Mortal Kombat 4

Midway Games

Industry	Video games
Headquarters	Chicago , United States
Products	Mortal Kombat 4

Mortal Kombat 4 represents the fourth primary entry in the Mortal Kombat fighting franchise, developed by Midway Games. Launched in arcades in 1997, it marked the franchise's initial transition to 3D computer graphics and stood as one of Midway’s pioneering titles utilizing this technology. Additionally, it was the final installment to be released in arcades. In 1998, the game was adapted for PlayStation, Nintendo 64, PC, and Game Boy Color, with an enhanced edition titled Mortal Kombat Gold debuting exclusively on the Dreamcast.

The gameplay maintains the fundamental mechanics from earlier versions, with the notable introduction of weapons and interactive items during combat sequences. The narrative focuses on the malevolent Elder God Shinnok who launches an assault against his former allies responsible for his imprisonment in the Netherealm. Seventeen fighters participate in this conflict between forces of light and darkness, striving to thwart Shinnok’s domination over all realms.

Throughout development, Midway encountered difficulties adapting to 3D rendering as this was among their first ventures into three-dimensional fighting games. Co-creator Ed Boon aimed to intensify the game’s brutality by eliminating the humorous finishing moves characteristic of previous installments. Upon its release, Mortal Kombat 4 garnered mostly favorable feedback, although its Game Boy Color adaptation faced criticism.

Gameplay

The core gameplay of Mortal Kombat 4 preserves key elements from prior titles such as the run function and combo attacks, with characters restricted to a two-dimensional plane despite being rendered in 3D, allowing players to sidestep opponents. A new feature is a limited weapon system where each fighter can wield a unique weapon through specific button sequences, primarily executed via punch buttons for swinging, striking, or throwing. These weapons can be deliberately dropped and seized by adversaries, adding a strategic layer alongside environmental objects like detached heads and stones.

Additionally, MK4 enforces a "Maximum Damage" limit on combos to avoid infinite sequences; however, this restriction can be lifted through cheat codes. Unlike Mortal Kombat Trilogy, which offered multiple Fatality options per character, Mortal Kombat 4 provides two Fatalities for each fighter plus two Stage Fatalities triggered in designated arenas. This installment omits non-playable boss characters except for Goro, who appears exclusively in home console versions.

Plot

Long before the events of the original game, Elder God Shinnok endeavored to seize control over all six realms but was ultimately defeated by thunder deity Raiden and confined within the Netherrealm. With assistance from sorcerer Quan Chi, Shinnok breaks free and seeks vengeance against the Elder Gods. He successfully overtakes Edenia with aid from the traitorous Tanya while preparing an assault on the Elder Gods themselves. To confront this looming danger, Raiden summons Earthrealm warriors who had previously defended their realms against Emperor Shao Kahn.

Characters

Mortal Kombat 4 presents a lineup of 15 selectable fighters along with hidden combatants. The character list is as follows:

Introduced characters:

• Fujin — The Wind God and ally to Raiden, originally appearing in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero.
• Jarek — The last surviving member of the Black Dragon clan following Kano's presumed demise.
• Kai — A Shaolin monk and close companion of Liu Kang.
• Quan Chi — A malevolent sorcerer who supports Shinnok; this marks his debut as a playable fighter after prior roles in spin-offs and animated adaptations.
• Reiko — An assassin from Outworld serving as one of Shinnok’s generals.
• Shinnok — A fallen Elder God who serves as both the final boss and a playable character, returning from Mythologies: Sub-Zero.
• Tanya — A traitor originating from Edenia.

Returning fighters:

• Goro — The Shokan champion who acts as a sub-boss in home console versions.
• Jax — A U.S. Special Forces operative pursuing Jarek.
• Johnny Cage — A Hollywood actor striving to produce his next film.
• Liu Kang — Shaolin monk and reigning Mortal Kombat champion determined to defeat Shinnok.
• Noob Saibot (hidden) — An undead minion serving Quan Chi.
• Raiden — The thunder god guiding humanity.
• Reptile — A Zaterran warrior allied with Shinnok to protect his realm.
• Scorpion — An undead ninja seeking vengeance against Sub-Zero and Quan Chi.
• Sonya Blade — A Special Forces lieutenant intent on apprehending Jarek.
• Sub-Zero — Former member of the Lin Kuei clan, hunted by Scorpion.

Additionally, the game introduces the secret character and alternate skin known as Meat, which transforms fighters into bloodied skeletal forms. Unlike earlier palette swaps, Mortal Kombat 4 offers genuine alternate costumes. Later, Mortal Kombat Gold expands the roster with five new fighters plus an additional hidden character.

Development

Co-creator Ed Boon encountered new challenges managing a larger development team for Mortal Kombat 4, with programmers Todd Allen and Mike Boon joining the project. Midway prioritized enhancing Fatalities by removing humorous elements seen in previous entries and discontinued Animalities due to constraints imposed by 3D graphics. To improve Fatality animations, some sequences were created using computer-generated imagery from multiple camera perspectives rather than relying solely on live actors, streamlining production.

The development team moved away from the "digital skin" approach used in Midway’s earlier 3D fighter War Gods, opting instead to exploit the capabilities of the Zeus hardware, which could render up to 1.2 million polygons per second, enabling more detailed character models.

