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Klax (video game)

2025-10-26T03:46:55Z

2600:1700:E5D0:A9A0:7000:7B1B:BDEA:C3EC:

{{short description|1990 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Klax
| image = Klax flyer.jpg
| caption = North American arcade flyer
| developer = [[Atari Games]]{{efn|Home computer and initial console versions developed by [[Tengen (company)|Tengen]]; Atari ST and MS-DOS versions developed by [[Krisalis Software|Teque Software]]; Game Gear and Master System versions developed by [[Tiertex Design Studios|Tiertex]]; Game Boy Color version developed by [[Digital Eclipse]]; Game Boy Advance version developed by Frame Studios Interactive.}}
| publisher = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|Atari Games}}|{{vgrelease|JP|[[Namco]]}} '''Home computers''' [[Eidos Interactive|Domark]] '''NES'''{{vgrelease|NA|[[Tengen (company)|Tengen]]|JP|[[Hudson Soft]]}} '''Genesis/Mega Drive'''{{vgrelease|NA/EU|Tengen|JP|[[Namco|Namcot]]}} '''2600, Lynx''' [[Atari Corporation]] '''Game Boy''' [[Mindscape (company)|Mindscape]]<ref name="GameBoyList"/> '''TurboGrafx-16, Master System, Game Gear''' Tengen '''Game Boy Color''' [[Midway Games|Midway]] '''Game Boy Advance''' {{vgrelease|NA|[[Destination Software]]|EU|[[Zushi Games|Zoo Digital Publishing]]}}
}}
| designer = {{ubl|[[Dave Akers]]|Mark Stephen Pierce}}
| programmer = Dave Akers
| artist = Mark Stephen Pierce
| composer = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|[[Brad Fuller (composer)|Brad Fuller]]}}|'''NES''' LX Rudis Dave O'Riva '''Amiga, CPC, ST, C64, Spectrum''' Matt Furniss}}
| platforms = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|[[Arcade video game|Arcade]]}}|[[Amiga]], [[Atari ST]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[BBC Micro]], [[Commodore 64]], [[Commodore 128]], [[MS-DOS]], [[MSX]], [[SAM Coupé]], [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[Atari 2600]], [[TurboGrafx-16]], [[Sega Genesis|Genesis/Mega Drive]], [[Atari Lynx|Lynx]], [[Game Boy]], [[X68000]], [[PC-88]], [[PC-98]], [[Master System]], [[Game Gear]], [[Game Boy Color]], [[Game Boy Advance]]
}}
| released = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|February 1990}}|'''Arcade'''{{vgrelease|NA|February 1990<ref name="CashBox">{{cite web |title=Cash Box Magazine, Feb. 3rd 1990 |url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox53unse_26/page/25/mode/1up?view=theater|website=Internet Archive | date=3 February 1990 |publisher=Cash Box (New York) |access-date=26 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Production Numbers|url=http://www.atarigames.com/atarinumbers90s.pdf|publisher=[[Atari]]|year=1999|archive-date=10 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510143012/http://www.atarigames.com/atarinumbers90s.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>|JP|March 1990<ref>{{cite book|last1=Akagi|first1=Masumi|title=アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005)|trans-title=Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005)|date=21 October 2006|publisher=Amusement News Agency|language=ja|location=Japan|isbn=978-4990251215|page=52|url=https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n53}}</ref>|EU|April 1990<ref name="yoursinclair">{{cite magazine |author= |date=April 1990 |title=Future Shocks |url=https://archive.org/stream/Your_Sinclair_052/Your_Sinclair_052#page/n85/mode/1up |magazine=[[Your Sinclair]] |publisher=[[Dennis Publishing]] |issue=52 |page=86}}</ref>}} '''Amiga, Atari ST, BBC Micro, C64, C128, CPC, MS-DOS, MSX, Spectrum'''{{vgrelease|UK|April 1990<ref>{{cite magazine |author= |date=April 1990 |title=Screentest |url=https://archive.org/details/ACE_Issue_32_1990-05_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n41/mode/2up |magazine=[[ACE (magazine)|ACE]] |publisher=[[Ascential|EMAP]] |issue=32 |page=43}}</ref><ref name="yoursinclair"/>}} '''NES'''{{vgrelease|NA|July 1990<ref>{{cite news |title=Availability Update |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/3783dc2d-0ea2-40f6-a9da-04743a333c10 |work=[[Computer Entertainer]] |volume=9 |issue=4 |date=July 1990 |page=14}}</ref>|JP|December 14, 1990<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.famitsu.com/schedule/recent/fc/|title=All Famicom games sorted from the latest release to the earliest|magazine=[[Famitsu]]|archive-date=October 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015061257/https://www.famitsu.com/schedule/recent/fc/|url-status=dead}}</ref>}} '''2600'''{{vgrelease|UK|Mid-1990}} '''TurboGrafx-16'''{{vgrelease|JP|August 10, 1990<ref>{{cite web |title=PC Engine Software List 1990 |url=http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NEC1_PCE1990.html |website=GAME Data Room |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907011033/http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NEC1_PCE1990.html |archive-date=September 7, 2018 |language=ja}}</ref>|NA|September 1990<ref>{{cite news |title=TurboGrafx-16 ProView: Klax |url=https://archive.org/details/game-pro-issue-14-september-1990/page/78/mode/2up |work=[[GamePro]] |issue=14 |publisher=[[International Data Group]] |date=September 1990 |page=78}}</ref>}} '''Genesis/Mega Drive'''{{vgrelease|JP|September 7, 1990<ref name="3rd party titles - Sega JP">{{cite web |title=Software List (Software Licensee Release) |url=https://www.sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html |website=Sega Hard Encyclopedia |publisher=[[Sega|Sega Corporation]] |access-date=May 15, 2023 |language=ja}}</ref>|NA|September 1990<ref>{{cite news |title=Availability Update |url=https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/3783dc2d-0ea2-40f6-a9da-04743a333c10 |work=[[Computer Entertainer]] |volume=9 |issue=4 |date=July 1990 |page=5}}</ref>|EU|November 1991<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=November 1991 |title=''Klax'' - MegaDrive Review |url=http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/pdf/klaxmd.pdf |magazine=[[Mean Machines]] |issue=14 |pages=102–103 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140403015844/http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/pdf/klaxmd.pdf |archive-date=2014-04-03}}</ref>}} '''Lynx'''{{vgrelease|JP|September 15, 1990<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_ATM_LX1989-1991.html|title=LYNX Soft|publisher=GAME Data Room|lang=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408074001/http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_ATM_LX1989-1991.html|archive-date=2018-04-08|url-status=live}}</ref>|NA|October 1990}} '''Game Boy'''{{vgrelease|JP|December 14, 1990<ref>{{cite web |title=GDR Game Boy Software List 1989-1990 |url=http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NTM1_GB1989-1990.html |website=GAME Data Room |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180827211253/http://tk-nz.game.coocan.jp/gamedatabase/software/DB_NTM1_GB1989-1990.html |archive-date=August 27, 2018 |lang=ja}}</ref>|NA|August 1991<ref name="GameBoyList">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/dmg_games.pdf |publisher=Nintendo of America |title=Game Boy (original) Games |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402190758/http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/dmg_games.pdf |archive-date=April 2, 2016 }}</ref>}} '''X68000'''{{vgrelease|JP|December 14, 1990<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tkhr000.s601.xrea.com/|title=X68000のソフトとか|website=tkhr000.s601.xrea.com|date=2019|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512145954/http://tkhr000.s601.xrea.com/|archive-date=12 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>}} '''Master System'''{{vgrelease|EU|November 1991<ref>{{cite web|title=Power Previews: The Shape of Things to Come |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/4/47/SegaPower_UK_25.pdf|work=[[Sega Power]]|publisher=[[Future plc]]|accessdate=24 September 2024 |page=11}}</ref>}} '''Game Gear'''{{vgrelease|EU|December 10, 1992<ref>{{cite news |title=The Release Schedule |work=Computer Trade Weekly |issue=414 |publisher=Opportunity Publishing Ltd |date=23 November 1992 |page=18}}</ref>|NA|1992}} '''Game Boy Color'''{{vgrelease|NA|April 1999<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/cgb_games.pdf |publisher=Nintendo of America |title=Game Boy Color Games |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040610021821/http://www.nintendo.com:80/consumer/downloads/cgb_games.pdf |archive-date=June 10, 2004 }}</ref>}} '''Game Boy Advance'''{{vgrelease|NA|August 22, 2005<ref>{{cite web |last1=Harris |first1=Craig |title=Marble Madness/Klax |url=http://ign.com/articles/2005/09/14/marble-madnessklax |website=[[IGN]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926082008/ign.com/articles/2005/09/14/marble-madnessklax |archive-date=September 26, 2015 |date=September 14, 2005 |url-status=live}}</ref>|EU|September 16, 2005{{Citation needed|date=September 2025}}}}
}}
| genre = [[Puzzle video game|Puzzle]]
| modes = [[Single-player]], [[multiplayer]]
| arcade system =
}}

'''''Klax''''' is a 1990 [[puzzle video game]] developed and published by [[Atari Games]] for [[arcade video game|arcades]]; in Japan, it was distributed by [[Namco]]. The game was designed and animated by Mark Stephen Pierce, with software engineering by [[Dave Akers]]. The object of the game is to catch colored tiles moving down a conveyor belt, and arrange them in matching rows and patterns to make them disappear.

''Klax'' was originally released in February 1990 as an arcade follow-up to ''[[Tetris (Atari Games)|Tetris]]'' (1989), about which Atari Games had been in a legal dispute. It was later ported to several home and handheld systems, including the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], [[Sega Genesis|Genesis]], [[TurboGrafx-16]], [[Game Boy]], and [[Atari Lynx|Lynx]]. The [[Atari 2600]] version of the game, released in the UK in mid-1990, was one of the final licensed games for the console, which was discontinued in early 1992.<ref name="Lapetino1">{{cite book |last1=Lapetino |first1=Tim |title=Art Of Atari |date=November 2017 |publisher=DK Games |isbn=9780744018868 |pages=290–291 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z50oDAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Fatal+Run%22+%22Atari+2600%22&pg=PA349 |access-date=19 February 2021}}</ref>

==Gameplay==
[[File:klax336x240.png|thumb|Arcade screenshot]]
Controls consist of a four-position [[joystick]] and a button. The player controls a small paddle at the lower end of a conveyor belt. Using the joystick, the player can move the paddle left or right to catch tiles in various colors as they advance down the conveyor. Below the paddle is a well that can hold up to 25 tiles in five columns of five; pressing the button causes the topmost tile on the paddle to fall directly downward and into the well, as long as that column is not full. The goal is to form "Klaxs", or unbroken horizontal/vertical/diagonal lines containing three tiles of the same color. Doing so awards points and causes those tiles to disappear, allowing any tiles above them to fall toward the bottom of the well. Bonus points are awarded for completing multiple Klaxs with a single tile (including lines of four or five matching tiles) and for Klaxs formed by the falling of already-placed tiles.

The paddle can hold up to five tiles at any given moment. The player is penalized with one "drop" whenever a tile falls off the conveyor without being caught or while the paddle is full. Pushing up on the joystick will flip the topmost tile on the paddle a short distance up the conveyor, while pulling down accelerates the motion of the tiles.

The game consists of 100 waves, presented as 20 groups of five waves each. At the start of the game and after every fifth wave, the drop meter is cleared and the player is presented with three options of which wave to play next; choosing a later wave awards bonus points and allows more drops. Each wave has an objective that must be reached, such as making a set number of Klaxs, scoring a certain number of points, or surviving a set number of tiles. At the end of a wave, bonus points are awarded for each tile still on the conveyor and paddle and for each empty space in the well. The game ends when the player either exhausts the available drops, completely fills the well, or finishes all 100 waves.

==Development==
Akers programmed ''Klax'' in just a few weeks using [[AmigaBASIC]], then ported each line to [[C (programming language)|C]]. In a 1990 interview, he said he wanted to "produce something playable, compact and relatively quick to develop". His influences were ''[[Tetris]]'' and [[tic-tac-toe]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.atari-explorer.com/articles/articles-atari-games.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070410155911/http://www.atari-explorer.com/articles/articles-atari-games.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-04-10|title=AEX - The most comprehensive exploration of Atari online|date=April 10, 2007}}</ref> He chose the name from the sound that tiles make rolling across the screen.<ref>''The A-Z of Sega Mega Drive Games: Volume 1'' {{ISBN|978-1-785-38720-3}} p. 72</ref>

==Release==
Atari Games first released ''Klax'' for arcades in February 1990, with [[Namco]] releasing the game in Japan a few months later, and soon called it a "major arcade hit".<ref>"Tengen sales increase to more than $41 million", press release dated May 23, 1990.</ref> It quickly released several home versions under the [[Tengen (company)|Tengen]] brand. Akers created the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] and [[Sega Genesis|Genesis]] editions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cgexpo.com/guests.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060929113201/http://www.cgexpo.com/guests.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2006-09-29|title=Classic Gaming Expo|date=September 29, 2006}}</ref> Some 16-bit conversions feature improved graphics.{{Citation needed|date=November 2015}} ''Klax'' received the Parents' Choice Foundation's seal of approval in 1990, and won Best Mind Game at the 1991 European Computer Leisure Awards. Dennis Lynch of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' named ''Klax'' the Best Cartridge of 1990.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-01-25-9101080243-story.html|title=COMPUTING 1990'S BEST AND WORST - Chicago Tribune|website=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=25 January 1991 }}</ref> ''Klax'' is the first game with versions for all three of the leading 1990s consoles: the NES, the Genesis, and the [[TurboGrafx-16]].<ref>"They're hot, they're new, they're fun", by Dennis Lynch, ''Chicago Tribune'', November 23, 1990.</ref> After the arcade version, ''Klax'' was converted to most contemporary home computers and video game systems of the 1990s, including the [[Atari Lynx]], [[Amstrad]] [[GX4000]], and the [[Atari 2600]] as its final official Atari-licensed release exclusively in Europe.{{Citation needed|date=November 2015}} The [[Atari 7800]] version was programmed by David Dentt, who also worked on ''[[Ninja Golf]]'' for the same console.<ref>{{cite magazine | author=Hawkin, Kieren | date=September 2014 | title=Atari 7800 ProSystem | magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] | publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]] | issue=132 | page=27 | issn=1742-3155 | url=https://archive.org/details/RetroGamer_132/page/27/mode/1up}}</ref>

[[Midway Games]] gained the rights to ''Klax'' upon purchasing Atari Games in 1996. A 1999 press release called it Midway's "tic-tac tile puzzle game".{{Citation needed|date=November 2015}} Mike Mika, who worked on the [[Game Boy Color]] version, placed a hidden wedding proposal inside the game, which took his girlfriend three years to uncover. Mika also inserted a hidden ''[[Snake (1998 video game)|Snake]]''-like game and a mini-adventure game as [[Easter egg (media)|easter eggs]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-07-30-man-hid-wedding-proposal-into-commercial-game-boy-colour-game|title=Man hid wedding proposal in commercial Game Boy Colour game|first=Jeffrey|last=Matulef|website=[[Eurogamer]]|date=July 30, 2013}}</ref>

''Klax'' has since been re-released in [[video game compilation]]s for modern consoles. The game was included in ''[[Arcade Party Pak]]'' for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]]. It was reissued in ''[[Midway Arcade Treasures]]'', a 2003 compilation for the [[GameCube]], [[PlayStation 2]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], and [[Personal computer|PC]]. It appears in ''[[Lego Dimensions]]''.{{Citation needed|date=November 2015}}

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| award1Pub = ''Crash''
| award1 = Smash<ref>Game review, Crash magazine, [[Newsfield Publications]], issue 77, June 1990</ref>
}}
In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Klax'' as the seventh most successful table arcade unit of March 1990.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=377|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 April 1990|page=25|lang=ja}}</ref>

On release, ''[[Famicom Tsūshin]]'' awarded the PC Engine version 30 out of 40.<ref>30 Point Plus: KLAX. Weekly Famicom Tsūshin. No.335. Pg.30. 12–19 May 1995.</ref> ''Klax'' was ranked the 26th best game of all time by ''[[Amiga Power]]'' in 1991.<ref>Amiga Power magazine issue 0, [[Future Publishing]], May 1991</ref> The NES version is ranked 44 in ''IGN''{{'}}s Top 100 NES Games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/lists/top-100-nes-games|title=Top 100 NES Games - IGN.com|via=www.ign.com}}</ref>

In a capsule review of the Lynx version for ''[[STart]]'', [[Clayton Walnum]] commended the game in aspects of gameplay, graphics, music, sound effects and speech.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Clayton|last=Walnum|author-link=Clayton Walnum|title=The Lynx Collection|magazine=[[STart]]|issue=39 |publisher=Antic Publishing |date=December 1990|pages=70–71 |url=https://archive.org/stream/STart-Magazine-Issue-39}}</ref> Julian Rignall reviewed the Atari Lynx version for ''CVG Magazine'' in January 1991, saying "the game is simple, but very, very addictive" and giving a rating of 93 out of 100.<ref>{{cite magazine | title=Latest Lynx Lowndown | page=136 | issue=110 | url=https://archive.org/stream/cvg-magazine-110/CVG_110_Jan_1991#page/n0/mode/2up | date=January 1991 | access-date=24 March 2018 | magazine=CVG Magazine | first=Julian | last=Rignall}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{KLOV game|id=8266|name=Klax}}
* {{MobyGames|id=/klax|name=''Klax''}}
* {{WoS game|id=0002707}}
* {{Internet Archive game|id=msdos_Klax_1990|platform=MS-DOS}}

{{Atari Games}}

[[Category:1990 video games]]
[[Category:Amiga games]]
[[Category:Amstrad CPC games]]
[[Category:Arcade video games]]
[[Category:Atari 2600 games]]
[[Category:Atari arcade games]]
[[Category:Atari Lynx games]]
[[Category:Atari ST games]]
[[Category:BBC Micro and Acorn Electron games]]
[[Category:Cancelled Atari 7800 games]]
[[Category:Commodore 64 games]]
[[Category:Domark games]]
[[Category:Falling block puzzle games]]
[[Category:Game Boy Color games]]
[[Category:Game Boy games]]
[[Category:Hudson Soft games]]
[[Category:ICE Software games]]
[[Category:MSX games]]
[[Category:NEC PC-8801 games]]
[[Category:NEC PC-9801 games]]
[[Category:Midway video games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games]]
[[Category:SAM Coupé games]]
[[Category:Master System games]]
[[Category:Game Gear games]]
[[Category:Sega Genesis games]]
[[Category:X68000 games]]
[[Category:Tengen (company) games]]
[[Category:Unauthorized video games]]
[[Category:TurboGrafx-16 games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Alex Rudis]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Brad Fuller]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Matt Furniss]]
[[Category:ZX Spectrum games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]

Mortal Kombat II

2025-10-26T01:38:01Z

2600:1700:E5D0:A9A0:7000:7B1B:BDEA:C3EC:

{{Short description|1993 video game}}
{{About|the video game|the upcoming film|Mortal Kombat II (film)}}
{{Redirect-multi|2|MKII|Mortal Kombat 2|other uses|Mark II (disambiguation)|and|Mortal Kombat 2 (disambiguation)}}
{{Good article}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Mortal Kombat II
| image = Mortal Kombat II boxart.png
| caption = Cover art for the home versions
| developer = [[Midway Games|Midway]]{{efn|Amiga, Game Boy, Game Gear, Genesis, Master System and MS-DOS versions developed by [[Probe Software]]; SNES version developed by [[Sculptured Software]]; 32X, PlayStation, and Saturn versions developed by [[Probe Entertainment]].}}
| publisher = Midway '''Consoles''' [[Acclaim Entertainment]]
| producer = '''MS-DOS''' Robert Leingang Robert O'Farrell Billy Pidgeon
| designer = [[Ed Boon]] [[John Tobias]]
| programmer = '''MS-DOS''' Ed Boon Brian O'Shaughnessy
| artist = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|[[John Tobias]]}}|'''MS-DOS''' Tony Goskie John Vogel Terry Ford}}
| composer = [[Dan Forden]]
| series = ''[[Mortal Kombat]]''
| platforms = {{collapsible list|title={{nobold|[[Arcade video game|Arcade]]}}|[[Game Boy]], [[Game Gear]], [[Sega Genesis|Genesis/Mega Drive]], [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super NES]], [[Master System]], [[Amiga]], [[32X]], [[MS-DOS]], [[Sega Saturn]], [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]]}}
| released = {{collapsible list|title={{nobold|November 1993}}|'''Arcade'''{{vgrelease|NA|November 1993<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111308095/redstone-spending-his-loose-change-on/ |title=Redstone Spending His Loose Change on Game Maker |first=Tom |last=Petruno |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=November 10, 1993 |page=D3 |via=[[Newspaper.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105877575/the-post-star/ |title=Combating with Mortal Kombat II |first=Tamara |last=Dietrich |newspaper=[[Sunday Post-Star]] |date=December 5, 1993 |page=F1 |via=[[Newspaper.com]] |access-date=October 14, 2022 |archive-date=July 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719014826/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105877575/the-post-star/ |url-status=live }}</ref>}}'''Game Boy, Game Gear, Genesis/Mega Drive, Super NES'''{{vgrelease|NA/EU|September 9, 1994<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_62/page/n186/mode/1up|title=NOTHING, NOTHING CAN PREPARE YOU KOMING FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 9|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=62|date=September 1994|page=185|accessdate=January 10, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/7/72/DailyMirror_UK_1994-09-09_11.jpg |title=Dixons Unleashed Today! |date=September 9, 1994 |newspaper=[[Daily Mirror]] |access-date=March 10, 2025}}</ref>}}'''Master System'''{{vgrelease|PAL|November 1994<ref name="MS">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/mean-machines-sega-25/page/98/mode/1up |title=Master System Review: ''Mortal Kombat II'' |magazine=[[Mean Machines Sega]] |issue=25 |date=November 1994 |page=98}}</ref>}}'''Amiga'''{{vgrelease|NA/EU|1994}}'''32X'''{{vgrelease|NA/PAL|March 1995<ref name="EGM">{{cite magazine|title=Fact Files|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=68|publisher=Sendai Publications|date=March 1995|page=122}}</ref>}}'''MS-DOS'''{{vgrelease|NA|May 16, 1995|EU|1995}}'''Saturn'''{{vgrelease|EU|February 2, 1996<ref>{{cite news |title=The Release Schedule |work=Computer Trade Weekly |publisher=Opportunity Publishing |issue=573 |date=5 February 1996 |page=21}}</ref>|NA|March 28, 1996}}'''PlayStation'''{{vgrelease|JP|August 2, 1996<ref name="famitsu-ps">{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Famitsu|Weekly Famitsu]]|title=New Game Cross Review|date=August 9, 1996|publisher=[[ASCII Corporation]]|language=Japanese|issue=399|page=30|last1=Noda|first1=Sawadhi|last2=Uchisawa|first2=Goro|last3=Nagano|first3=Isabella|last4=Masuda|first4=Ninja}}</ref>}}
}}
| genre = [[Fighting game|Fighting]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
| arcade system = [[Midway T Unit]]
}}

'''''Mortal Kombat II''''' is a 1993 [[fighting game]] developed and published by [[Midway Games|Midway]] for [[arcade video game|arcades]]. It was later ported to multiple home systems, including [[MS-DOS]], [[Amiga]], [[Game Boy]], [[Game Gear]], [[Sega Genesis]], [[32X]], [[Sega Saturn]], [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super NES]], and [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], by [[Probe Software]] (later renamed to Probe Entertainment for some ports of the game) and [[Sculptured Software]], and published by [[Acclaim Entertainment]].

