its previous East Asian inspirations to a more Western, modern look, showcasing urban environments such as highways and rooftops. Among the characters, three were designed as cyborgs, and traditional martial arts costumes were replaced by contemporary attire. The soundtrack abandoned Asian musical themes in favor of electronic compositions.

Due to disputes over likeness rights and royalties, several returning fighters were portrayed by new actors. Original performers like Ho Sung Pak, Phillip Ahn, Elizabeth Malecki, Katalin Zamiar, and Daniel Pesina did not return. Pesina’s appearance in an advertisement for a competing game sparked speculation about his departure. As a result, Eddie Wong assumed the role of Liu Kang; Kerri Hoskins portrayed Sonya Blade; John Turk took on both Shang Tsung and Sub-Zero; and Richard Divizio played Kano and Noob Saibot. Carlos Pesina, who had previously played Raiden, was excluded because of his involvement with a rival title but remained employed by Midway. Raiden reappeared in Mortal Kombat Trilogy through a combination of recycled and newly created sprites.

Release

Mortal Kombat 3 debuted in North American arcades in April 1995, supported by an unprecedented promotional campaign that set records for video game marketing. It was swiftly ported to platforms including Genesis, Super NES, and PlayStation; Ed Boon remarked that the PlayStation version faithfully replicated the arcade experience. Sony secured exclusive global 32-bit publishing rights through the first quarter of 1996, reportedly paying Midway $12 million. This exclusivity delayed releases for Sega Saturn, 3DO, and Atari Jaguar until mid-1996. The Genesis, Super NES, Game Boy, and Game Gear editions were slated for launch on October 13, 1995 ("Mortal Friday"), although some versions missed this target; notably, the Game Gear edition never saw a North American release. In North America, Williams Entertainment published the 16-bit and portable versions instead of Acclaim, which had handled earlier entries; Acclaim retained publishing rights in Europe. Sculptured Software developed the 16-bit console and DOS ports, while Leland Interactive Media—part of WMS Industries—produced the PlayStation and PC versions.

The Game Boy adaptation included nine out of fifteen fighters with limited stages and combo options. Many finishing moves were omitted except for Fatalities and Babalities. Despite being the only ESRB M-rated title on Game Boy, it featured reduced gore compared to other versions. The Europe-exclusive Game Gear version resembled its Game Boy counterpart but added color graphics and a secret character; it lacked blood effects entirely. Tec Toy released a Master System port exclusively in Brazil that mirrored the Game Gear version but incorporated blood visuals.

Two distinct PC editions were available: an MS-DOS version containing unique features such as hidden audio narration, and a Windows port based on the PlayStation release. Although Atari Jaguar and 3DO versions were announced or completed at some stage, they never reached market; similarly, a Sega Saturn port was canceled in favor of focusing on Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.

Mortal Kombat 3 later appeared within compilations like Midway Arcade Treasures 2 for GameCube, PS2, and Xbox; Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition for Windows; and Midway Arcade Treasures: Extended Play on PSP. In 2021, Arcade1Up reissued it alongside other series titles on their Countercade machine. To celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary in 2022, Arcade1Up released an arcade cabinet featuring Mortal Kombat 3 among other classic Midway games.

Commercial

In May 1995, RePlay listed Mortal Kombat 3 as the leading arcade game across U.S. venues. It received an American Amusement Machine Association Diamond Award recognizing strong sales alongside titles like Daytona USA and Neo Geo MVS games. It also ranked as the highest-grossing arcade conversion kit domestically for that year.

Williams Entertainment reported sales totaling 250,000 units during the opening weekend for Super NES and Genesis editions, positioning them among the top-selling games of 1995. By November, Super NES copies sold surpassed one million units. The title became the best-selling home video game in the United States for that year. It earned a nomination from the Video Software Dealers Association for "Video Game of the Year," ultimately losing to Donkey Kong Country 2.

Critical

While achieving commercial success, critiques often targeted the removal of fan-favorite characters such as Scorpion and Kitana in favor of less popular newcomers like Stryker. The revamped combo system received mixed feedback along with new running mechanics and certain finishing moves. A retrospective by PC Gamer in 1998 highlighted gameplay flaws and campy design elements as weaknesses compared to its predecessor.

Contemporary reviews commended graphical fidelity and accurate content reproduction on PlayStation but noted performance issues such as lag during Shang Tsung’s transformation sequences. IGN suggested alternative titles unless catering specifically to devoted fans due to gameplay limitations. Next Generation observed minimal innovation beyond minor additions like fresh characters and combo features.

The Genesis edition was praised for its visual quality relative to other previous-generation consoles but criticized for uninspired gameplay mechanics. GamePro described it as a weak arcade adaptation but acknowledged that the PlayStation port maintained high fidelity despite inherent game shortcomings.

The Super NES release received accolades as arguably the finest "16-bit" adaptation with challenging artificial intelligence and preservation of special options intact; however, some sound-related concerns were mentioned. Initially rated highly by PC Gamer for delivering an excellent arcade experience on PC.

Portable versions faced more severe criticism; GamePro found Game Boy controls imprecise with subpar visuals.

In rankings published by GamesMaster, both Mega Drive and SNES versions secured prominent positions within their respective system libraries.

Legacy

Main articles: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and Mortal Kombat Trilogy

Arriving later in arcades during 1995, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 enhanced gameplay by adding new characters and arenas. Subsequent home releases between 2002 and 2010 included titles such as Mortal Kombat Advance for Game Boy Advance and Ultimate Mortal Kombat on Nintendo DS—both featuring minigames inspired by later series entries.

This revision served as a basis for the console-exclusive Mortal Kombat Trilogy released in 1996 and was later remastered within the Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection compilation in 2011.

Narrative components from Mortal Kombat 3 influenced elements seen in the sequel film Mortal Kombat Annihilation, released in 1997.

External links

• Mortal Kombat 3 on Arcade-History