Although gameplay was intended to mirror earlier titles, it was adapted into a fully 3D environment. Ed Boon was initially concerned about slower gameplay pacing and therefore hand-animated frames with timing akin to that found in Street Fighter EX. Motion capture was also employed to supplement animations, with Boon and Richard DiVizio performing moves as reference material.

To promote the game, Midway organized a 35-city U.S. tour featuring a build with nine characters, including Noob Saibot as a hidden fighter exclusive to console editions. Art director Tony Goskie developed the "Meat" model originally for use in character skinning effects; it subsequently became a secret playable character. The name appeared on Ed Boon’s website during promotion of the game’s third arcade revision.

Looking back, Boon expressed regret over selecting Shinnok as the final boss, preferring larger adversaries similar to those featured in previous installments. For arcade hardware, Midway opted for EPROM storage instead of hard drives due to cost-effectiveness and faster access times, supporting features such as dynamic stage backgrounds during battles.

Release

The arcade edition of Mortal Kombat 4 debuted in North America in September 1997, followed by its European release later that year. Subsequently, it was adapted for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Microsoft Windows. An enhanced version titled Mortal Kombat Gold was launched exclusively for the Dreamcast. Additionally, a version for the Game Boy Color was developed.

Home consoles

The console adaptations were handled by Eurocom, known for their work on the Sega Saturn port of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. The Nintendo 64 version took approximately eight months to complete. Their primary objective was to sustain a steady 60 frames per second. While all features from the arcade were preserved, Eurocom lowered polygon counts to suit the technical constraints of the Nintendo 64 hardware. Development support came from Ed Boon and lead arcade artist Dave Michicich. This port introduced the Ice Pit stage and included a second set of alternate costumes for every character, expanding upon the arcade’s single unlockable outfit set. The PC and PlayStation editions incorporate Full Motion Video (FMV) sequences for intros, character biographies, and endings, whereas the cartridge-based Nintendo 64 version uses in-game animations similar to those found in the arcade. Notably, FMV-capable versions provide a unique ending for Reiko involving Shao Kahn's throne, which is replaced by a fade-to-black scene on other platforms.

Mortal Kombat Gold

Developed by Eurocom, Mortal Kombat Gold served as an expanded edition and was released as a Dreamcast launch title on September 9, 1999, in North America and October 14 in Europe. It featured additional characters (Baraka, Cyrax, Kitana, Mileena, Kung Lao, and a hidden Sektor) alongside new stages. A weapon selection mechanic was also introduced, enhancing strategic gameplay elements.

Game Boy Color

The Game Boy Color iteration of MK4, created by Digital Eclipse and published by Midway, utilizes 2D gameplay instead of the 3D format seen in other versions. It offers nine playable characters—Raiden, Quan Chi, Fujin, Liu Kang, Sub-Zero, Reiko, Tanya, Scorpion, and secret character Reptile—with Shinnok as the final boss. Fatalities are represented through brief FMV clips rather than in-game animations. This version employs a 2D engine recycled from the Game Boy port of MK3, featuring comparable character selection and "Choose Your Destiny" screens. Background music consists of repetitive instrumental tracks tailored for Game Boy hardware limitations, with blood effects confined to Fatality sequences. The combo system and weapon mechanics were omitted.

Reception

Upon its debut on arcade circuits, concerns regarding the game's violent content surfaced; Ed Boon remarked that more graphic titles already existed but MK4 gained attention due to its popularity.

Arcade reviews from Next Generation and GamePro commended the crisp 3D visuals combined with traditional 2D fighting mechanics and a well-balanced roster of new and returning fighters. Next Generation characterized it as "fast-moving, dark, and disturbing," though criticized its lack of originality. GamePro noted bugs and limited fatalities in version 1.0 but appreciated the weapons system and fresh characters; version 2.0 enhanced controls and introduced genuine 3D movement despite some camera challenges.

The Nintendo 64 edition holds an average score of 76% on GameRankings, with PlayStation at 75.75% and PC at 72.14%. Critics generally praised gameplay but observed it closely mirrored earlier entries. The PS1 and PC versions improved responsiveness and added exclusive FMV scenes; however, some reviewers found them uninspired without multiplayer modes.

The N64 port received favorable reviews for accurately replicating the arcade experience, earning high marks from GameSpot (8.9/10) and IGN (8.8/10), though its graphics were considered less impressive than the original arcade release. Commendations focused on updated 3D visuals, enhanced combos, and faithful character representations.

Next Generation awarded the N64 version three out of five stars as a "guilty pleasure"—fast-paced and satisfying but lacking innovation—and rated the PS1 port two out of five stars due to stiff competition on that platform.

The Game Boy Color adaptation was met with negative feedback; GameSpot gave it a score of 3.5/10 citing unresponsive controls and limited gameplay variety, while IGN rated it 4.0/10 because of its simplified mechanics.

In hindsight, GamesRadar satirized the N64 endings for their low quality in an April Fools compilation. Conversely, GamePro ranked Mortal Kombat 4's Game Over screen as third best ever in 2009. IGN’s series retrospective noted that declining enthusiasm for ultraviolence combined with mainstream adoption of standard 3D graphics impeded this installment’s success compared to earlier titles. A 2020 review by CBR praised MK4 for introducing weapon styles that influenced future games and acknowledged its significance within the franchise’s evolution.

External links

• Official Eurocom website
• Mortal Kombat 4 entry on the Killer List of Videogames