''Mortal Kombat II'' is the second main installment in the ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' franchise, and a sequel to 1992's ''[[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]''. It improves the gameplay and expands the mythos of its predecessor while introducing more varied finishing moves (including several [[Fatality (Mortal Kombat)|Fatalities]] per character and new finishers, such as Babality and Friendship) and several new characters such as [[Kitana]], [[Mileena]], [[Kung Lao]], the hidden character [[Noob Saibot]], and the series' recurring villain, [[Shao Kahn]]. The game's plot continues from the first game, featuring the next Mortal Kombat tournament set in the otherdimensional realm of Outworld, with the Outworld and Earthrealm representatives fighting each other on their way to challenge Shao Kahn.

''Mortal Kombat II'' was released to enormous commercial success and critical acclaim, winning several awards and inspiring numerous [[video game clone|clones]]. However, it was also involved in [[Controversies surrounding Mortal Kombat|controversy]] due to the series' continuous depiction of graphic violence. In the years since its release, ''Mortal Kombat II'' has been cited as one of the best games in the series, as well as one of the [[List of video games considered the best|greatest video games ever made]]. It was succeeded in 1995 by the direct [[sequel]] ''[[Mortal Kombat 3]]'', and in 2005 by the [[Spin-off (media)|spin-off]] ''[[Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks]]'', which takes place during the events of ''Mortal Kombat II''.

==Gameplay==
{{Further|Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)#Gameplay|l1=Gameplay of the first Mortal Kombat game}}
[[File:Mortal Kombat II Pit II.png|thumb|left|A screenshot of Pit II's [[Stage Fatality]] being performed against [[Mileena]]. A figure in flames later [[Retroactive continuity|retconned]] as [[Blaze (character)|Blaze]] can be seen in the stage's background (see also the [[#Rumored content|rumors]] section).]]

The gameplay system of ''Mortal Kombat II'' is an improved version of that from the original ''[[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]''. There are several changes in standard moves: a crouching punch was added, low and high kicks have greater differentiation (be they crouching or standing up), [[roundhouse kick]]s are made more powerful (knocking an opponent across the screen, like the game's [[uppercut]]), and it is easier to perform [[Combo (video gaming)|combos]] due to reduced recovery times for attacks. Returning characters also gained new special moves, including some to be used in mid-air, and the game plays almost twice as fast as the original.<ref name=gs/><ref name=hall/><ref name=gp>''GamePro'' 55 (February 1994), pages 32-33.</ref><ref name=sho>MK Secrets, [http://shoryuken.com/2011/11/24/the-history-of-mortal-kombat-episode-2-mortal-kombat-ii/ The History of Mortal Kombat, Episode 2 Mortal Kombat II] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121215145940/http://shoryuken.com/2011/11/24/the-history-of-mortal-kombat-episode-2-mortal-kombat-ii/ |date=2012-12-15 }}, Shoryuken, November 24th, 2011.</ref>

As with its predecessor, matches are divided into rounds, and the first player to win two rounds by fully depleting their opponent's life bar is the winner. At this point, the losing character will become dazed and the winner is given the opportunity of using a finishing move. ''Mortal Kombat II'' lacks the "Test Your Might" bonus games and point system from the first game, in favor of a consecutive win tally where wins are represented by icons.<ref name=gs/>

The game marked the introduction of multiple [[Fatality (Mortal Kombat)|Fatalities]] (special moves allowing the victorious character to execute their opponent at the end of a match) as well as additional, non-lethal finishing moves to the franchise: [[Fatality (Mortal Kombat)|Babalities]] (turning the opponent into a crying baby), [[Fatality (Mortal Kombat)#Friendship|Friendships]] (a non-malicious interaction, such as dancing or giving a gift to the defeated opponent) and additional [[Fatality (Mortal Kombat)#Stage Fatality|stage-specific Fatalities]] (the victor uppercutting their opponent into an abyss below, spikes in the ceiling, or a pool of acid in the background).<ref name=gs/> Finishing moves cannot be performed either by or against the boss or secret characters.{{efn|The arcade version also contains a hidden game of ''[[Pong]]''.<ref name=gs/><ref name=sho/>}} {{Clear left}}

==Plot==
Following his failure to defeat [[Liu Kang]] in the previous Mortal Kombat tournament, the evil [[Shang Tsung]] begs his master [[Shao Kahn]], supreme ruler of Outworld and the surrounding kingdoms, to spare his life. He tells Shao Kahn that if they hold the next Mortal Kombat Tournament in Outworld, the Earthrealm warriors must travel away from home to attend. Kahn agrees to this plan, and restores Shang Tsung's youth and martial arts prowess. He then extends the invitation to the thunder god and Earthrealm's protector, [[Raiden (Mortal Kombat)|Raiden]], who gathers his warriors and takes them into Outworld. The new tournament is much more dangerous, as Shao Kahn has the home field advantage.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mksecrets.net/mk2/eng/mk2-story.php |title=Mortal Kombat Secrets: Mortal Kombat II - Story |publisher=Mksecrets.net |date=2013-01-19 |access-date=2013-08-11 |archive-date=2013-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130803201105/http://www.mksecrets.net/mk2/eng/mk2-story.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>''Mortal Kombat II'' Game Gear manual, p.2-3.</ref>

According to the ''Mortal Kombat'' series' [[Canon (fiction)|canon]], Liu Kang won this tournament as well, defeating Shao Kahn and his bodyguard Kintaro.<ref>Dan Ryckert, [https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/02/01/who-actually-won-mortal-kombat.aspx?PostPageIndex=1&PageIndex=7 Who Actually Won Mortal Kombat?], GameInformer.com, February 1, 2012.</ref> The game's story mode can be also finished using any other playable character, resulting in a variety of non-canonical endings for each of them.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mksecrets.net/mk2/eng/mk2-endings.php |title=Mortal Kombat Secrets: Mortal Kombat II - Endings |publisher=Mksecrets.net |date=2013-01-19 |access-date=2013-08-11 |archive-date=2017-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170130091719/http://www.mksecrets.net/mk2/eng/mk2-endings.php |url-status=live }}</ref> This game also establishes that the original [[Sub-Zero (Mortal Kombat)|Sub-Zero]] Bi-Han was killed by [[Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)|Scorpion]] in the first game, and Bi-Han's younger brother Kuai Liang took the identity of the new Sub-Zero.<ref name="IIending">{{cite video game|title=Mortal Kombat II |developer=Midway |publisher=Midway |date=1993 |level=Sub-Zero ending}}</ref>

==Characters==
{{Main| Characters of the Mortal Kombat series}}
[[File:Mortal Kombat II select screen.png|thumb|The character selection screen in ''Mortal Kombat II'', showing the game's playable character roster. From the upper left: [[Liu Kang]], [[Kung Lao]], [[Johnny Cage]], [[Reptile (Mortal Kombat)|Reptile]], [[Sub-Zero (Mortal Kombat)|Sub-Zero]], [[Shang Tsung]], [[Kitana]], [[Jax (Mortal Kombat)|Jax]], [[Mileena]], [[Baraka (Mortal Kombat)|Baraka]], [[Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)|Scorpion]], [[Raiden (Mortal Kombat)|Raiden]]]]
The game includes 12 playable characters.

;New characters:
*[[Baraka (Mortal Kombat)|Baraka]] (played by Richard Divizio),<ref name=behind/> a mutant warlord of Outworld's Nomad race, responsible for the assault on the [[Shaolin Monastery]] on the orders of Shao Kahn.<ref name=mks>{{cite web |url=http://www.mksecrets.net/mk2/eng/mk2-bios.php |title=Mortal Kombat Secrets: Mortal Kombat II - Characters Bios |publisher=Mksecrets.net |date=2013-01-19 |access-date=2013-08-11 |archive-date=2013-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130803201034/http://www.mksecrets.net/mk2/eng/mk2-bios.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Jax (Mortal Kombat)|Jax]] (played by John Parrish): [[United States Army Special Forces|U.S. Special Forces]] officer who enters the tournament to rescue his partner [[Sonya Blade]] from Outworld.
*[[Kitana]] (played by Katalin Zamiar),<ref name=behind>{{cite web |url=http://huguesjohnson.com/scans/mk2-behind-scenes/ |title=Mortal Kombat II Behind the Scenes |publisher=HuguesJohnson.com |access-date=2013-08-11 |archive-date=2013-07-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727043440/http://huguesjohnson.com/scans/mk2-behind-scenes/ |url-status=live }}</ref> a female ninja who works as a personal assassin in the service of Shao Kahn. She has been suspected of secretly aiding the Earthrealm warriors.<ref name=mks/>
*[[Kung Lao]] (played by Anthony Marquez),<ref name=behind/> Shaolin monk and close friend of Liu Kang, a descendant of the Great Kung Lao (who was defeated by [[Goro (Mortal Kombat)|Goro]] and Shang Tsung 500 years before the events of ''MK''). He seeks to avenge his ancestor and the destruction of the Shaolin temple.<ref name=mks/>
*[[Mileena]] (played by Katalin Zamiar),<ref name=behind/> twin sister to Kitana who also serves as an assassin for Kahn. Her mission during the tournament is to ensure the loyalty of her sister, but she also has plans of her own.<ref name=mks/>

;Returning characters:
*[[Johnny Cage]] (played by [[Daniel Pesina]]),<ref name=behind/> [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] actor who joins Liu Kang in his journey to Outworld.<ref name=mks/>
*[[Liu Kang]] (played by [[Ho Sung Pak]]),<ref name=behind/> Shaolin monk who is the reigning champion of Mortal Kombat. He travels to Outworld to seek vengeance for the death of his Shaolin monastery brothers.<ref name=mks/>
*[[Raiden (Mortal Kombat)|Raiden]] (played by Carlos Pesina),<ref name=behind/> thunder god who returns to Mortal Kombat to stop Kahn's evil plans of taking Earthrealm for his own<ref name=mks/> (spelled "Rayden" in the DOS and console ports).
*[[Reptile (Mortal Kombat)|Reptile]] (played by Daniel Pesina), Shang Tsung's personal bodyguard.<ref name=mks/>{{efn|Previously a palette swap of Sub-Zero with Scorpion and Sub-Zero's moves, Reptile has been made into a distinct character and given his own moves.<ref name=sho/>}}
*[[Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)|Scorpion]] (played by Daniel Pesina),<ref name=behind/> a hellspawned spectre who returns to the tournament to once again assassinate Sub-Zero.<ref name=mks/>
*[[Shang Tsung]] (played by Philip Ahn, M.D.)<ref>Ahn, Phillip, MD, [http://www.mortaldoctor.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304090520/https://www.mortaldoctor.com/|date=2021-03-04}}, Mortal Doctor, September 14th 2019</ref> An evil sorcerer who convinced Kahn to spare his life after losing the last tournament, with a new plan to appease his master, who in turn restores Tsung's youth.<ref name=mks/> Although playable in this installment, also serves as a sub-boss of the game, always appearing before Kintaro in the single-player mode. As in the first game, he is able to morph into any of the playable characters, retaining their moves (in some versions only the character against whom he is currently fighting).
*[[Sub-Zero (Mortal Kombat)|Sub-Zero]] (played by Daniel Pesina),<ref name=behind/> a male ninja who possesses cryokinesis. Though apparently killed in the first tournament, he mysteriously returns, traveling into Outworld to again attempt to assassinate Shang Tsung.<ref name=mks/>

;Boss characters:
*[[Kintaro (Mortal Kombat)|Kintaro]] ([[stop motion]]), Shao Kahn's bodyguard, sent by his race to avenge Goro's defeat. He is the game's penultimate boss.
*[[Shao Kahn]] (played by Brian Glynn, voiced by [[Steve Ritchie (pinball designer)|Steve Ritchie]]),<ref name=behind/> the evil Emperor of Outworld, who wishes to conquer Earthrealm by any means. He is the tournament host and the game's final boss.

The game also features three hidden opponents for unlockable fights: [[Jade (Mortal Kombat)|Jade]] (played by Katalin Zamiar), a female ninja clad in green who is immune to projectiles; [[Noob Saibot]] (played by Daniel Pesina), a dark silhouetted ninja who is a "lost warrior" from the first ''MK'' game; and [[Smoke (Mortal Kombat)|Smoke]] (played by Daniel Pesina), a male ninja clothed in gray who emits smoke from his body.<ref name=sho/>

Sonya and [[Kano (Mortal Kombat)|Kano]] are the only playable characters from the first ''Mortal Kombat'' who were not implemented as fighters, as they only appear in the background of the Kahn's Arena stage, chained and on display as his prisoners.<ref name=hall/> The reason for this was due to the storage limitations of arcade hardware at the time. When Midway employees ran audits on several Mortal Kombat arcade cabinets in the Chicago area, they found that Kano and Sonya were the least chosen characters. So they were cut to background sprites in order to make room for new characters.<ref name=hall/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fingas |first=Roger |date=2021-04-13 |title=Why Mortal Kombat 2 Cut Sonya & Kano |url=https://screenrant.com/mortal-kombat-2-sonya-kano-cut-missing-why/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref>

==Development==
{{quote box|quote=When we finished ''Mortal Kombat I'', [[Acclaim Entertainment|Acclaim]] did the home version, and they sold six million copies or something crazy like that. We had already started talking about doing a ''[[Star Wars]]'' game, and then our general manager at the time came to us one day and said, 'What do you mean a ''Star Wars'' game? You can't do a ''Star Wars'' game. You've got to do another ''Mortal Kombat'' game.' The notion of sequels wasn't even something that we had entertained. It was just like, 'Oh, you do this game and then you move onto the next game.' Looking back now, it's really silly that we wouldn't have entertained that idea.<ref name="complex.com"/>|source=—[[Ed Boon]]|width=30%|}}
{{quote box|quote=''MKII'''s story influences came from the same places as the first game. One influence came from the first two ''Star Wars'' films, where you knew that there was [[Palpatine|an emperor]] ruling the universe, but knew nothing else about him. It created a desire in the viewer to want to know more. I think we had something very similar with Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn and for me that came from that feeling I had as a kid when I learned more about what made the ''Star Wars'' universe tick in ''[[Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back|Empire Strikes Back]]''. I wanted ''MK'' fans to have that same feeling.<ref>[http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1725 In Konversation: Mortal Kombat Online vs John Tobias - Part 1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130530075007/http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1725 |date=2013-05-30 }}, Mortal Kombat Online, 09/17/2012.</ref>|source=—[[John Tobias]]|width=30%|}}

According to lead programmer [[Ed Boon]], ''Mortal Kombat II'' was "intended to look different than the original ''MK''" and "had everything we wanted to put into ''MK'' but did not have time for."<ref>''GamePro'' 76 (November 1995).</ref> In 2012, Boon named creating the game among his best ''Mortal Kombat'' memories, recalling: "When we did ''Mortal Kombat II'', we got new equipment and all that stuff, but it was funny because when we started working on ''Mortal Kombat II'', the mania, the hysteria of the home versions of ''Mortal Kombat I'' was literally all around us. We were so busy working on the next one, going from seven characters to 12 and two Fatalities per character and all these other things that that consumed every second."<ref name="complex.com">Reyan Ali, [http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/09/ed-boons-12-best-mortal-kombat-memories/#gallery Ed Boon's 12 Biggest Mortal Kombat Memories] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801155240/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/09/ed-boons-12-best-mortal-kombat-memories/#gallery |date=2018-08-01 }}, Complex.com, September 12, 2012.</ref> Both the theme and art style of ''MKII'' were slightly darker than those of its predecessor, although a more vibrant [[color scheme|color palette]] was employed and the new game had a much richer [[color depth]] than the previous game. A new feature was the use of multiple layers of [[parallax scrolling]] in the arcade version.<ref name=gp/> The game was made to be less serious with the addition of humorous alternative finishing moves. Some of the considered Fatalities were rejected as being too extreme at the time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://polygamia.pl/Polygamia/1,96455,17754294,Macie_pol_godziny_wolnego_czasu__Zapraszamy_na_wycieczke.html |title=Macie pół godziny wolnego czasu? Zapraszamy na wycieczkę po dziejach serii Mortal Kombat |language=pl |publisher=Polygamia.pl |date=2015-04-14 |access-date=2015-05-04 |archive-date=2015-04-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418002114/http://polygamia.pl/Polygamia/1,96455,17754294,Macie_pol_godziny_wolnego_czasu__Zapraszamy_na_wycieczke.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Care was taken during the programming process to give the game a "good feel", with Boon simulating elements such as gravity into the game's design. Lead designer and artist [[John Tobias]] noted that the first game's reliance on juggling the opponent in the air with successive hits was an accident, and had been tightened in ''Mortal Kombat II''. Boon said that the reason to not completely remove it in favor of a different system of chaining attacks together was to set the game apart from the competing titles such as ''[[Street Fighter]]'', and allow for players to devise their own combinations of attacks.<ref name="gamepro"/> A double jump ability was implemented but later removed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2012/nov/07/john-tobias-if-i-could-go-back-and-redo-kabal-and-stryker-i-would-i-dont-know-if-id-design-them-differently-or-just-come-new-character/|title=John Tobias: 'If I could go back and redo Kabal and Stryker I would, I don't know if I'd design them differently or just come up with new characters'|date=2012-11-07|website=EventHubs|language=en|access-date=2018-12-25|archive-date=2016-03-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123826/http://www.eventhubs.com/news/2012/nov/07/john-tobias-if-i-could-go-back-and-redo-kabal-and-stryker-i-would-i-dont-know-if-id-design-them-differently-or-just-come-new-character/|url-status=live}}</ref> At one point, a bonus stage was planned to feature "a bunch of ninjas jumping all over the place and you would swing at them, just like you're in the middle of a fight in a kung fu movie." All of the music was composed, performed, recorded and mixed by [[Dan Forden]], the series' sound designer and composer, using the [[WMS Industries|Williams]] [[Digital Compression System|DCS]] sound system.<ref>''Video Games The Ultimate Gaming Magazine'' 75 (April 1995) page 49.</ref>

As with the first game, [[Acclaim Entertainment]] published the home conversions. ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' claimed in 1994 that Acclaim had spent {{US$|50 million|long=no}} on developing, manufacturing and marketing the game.<ref>{{cite web|first=Laura|last=Evenson|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86831649/the-dispatch/|title=Video games getting movie-style premieres|newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|page=15|date=September 9, 1994|access-date=October 10, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|archive-date=October 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211010155021/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86831649/the-dispatch/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Characters===
To create the character animations for the game, actors were placed in front of a gray background and performed the motions, which were recorded on videotape using a broadcast-quality, $20,000 [[Sony]] camera instead of the standard [[Hi8]] camera used for the original ''Mortal Kombat''.<ref name="gamepro"/> The [[video capture]] footage was then processed into a computer, and the background was removed from selected frames to create [[sprite (computer graphics)|sprites]]. Towards the end of the game's development, they opted to instead use a [[chroma key|blue screen]] technique and processed the footage directly into the computer for a similar, simpler process.<ref name="gamepro"/> The actors were lightly sprayed with water to give them a sweaty, glistening appearance,<ref>{{Cite magazine|magazine=GamePro |page=115 |title=The Magic of Digitization |issue=69 |date=June 1994}}</ref> while post-editing was done on the sprites afterward to highlight flesh tones and improve the visibility of muscles,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Game Makers: The Artists|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=88 |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=January 1996|pages=34–36}}</ref> which Tobias felt set the series apart from similar games using [[Digitizing|digitized]] graphics. Animations of Shang Tsung morphing into other characters were created by Midway's John Vogel using a computer, while hand-drawn animations were used for other parts of the game, such as the Fatalities. For Goro and Kintaro, clay sculptures were created by Tobias' friend Curt Chiarelli and then turned into 12-inch latex miniatures that were used for [[stop motion]] filming.<ref name="gamepro">{{Cite magazine|magazine=GamePro |pages=114–116 |title=The Minds Behind Mortal Kombat II |issue=69 |date=June 1994}}</ref> Because of technical restrictions, the actors' costumes had to be simple and no acrobatic moves such as [[Flip (acrobatic)|backflips]] could have been recorded;<ref>[http://pl.twitch.tv/theonblastshow/b/331110202 The On Blast Show Ep10: Katalin Zamiar (Kitana)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230234922/http://pl.twitch.tv/theonblastshow/b/331110202 |date=2013-12-30 }}, TheOnBlastShow.</ref> the most difficult moves to perform were some of the jumping kicks.<ref name=gp58/>

Several characters (namely Jade, Kitana, Mileena, Noob Saibot, Reptile, Scorpion, Smoke, and Sub-Zero) were created using the first game's [[palette swap]] technique on just two base models. The game was noted for its "strong female presence",<ref>''Retro Gamer'' issue 90 page 20.</ref> as it was featured more than one female character, which was uncommon in the fighting genre at the time. Due to memory limitations and the development team's desire to introduce more new characters, Sonya Blade and Kano, two fighters from the original ''Mortal Kombat'' whom Boon cited as the least-picked characters in the game, were excluded,<ref>{{Cite magazine|magazine=GamePro |author=Staff |page=116 |title=The Minds Behind Mortal Kombat II |issue=59 |date=June 1994}}</ref> substituted by two palette swaps: Mileena and Reptile. In place of Sonya, two new playable female characters, Kitana and Mileena, were introduced so the game might better compete against [[Capcom]]'s ''[[Street Fighter II: The World Warrior]]'' featuring [[Chun-Li]].<ref name=sho/><ref>''The One Amiga'' 75 (December 1994).</ref>{{efn|1993's ''[[Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers]]'' added [[Cammy]] to the roster.}} Another planned female fighter, based on the real-life kickboxer [[Kathy Long]] whom Tobias admired, was omitted due to time constraints.<ref name=gp58>''GamePro'' 58 (May 1994), pages 28-31.</ref> A male bonus character played by Kyu Hwang was also cut from the game.<ref name=sho/><ref>''VideoGames'' 63 (April 1994).</ref>

==Release==
[[File:PAX South 2015 - Mortal Kombat arcade (16165005248).jpg|thumb|An original ''Mortal Kombat II'' arcade cabinet (with artwork of the character Raiden on the side panels) at [[PAX South]] 2015|alt=]]
The first version of ''MKII'', revision 1.4, "was effectively a public [[Software testing|beta test]]", featuring few Fatalities and many [[software bug]]s; it also lacked the endings for the characters. It took three subsequent revisions to have the moves and finishing moves finalized and all the bugs corrected, also adding additional content, as development had still been in progress for all that time.<ref name=hall>GameSpot Editorial Team, [https://web.archive.org/web/20040219112446/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/p-17.html The First Fighting Game That Let You Just Be Friends: Mortal Kombat II], GameSpot, 2003.</ref> The final version was revision 3.1,<ref name=sho/> released in January 1994.<ref>Edwin D. Reilly, Anthony Ralston, David Hemmendinger, ''Encyclopedia of Computer Science'' (Nature Pub. Group, 2000), page 363.</ref>

===Marketing and merchandise===
In conjunction with the release of the arcade game, ''[[Mortal Kombat (comics)#Mortal Kombat II Collector's Edition|Mortal Kombat II Collector's Edition]]'', an official comic book written and illustrated by Tobias, was released through [[mail order]], describing the backstory of the game in greater detail.<ref name=sho/> [[Acclaim Entertainment]] stated that it "had started ''Mortal Kombat II'' with a $10 million global marketing campaign" for the home versions.<ref name="budget">{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85254724/|title=Game: Mortal Kombat II sells|newspaper=[[The Central New Jersey Home News]]|page=5|date=September 12, 1994|access-date=August 24, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|archive-date=November 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107100149/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85254724/the-central-new-jersey-home-news/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= Mortal Kombat Sales |date= 1994-09-23 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/23/business/mortal-kombat-sales.html |newspaper= The New York Times |access-date= 2009-11-30 |archive-date= 2017-07-01 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170701050805/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/23/business/mortal-kombat-sales.html |url-status= live }}</ref> A part of this sum was used to film and air the live-action TV commercial created by [[David Anderson (animator)|David Anderson]] and [[Bob Keen]]. The video<ref>[http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/fal5hb/mortal-kombat-ii-mortal-kombat-ii-extended-spot Mortal Kombat II extended spot] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502204122/http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/fal5hb/mortal-kombat-ii-mortal-kombat-ii-extended-spot |date=2013-05-02 }}, GameTrailers, 09/12/2011.</ref> featured Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Reptile (with a notably more reptilian appearance), Kitana, Baraka and Shao Kahn, who were played by the same actors as in the game.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=July 1994 |title=Mortal Kombat II (Behind the Scenes of the Commercial) |magazine=EGM2 |issue=1 |page=149}}</ref> The game's promotional campaign's [[tagline]] was "Nothing... Nothing can prepare you."<ref name=ad>Kate Fitzgerald, [http://adage.com/article/news/mortal-kombat-s-ferocious-encore/90248/ Mortal Kombat's Ferocious Encore] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095302/http://adage.com/article/news/mortal-kombat-s-ferocious-encore/90248/ |date=2016-03-04 }}, ''Advertising Age'', September 05, 1994.</ref> In 2008, [[Eurogamer]] called ''Mortal Kombat II'' "a marketing triumph".<ref>Peter Parrish, [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/mortal-kombat-blood-and-money-article Mortal Kombat: Blood and Money] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123060124/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/mortal-kombat-blood-and-money-article |date=2013-01-23 }}, Eurogamer, 1 April 2008.</ref>

[[Malibu Comics]] published a series of ''Mortal Kombat'' comic books featuring the characters from both ''MKII'' and the original game.<ref name=sho/> ''Mortal Kombat II: Music from the Arcade Game Soundtrack'', an album featuring music from ''Mortal Kombat II'' and ''Mortal Kombat'', composed by Dan Forden,<ref name=sho/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Mortal-Kombat-Music-Arcade-Soundtrack/dp/B000PSUFU2 |title=Mortal Kombat II. Music from the Arcade Game Soundtrack |website=Amazon |date=2009-05-04 |access-date=2013-08-11 |archive-date=2013-12-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230233040/http://www.amazon.com/Mortal-Kombat-Music-Arcade-Soundtrack/dp/B000PSUFU2 |url-status=live }}</ref> could originally only be purchased by ordering it through a limited CD offer, which was posted on the arcade version of the game's [[attract mode]]. Other merchandise for the game included the periodical official fanzine ''Mortal Kombat II Kollector's Magazine'' published by Midway and Sendai,<ref>{{cite web|first=Melanie|last=McFarland|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-11-04-9411040224-story.html|title=PARENTS BEWARE: A MORE DETAILED MKII MAG|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=November 4, 1994|access-date=August 29, 2021|archive-date=April 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190409102123/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-11-04-9411040224-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> a series of collectible stickers for an album by [[Panini Group]], two different series of action figures (released in Argentina in 1995 and in the US in 1999, respectively),<ref name=sho/> and collectible card game ''[[Mortal Kombat Kard Game]]'', which was marketed as "''Mortal Kombat II'' trading cards".<ref>An advertisement in ''GamePro'' 64 (November 1994).</ref>{{Better source needed|date=September 2025}}

===Home releases===
Since 1994, multiple official [[porting|ports]] and [[Video game console emulator|emulated]] versions of ''Mortal Kombat II'' have been released for a wide variety of home systems, including the [[8-bit]] ([[Game Boy]], [[Game Gear]], and [[Master System]]), [[16-bit]] ([[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] (SNES) and [[Sega Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]) and [[32-bit]] ([[32X]], [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], and [[Sega Saturn]]) consoles, [[Amiga]] and [[MS-DOS]] computers, and the [[PlayStation Network]] (PSN). The Game Boy, Game Gear, SNES, and Genesis versions were released simultaneously on September 9, 1994, a date dubbed "Mortal Friday".<ref name="latimes.com">William Schiffermann, [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-10-14-ls-50167-story.html Mortal Kombat II; For Sega Genesis and Game Gear, Nintendo SNES and Game Boy], Associated Press, October 14, 1994.</ref> The PlayStation version was released only in Japan, retitled {{Nihongo|''Mortal Kombat II: Kyuukyoku Shinken''|モータルコンバットII 究極神拳|Mōtaru Konbatto Tsū Kyūkyoku Shinken|"Mortal Kombat II: Ultimate Godly Fist"}}; this subtitle was also used for the Japanese release of the 32X port.

*The Genesis/Mega Drive port, developed by [[Probe Software]], retains all of the blood and Fatalities without a special code having to be entered, unlike the original ''Mortal Kombat'' for the system. It contains several exclusive [[Easter egg]]s{{efn|{{anchor|Fergality}}One of them is "Fergality", performed by selecting Raiden and fighting on the Armory stage; when successfully executed, the opponent transforms into a smoking character with an oversized head of Probe Software's [[Fergus McGovern]].<ref>{{cite web |author=K. Thor Jensen |url=http://www.ugo.com/games/fergality |title=Fergality - The Most Gruesome Finishing Moves Ever |publisher=UGO.com |date=2011-02-11 |access-date=2013-08-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110217233754/http://www.ugo.com/games/fergality |archive-date=2011-02-17 }}</ref>}} and features some different character animations for victory poses and a support for the motion controller device [[Sega Activator]].
*The SNES version was developed by [[Sculptured Software]]. Due to poor sales of the censored SNES version of the first game, [[Nintendo]] decided to allow depictions of blood and Fatalities this time around.<ref name=np>''Nintendo Power'' 68 (January 1995).</ref> Because the industry-wide rating system was not expected to be in effect until November 1994 at the earliest, this version had no formal rating; instead, a warning label was put on the game's box in order to inform prospective buyers about the game's mature content.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Fatalities on SNES!!|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=61|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=August 1994|page=25}}</ref> The Japanese version, however, is censored to a degree, with green blood for all fighters,<ref name="EGM2 5 1994 page 96">''EGM2'' 5 (November 1994), page 96.</ref> and the screen colors turning black-and-white for all character-specific lethal Fatalities.<ref>{{cite web |author=Gerald Wurm |url=http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=3422 |title=Mortal Kombat II (Comparison: Japanese SNES Version - International Version) |publisher=Movie-Censorship.com |date=2011-11-16 |access-date=2013-08-11 |archive-date=2013-01-29 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130129034625/http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=3422 |url-status=live }}</ref> John Tobias favored the SNES version over the Genesis version, stating: "I would go so far as to say that the Super NES version is one of the best arcade-to-home conversions I've seen."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=What Does John Think?|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=61|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=August 1994|page=25}}</ref>
*The Game Boy port, also developed by Probe Software, plays similarly to the Game Boy version of the original game, but with characters moving much smoother and faster. It only contains eight of the 12 playable fighters from the arcade game (lacking Baraka, Johnny Cage, Kung Lao and Raiden); Kintaro and Noob Saibot were also removed from the game, although Jade is included as a hidden fighter. Only three of ten arenas are retained from the arcade version: the Kombat Tomb, the Pit II and Goro's Lair. The Kombat Tomb contains the port's only Stage Fatality and Goro's Lair is much simpler in this version (consisting of a brick wall with no openings or glowing eyes). Blood is completely removed and each playable character retains only one of their Fatalities plus the Babality.
*The Game Gear and Master System ports, also developed by Probe Software, are similar to the Game Boy port, but are in color instead of in [[Monochrome monitor|monochrome]]. Both versions are almost identical except for the reduced size of the Game Gear screen, featuring the same fighters and arenas as the Game Boy port, but with the addition of Kintaro. The arena where players fight Jade and Smoke is exclusive to each version. Unlike the Game Boy version, blood is present, but was drastically reduced in quantity when compared to other ports. Because of the systems' limited graphical resources, some of the Fatalities in the game were altered to completely destroy the opponent's body, leaving generic [[Glossary of video game terms|gib]]s of bones and limbs, while others were also simplified to use common animations.
*The 32X version, also developed by Probe Software,is practically equal to the SNES version, maintaining the complete voice-over and all the little graphics details that were toned down in the Genesis version.<ref>{{cite web | title=What's the Difference? - Mortal Kombat 2 - Sega Genesis vs 32X | website=[[YouTube]] | date=22 May 2020 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2Ni3Bl8D4M }}</ref>

The game was also featured in several compilation releases, including ''[[Midway Arcade Treasures 2]]'' for the [[GameCube]], [[PlayStation 2]], and [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], ''[[Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks]]'' for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox as a hidden and unlockable Easter egg, ''[[Midway Arcade Treasures: Extended Play]]'' for the [[PlayStation Portable]], and ''[[Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection]]''<ref name=sho/><ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/news/6313416.html Mortal Kombat gets kompiled this summer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810091225/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6313416.html |date=2011-08-10 }}, GameSpot, May 12, 2011</ref> for the [[Microsoft Windows]], [[PlayStation 3]] and [[Xbox 360]]. Another compilation release for the [[Nintendo DS]] was canceled.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/noobde/status/46218380117688320 |title=Twitter / noobde: RT @LittleMofreaky Why hasn't |publisher=Twitter.com |access-date=2014-03-19 |archive-date=2014-03-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327213048/https://twitter.com/noobde/status/46218380117688320 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Arcade1Up]] released a home arcade cabinet compilation that included the game, as well as the original ''Mortal Kombat'' and ''Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/2019/05/07/mortal-kombat-and-final-fight-arcade1up-cabinets/|title=Mortal Kombat and Final Fight Arcade1Up Cabinets Are Here|date=7 May 2019 |access-date=2019-06-10|archive-date=2019-05-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507164729/https://comicbook.com/gaming/2019/05/07/mortal-kombat-and-final-fight-arcade1up-cabinets/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews

| GR = SMD: 86%<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.gamerankings.com/genesis/563224-mortal-kombat-ii/index.html |title=Mortal Kombat II for Genesis |website=[[GameRankings]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321131001/https://www.gamerankings.com/genesis/563224-mortal-kombat-ii/index.html |access-date=2019-03-21|archive-date=2019-03-21 }}</ref> SNES: 86%<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.gamerankings.com/snes/588500-mortal-kombat-ii/index.html |title=Mortal Kombat II for Super Nintendo |website=[[GameRankings]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321131000/https://www.gamerankings.com/snes/588500-mortal-kombat-ii/index.html |access-date=2019-03-21|archive-date=2019-03-21 }}</ref>
| MC = PS3: 72/100<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/mortal-kombat-ii/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-3 |title=Mortal Kombat II for PlayStation 3 Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=2019-03-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223005401/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/mortal-kombat-ii-psn |archive-date=2011-02-23 |url-status=live}}</ref>

| CVG = ARC: 93%<ref name="cvga">{{cite magazine |title=Arcade Action |magazine=[[Computer and Video Games]] |publisher=[[Future Publishing]] |location=United Kingdom |issue=149 (April 1994) |date=15 March 1994 |pages=82–6 |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/7/7f/CVG_UK_149.pdf#page=82 |access-date=13 October 2021 |archive-date=10 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810031709/https://retrocdn.net/images/7/7f/CVG_UK_149.pdf#page=82 |url-status=live }}</ref> SMD: 97%<ref name=cvg/> SNES: 96%<ref name=cvg/> AMI: 96%<ref name="CVG158">{{cite magazine |last1=Lawrence |first1=Edward (Radion Automatic) |title=Step Into the Ring: Mortal Kombat II (Amiga 1200) |magazine=[[Computer and Video Games]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |location=United Kingdom |issue=158 (January 1995) |date=15 December 1994 |page=49 |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/8/84/CVG_UK_158.pdf#page=49 |access-date=15 September 2021 |archive-date=1 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401063350/http://retrocdn.net/images/8/84/CVG_UK_158.pdf#page=49 |url-status=live }}</ref> 32X: 93%<ref>Steve Merrett, ''Computer + Video Games'' 160 (March 1995)</ref> GB: 90%<ref name=cvg/> SGG: 88%<ref name=cvg/>
| EGM = SNES: 8.25/10<ref name="EGM63">{{cite magazine|title=Review Crew: Mortal Kombat II|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=63|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=October 1994|page=32}}</ref> SMD: 7.25/10<ref name="EGM63"/> SGG: 7/10<ref name="EGM63portable"/> GB: 6/10<ref name="EGM63portable"/> SSAT: 5.75/10<ref name="EGM80"/>
| Fam = SNES: 8/10, 7/10, 7/10, 6/10<ref name=fam>New Games Cross Review: モータルコンバットII 究極神拳. Weekly Famicom Tsūshin. No.309. Pg.38. 11–18 November 1994.</ref> SMD: 8/10, 8/10, 7/10, 6/10<ref name="famitsu-Sega">{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Famitsu|Weekly Famitsu]]|title=New Game Cross Review|date=September 16, 1994|publisher=[[ASCII Corporation]]|language=Japanese|issue=300|page=38
|last1=Noda
|first1=Minoru
|last2=Uchisawa
|first2=Goro
|last3=Nagano
|first3=Isabella
|author4=Taco X}}</ref>
 SGG: 7/10, 5/10, 6/10, 4/10<ref name="famitsu-Sega" /> GB: 5/10, 4/10, 5/10, 4/10<ref name=fam/><ref name="famitsu">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.famitsu.com/news/201212/28026636.html|script-title=ja:プレイステーション2の日本国内での出荷が本日（2012年12月28日）で完了|magazine=[[Famitsu]]|publisher=[[Enterbrain]]|language=ja|date=December 28, 2012|access-date=December 28, 2012|archive-date=December 28, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121228160601/http://www.famitsu.com/news/201212/28026636.html|url-status=live}}</ref> PS: 6/10, 5/10, 5/10, 3/10<ref name="famitsu-ps" />
| GI = SSAT: 7/10<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/19971120011031/http://www.gameinformer.com/mar96/mortal.html March 1996 Issue], GameInformer.com.</ref>
| GamePro = SNES: 20/20<ref name=pro>GamePro 97 (August 1997), pages 76-77.</ref> SMD: 17.5/20<ref name=pro/> SGG: 16.5/20<ref name=pro2>''GamePro'' 63 (October 1994), pages 40-41.</ref> GB: 15/20<ref name=pro2/>
| GMaster = SMD: 94%<ref>''GamesMaster'' 21 (September 1994)</ref>
| GSpot = PS3: 7.9/10<ref>[[Jeff Gerstmann]], [http://www.gamespot.com/mortal-kombat-ii-2007/reviews/mortal-kombat-ii-review-6169049/ Mortal Kombat II Review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520075414/http://www.gamespot.com/mortal-kombat-ii-2007/reviews/mortal-kombat-ii-review-6169049/ |date=2013-05-20 }}, GameSpot, April 13, 2007</ref>
| IGN = 32X: 7.8/10<ref name=32x/> PS3: 7.3/10<ref name=ign/>
| NGen = SNES: 5/5<ref name="NG1"/> PC: 4/5<ref name=ng5-2/> 32X/SSAT: 3/5<ref name="NG5-1"/><ref name="NexG16"/>

| rev1 = ''[[Amiga Format]]''
| rev1Score = AMI: 90%<ref>Stephen Bradley and Steve McGill, ''Amiga Format'' 66 (December 1994).</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[CU Amiga]]''
| rev2Score = AMI: 95%<ref name=cua>Ed Lawrence, ''CU Amiga'' (February 1995).</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Mean Machines Sega]]''
| rev3Score = 32X: 92%<ref>''Mean Machines Sega'' 29 (March 1995)</ref> SMS: 80%<ref name="MS" />
| rev4 = ''[[Sega Saturn Magazine]]''
| rev4Score = SSAT (Pre-release): 93%<ref name=ssm>{{cite news|title=Review: Mortal Kombat 2|work=Sega Saturn Magazine|issue=1|publisher=[[Emap International Limited]]|date=November 1995|pages=78–79}}</ref> 2/5<ref name=ssm2>{{cite news|title=Mortal Kombat 2|work=Sega Saturn Magazine|issue=6|publisher=[[Emap International Limited]]|date=April 1996|page=95}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[VideoGames & Computer Entertainment|VG&CE]]''
| rev5Score = SNES: 10/10<ref name=vg>''VideoGames, The Ultimate Gaming Magazine'' 69 (October 1994), pages 64-66.</ref> 32X: 9/10<ref>''VideoGames, The Ultimate Gaming Magazine'' 75 (April 1995), page 70.</ref> GB: 8/10<ref name=vg/> SMD: 7/10<ref name=vg/> SGG: 7/10<ref name=vg/>
}}

===Sales===
''Mortal Kombat II'' proved to be an enormous commercial success and even a cultural phenomenon.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Convoluted, Blood-Spattered History of Mortal Kombat (Infographic) |url=http://www.gamefront.com/the-convoluted-blood-spattered-history-of-mortal-kombat-infographic/ |work=[[GameFront]] |publisher=DBolical Pty Ltd. |first=CJ |last=Miozzi |date=2011-04-15 |access-date=2019-05-19 |archive-date=2016-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423033755/http://www.gamefront.com/the-convoluted-blood-spattered-history-of-mortal-kombat-infographic/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[WMS Industries]], then owner of Midway, reported that its 1993 sales in the quarter ending December 31 rose from $86 million to $101 million, and said much of its revenue gain was related to the sale of the arcade version of ''MKII''.<ref>[https://www.chicagotribune.com/1994/01/26/wms-industries-incs-fiscal-second-quarter-profit-rose/ WMS Industries Inc.'s fiscal second-quarter profit], ''Chicago Tribune'', January 26, 1994.</ref> The game went on to become America's highest-grossing arcade game of 1994, according to the Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA).<ref>{{cite magazine |title=AMOA Awards Banquet |magazine=RePlay |date=October 1994 |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=149–50 |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-20-issue-no.-1-october-1994/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2020%2C%20Issue%20No.%201%20-%20October%201994/page/149}}</ref> By 1996, the number of arcade machines sold approached 25,000 units; at that time, arcade games that sold 5,000 units were considered strong titles (Midway printed special T-shirts to celebrate 300 machines being manufactured in one day),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/noobde/status/105741247452418048 |title=Twitter / noobde: While manufacturing MK2 arcade |publisher=Twitter.com |date=2011-08-22 |access-date=2014-06-26 |archive-date=2014-03-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327223837/https://twitter.com/noobde/status/105741247452418048 |url-status=live }}</ref> and an arcade cabinet cost $3,000–4,000.<ref>Paul Palumbo, John Kalb, ''Interactive Publishers Handbook'', Carronade Group, 1996 (p.34).</ref> The arcade version went on to sell 27,000 units,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Horwitz |first1=Jeremy |title=Mortal Apathy? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/08/technology/08MIDW.html |access-date=15 February 2021 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=8 July 2002 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003002950/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/08/business/technology-mortal-apathy.html?pagewanted=2 |archive-date=3 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> and grossed {{US$|600 million|long=no}} {{as of|2002|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rignall |first1=Jaz |title=Top 10 Highest-Grossing Arcade Games of All Time |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/top-10-biggest-grossing-arcade-games-of-all-time |website=[[USgamer]] |access-date=16 February 2021 |date=1 January 2016 |archive-date=3 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303190010/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/top-10-biggest-grossing-arcade-games-of-all-time |url-status=live }}</ref> ''MKII'' was considered an arcade game of the year,<ref>Jay P. Pederson, ''International Directory of Company Histories - Volume 24'', Gale, 1998 (p.5).</ref> taking over from the original ''Mortal Kombat''.

On the day of the release of Genesis, Game Gear, SNES and Game Boy versions, dubbed "Mortal Friday" (September 9, 1994, celebrated annually by the fan community on the second Friday of September),<ref>May Lam, [https://web.archive.org/web/20130502104550/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-2280258.html `Mortal Kombat II' Is Too Kool To Knock], ''AsianWeek'', October 7, 1994.</ref><ref name="latimes.com"/> an unprecedented number of more than 2.5 million copies were shipped to be distributed, with the best opening week sales in video game history at that point.<ref name=egm2/> Acclaim analysts expected that the number of copies sold would reach at least 2.5 million within the first few weeks of release (at an average retail price of $60)<ref>Nina Schuyler, ''The Business of Multimedia'', Allworth Press, 1995 (p.47).</ref> and the sales to top $150 million by the end of the year.<ref name=ad/><ref>Denise Gellene, [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-09-09-fi-36631-story.html Nintendo's Looser Stance on Violence Means a Bloody Mortal Kombat II], ''LA Times'', September 09, 1994.</ref>

In the first week of its console release, the game made sales to $50 million, which Acclaim Entertainment said was "The largest introduction of a video game in history". Distribution of over 2.5 million copies around 15,000 stores required 65 trucks and 11 jumbo jets.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=January 1995 |title=Acclaim Beats Movies |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/5/5d/GamePro_US_066.pdf |magazine=[[GamePro]] |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]] |issue=66 |page=212 |access-date=2019-05-19 |archive-date=2020-11-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116105502/https://retrocdn.net/images/5/5d/GamePro_US_066.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> First-week sales of over $50 million in the United States surpassed the opening [[box office]] results of that season's Hollywood film [[Blockbuster (entertainment)|blockbusters]], such as ''[[Forrest Gump]]'', ''[[True Lies]]'', ''[[The Mask (1994 film)|The Mask]]'', and ''[[The Lion King]]''.<ref>''Amiga Power'' 44 (December 1994)</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/23/business/mortal-kombat-sales.html Mortal Kombat Sales] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701050805/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/23/business/mortal-kombat-sales.html |date=2017-07-01 }}, ''New York Times'', September 23, 1994.</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Video game out-grosses movie releases |magazine=[[Screen Digest]] |date=1994 |page=233 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WVnvAAAAMAAJ |publisher=Screen Digest Limited |quote=First-week US retail revenues for Acclaim Entertainment's ''Mortal Kombat II'' video game topped $50m—more than opening week gross of summer's top film releases. |access-date=2021-10-24 |archive-date=2021-10-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026025105/https://books.google.com/books?id=WVnvAAAAMAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> Approximately {{nowrap|2.5 million}} units were shipped to stores within a month.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Shelf Talk: Soaring Sales |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=29 October 1994 |volume=106 |issue=44 |page=80 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YQgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA80 |publisher=[[Nielsen Business Media, Inc.]] |issn=0006-2510 |access-date=24 February 2021 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107100047/https://books.google.com/books?id=YQgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA80 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Mortal Kombat II'' became the world's best-selling video game until it was eclipsed by ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'', released in November 1994.<ref name="mip">''Minnesota Intellectual Property Review - Volume 3'', University of Minnesota Law School, 2002 (p.99).</ref> In the United States, it was the top-selling Genesis, SNES, and Game Gear title of September 1994,<ref name="EGMNov1994">{{cite magazine|date=November 1994|title=EGM's Hot Top Tens|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/2/2e/EGM_US_064.pdf|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|pages=52|access-date=2021-10-19|archive-date=2021-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019044303/https://retrocdn.net/images/2/2e/EGM_US_064.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> and the top game for the latter console the following month.<ref name="EGMDec1994">{{cite magazine|date=December 1994|title=EGM's Hot Top Tens|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/2/2d/EGM_US_065.pdf|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|pages=52|access-date=2021-10-19|archive-date=2018-10-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007040340/https://retrocdn.net/images/2/2d/EGM_US_065.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> The Genesis version went on to sell 1.78 million copies in the United States, along with an additional 1.51 million copies for the SNES in that same region.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-USPlatinum.shtml|title=US Platinum Videogame Chart|publisher=The Magic Box|access-date=2008-08-03|date=2007-12-27|archive-date=2007-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070106203333/http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-USPlatinum.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> In the United Kingdom, it was the top-selling game in September 1994, including for the Mega Drive, SNES, Master System, Game Gear and Game Boy;<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/9/9c/CVG_UK_156.pdf |title=Chart Attack with HMV |magazine=[[Computer & Video Games]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |issue=156 (November 1994) |date=15 October 1994 |page=113 |access-date=15 September 2021 |archive-date=7 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907223631/https://retrocdn.net/images/9/9c/CVG_UK_156.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> it remained the top-selling game for the Master System, Game Gear, and Game Boy in October,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/6/6b/CVG_UK_157.pdf |title=Chart Attack with HMV |magazine=[[Computer & Video Games]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |issue=157 (December 1994) |date=15 November 1994 |page=145 |access-date=15 September 2021 |archive-date=10 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210710025612/https://retrocdn.net/images/6/6b/CVG_UK_157.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> and for the Game Gear in November.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/8/84/CVG_UK_158.pdf |title=Chart Attack with HMV |magazine=[[Computer & Video Games]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |issue=158 (January 1995) |date=January 1995 |page=115 |access-date=2021-09-15 |archive-date=2016-04-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401063350/http://retrocdn.net/images/8/84/CVG_UK_158.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

By 2002, estimated gross sales of the home versions of ''Mortal Kombat II'' exceeded $400 million.<ref name="mip"/> The [[PlayStation Network|PSN]] version, released in 2007, continued to occupy the service's top ten monthly sales chart nearly three years later in February 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.edge-online.com/news/marvel-vs-capcom-2-leads-february-psn-sales/ |title=Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 Leads February PSN Sales | News |publisher=Edge Online |access-date=2014-03-19 |archive-date=2014-03-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140319233857/http://www.edge-online.com/news/marvel-vs-capcom-2-leads-february-psn-sales/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Reviews===
Initial critical reception towards ''Mortal Kombat II'' was overwhelmingly positive,<ref>''Retro Gamer'' issue 96 page 21.</ref> with ''[[Sega Visions]]'' describing the way in which the sequel was directed as "sheer brilliance",<ref>''Sega Visions'', August–September 1994.</ref> and ''[[Nintendo Power]]'' calling it "the hottest fighter ever".<ref>''Nintendo Power'' 64 (September 1994), page 103.</ref> Tony Brusgul of ''[[The Daily Gazette]]'' opined that the "incredible" hype surrounding the game was "well deserved", describing it as "a perfect blend of great graphics, action and violence".<ref>''The Daily Gazette'', October 20, 1994.</ref> In his review of the arcade release, Rik Skews of ''[[Computer and Video Games|Computer + Video Games]]'' (''C+VG'') said that "the only true rival to ''Street [F]ighter II''" returned "in a sequel that bites off the head of the original."<ref name=cvga/>

Regarding the Genesis version, Mark Patterson of ''C+VG'' wrote that "[[Probe Entertainment|Probe]] has done an incredible job with this conversion. Everything is here, and I mean everything."<ref name=cvg>Mark Patterson, "Tougher than the best: Mortal Kombat II", ''Computer + Video Games'' 154 (September 1994), p.48-51.</ref> [[Sushi-X]] of ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]'' (''EGM'') called the Genesis version "a great translation considering its limitations," saying that its graphics and sounds are not as good as those of the SNES version.<ref name=egm2>"Mortal Kombat II: Biggest seller in gaming history", ''EGM2'' 5 (November 1994), page 37.</ref> A reviewer for ''[[The Detroit News]]'' was "very disappointed" with the Genesis port and recommended the SNES version instead.<ref name=egm2/>

The four reviewers of ''EGM'' hailed the SNES version as a "near-perfect" translation of the arcade game.<ref name="EGM63"/> A reviewer for ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' called the SNES version "the best game I've ever played - a true translation,"<ref name=egm2/> and Patterson noted it was the bloodiest game Nintendo has yet allowed to be released. ''C+VG'' declared it "the most perfect [[coin-op]] conversion ever".<ref>''Retro Gamer'' issue 98 page 21.</ref><ref name=cvg/> [[Next Generation (magazine)|''Next Generation'']] said of the SNES version that "with full creative license, Acclaim has produced possibly the best arcade conversion ever."<ref name="NG1">{{cite magazine|title=Finals|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=1|publisher=[[Future US|Imagine Media]]|date=January 1995|page=104}}</ref>

Regarding the game's handheld ports, Patterson stated of the Game Boy version that "no Game Boy owner should go without this," and called the Game Gear version "still the best handheld beat-'em up" on the market, despite said version lacking much canonical content.<ref name=cvg/> ''EGM'' reviewers concurred that the Game Gear version "has eye-popping graphics, and great control - so much so that you won't believe this is a portable", but were less enthusiastic about the Game Boy version. Though they commented that it is better than most fighting games for the system, two of their four reviewers said that it was not worth getting with the game available on much more powerful platforms.<ref name="EGM63portable">{{cite magazine|title=Review Crew: Mortal Kombat II|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=63|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=October 1994|page=42}}</ref>

Critical reception of the Amiga version was also mostly favorable, with Ed Lawrence of ''[[CU Amiga]]'' declaring that "every person who own an Amiga has to own ''Mortal Kombat 2''. In terms of revitalising the Amiga market, this is far more important than any [[Commodore International|Commodore]] buy-out could ever be."<ref name=cua/> In a rare dissenting opinion, Jonathan Nash of ''[[Amiga Power]]'' dismissed ''Mortal Kombat II'' as "a clearly nonsensical title", recommending to "buy ''[[Shadow Fighter (video game)|Shadow Fighter]]'' instead".<ref name=ap>{{Cite magazine|last=Nash |first=Jonathan |date=February 1995 |title=Mortal Kombat 2 review | magazine=Amiga Power |issue=46 }}</ref> The later PC version was also well-received, with ''Next Generation'' stating that "if you like fighting games, this is the best that's available."<ref name=ng5-2>''Next Generation'' 5 (May 1995), page 91.</ref>

Reviewing the 32X version, [[IGN]]'s Levi Buchanan said that "if you do not have a SNES, this is the home version of ''MKII'' to get."<ref name=32x>Levi Buchanan, [http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/936/936773p1.html Mortal Kombat II 32X Review - Sega 32X Review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081212120701/http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/936/936773p1.html |date=2008-12-12 }}, IGN, December 9, 2008.</ref> In contrast, ''[[GamePro]]'' remarked that the 32X version offered too little improvement over the Genesis version, even failing to correct the control shortcomings, and was technically poor given the add-on's capabilities.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=ProReview: Mortal Kombat II|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=69 |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=April 1995|page=58}}</ref> In a review of the 32X version, ''Next Generation'' opined that "''MKII'' is a great game, but it's a serious case of 'been there, done that!'"<ref name="NG5-1">{{cite magazine|title=Finals|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=5|publisher=[[Future US|Imagine Media]]|date=May 1995|pages=90–91}}</ref> Brazilian magazine ''Ação Games'' gave the 32X version 5 out of 5 on all six categories.<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/acao_games_50/acao_games_80#page/n17/mode/2up Ação Games : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive]</ref>

Reviewing the Saturn version, ''EGM'' said that the graphics are identical to the arcade version but there are missing sound effects and "unbearable" slowdown when first performing a special move. They rated it the best home version of the game to date, but said that with ''Mortal Kombat II'' having considerably aged by this point, any port needed to be near arcade perfect to stand out.<ref name="EGM80">{{cite magazine|title=Review Crew: Mortal Kombat II|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=80|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=March 1996|page=29}}</ref> ''Next Generation'' said that the Saturn version was arcade perfect, but that the ''Mortal Kombat'' series as a whole was grossly overrated and lacked any gameplay innovations to make it stand out from other fighting games. They summarized that "if you are a fan of the game (and you know who you are), then the Saturn version is everything you can hope for - an arcade-perfect translation - and yet, there is nothing outside of a flashy presentation and a little gore to recommend this game over a million others just like it."<ref name="NexG16">{{cite magazine|title=Mortal Kombat II | magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=16|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|date=April 1996|page=86}}</ref> Lawrence Neves (writing under the pseudonym "Scary Larry") of ''GamePro'' agreed that the Saturn port "duplicates the arcade version perfectly", but argued that the slowdown and load times make the game frustrating to play. He concluded that the conversion would make a decent holdover until ''[[Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3]]'' was released for Saturn, but fails to measure up to ''[[Mortal Kombat 3]]'' on the PlayStation.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=ProReview: Mortal Kombat II|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=91|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=April 1996|page=78}}</ref> ''[[Sega Saturn Magazine]]'' was extremely disappointed with the final version of the Saturn port, calling it "much worse than any of the versions seen on the cartridge format",<ref name=ssm2/> as opposed to the vastly superior pre-release version they had reviewed five months earlier.<ref name=ssm/>

===Awards===
''Mortal Kombat II'' received numerous annual awards from gaming publications. ''[[Game Players]]'' gave it the titles of "Best Genesis Fighting Game", "Best SNES Fighting Game" and "Best Overall SNES Game" of 1994.<ref>''Game Players'' 48 (January 1995).</ref> The staff of ''Nintendo Power'' ranked ''MKII'' as the second (SNES) and fifth (Game Boy) "Top Game" of 1994,<ref name="np"/> while the magazine's readers voted it to receive the 1995's [[Nintendo Power Awards]] for "Best Tournament Fighter (all Nintendo platforms)" and "Best Play Control (Game Boy)",<ref name="autogenerated1">''Nintendo Power'' 72 (May 1995).</ref> with the game having been nominated by the staff also in the categories "Worst Villain" (positively, an equivalent of "Best Hero") and "Best Overall (all Nintendo platforms)".<ref name="autogenerated2">''Nintendo Power'' 70 (March 1995).</ref> ''[[VideoGames & Computer Entertainment|VideoGames]]'' named ''MKII'' the "Best Fighting Game" of 1994, also awarding it second place in the categories "Best Super NES Game" and "Best Arcade-to-Home Translation".<ref>''VideoGames, The Ultimate Gaming Magazine'' 74 (March 1995), pages 45-46.</ref> Other awards included "The Best of the Show (Super NES)" for the [[Consumer Electronics Show|SCES]] '94 from ''GamePro''<ref>''GamePro'' 62 (September 1994).</ref> and "Bloodiest Game of 1994" from ''EGM''.<ref name="egmbuyersguide1995">{{Cite magazine|year=1995 |title=Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide | magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] }}</ref> In 2017, [[GamesRadar+|Gamesradar]] listed the game 29th on its list of the "Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time".<ref>{{Cite web|last=GamesRadar Staff|date=2017-06-21|title=Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/|access-date=2022-02-24|website=gamesradar|language=en|archive-date=2012-07-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120726104316/http://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Controversies===
{{See also|Controversies surrounding Mortal Kombat}}
As in the case of the first ''Mortal Kombat'' game, the content of ''Mortal Kombat II'' became the subject of a great deal of controversy regarding violent video games. Nancian Cherry of ''[[Toledo Blade]]'' wrote that both games had "an army of critics too: people upset by the bone-crunching, blood-spurting, limb-ripping violence depicted on the small screen."<ref>''Toledo Blade'', January 7, 1996.</ref> According to IGN, "''Mortal Kombat II'' wore its notoriety as a badge of honor, boasting about it in promotional materials, and even parodying it in-game."<ref name=history>Travis Fahs, [http://uk.ign.com/articles/2011/05/05/the-history-of-mortal-kombat?page=2 The History of Mortal Kombat. Follow its bloody legacy from 1992 to present day.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107100150/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/05/05/the-history-of-mortal-kombat?page=2 |date=2021-11-07 }}, IGN, May 5, 2011.</ref> The game was banned in Germany,<ref name=radar/> where it was put in the index by the [[Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons]] (BPjM), and all versions of the game except for the Game Boy version<ref>{{cite web |author=blue image GmbH |url=http://www.cybercafe-software.com/indexlist.html#m |title=INDEX-List: Computer Games on the Index List in Germany |publisher=Cybercafe-software.com |date=2012-01-01 |access-date=2013-08-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730041247/http://www.cybercafe-software.com/indexlist.html#m |archive-date=2013-07-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref> were subjected to being confiscated from the German market for violating the [[Strafgesetzbuch|German Penal Code]] by showing excessive violence and cruel acts against representations of human beings. Due to regional censorship, the game was also released with green-colored blood and black-and-white fatality sequences in Japan; it was at that time a unique occurrence of a western game being censored in Japan rather than the inverse.<ref name="EGM2 5 1994 page 96"/> Years later, Boon recalled: "I've always had the position that the rating system was a good idea and should be put in place. Once ''Mortal Kombat II'' came out, there was a rating system in place. We were an M-rated game, and everybody knew the content that was in there, so it became almost a non-issue."<ref name="complex.com"/> Tobias agreed, saying that they "were content with the M for mature on our packaging."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/-i-mortal-kombat-i---a-book-excerpt-from-replay-the-history-of-video-games |title=Features - Mortal Kombat - A Book Excerpt from Replay: The History of Video Games |website=Gamasutra |date=10 June 2010 |access-date=2013-08-11 |archive-date=2013-05-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511100837/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134205/mortal_kombat__a_book_excerpt_.php?print=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>

There were also some other controversies unrelated to the game's graphic content. In 1994, [[Guy Aoki]], president of Media Action Network for [[Asian American]]s (MANAA), criticized the game for allegedly perpetuating existing [[Stereotypes of East Asians in the United States|stereotypes of Asians]] as [[martial arts]] experts with the game's portrayal of several of its characters. Allyne Mills, a publicist at Acclaim, responded to this by stating: "This is a fantasy game, with all different characters. This is a martial arts game which comes from Asia.{{sic}} The game was not created to foster stereotypes."<ref>"Do Fighting Video Games Prolong Stereotypes of Asian Americans?", ''AsianWeek'', September 23, 1994.</ref> Critical studies professor [[Marsha Kinder]] accused the game of "a [[misogyny|misogynist]] aspect to the combat", alleging that "in ''MKII'', some of the most violent possibilities are against women. Also, their fatality moves are highly eroticised."<ref>"Women, of a sort, enter Mortal Kombat", ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', May 29, 1995.</ref>

''Mortal Kombat'' actors Daniel Pesina, Philip Ahn, Katalin Zamiar and Elizabeth Malecki unsuccessfully filed two lawsuits in 1996 and 1997 against Midway, Williams, [[Nintendo#Nintendo of America|Nintendo of America]], [[Sega]] of America, and Acclaim Entertainment for the unauthorized misuse of their likenesses and to seek royalties from sales of the games' home ports.<ref>{{cite web |title= PHILIP AHN, ELIZABETH MALECKI, and KATALIN ZAMIAR Plaintiffs, v. MIDWAY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, WILLIAMS ELECTRONICS GAMES, INC. NINTENDO OF AMERICA, INC. SEGA OF AMERICA, INC. ACCLAIM ENTERTAINMENT, INC. Defendants |date= May 28, 1997 |url= http://www.internetlibrary.com/pdf/Ahn-Midway-Manufacturing.pdf |access-date= August 22, 2009 |archive-date= February 4, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170204175319/http://www.internetlibrary.com/pdf/Ahn-Midway-Manufacturing.pdf |url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first= Chris |last= Bennett |title= Models for Mortal Kombat |date= May 28, 1997 |url= http://www.davis.ca/en/blog/Video-Game-Law/1997/05/28/MODELS-FOR-MORTAL-KOMBAT |access-date= August 22, 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071109223942/http://www.davis.ca/en/blog/Video-Game-Law/1997/05/28/MODELS-FOR-MORTAL-KOMBAT |archive-date= November 9, 2007 |url-status= dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=1996988948FSupp40_1975.xml&docbase=CSLWAR2-1986-2006 PESINA v. MIDWAY MFG. CO] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723091016/http://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=1996988948FSupp40_1975.xml&docbase=CSLWAR2-1986-2006 |date=2012-07-23 }}, Leagle.com, December 9, 1996.</ref> Pesina, who sought $10 million in the suits for his roles in the first two ''MK'' games, had appeared in costume as Johnny Cage in a 1994 print advertisement for the fighting game ''[[BloodStorm]]''.<ref>{{cite web|first=Matt |last=Leone |url=http://www.polygon.com/2012/10/2/3444618/mortal-kombats-johnny-cage-20-years-later |title=Mortal Kombat's Johnny Cage, 20 years later |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |date=July 12, 2012|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614093135/http://www.polygon.com/2012/10/2/3444618/mortal-kombats-johnny-cage-20-years-later |archivedate=2013-06-14 }}</ref> {{Clear}}

===Retrospective===
{{quote box|quote=Arguably the best [[Western world|Western]] [[fighting game]] to date, and certainly the title that defined ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' as a brand, this game launched a thousand [[Video game clone|imitators]] en route to becoming one of the most famous -- and infamous -- video games ever made. Its technical and artistic mastery is only matched by its gushing gore.<ref name=most/>|source=—''[[GamePro]]'' in 2007|width=30%}}

Over the following years, multiple publications acclaimed ''Mortal Kombat II'' as one of the best video games ever. It was named the 97th top game of all time by the staff of ''[[Game Informer]]'' in 2001,<ref name=ref1>{{cite magazine |author=''Game Informer'' staff |title=The Top 100 Games of All Time |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=Game Informer Magazine |date=August 2001 |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2009/11/16/game-informer-s-top-100-games-of-all-time-circa-issue-100.aspx |access-date=2010-03-13 |archive-date=2016-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160219152324/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2009/11/16/game-informer-s-top-100-games-of-all-time-circa-issue-100.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> the 38th most important video game of all time by the staff of ''GamePro'' in 2007,<ref name=most>{{cite magazine |title=The 52 Most Important Video Games of All Time (page 2 of 8)|url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/110048/the-52-most-important-video-games-of-all-time-page-2-of-8/ |date=April 25, 2007 |magazine=GamePro |access-date=August 22, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913085012/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/110048/the-52-most-important-video-games-of-all-time-page-2-of-8/|archive-date=2008-09-13}}</ref> and the 32nd best video game of all time by ''[[The Boston Phoenix]]'' in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://supplements.thephoenix.com/supplements/2010/50games/rate/?a=1132 |title=Mortal Kombat II, the 32nd Best Game of All Time - Boston Phoenix |publisher=Supplements.thephoenix.com |access-date=2013-08-11 |archive-date=2013-12-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219025224/http://supplements.thephoenix.com/supplements/2010/50games/rate/?a=1132 |url-status=live }}</ref> Featuring it in their 2003 video game hall of fame series, the staff of [[GameSpot]] wrote: "''Mortal Kombat II'' was so much better, as a sequel, than it had to be that it absolutely deserves a place in the pantheon of all-time classics."<ref name=hall/>

Many publications also listed ''Mortal Kombat II'' among the best video games of its genre or era. It was named the third best fighting game by the staff of ''GamePro''<ref name=ref3>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100531010324/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/207987/the-18-best-fighting-games/ The 18 Best Fighting Games], GamePro, November 20, 2008.</ref> and the ninth best fighting game of all time by Rich Knight of Cinema Blend in 2008,<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Top-10-Best-Fighting-Games-Of-All-Time-13864.html|title = Top 10 Best Fighting Games Of All Time|date = December 7, 2008|access-date = April 3, 2013|archive-date = July 26, 2013|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130726100835/http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Top-10-Best-Fighting-Games-Of-All-Time-13864.html|url-status = live}}</ref> the third top fighting game of all time by Marissa Meli of [[UGO Networks|UGO]]<ref name=ref4>{{cite web|first=Marissa|last=Meli|title=Top 25 Fighting Games of All Time|date=2010-07-08|url=http://www.ugo.com/games/top-25-fighting-games-of-all-time?page=5|publisher=UGO.com|access-date=2010-07-09|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225103928/http://www.ugo.com/games/top-25-fighting-games-of-all-time?page=5|archive-date=2013-02-25}}</ref> and the second best 2D fighting game ever made by Robert Workman of GamePlayBook in 2010,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gameplaybook.com/news/keeping-it-old-school-the-best-2-d-fighting-games-ever-made/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824054612/http://www.gameplaybook.com/news/keeping-it-old-school-the-best-2-d-fighting-games-ever-made/ |archive-date=2010-08-24 |title=Keeping It Old School: The Best 2-D Fighting Games Ever Made - GamePlayBook |access-date=2013-08-11}}</ref> and the third best fighting game of all time by Peter Rubin of ''[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]]'' in 2011.<ref>Peter Rubin, [http://www.complex.com/video-games/2011/03/50-best-fighting-games/mortal-kombat-ii The 50 Best Fighting Games of All Time] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111209090153/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2011/03/50-best-fighting-games/mortal-kombat-ii |date=2011-12-09 }}, Complex.com, March 15, 2011.</ref> It was also named the 53rd best game on any Nintendo platform by the staff of ''Nintendo Power'' in 1997,<ref>''Nintendo Power'' 100 (September 1997).</ref> featured among the 100 best games of the 20th century by Jakub Kralka of Benchmark in 2009,<ref>{{in lang|pl}} Jakub Kralka, [http://www.benchmark.pl/testy_i_recenzje/100_najlepszych_gier_XX_wieku_cz.2-2488/strona/7460.html 100 najlepszych gier XX wieku cz.2: Mortal Kombat II] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219022737/http://www.benchmark.pl/testy_i_recenzje/100_najlepszych_gier_XX_wieku_cz.2-2488/strona/7460.html |date=2013-12-19 }}, benchmark.pl, 2009-12-05.</ref> and the tenth best 16-bit game ever by McKinley Noble of ''[[PC World (magazine)|PC World]]'' that same year.<ref name="The 10 Best 16-Bit Games Ever!"/>

The game also received accolades for its various conversions. ''Mortal Kombat II'' was included among the ten best arcade games by [[Wirtualna Polska]],<ref>{{in lang|pl}} [http://gry.wp.pl/galeria/10-najlepszych-gier-z-automatow,179572/1.html 10 najlepszych gier z automatów - Imperium gier] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620092448/http://gry.wp.pl/galeria/10-najlepszych-gier-z-automatow,179572/1.html |date=2012-06-20 }}, WP.PL.</ref> and named the fifth top arcade game by the staff of [[GameTrailers]] in 2009,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/nvy9r2/gt-countdown-top-10-arcade-games|title=Top 10 Arcade Games|date=July 7, 2009|publisher=GameTrailers|access-date=November 1, 2009|archive-date=July 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120710065351/http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/nvy9r2/gt-countdown-top-10-arcade-games|url-status=live}}</ref> the 31st top arcade game of all time by the staff of [[GameSpy]] in 2011,<ref name=gamespy>{{cite web |url=http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/115/1151159p11.html |title=GameSpy's Top 50 Arcade Games of All-Time |publisher=Uk.gamespy.com |access-date=2013-08-11 |archive-date=2013-03-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130320232617/http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/115/1151159p11.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and the sixth best arcade game of the 1990s by ''Complex'' in 2013.<ref name=1990s>Rich Knight, Hanuman Welch, [http://www.complex.com/video-games/2013/08/best-arcade-video-games/mortal-kombat-ii The 30 Best Arcade Video Games of the 1990s] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831113251/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2013/08/best-arcade-video-games/mortal-kombat-ii |date=2013-08-31 }}, Complex.com, August 28, 2013.</ref> Regarding the 16-bit console versions, ''MKII'' was named the fourth best ever Genesis game by ''Complex''<ref>Insanul Ahmed, [http://www.complex.com/video-games/2010/11/sega-anything-the-25-best-genesis-games/mortal-kombat-2 #4. Mortal Kombat 2 (1994) — Sega Anything: The 25 Best Genesis Games] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418161934/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2010/11/sega-anything-the-25-best-genesis-games/mortal-kombat-2 |date=2012-04-18 }}, ''Complex'', November 29, 2010.</ref> and the 19th best Genesis game by [[GamesRadar]],<ref name=radar>[http://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/ Best Sega Genesis games of all time] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120726104316/http://www.gamesradar.com/best-sega-genesis-games-all-time/ |date=2012-07-26 }}, GamesRadar, April 17, 2012.</ref> as well as the 12th best ever SNES game by Rich Knight of ''Complex''<ref>Rich Knight, [http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/07/the-100-best-super-nintendo-games/mortal-kombat-ii The 100 Best Super Nintendo Games] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130105174043/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/07/the-100-best-super-nintendo-games/mortal-kombat-ii |date=2013-01-05 }}, Complex.com, July 9, 2012.</ref> and the 25th top game for the SNES by Richard George of IGN;<ref name=snes>Richard George, [https://archive.today/20130111030019/http://uk.ign.com/top/snes-games/25 Mortal Kombat II - #25 Top 100 SNES Games], IGN, 2011.</ref> in 1995, SNES magazine ''[[Super Play]]'' also named it the best sequel on the platform.<ref>''Super Play'' 31, p.71.</ref> In Poland, where the Amiga was the most popular gaming platform of the early 1990s, ''MKII'' was named the ninth best ever Amiga game by Michał Wierzbicki of ''[[Chip (magazine)|CHIP]]''<ref>{{in lang|pl}} Michał Wierzbicki, [http://www.chip.pl/news/rozrywka/download/2010/02/dziesiec-najlepszych-gier-na-amige Dziesięć najlepszych gier na Amigę] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530030703/http://www.chip.pl/news/rozrywka/download/2010/02/dziesiec-najlepszych-gier-na-amige/ |date=2016-05-30 }}, Chip.pl, 23.02.2010.</ref> and the 22nd best Amiga game by ''PSX Extreme'' editor-in-chief Przemysław Ścierski.<ref>{{in lang|pl}} Przemysław "Ściera" Ścierski, [http://www.ppe.pl/news-3462-Retrobesciaki_Amiga_Top_30_by_Sciera.html Retrobeściaki: Amiga Top 30 by Ściera] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713005921/http://www.ppe.pl/news-3462-Retrobesciaki_Amiga_Top_30_by_Sciera.html |date=2012-07-13 }}, PPE.PL, 2010-10-23.</ref> In 1995, [[Total!]] listed the game at number four on its list of the "Top 100 SNES Games".<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=July 1995 |title=Top 100 SNES Games |url=https://archive.org/details/total-43/page/n37/mode/2up | magazine=Total! |issue=43 |pages=38}}</ref> In 1996, GamesMaster rated the game 35th on their list of the "Top 100 Games of All Time".<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=July 1996 |title=Top 100 Games of All Time |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/c/cf/GamesMaster_UK_044.pdf |magazine=GamesMaster |issue=44 |pages=77 |access-date=2022-07-11 |archive-date=2022-07-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705151248/https://retrocdn.net/images/c/cf/GamesMaster_UK_044.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{quote box|quote=Most hard-core fans agree that ''Mortal Kombat II'' is the best in the entire series. Midway improved on every single aspect and ... inspired a horde of [[Video game clone|also-rans]].<ref name=gs>{{cite web|url= http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/hist_mortalk/p14.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20020220040500/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/hist_mortalk/p14.html|archive-date= 2002-02-20|title=The History of Mortal Kombat - Mortal Kombat II (1993)|website=GameSpot|author1=Greeson, Jeff |author2=O'Neill, Cliff |name-list-style=amp |access-date=2012-12-12}}</ref>|source=—[[GameSpot]] in 2002|width=30%|}}

GamesRadar called it "the point when the series became great".<ref>[http://www.gamesradar.com/mortal-kombat-trilogy/videos/mortal-kombat-ii-fap/ Mortal Kombat II | FAP] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221225019/http://www.gamesradar.com/mortal-kombat-trilogy/videos/mortal-kombat-ii-fap/ |date=2013-12-21 }}, GamesRadar, Aug. 30, 2012.</ref> In 2007, GamesRadar included four elements of this game - Dan Forden's "Toasty!" soundbite during an uppercut (also ranked as the 11th funniest moment in video games by Rich Knight of ''Complex'' in 2012),<ref>Rich Knight, [http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/05/the-25-funniest-moments-in-video-games/mortal-kombat-iis-toasty The 25 Funniest Moments In Video Games] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130414220129/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/05/the-25-funniest-moments-in-video-games/mortal-kombat-iis-toasty |date=2013-04-14 }}, Complex.com, May 22, 2012.</ref> Friendship and Babality finishing moves, and the ceiling spikes Stage Fatality - among the ten greatest things about ''Mortal Kombat''.<ref>[http://www.gamesradar.com/ten-greatest-things-about-mortal-kombat/ Ten greatest things about Mortal Kombat] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221225030/http://www.gamesradar.com/ten-greatest-things-about-mortal-kombat/ |date=2013-12-21 }}, GamesRadar US, April 13, 2007.</ref> Reviewing the PlayStation 3 release in 2007, IGN's Jeff Haynes stated that "''Mortal Kombat II'' still manages to stand up almost 15 years later as one of the best arcade fighters around."<ref name=ign>Jeff Haynes, [http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/780/780492p1.html Mortal Kombat II Review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214022950/http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/780/780492p1.html |date=2009-02-14 }}, IGN, April 13, 2007.</ref> As late as 2009, many fans still considered ''MKII'' to be the best title in the series.<ref name="The 10 Best 16-Bit Games Ever!">{{Cite magazine |last=Noble |first=McKinley |date=August 2009 |title=The 10 Best 16-Bit Games Ever! |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/170041/the_10_best_16bit_games_ever.html |access-date=2009-08-16 |magazine=PC World |archive-date=2009-08-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090816144249/http://www.pcworld.com/article/170041/the_10_best_16bit_games_ever.html |url-status=live }}</ref> According to a 2011 article by Mike Harradence of PlayStation Universe, the "bigger, bolder and bloodier" game remains "a firm fan favourite among ''MK'' aficionados".<ref name=psu>Mike Harradence, [http://www.psu.com/a010389/Inside-PlayStation-Network---Mortal-Kombat-II Inside PlayStation Network - Mortal Kombat II] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219031947/http://www.psu.com/a010389/Inside-PlayStation-Network---Mortal-Kombat-II |date=2013-12-19 }}, PlayStation Universe, January 11th, 2011.</ref> That year, IGN's Richard George wrote that "''Mortal Kombat II'' is considered by many to be the pinnacle of the series" and called it "still one of the most fun 16-bit fighters to play".<ref name=snes/> In 2013, Rich Knight and Hanuman Welch of ''Complex'' wrote that "''Mortal Kombat II'' took everything we loved about the original and magnified it by about a million. ... We still love this game."<ref name=1990s/> That same year, Knight and Gus Turner from the same magazine also ranked it as the sixth best 2D fighting game of all time, stating: "Truth be told, [[Mortal Kombat (2011 video game)|the latest ''MK'']] has nothing on this one. Nothing. A step up from the original in every way, ''MK II'' was, and still is, a solid, violent game that's an essential title to grab for any serious fan of fighting games."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.complex.com/video-games/2013/08/best-2d-fighting-games/mk |title=Mortal Kombat II — The 25 Best 2D Fighting Games of All Time |magazine=Complex |date=2013-08-15 |access-date=2014-01-14 |archive-date=2013-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130827081849/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2013/08/best-2d-fighting-games/mk |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2014, Kevin Wong of ''Complex'' wrote, "Today, we remember ''Mortal Kombat II'' for its anarchic spirit—the game was endlessly intriguing and weird, and it had an uneasy atmosphere—anything could happen at any given moment. Critics derided ''Mortal Kombat'' as meaningless shock value, but its sequel proved those naysayers wrong. ''Mortal Kombat II'' was a Flawless Victory—irreverent, hilarious, and horrific in equal measures."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.complex.com/video-games/2014/05/throwback-thursday-mortal-kombat-ii-arcade |title=Throwback Thursday, Mortal Kombat II Splattered the Arcade With Gore |magazine=Complex |date=2014-05-08 |access-date=2014-06-26 |archive-date=2014-05-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512055014/http://www.complex.com/video-games/2014/05/throwback-thursday-mortal-kombat-ii-arcade |url-status=live }}</ref> {{Clear}}

==Legacy==
On December 26, 2022, the source code for the game, which included cut content, was uploaded online to [[GitHub]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wilson |first1=Mike |title='Mortal Kombat II' Source Code Leaked, Containing Cut Moves, Animations, Fatalities and More |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/video-games/3745340/mortal-kombat-ii-source-code-leaked-containing-cut-moves-animations-fatalities-and-more-video/ |website=[[Bloody Disgusting]] |publisher=[[Cinedigm]] |access-date=11 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101021107/https://bloody-disgusting.com/video-games/3745340/mortal-kombat-ii-source-code-leaked-containing-cut-moves-animations-fatalities-and-more-video/ |archive-date=2023-01-01 |date=2022-12-29 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Stephenson |first1=Cassidy |title=Mortal Kombat 2 Suffers Major Source Code Leak |url=https://www.cbr.com/mortal-kombat-2-source-code-leak/ |website=[[Comic Book Resources]] |publisher=Valnet Inc |access-date=11 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221230151325/https://www.cbr.com/mortal-kombat-2-source-code-leak/ |archive-date=30 December 2022 |date=29 December 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Heaton |first1=Andrew |title=Mortal Kombat 2 Source Code Leaks, Reveals Hidden Cut Content |url=https://gamerant.com/mortal-kombat-2-source-code-leak-cut-content/ |website=[[Screen Rant|Game Rant]] |publisher=Valnet Inc |access-date=11 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103143937/https://gamerant.com/mortal-kombat-2-source-code-leak-cut-content/ |archive-date=3 January 2023 |date=3 January 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> In response, on January 6, 2023, [[Warner Bros. Discovery]] sent a DMCA takedown notice to GitHub, and public access to the repository was disabled as a result.<ref name="TorrentFreakSrcLeak">{{cite web |last1=Sar |first1=Ernesto van der |title=Warner Bros. Fights 'Mortal Kombat II' Source Code Leak |url=https://torrentfreak.com/warner-bros-fights-mortal-kombat-ii-source-code-leak-230109/ |website=[[TorrentFreak]] |access-date=11 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230110021034/https://torrentfreak.com/warner-bros-fights-mortal-kombat-ii-source-code-leak-230109/ |archive-date=10 January 2023 |date=9 January 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Good |first1=Owen |title=Mortal Kombat's lawyers shut down intriguing leak of MK2 source code |url=https://www.polygon.com/23550296/mortal-kombat-2-source-code-leak-dmca-warner-bros-github-takedown |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |access-date=11 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111172608/https://www.polygon.com/23550296/mortal-kombat-2-source-code-leak-dmca-warner-bros-github-takedown |archive-date=11 January 2023 |date=11 January 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Colbert |first1=Isaiah |title=Revealing Mortal Kombat II Code Leak Pulled By Warner Bros. |url=https://kotaku.com/mortal-kombat-2-mk2-source-code-leak-dmca-takedown-1849977045 |website=[[Kotaku]] |publisher=[[G/O Media]] |access-date=11 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111234409/https://kotaku.com/mortal-kombat-2-mk2-source-code-leak-dmca-takedown-1849977045 |archive-date=11 January 2023 |date=11 January 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Carter |first1=Justin |title=Warner Bros. issues takedown for Mortal Kombat II source code leak |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/warner-bros-issues-takedown-for-i-mortal-kombat-ii-i-source-code-leak |website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] |publisher=[[Informa]] |access-date=11 January 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230111234649/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/warner-bros-issues-takedown-for-i-mortal-kombat-ii-i-source-code-leak |archive-date=11 January 2023 |date=11 January 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> The leaker then created a new repository titled "not-mk2", which contained the "[[NetherRealm Studios#Controversies|Controversies]]" section of the [[NetherRealm Studios]] article on [[Wikipedia]].<ref name="TorrentFreakSrcLeak"/>

===Rumored content===
While many games have been subject to [[urban legend]]s about secret features and [[Unlockable (gaming)|unlockable]] content, such myths were particularly rampant among the dedicated fan community of ''Mortal Kombat'' in regards to ''Mortal Kombat II''.<ref name=gs/> According to GameSpy, "the [arcade gaming] community was abuzz about myriad secrets both true and false."<ref name=gamespy/> The game's creators did little to dispel those rumors that included supposed "Nudality" or "Sexuality" finishing moves for Kitana and Mileena, Shang Tsung's ability to transform into Kano and Goro, a chance to fight Sonya after defeating Jade in a specific way, and "Hornbuckle" being featured as an additional secret character.<ref name=hall/><ref name=sho/><ref name=history/><ref>{{cite web|first=John|last=Scalza|title=April Fool's Day Scams|date=2003-04-01|url=http://www.gamingtarget.com/article.php?artid=5593|publisher=Gaming Target|access-date=2010-10-23|archive-date=2011-12-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111218102830/http://gamingtarget.com/article.php?artid=5593|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|date=December 1994|title=Cheat Code|magazine=Hyper|publisher=Next Pub|volume=13|page=93}}</ref>

Some of them were eventually implemented in subsequent ''MK'' games. Among these rumors to be adapted later were the [[Fatality (Mortal Kombat)#Animality|Animalities]] (used in ''[[Mortal Kombat 3]]'' and its updates) and an ability to throw an opponent into the mouth of a tree in the Living Forest stage (first used in ''[[Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks]]'').<ref name=history/><ref name=lies/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/noobde/status/46306228133036032 |title=Twitter / noobde: RT @YoshioKun13 U actually |publisher=Twitter.com |access-date=2014-03-19 |archive-date=2014-03-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327232048/https://twitter.com/noobde/status/46306228133036032 |url-status=live }}</ref> Rumored characters included false reports of a red female ninja character dubbed "Scarlet" by fans, who was officially introduced as [[Skarlet (Mortal Kombat)|Skarlet]] in 2011's ''Mortal Kombat'',<ref>Nikole Zivalich, [http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/713083/mortal-kombat-skarlet-dlc-video-check-out-the-red-ninja-in-action/ Mortal Kombat Skarlet DLC Video -- Check Out The Red Ninja In Action] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113083153/http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/713083/mortal-kombat-skarlet-dlc-video-check-out-the-red-ninja-in-action/ |date=2013-01-13 }}, G4tv.com, May 31, 2011.</ref><ref name=glitch>[http://www.siliconera.com/2011/05/31/another-glitch-character-becomes-reality-with-mortal-kombats-skarlet-dlc/ Another Glitch Character Becomes Reality With Mortal Kombat's Skarlet DLC] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101043045/http://www.siliconera.com/2011/05/31/another-glitch-character-becomes-reality-with-mortal-kombats-skarlet-dlc/ |date=2014-01-01 }}, Siliconera, May 31, 2011.</ref> and the male ninja [[Ermac]], who originated from a misinterpreted indicator in the original game's audits menu and was teased in ''MKII'' before finally becoming playable in ''[[Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3]]''.<ref name=sho/><ref name=glitch/> A nameless, flaming palette swap of Liu Kang seen in the background of the Pit II stage, initially dubbed "Torch" by fans, officially debuted in ''[[Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance]]'' as secret character [[Blaze (character)|Blaze]], who later became the final boss of ''[[Mortal Kombat: Armageddon]]''.<ref name=lies>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110607150749/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/30666/secrets-lies/ Secret & Lies], ''GamePro'', August 07, 2003.</ref>

===Related titles===
{{See also|Mortal Kombat (1995 film)|Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks|Mortal Kombat (2011 video game)|Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection}}

Although the 1995 film ''[[Mortal Kombat (1995 film)|Mortal Kombat]]'' was primarily based on the first game, it features elements from ''Mortal Kombat II'', such as the characters Kitana and Shao Kahn, and the setting of Outworld.

The plot and characters of the game served as the basis for the 2005 [[Spin-off (media)|spin-off]] game ''[[Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks]]'', a [[beat 'em up]] title which follows Liu Kang and Kung Lao as they fight their way through Outworld to defeat Shao Kahn. Some of the plot of ''Shaolin Monks'', such as the death of Jade, is not compatible with the general ''Mortal Kombat'' game series.

The events of ''Mortal Kombat II'', along with the first ''Mortal Kombat'' and ''[[Mortal Kombat 3]]'' (including its expansions), were later retold in the 2011 game ''[[Mortal Kombat (2011 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]'', which was an effective [[Reboot (fiction)|reboot]] of the series. In it, Raiden uses time travel to revisit the tournaments from the original games in the series in order to change the future in the aftermath of Armageddon.<ref>Mark Walton, [http://www.gamespot.com/mortal-kombat-2011/reviews/mortal-kombat-review-6309015/ Mortal Kombat Review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222144017/http://www.gamespot.com/mortal-kombat-2011/reviews/mortal-kombat-review-6309015/ |date=2012-02-22 }}, GameSpot, April 19, 2011.</ref> The ladder/arcade mode of this game can follow the same order of bosses as in ''MKII'' (with Shang Tsung, Kintaro and Shao Kahn as the final three opponents, although [[Goro (Mortal Kombat)|Goro]] will often be the ninth opponent instead of Kintaro) and its controls and Fatality system are most reminiscent of ''MKII''. Classic costumes from ''MKII'' were also brought back as alternate outfits for female ninja characters, with some of these costumes exclusive to the [[PlayStation Vita]] version.<ref>Jordan Mallory, [http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/mortal-kombat-vita-also-includes-exclusive-klassic-kostumes-for/ Mortal Kombat Vita also includes exclusive klassic kostumes for female ninjas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616035829/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/mortal-kombat-vita-also-includes-exclusive-klassic-kostumes-for/ |date=2013-06-16 }}, Joystiq, April 27th 2012.</ref>

''Mortal Kombat II'' was to be one of the three games remade in HD in the cancelled fighting game ''Mortal Kombat HD Arcade Kollection''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jwmontenegro.blogspot.com/2011/06/mortal-kombat-arcade-kollection-ui-work.html |title=The Art of John Montenegro: "Mortal Kombat: Arcade Kollection" UI Work |publisher=Jwmontenegro.blogspot.com |access-date=2013-08-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131008181716/http://jwmontenegro.blogspot.com/2011/06/mortal-kombat-arcade-kollection-ui-work.html |archive-date=2013-10-08 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eventhubs.com/news/2014/may/06/ultimate-cosplay-kitana-sonya-liu-kang-and-more-surface-full-costume-cancelled-hd-remake-mortal-kombat/ |title=Ultimate cosplay? Photos of Kitana, Sonya, Liu Kang and more surface in full costume for canceled HD remake of Mortal Kombat |date=6 May 2014 |publisher=Eventhubs.com |access-date=2014-05-07 |archive-date=2014-05-07 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140507140435/http://www.eventhubs.com/news/2014/may/06/ultimate-cosplay-kitana-sonya-liu-kang-and-more-surface-full-costume-cancelled-hd-remake-mortal-kombat/ |url-status=live }}</ref> However, only a simple compilation game titled ''[[Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection]]'' was released instead.

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Video games|United States|1990s}}
*{{moby game|id=/mortal-kombat-ii|name=''Mortal Kombat II''}}
*[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203703/ ''Mortal Kombat II''] at the [[Internet Movie Database]]
*[http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8756 ''Mortal Kombat II''] at the [[Killer List of Videogames]]

{{Mortal Kombat series}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mortal Kombat 2}}
[[Category:1993 video games]]
[[Category:Acclaim Entertainment games]]
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[[Category:Arcade video games]]
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[[Category:DOS games]]
[[Category:Fighting games]]
[[Category:Game Boy games]]
[[Category:Game Gear games]]
[[Category:Games commercially released with DOSBox]]
[[Category:Master System games]]
[[Category:Midway video games]]
[[Category:Mortal Kombat games]]
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Mario Is Missing!

2025-10-26T01:34:18Z

2600:1700:E5D0:A9A0:7000:7B1B:BDEA:C3EC:

{{Short description|1993 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Mario Is Missing!
| image = Mario Is Missing cover.jpg
| alt =
| caption = North American SNES box art
| developer = [[The Software Toolworks]]{{efn|MS-DOS and Windows versions developed by The Software Toolworks and [[Knowledge Adventure]]; NES version developed by [[Radical Entertainment]].}}
| publisher = {{vgrelease|NA|The Software Toolworks|PAL|[[Mindscape (company)|Mindscape]]}}
| designer = Donald W. Laabs
| programmer =
| artist =
| composer =
| producer =
| series = ''[[List of Luigi video games|Luigi]]'' ''[[Mario (franchise)|Mario]]''
| engine =
| platforms = [[MS-DOS]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super NES]], [[Mac (computer)|Macintosh]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| released = {{Collapsible list|title={{nobold|January 1993}}|'''MS-DOS'''{{vgrelease|NA|January 1993}} '''NES, Super NES'''{{vgrelease|NA|June 1993|EU|October 1993}} '''Macintosh'''{{vgrelease|NA|June 1994}} '''Windows'''{{vgrelease|NA|July 1996}}
}}
| genre = [[Educational game|Educational]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
}}
'''''Mario Is Missing!''''' is a 1993 [[educational game]] developed and published by [[The Software Toolworks]] for [[MS-DOS]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System]], and [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]], later released on [[Mac (computer)|Macintosh]] in 1994. The player controls [[Luigi (character)|Luigi]], who must travel around the world to find and return stolen treasures as part of a quest to locate his brother, [[Mario]], who has been captured by [[Bowser]]. ''Mario Is Missing!'', part of [[List of Mario educational games|a series of educational ''Mario'' games]], was Luigi's second starring role in a video game, following the 1990 [[Nelsonic Industries#Game watches|Game Watch]] game ''Luigi's Hammer Toss'' and preceding the 2001 [[GameCube]] game ''[[Luigi's Mansion]]''.

==Gameplay==
[[File:Mario-is-Missing-game-screenshot.png|thumb|left|200px|Luigi is talking to a local woman in a city area.|alt=A screenshot from ''Mario is Missing!''.]]
''Mario Is Missing!'' is an [[educational game]]. The computer version is a [[point-and-click adventure]] while the NES and Super NES have [[platformer]] elements.<ref name=IGN/> In the game, [[Bowser]], king of the [[Koopa Troopa|Koopa]]s, has relocated from the [[Mushroom Kingdom]] to the real world where he has set up his headquarters in an Antarctic castle.<ref name=SNESF/><ref name=IGN/> Bowser plans to steal the Earth's treasures with the use of the Passcode-Operated Remote Transportation and Larceny System (PORTALS) which allows his Koopas to teleport anywhere in the world.<ref name=SNESF/> Bowser intends to sell the treasures to pay for enough hairdryers so he can melt the ice of Antarctica.<ref name=Plunkett/><ref name=Macy/> He captures [[Mario]] to prevent him from foiling the plan and it is up to Mario's brother [[Luigi (character)|Luigi]] to save him.<ref name=SNESF/>

The player controls Luigi throughout the game. At the beginning of the game, Luigi and dinosaur [[Yoshi]] are at Bowser's castle and Luigi has access to the PORTALS, allowing him to teleport to cities where the Koopas are operating.<ref name=SNESF/><ref name=GF/> The player can view a map of the city that Luigi is in, as well as a map of the world known as the Globulator.<ref name=Power/><ref name=SNESF/> The player can use the Globulator to control Yoshi's movements across the world, which is necessary to reunite Yoshi with Luigi.<ref name=SNESF/> The player has access to a computer which keeps track of various clues learned throughout the game, including information gained from speaking to people in the cities Luigi visits and pamphlets regarding the landmarks that have had something stolen from them.<ref name=SNESF/><ref name=Power/><ref name=IGN/>

Notable locations in the game include [[Cairo]], [[New York City]], [[Mexico City]], [[Paris]], [[Buenos Aires]] and [[Tokyo]]. Missing artifacts include [[Big Ben]], the ''[[Mona Lisa]]'', and the [[Great Sphinx of Giza]].<ref name=SNESF/> Upon arriving in each city, the player must figure out what city Luigi is in and determine what artifact has been stolen and where it can be found. To figure these out, the player must talk to local people and ask them questions. Each city contains multiple tourist information centers as well as three stolen treasures, which are obtained by dispatching the Koopa who is carrying each one.<ref name=SNESF/><ref name=IGN/> In the version for Macintosh PC and MS-DOS, the number of treasures which have to be retrieved from the Koopas in each city varies, ranging between three and five that need to be recovered and returned. The treasure must be taken to the correct tourist information center, where the attendant in charge of the center asks the player general questions about the artifact they are returning to ensure it is authentic.<ref name=SNESF/><ref name=AG-MAC-R/> When the artifact is restored, a picture is taken of Luigi with the artifact and is placed into a photo album.<ref name=Power/><ref name=AG-MAC-R/> The player must summon Yoshi to Luigi's current location so the dinosaur can eat a Pokey that is blocking the level exit leading back to Bowser's castle.<ref name=SNESF/><ref name=PCG/><ref name=IGN/> After helping five cities recover their missing artifacts, Luigi faces one of Bowser's Koopaling kids blocking the way up to the next floor. After beating all of them he defeats Bowser, stops his plan and rescues Mario. The ending differs between versions: the Super NES version has Luigi send Bowser flying out of his castle with a cannon where he lands in the snow, freezes solid, and then breaks up into pieces. The Macintosh and MS-DOS version has him attempt to attack Luigi before he can stop his plan, only for Luigi to avoid him and pull off his shell, leaving Bowser to slink away in embarrassment while Luigi retrieves the key to Mario's cell from the shell. Bowser returns and Luigi dupes him into looking for the key in the snow below, allowing Luigi to kick him over the wall into the snow before then releasing Mario, reuniting with Yoshi and heading for home with Bowser's plan thwarted.

==Development and release==
To capitalize on educational games which were popular at the time, [[Nintendo]] partnered with [[The Software Toolworks]] to create an educational Mario game.<ref name=IGN/><ref name=Vince/> Nintendo licensed the Mario characters, but was otherwise not involved in the game's development<ref name=PCG/> nor was Mario creator [[Shigeru Miyamoto]].<ref name=IGN/> The Software Toolworks released the game for [[MS-DOS]] in January 1993.<ref>{{cite web|title=Consumer electronics firms hope recession is over|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/01/06/Consumer-electronics-firms-hope-recession-is-over/6506726296400/|access-date=January 17, 2018|work=[[United Press International]]|date=January 6, 1993|archive-date=January 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118122547/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/01/06/Consumer-electronics-firms-hope-recession-is-over/6506726296400/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Boston/> Its lead designer was Donald W. Laabs, who saw working with Nintendo as a way to compete with ''[[Carmen Sandiego]]'' creator [[Broderbund]] and hoped to license Mario for that purpose. They were able to get a licensing agreement due to one of the company's executives' strong relationship with Nintendo of America, and because Nintendo was also interested in making educational games featuring Mario. This made them the first non-Nintendo studio to produce a ''Mario'' game on a console. They also hired staff that worked on ''Carmen Sandiego''. The lead artist had to attend a Mario art school in Japan to learn how to present ''Mario'' characters. Laabs noted that the Japanese branch of Nintendo did not seem to fully realize the deal which Nintendo of America made, and they insisted ''Mario Is Missing!'' not be confused with a traditional ''Mario'' game. Laabs had no expectations that they could make a game which was the same caliber of Nintendo's ''Mario'' games due to the close collaboration between the software and hardware teams at Nintendo. The team made a point of using other ''Mario'' games for reference during development. Whereas ''Mario'' games are able to pose a challenge, the team aimed to make sure that it could be enjoyed by young children. The members of the team who wanted to make a ''Carmen Sandiego'' competitor competed with those who wanted to make a traditional action-based game, though they had to adhere to Nintendo's guidelines, and thus had to find a good balance between a ''Mario'' experience and an educational experience. Laabs was responsible for all versions, with each team reporting to him.<ref name="TE">{{cite web |url=https://www.timeextension.com/features/the-making-of-mario-is-missing-the-plumbers-oddest-adventure |title=The Making Of Mario Is Missing, The Plumber's Oddest Adventure |work=Time Extension |last=McFerran |first=Damien |date=December 27, 2023 |accessdate=January 8, 2024}}</ref> ''Mario Is Missing!'' marked Luigi's first starring role in a video game, followed by the [[List of Luigi video games#Luigi's Mansion series|''Luigi's Mansion'' series]] of games.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Franich|first=Darren|title=Luigi's Mansion Super Mario|url=http://ew.com/article/2011/06/08/luigi-super-mario-mansion/|access-date=January 17, 2018|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=June 8, 2011|quote=In his first starring role, ''Mario Is Missing'', Luigi putzed around the world learning several valuable lessons about globalization. In ''Luigi's Mansion'', Mario went missing again, and Luigi had to fight ghosts with… a vacuum cleaner.|archive-date=January 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118064656/http://ew.com/article/2011/06/08/luigi-super-mario-mansion/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Nintendo later re-released the game for their own video game consoles.<ref name=Vince>{{cite web|last=Ingenito|first=Vince|title=8 Mario Games Released On Non-Nintendo Platforms|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/09/09/8-mario-games-released-on-non-nintendo-platforms|access-date=January 17, 2018|work=IGN|date=September 9, 2016|archive-date=January 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118101832/http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/09/09/8-mario-games-released-on-non-nintendo-platforms|url-status=live}}</ref> In the United States, The Software Toolworks had released the NES and Super NES versions by June 1993.<ref name=Gain/><ref name=GF/><ref name=Power/> By October 1993, [[Mindscape (company)|Mindscape]] had published said NES and Super NES versions in Europe.<ref name=SNESF/><ref name=Total/> The Super NES version used audio and visual [[Digital asset|assets]] from ''[[Super Mario World]]''.<ref name=IGN/> The MS-DOS version uses stretched-out character animations unlike the later versions.<ref name=IGN>{{cite web|last=Buchanan|first=Levi|title=The Other Mario Games, Vol. 2: Mario is Missing. And many gamers left him that way|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/08/07/the-other-mario-games-vol-2|access-date=January 17, 2018|work=IGN|date=August 7, 2008|archive-date=July 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728090403/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/08/07/the-other-mario-games-vol-2|url-status=live}}</ref> The MS-DOS version was programmed by Jeff Chasen.<ref name="TE"/>

In the United States, The Software Toolworks released a [[Mac (computer)|Macintosh]] version on CD-ROM and [[floppy disk]]s in June 1994 under the title ''Mario Is Missing! CD-ROM Deluxe''. The new version included 127 [[QuickTime]] clips featuring 99 landmarks, like the [[Golden Gate Bridge]] and the [[Great Wall of China]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/THE+SOFTWARE+TOOLWORKS+SHIPS+MARIO+IS+MISSING!+ON+MACINTOSH+CD-a015487402|title=The Software Toolworks Ships Mario is Missing! on Macintosh CD|date=June 23, 1994|work=The Free Library|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119120130/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/THE+SOFTWARE+TOOLWORKS+SHIPS+MARIO+IS+MISSING!+ON+MACINTOSH+CD-a015487402|archive-date=January 19, 2018|url-status=dead|access-date=January 17, 2018}}</ref>

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| GR = 43.50% (SNES)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamerankings.com/snes/588464-mario-is-missing/index.html|title=Mario is Missing! SNES Review Score|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513163516/https://www.gamerankings.com/snes/588464-mario-is-missing/index.html|archive-date=2019-05-13}}</ref>
| Allgame = 2.5/5 (Macintosh)<ref name=AG-MAC-R/> 3/5 (NES)<ref name=AG-NES-R/> 3/5 (SNES)<ref name=AG-SNES-R/>
| CVG = 70/100 (SNES)<ref name = "CVG">{{cite magazine|url=https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=File%3ACVG_UK_142.pdf&page=88|title=Mario is Missing|magazine=[[Computer and Video Games]]|issue=142|date=September 1993|page=88|accessdate=December 28, 2021|archive-date=August 16, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240816160020/https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=File%3ACVG_UK_142.pdf&page=88|url-status=live}}</ref>
| EGM = 6/8/6/3{{efn|Each of the four reviewers in ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' scored the game on a ten point scale}} (SNES)<ref name=EGM/>
| GamePro = 4/5 (NES)<ref name="GPro">{{cite magazine |author=Bro Buzz|title=ProReview:Mario is Missing |magazine=[[GamePro]] |publisher=[[IDG Entertainment]] |date=January 1994 |volume=6 |issue=1 |page=100 |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/e/ec/GamePro_US_054.pdf |accessdate=April 10, 2021 |issn=1042-8658|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304220009/https://retrocdn.net/images/e/ec/GamePro_US_054.pdf |archive-date=2021-03-04}}</ref>
| GameFan = 80%/75%/87%/79%{{efn|Each of the four reviewers in ''GameFan'' scored the game on percentage scale}} (SNES)<ref name=GF/>
| ONM = 82/100 (SNES)<ref name=NMS/>
| TOT = 83/100 (NES)<ref name=Total/>
| agg1 =
| rev1 = ''[[Boston Herald]]''
| rev1Score = 4/5 (DOS)<ref name=Boston>{{cite news|title=Computer Games 'Mario is Missing' finds educational niche|work=[[Boston Herald]]|date=January 3, 1993}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[SNES Force]]''
| rev2Score = 42/100 (SNES)<ref name=SNESF/>

| award1Pub =
| award1 =
| award2Pub =
| award2 =
}}
Due to the educational content rather than action-adventure that players of the time were used to, reception of the title was initially mixed. Still, profits of the NES and Super NES versions exceeded $7 million for The Software Toolworks during the second quarter of 1993.<ref name="Gain">{{cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/SOFTWARE+TOOLWORKS+REPORTS+41-PERCENT+GAIN+IN+REVENUES+FOR+THE+JUNE...-a013213765|title=Software Toolworks Reports 41-Percent Gain in Revenues for the June Quarter; Quarterly Loss Narrows to −2 Cents Per Share|date=August 4, 1993|work=The Free Library|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118122423/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/SOFTWARE+TOOLWORKS+REPORTS+41-PERCENT+GAIN+IN+REVENUES+FOR+THE+JUNE...-a013213765|archive-date=January 18, 2018|url-status=dead|access-date=January 17, 2018}}</ref>

''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]'' reviewed the Super NES version at the time of its release: three of the magazine's four reviewers commented the game is too slow and easy for experienced players, but that it offers great appeal to its young target audience while providing good educational value.<ref name="EGM">{{cite magazine|date=June 1993|title=Review Crew: Mario is Missing|url=https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_47/page/n27/mode/2up|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|publisher=EGM Media, LLC|issue=47|page=28}}</ref> Reviewers for ''[[GameFan]]'' praised the game's Super NES version and compared it to ''[[Carmen Sandiego (video game series)|Carmen Sandiego]]''.<ref name=GF>{{cite web|title=Viewpoint|url=https://archive.org/stream/GamefanVolume1Issue07June1993#page/n17/mode/1up|access-date=January 17, 2018|work=GameFan|date=June 1993|pages=18, 66}}</ref> ''[[Nintendo Power]]'' noted the game's "excellent" graphics.<ref name="Power">{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/Nintendo_Power_Issue001-Issue127/Nintendo%20Power%20Issue%20050%20July%201993#page/n27/mode/2up|title=Mario is Missing!|date=July 1993|magazine=[[Nintendo Power]]|pages=26–27|access-date=January 17, 2018}}</ref> ''[[GamePro]]'', reviewing the Super NES version, called the game "a good way to learn geography" but wrote that players should not expect it to be exciting. The magazine also noted that younger players would need help in progressing through the game.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=October 1993|title=Mario is Missing review (SNES)|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/5/51/GamePro_US_051.pdf|magazine=GamePro|access-date=2020-09-10|archive-date=2019-01-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124174953/https://retrocdn.net/images/5/51/GamePro_US_051.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

''[[Official Nintendo Magazine|Nintendo Magazine System UK]]'' reviewed the Super NES version and wrote that it succeeded as both an educational and entertaining game, while noting it would only be suitable for people of a certain age.<ref name=NMS>{{cite magazine |date= 1993|title= Mario is Missing review (SNES)|magazine= Nintendo Magazine System UK}}</ref> ''[[SNES Force]]'' criticized the graphics and the restricted gameplay, adding that it was too easy for older players and too difficult for younger players.<ref name=SNESF>{{cite web|title=Mario is Missing review (SNES)|url=https://archive.org/stream/snes-nforce-magazine-03/SNESForce_03_Sep_1993#page/n57/mode/2up|access-date=January 17, 2018|work=[[SNES Force]]|date=September 1993|pages=58–59}}</ref> ''[[Total!]]'' wrote that the NES version was not as good as the Super NES version, stating it was missing "a bit of the graphical humour – but it packs in almost as much game-play and educational value".<ref name=Total>{{cite magazine |date= October 1993|title= Mario is Missing review (NES)|magazine= [[Total!]]}}</ref>

Chris Cavanaugh of [[AllGame]] reviewed the Super NES version and considered it to be "somewhat enjoyable" for children, but believed that adult players would not be interested. Cavanaugh noted the colorful graphics yet criticizing the repetitive gameplay and the "virtually identical" appearances of each city.<ref name=AG-SNES-R>{{cite web|last=Cavanaugh|first=Chris|title=Mario is Missing! – Review (SNES)|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=117&tab=review|work=AllGame|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114221722/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=117&tab=review|archive-date=November 14, 2014}}</ref> AllGame's Skyler Miller reviewed the NES version and noted the graphics were washed-out and lacking in detail, but wrote that the overall game was "as good as can be expected" for an NES Mario game which was not created by Nintendo. Miller mentioned that the game should appeal to younger players because of its "relatively seamless" combination of instruction and action.<ref name=AG-NES-R>{{cite web|last=Miller|first=Skyler|title=Mario is Missing! – Review (NES)|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=18786&tab=review|work=AllGame|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115185448/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=18786&tab=review|archive-date=November 15, 2014}}</ref> Lisa Karen Savignano of AllGame reviewed the Macintosh version and considered it to be an enjoyable game with adequate graphics, but also stated that it was a simple game intended for young players. Savignano called the music "quite nice", but noted the basic sound effects and the lack of [[voiceover]]s.<ref name=AG-MAC-R>{{cite web|last=Savignano|first=Lisa Karen|title=Mario is Missing! – Review (Macintosh)|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=21403&tab=review|work=AllGame|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115185423/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=21403&tab=review|archive-date=November 15, 2014}}</ref>

Critical consensus of the game has changed over time. Luke Plunkett of ''[[Kotaku]]'' wrote in 2012 that unlike the NES and Super NES versions, the PC version "was the star, featuring not only more content but better visuals as well". He considered the game "awful" and not very educational.<ref name="Plunkett">{{cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/the-mario-games-that-were-for-some-reason-released-on-30781148|title=The Mario Games That Were, For Some Reason, Released on PC|last=Plunkett|first=Luke|date=June 28, 2012|work=Kotaku|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018082707/https://kotaku.com/the-mario-games-that-were-for-some-reason-released-on-30781148|archive-date=October 18, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=June 8, 2022}}</ref> Kevin Wong of ''Kotaku'' noted in 2015 that the game was poorly received in many online reviews, although Wong himself praised the character animations and music. He opined that the backlash against ''Mario Is Missing!'' comes down to measured expectations; what is suitable or primally engaging at a young age could be dull and tedious at another.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wong|first=Kevin|title=Actually, Mario is Missing Was Awesome|url=https://kotaku.com/actually-mario-is-missing-was-awesome-1724273215|access-date=January 17, 2018|work=Kotaku|date=August 15, 2015|archive-date=January 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118123932/https://kotaku.com/actually-mario-is-missing-was-awesome-1724273215|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2016, Samuel Roberts of ''[[PC Gamer]]'' noted the computer version had poor [[pixel art]] and that every street has the same buildings on it, and all the [[Non-player character|NPCs]] are the same regardless where the players are going. Roberts also wrote that the game was "conceptually baffling and hated" by Nintendo fans.<ref name=PCG>{{cite web|last=Roberts|first=Samuel|title=The PC Mario game that time forgot|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/the-pc-mario-game-that-time-forgot/|access-date=January 17, 2018|work=PC Gamer|date=May 5, 2016|archive-date=January 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118122445/http://www.pcgamer.com/the-pc-mario-game-that-time-forgot/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2017, Seth Macy of
''[[IGN]]'' included the game on a list of the "Weirdest Mario Games Ever Made", writing that the game's weirdest aspect is how Bowser weaponizes climate change to melt the ice of Antarctica, flooding the Earth so he can steal landmarks.<ref name=Macy>{{cite web|last=Macy|first=Seth|title=Weirdest Mario Games Ever Made|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/11/14/weirdest-mario-games-ever-made|access-date=January 17, 2018|work=IGN|date=November 14, 2017|archive-date=January 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118104838/http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/11/14/weirdest-mario-games-ever-made|url-status=live}}</ref>

''Mario Is Missing!'' garnered $7 million in the second quarter of 1993, and kickstarted multiple educational games in the ''Mario'' series.<ref name="TE"/> Despite negative reception, lead designer Donald W. Laabs acknowledged the reality of game development, while also acknowledging that the marketing of it as a traditional ''Mario'' game earned criticism.<ref name="TE"/>

== Successor ==
In 1993, a follow-up to ''Mario Is Missing!'' was released, titled ''[[Mario’s Time Machine]]''. Unlike its predecessor, which focused on cities, this game centered around historical figures and their artifacts as the main subjects of learning.<ref>{{cite news |last=Plunkett |first=Luke |date=June 28, 2012 |title=The Mario Games That Were, For Some Reason, Released on PC |website=Kotaku |access-date=April 19, 2024 |url=https://kotaku.com/the-mario-games-that-were-for-some-reason-released-on-30781148}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Mario educational games|List of ''Mario'' educational games]]
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Spoken Wikipedia|date=2024-04-07|En-Mario-is-Missing!-article.ogg}}
* {{MobyGames|/mario-is-missing}}
* ''[https://bbs.timetravelinstitute.com/ttidb/mario-is-missing-1993.105/ Mario is Missing] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220317092620/https://bbs.timetravelinstitute.com/ttidb/mario-is-missing-1993.105/ |date=2022-03-17 }}'' at Time Travel Institute

{{Luigi}}
{{Mario educational games}}
{{Radical Entertainment}}

[[Category:Luigi video games]]
[[Category:Mario educational games]]
[[Category:1993 video games]]
[[Category:DOS games]]
[[Category:Classic Mac OS games]]
[[Category:Geography educational video games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Entertainment System games]]
[[Category:Radical Entertainment games]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System games]]
[[Category:Video games about missing people]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Sam Powell]]
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[[Category:History educational video games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:The Software Toolworks games]]
[[Category:Children's educational video games]]

Pilotwings (video game)

2025-10-26T01:22:38Z

2600:1700:E5D0:A9A0:7000:7B1B:BDEA:C3EC: /* Reception and legacy */

{{short description|1990 video game}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Pilotwings
| image = Pilotwings Box.jpg
| caption = North American cover art
| developer = [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development|Nintendo EAD]]
| publisher = [[Nintendo]]
| director = [[Tadashi Sugiyama]]
| producer = [[Shigeru Miyamoto]]
| programmer = Shuhei Kato Hajime Yajima Takumi Kawagoe
| artist = Naoki Mori
| composer = Soyo Oka [[Koji Kondo]]
| platforms = [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]
| series = ''[[Pilotwings]]''
| released = {{vgrelease|JP|December 21, 1990<ref name="jprelease">{{cite web|script-title=ja:スーパーファミコン |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n02/shvc/index.html |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |language=ja |access-date=2010-08-07 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100217033644/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n02/shvc/index.html |archive-date=2010-02-17 }}</ref>|NA|August 23, 1991<ref name="narelease">{{cite magazine|title=Super Nintendo It's Here!!! |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |date=November 1991 |issue=28 |page=162 |publisher=Sendai Publishing Group}}</ref>|EU|1992<ref name="sprev">{{cite journal|date=November 1992|title=UK Review: Pilotwings |journal=[[Super Play]]| issue=1 | page=72 | publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]] }}</ref>}}
| genre = [[Flight simulation video game|Flight simulation]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
}}
{{nihongo foot|'''''Pilotwings'''''|パイロットウイングス|Pairottouingusu|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a [[flight simulation video game]] developed and published by [[Nintendo]] for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]. The game was originally released in Japan in December 1990, shortly after the launch of the Super Famicom in the country. It was also released as a [[launch game|launch title]] for the SNES in August 1991 in North America, with a European release following in 1992.

In ''Pilotwings'', the player attempts to earn [[Pilot licensing and certification|pilot licenses]] through lessons in [[biplane|light plane]] flight, [[hang gliding]], [[Parachuting|skydiving]], and the use of a [[jet pack|rocket belt]]. [[Bonus stage]]s and levels involving an [[attack helicopter]] are also available. Each event offers unique controls and gameplay mechanics. To increase the realism of the game's flight simulation, the developers extensively utilized the SNES's [[Mode 7]] capability, which mimics [[3D computer graphics|3D graphics]] by rotating and scaling flat objects.

The game was well-received upon its release, largely thanks to its graphical presentation. The game has since been re-released for the [[Wii]] and [[Wii U]] [[Virtual Console]] and the [[Nintendo Classics]] service in [[PAL region]]s, North America, and Japan, as well as [[New Nintendo 3DS]] in North America. A sequel, ''[[Pilotwings 64]]'', was released for the [[Nintendo 64]] in 1996. After many years of announcements and cancellations, Nintendo released a second sequel, ''[[Pilotwings Resort]]'', in 2011 for the [[Nintendo 3DS]].

==Gameplay==
''Pilotwings'' takes place at a flight club which is divided into four distinct training areas. The player's objective is to pass each training area and earn [[Pilot licensing and certification|licenses]] based on the difficulty of the courses.<ref name="npshowcase">{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Nintendo Power]] | publisher=Nintendo of America | title=Super NES Showcase: Pilotwings | date=December 1991 | issue=31 |pages=74–6}}</ref> Each area features 2—4 events, which may be played in any order. In each event, the player controls one of four aerial vehicles and must complete a task (usually flying through floating markers) then land safely and accurately within a time limit. Upon completing an event, the player earns points and receives comments from the instructors.<ref name="book1">{{cite book | year=1991| editor=Nintendo| location=Redmond, WA | title=Pilotwings instruction manual | publisher=Nintendo of America| id=SNS-PW-USA | page=5}}</ref> Points are awarded based on criteria such as the time taken to complete the event, the accuracy of the landing, and the completion of the stated objective. To pass a training area and move to the next one, the combined scores from the events must exceed a specific threshold.<ref name="npshowcase"/> Each training area can be replayed if necessary, and [[password (video games)|password]]s allow players to save their progress.<ref name="book1"/>
[[File: Pilotwings hang.png|left|thumb|The screenshot shows a pink hang glider in flight above an airstrip compound at sea. A dotted ring and a rising air thermal are visible in the background. The player's radar, altitude, and time are visible at the top of the image.]]
The four events are:
*'''Light plane''': The player pilots a [[biplane]] through a course of orbs or rings, then lands and stops it on the [[runway]].<ref name="npshowcase"/><ref>{{cite book | year=1991| editor=Nintendo|location=Redmond, WA | title=Pilotwings instruction manual | publisher=Nintendo of America| id=SNS-PW-USA | page=8}}</ref>
*'''[[Parachuting|Skydiving]]''': The player jumps from a helicopter at a high altitude and maneuvers by leaning forward and back, and by rotating on a horizontal axis. The player must fall through rings of orbs in the sky before deploying the parachute, and must then attempt to land in a target area made up of concentric circles.<ref name="npshowcase"/><ref>{{cite book | year=1991| editor=Nintendo| location=Redmond, WA | title=Pilotwings instruction manual | publisher=Nintendo of America| id=SNS-PW-USA | page=10}}</ref>
*'''Jet pack''': The player takes control of a [[rocket belt]], which can be controlled with left and right yaw rotation, leaning forward and back to control speed. High and low levels of thrust allow high speed and finer control, respectively. The player must take off and fly through a series of rings, bars, or other objects before landing in a target area.<ref name="npshowcase"/><ref>{{cite book | year=1991| editor=Nintendo| location=Redmond, WA | title=Pilotwings instruction manual | publisher=Nintendo of America| id=SNS-PW-USA | page=12}}</ref>
*'''[[Hang gliding]]''': The player guides the hang glider to a series of [[thermal]] currents to reach a specified altitude, and then land as close as possible to the center of a gray square target.<ref name="npshowcase"/><ref>{{cite book | year=1991| editor=Nintendo| location=Redmond, WA | title=Pilotwings instruction manual | publisher=Nintendo of America| id=SNS-PW-USA | page=14}}</ref>

Some events have [[bonus stage]]s that add to a player's score, even if it has already reached the maximum number.<ref name="book1"/> In the skydiving, rocket belt, and hang glider modes, landing on moving platforms rewards players with a perfect score, and a bonus stage for extra points may be earned by falling into the water of a target area.<ref name="npshowcase"/> These stages include maneuvering a diving penguin into a pool, bouncing a winged man across a series of trampolines, and flying another winged man as far as possible.

After completing the certification courses for all four training zones, the player is informed that an agent has infiltrated an enemy base ("EVIL Syndicate") on the fictional Izanu Island and has freed the player's kidnapped instructors, who are waiting to be rescued.<ref>{{cite video game|title=Pilotwings|developer=Nintendo EAD|publisher=Nintendo|date=1990-12-21|platform=Super Nintendo Entertainment System|quote='''Big Al:''' We have some bad news. Tony, Lance and Shirley, while en route to Izanu Island, were captured by the EVIL Syndicate based there. For political reasons, our military authorities cannot attempt a rescue.}}</ref> The player must fly an [[attack helicopter]] from an offshore [[aircraft carrier]] and retrieve the captives by landing on a [[helipad]] on the island.<ref name="npshowcase"/> As the player flies over the island, they must successfully dodge [[anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft fire]] from ground-based turrets which are able to shoot down the helicopter and end the game with a single hit. The helicopter has forward, backward, left, and right pitch controls, [[Helicopter rotor|rotor]] throttle controls for altitude, and left and right missile firing controls.<ref>{{cite book | year=1991| editor=Nintendo| location=Redmond, WA | title=Pilotwings instruction manual | publisher=Nintendo of America| id=SNS-PW-USA | page=15}}</ref> After completing the mission, the player earns the "Pilot's Wings" certificate and replay the training areas with inclement weather conditions and higher score requirements, followed by another nighttime helicopter mission.<ref name="npshowcase"/> Clearing the second helicopter mission awards the player with the golden "Pilot's Wings", and completion of the game.

==Development==
''Pilotwings'' was developed by [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development]] (EAD), a team consisting of members of the company's Research & Development divisions, under the leadership of producer [[Shigeru Miyamoto]].<ref name="eadprofile">{{cite web|author=IGN Staff |date=December 15, 2000 |title=Gamecube Developer Profile: EAD |url=http://cube.ign.com/articles/089/089011p1.html |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=2009-11-21 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207204353/http://cube.ign.com/articles/089/089011p1.html |archive-date=December 7, 2008 }}</ref> Nintendo EAD completed ''Pilotwings'' and two other games (''[[Super Mario World]]'' and ''[[F-Zero (video game)|F-Zero]]'') within 15 months of the debut of the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]].<ref name="eadprofile"/> ''Pilotwings'' was released in Japan on December 21, 1990, one month after the system's launch, and was later released in North America in August 1991 as a [[launch game|launch title]].<ref name="jprelease"/><ref name="narelease"/><ref>{{cite news | newspaper=[[Orlando Sentinel]] | publisher=[[Tribune Company]] | author=Carter, Chip and Jonathan | date=August 30, 1991 | title=New Nintendo System Adds Punch to Playing Power | location=Orlando, FL | page=16 | url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/orlandosentinel/access/88995765.html?dids=88995765:88995765&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+30%2C+1991&author=Chip+and+Jonathan+Carter&pub=Orlando+Sentinel&desc=NEW+NINTENDO+SYSTEM+ADDS+PUNCH+TO+PLAYING+POWER&pqatl=google| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106080610/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/orlandosentinel/access/88995765.html?dids=88995765:88995765&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+30,+1991&author=Chip+and+Jonathan+Carter&pub=Orlando+Sentinel&desc=NEW+NINTENDO+SYSTEM+ADDS+PUNCH+TO+PLAYING+POWER&pqatl=google| url-status=dead| archive-date=November 6, 2012}}</ref> The game's musical score was composed by Soyo Oka, while her superior [[Koji Kondo]] was responsible for the sound programming and the helicopter theme.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://squareenixmusic.com/features/interviews/soyooka.shtml |title=Interview with Soyo Oka |author1=Greening, Chris |author2=Harris, Dave |date=March 2011 |publisher=Square Enix Music Online |access-date=2011-04-01 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110403035226/http://www.squareenixmusic.com/features/interviews/soyooka.shtml |archive-date=2011-04-03 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Otero |first1=Jose |title=A Music Trivia Tour with Nintendo's Koji Kondo |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/12/10/a-music-trivia-tour-with-nintendos-koji-kondo |website=IGN |date=10 December 2014 |access-date=10 December 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210204914/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/12/10/a-music-trivia-tour-with-nintendos-koji-kondo |archive-date=10 December 2014 }}</ref> Six tracks from the game, including a [[arrangement|rearranged]] version of the skydiving theme, appeared on the ''Nintendo Super Famicom Game Music'' album, released in Japan on March 4, 1992.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nintendo Super Famicom Game Music |url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/s/superfamicommusic.shtml |publisher=Square Enix Music Online |access-date=2009-11-24 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209125405/http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/s/superfamicommusic.shtml |archive-date=2010-02-09 }}</ref> Six [[piano]]-arranged versions of songs from the game were included on the ''Nintendo Super Famicom Game Music: Fun Together with Beyer'' CD, which was released in Japan on November 30, 1993.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nintendo Super Famicom Game Music - Fun Together with Beyer |url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/s/superfamicompiano.shtml |publisher=Square Enix Music Online |access-date=2010-01-23 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209130604/http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/s/superfamicompiano.shtml |archive-date=2010-02-09 }}</ref>

A flight simulator game resembling ''Pilotwings'' called ''Dragonfly'' was shown during the official unveiling of the SNES to the Japanese press on November 21, 1988.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Famitsu|Famicom Tsūshin]] | publisher=[[Enterbrain]] | script-title=ja:スーパーファミコン |trans-title=Super Famicom | date=December 23, 1988 | page=98 | language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | journal=Famicom Hissyoubon | publisher=JICC | script-title=ja:スーパーファミコン |trans-title=Super Famicom | date=December 16, 1988 | page=2 | language=ja}}</ref> The game was used to demonstrate the system's [[Mode 7]] graphics system, which allows rotation, scaling, and other effects to be used on flat images to create a [[3D computer graphics|3D]] effect.<ref name="onmreview">{{cite magazine | author=Scullion, Chris | date=August 21, 2009 | title=Virtual Console Review: Pilotwings | url=http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/article.php?id=10935 | magazine=Official Nintendo Magazine | access-date=November 21, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090823022939/http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/article.php?id=10935 |archive-date=August 23, 2009}}</ref> Because the game does not use the coprocessor chip [[Super FX]], the true Super NES 3D technology, the buildings, runway, trees, and so on are all "painted" flat on the ground plane, and they appear to stick out of the ground when the player's viewpoint is far above.<ref name="EGMfeature">{{cite magazine |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly | title=The Amazing Super Nintendo |page=39| issue=2 | date=July 1989 | publisher=Sendai Publishing Group, Inc.}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | journal=Maximum | publisher=[[EMAP]] | author=Leadbetter, Richard | title=Extended Play: Pilotwings 64 | year=1996 | issue=7 | pages=118–9}}</ref>

==Reception and legacy==
{{Video game reviews
| GR = 82% (SNES)<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.gamerankings.com/snes/588570-pilotwings/index.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190504093844/https://www.gamerankings.com/snes/588570-pilotwings/index.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= 2019-05-04|title=Pilotwings SNES Gamerankings Review Score}}</ref>
| EGM = 7.75/10 (SNES)<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly | publisher=Sendai Publishing Group, Inc. | title=Reviews: Pilotwings | issue=1992 Video Game Buyer's Guide | page=55}}</ref>
| Fam = 8/10, 7/10, 8/10, 6/10 (SNES)<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Famitsu|Famicom Tsūshin]]|title=新作ゲームクロスレビュー|trans-title=New Games Cross Review|date=December 21, 1990|publisher=[[ASCII Corporation]]|issue=118|language=Japanese|p=11|last1=Tsūshin
|first1=Hamamura
|authorlink1=Hirokazu Hamamura
|last2=Saito
|first2=Stapa
|last3=Watanabe
|first3=Stapa
|last4=Shibuya
|first4=Yoichi}}</ref>
7/10, 8/10, 8/10, 7/10<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Famicom Tsūshin|title=新作ゲームクロスレビュー|trans-title=New Games Cross Review|date=January 11, 1991|publisher=[[ASCII Corporation]]|issue=119|language=Japanese|p=21|last1=Famibo|first1=Tofuya
|first2=Tenchou
|last2=Mizuno
|last3=Morishita
|first3=Mariko
|author4=Taco X}}</ref>

| GI = 8.25/10 (SNES)<ref name="girev">{{cite magazine |date=May 2007|title=Pilotwings |magazine=[[Game Informer]] | publisher=[[GameStop]] | issue=169}}</ref>
| GamePro = {{Rating|5|5}} (SNES)<ref name="gamepro">{{cite magazine |magazine=[[GamePro]] | title=Pro Reviews: Pilotwings | issue=30 | date=January 1992 | publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG Communications]]}}</ref>
| IGN = 7.5/10 (Wii)<ref>{{cite web|author=Thomas, Lucas M. |date=February 3, 2010 |title=Pilotwings Review |url=http://ie.wii.ign.com/articles/106/1066113p1.html |website=IGN |access-date=2010-02-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713004607/http://ie.wii.ign.com/articles/106/1066113p1.html |archive-date=July 13, 2011 }}</ref>
| NP = 3.8/5 (SNES)<ref name=nprev>{{Citation|date=December 1991 | title=Now Playing: Pilotwings|magazine=Nintendo Power|publisher=Nintendo of America|issue=31 | page=87}}</ref>
| ONM = 90% (Wii)<ref name="onmreview"/>
| MM = 90% (SNES)<ref name="mmrev">{{cite magazine |date=May 1991 |title=Reviews: Pilotwings |magazine=[[Mean Machines]] |issue=8 |url=http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/review/138/pilotwings.php |publisher=EMAP |page=88 |access-date=2009-11-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715055813/http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/review/138/pilotwings.php |archive-date=2010-07-15 }}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[SNES Force]]''
| rev2Score = 91%<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Super League |magazine=[[SNES Force]] |date=23 December 1993 |issue=8 (January 1994) |page=30 |url=https://archive.org/details/SNESForce04Oct93/SNESForce08-Jan94/page/n29}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Super Play]]''
| rev3Score = 92% (SNES)<ref name="sprev"/>
| rev4 = ''[[Total!]]''
| rev4Score = 91% (SNES)<ref>{{cite journal | journal=[[Total!]] | publisher=Future Publishing | date=November 1992 | issue=8 | title=Reviews: Pilotwings}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
| rev5Score = B+<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/1992/01/31/latest-video-games-2/|title = The latest video games| magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] }}</ref>
| NLife = 7/10 (SNES)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/snes/pilotwings | title=Review: Pilotwings - 16-bit Flight Simulation, the Nintendo Way | date=29 September 2019 }}</ref>
}}
''Pilotwings'' was positively received during both its initial release and in retrospective reviews. The game drew praise for its presentation, with publications describing its use of Mode 7 graphics as "stunning" and "jaw-dropping".<ref name="girev"/><ref name="mmrev"/> ''Pilotwings'' was generally seen as a showpiece title for the Super NES, demonstrating its Mode 7 features, built-in sprite scaling, and high-end sound chip in a conspicuous manner.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=NG Alphas: Pilotwings 64|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=20|publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=August 1996 |page=69}}</ref> Its level of challenge was also positively noted; ''[[Mean Machines]]'' found that practicing the flight tests and reaching the end of the game was very rewarding.<ref name="mmrev"/> ''[[Official Nintendo Magazine]]'' remarked in 2009, "This early SNES title is still enjoyable enough to be considered a true classic."<ref name="onmreview"/>

In February 2006, ''Pilotwings'' was listed as the 153rd best game on a Nintendo console by ''[[Nintendo Power]]''.<ref name="NP Top 200">{{Citation|date=February 2006| title=NP Top 200|magazine=Nintendo Power|publisher=Nintendo of America|issue=200|pages=58–66}}</ref> They also listed it as the 20th best game on the Super NES.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Nintendo Power Staff |year=2008 |title=Best of the Best |magazine=Nintendo Power |volume=231 |page=73 |publisher=[[Future US]]}}</ref> [[IGN]] listed it in their list of the "Top 100 Games of All Time" at number 74 in 2003, and at number 91 in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |title=IGN Top 100 Games 2003 71-80 |url=http://top100.ign.com/2003/71-80.html |website=IGN |access-date=2009-11-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910004823/http://top100.ign.com/2003/71-80.html |archive-date=2009-09-10 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=IGN Top 100 Games 2007 91 Pilotwings |url=http://top100.ign.com/2007/ign_top_game_91.html |website=IGN |access-date=2009-11-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325093623/http://top100.ign.com/2007/ign_top_game_91.html |archive-date=2010-03-25 }}</ref> They later named it the 80th best Super NES game.<ref>{{cite web|title=IGN Top 100 SNES Games 80 Pilotwings |url=http://www.ign.com/top/snes-games/80 |website=IGN |access-date=2011-08-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111029125921/http://www.ign.com/top/snes-games/80 |archive-date=2011-10-29 }}</ref> It was named the 16th best game on the Super NES by [[GameDaily]] in 2008,<ref>{{cite web | author=Workman, Robert | date=February 29, 2008 | title=Playing With Power: The 25 Best SNES Games of All Time | url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/playing-with-power-the-25-best-snes-games-of-all-time/?page=10 | publisher=[[GameDaily]] | access-date=2009-11-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426033827/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/playing-with-power-the-25-best-snes-games-of-all-time/?page=10 |archive-date=2009-04-26}}</ref> while ''[[Game Informer]]'' listed it at number 131 in its list of the "Top 200 Games of All Time" in 2009.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=December 2009|title=The Top 200 Games of All Time|magazine=[[Game Informer]]|publisher=[[GameStop]]|issue=200|pages=44–79}}</ref> In 2009, ''Official Nintendo Magazine'' ranked the game number 61 on its list of the "100 Best Nintendo Games".<ref>{{cite magazine | author=East, Tom | date=February 24, 2009 | title=100 Best Nintendo Games - Part Two | url=http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/article.php?id=7206 | magazine=[[Official Nintendo Magazine]] | access-date=November 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223134335/http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/article.php?id=7206 |archive-date=February 23, 2009}}</ref> In April 1996, ''[[Super Play]]'' named it the tenth greatest game for the Super NES.<ref>{{cite journal |date=April 1996|title=The Super Play All-time top 100 SNES games|journal=[[Super Play]]| issue=42 | page=39 | publisher=Future Publishing }}</ref> In 2018, ''[[Complex Networks|Complex]]'' rated the game 77th on their list of "The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Knight|first=Rich|date=April 30, 2018|title=The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time|url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/the-100-best-super-nintendo-games/|access-date=2022-01-26|website=Complex|language=en}}</ref> In 1995, ''[[Total!]]'' placed the game at number 20 on their list of the "Top 100 SNES Games".<ref>{{Cite journal |date=July 1995 |title=Top 100 SNES Games |url=https://archive.org/details/total-43/page/n41/mode/2up |journal=Total! |issue=43 |pages=42 |access-date=March 30, 2022}}</ref> In 1996, [[GamesMaster (magazine)|GamesMaster]] ranked ''Pilotwings'' 30th in its list of the "Top 100 Games of All Time".<ref>{{Cite journal |date=July 1996 |title=Top 100 Games of All Time |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/c/cf/GamesMaster_UK_044.pdf |journal=GamesMaster |issue=44 |pages=77}}</ref>

''Pilotwings'' sold over two million copies worldwide by 1995.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=GPS&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA17731876&v=2.1&it=r&sid=bookmark-GPS&asid=bec16d3e|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212065629/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=GPS&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA17731876&v=2.1&it=r&sid=bookmark-GPS&asid=bec16d3e|title=Nintendo Ultra 64 Game System Intro'd|website=[[Newsbytes]]|archivedate=February 12, 2025|date=November 27, 1995|accessdate=February 12, 2025|via=[[Gale Research]]|url-status=live}}</ref> A sequel, ''[[Pilotwings 64]]'', was released for the [[Nintendo 64]] in 1996 as a launch title for its respective system.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nintendo 64 |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/index.html |publisher=Nintendo |language=ja |access-date=2010-08-07 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209203150/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/index.html |archive-date=2010-02-09 }}</ref> A second sequel for the Nintendo 64, which showed off the console's capabilities, was cancelled due to lack of development resources within Nintendo.<ref>{{cite web|author=IGN Staff |date=February 4, 1998 |title=Paradigm's Side of the Story |url=http://ign64.ign.com/articles/061/061767p1.html |website=IGN |access-date=2009-11-21 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615193600/http://ign64.ign.com/articles/061/061767p1.html |archive-date=June 15, 2011 }}</ref> In 2003, it was announced that [[Factor 5]] was working on a [[GameCube]] incarnation of the ''Pilotwings'' series.<ref>{{cite web|author=Varanini, Giancarlo |date=April 30, 2003 |title=Pilotwings comes to the GameCube? |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pilotwings-comes-to-the-gamecube/1100-6026028/ |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=August 24, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140314195942/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pilotwings-comes-to-the-gamecube/1100-6026028/ |archive-date=March 14, 2014 }}</ref> Development was moved to Nintendo's [[Wii]] console shortly thereafter. However, an [[anonymous blogger]] claimed in late 2009 that Factor 5 had indeed finished working on it, but that Nintendo was not confident in publishing it.<ref>{{cite web | author=Watt, Steven | date=December 8, 2008 | title=Factor 5 Animator Claims Studio is Cutting Projects | url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3171691 | website=1UP.com | access-date=2009-11-21 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719171356/http://www.1up.com/news/factor-5-animator-claims-studio | archive-date=2012-07-19}}</ref> Nintendo finally announced a new title in the series, the [[Nintendo 3DS]] title ''[[Pilotwings Resort]]'', at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010|E3 2010]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Thomas, Lucas M. |date=June 15, 2010 |title=E3 2010: Pilotwings Resort Announced |url=http://ds.ign.com/articles/109/1097953p1.html |website=IGN |access-date=2010-08-07 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722005744/http://ds.ign.com/articles/109/1097953p1.html |archive-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> The new title was released as a launch title for the 3DS in North America on March 27, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ds.ign.com/articles/115/1151257p1.html |title=Nintendo 3DS Launch Day Titles Announced |website=[[IGN]] |date=2011-02-22 |access-date=2011-07-08 |last=George |first=Richard |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713005359/http://ds.ign.com/articles/115/1151257p1.html |archive-date=2011-07-13 }}</ref>

The game has been featured in the [[Game On (exhibition)|Game On]] historical exhibition organized by the [[Barbican Centre]], including a display at the [[Science Museum (London)|Science Museum]] in [[London]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|author=Smith, Sean |year=2007 |title=Game On Exhibition - UK Science Museum 2007 |url=http://www.ntsc-uk.com/feature.php?featuretype=rep&fea=GameOnScienceMuseum2007 |publisher=NTSC-UK |access-date=2009-11-26 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604113004/http://www.ntsc-uk.com/feature.php?featuretype=rep&fea=GameOnScienceMuseum2007 |archive-date=2011-06-04 }}</ref> Nintendo re-released ''Pilotwings'' on the [[Wii]] [[Virtual Console]] service in PAL regions and North America in 2009 and in Japan in 2010,<ref name="palvcrelease">{{cite magazine | author=East, Tom | date=August 18, 2009 | title=Virtual Console News: Pilotwings Hits Virtual Console | url=http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/article.php?id=10772 | magazine=[[Official Nintendo Magazine]] | access-date=2009-11-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104233138/http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/10772/pilotwings-hits-virtual-console/ |archive-date=January 4, 2014}}</ref><ref name="navcrelease">{{cite web|author=Watts, Steve |date=December 28, 2009 |title=Castlevania, PilotWings Hit Nintendo Downloadables |url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3177465 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525013953/http://www.1up.com/news/castlevania-pilotwings-hit-nintendo-downloadables |archive-date=May 25, 2016 |website=[[1UP.com]] |access-date=August 24, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="jpvcrelease">{{cite web|author=Van Duyn, Marcel |date=March 26, 2010 |title=Japanese Virtual Console list - April 2010 |url=http://vc.nintendolife.com/news/2010/03/japanese_virtual_console_list_april_2010 |website=Nintendo Life |access-date=2010-03-27 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100329145616/http://vc.nintendolife.com/news/2010/03/japanese_virtual_console_list_april_2010 |archive-date=March 29, 2010 }}</ref> and then on the [[Wii U]] Virtual Console in 2013. On September 5, 2019, the game became available on the [[Nintendo Classics]] service for the [[Nintendo Switch]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hornshaw |first1=Phil |title=Super Nintendo Games Hit Switch Today |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/super-nintendo-games-hit-switch-today/1100-6469641/ |website=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=15 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190906153356/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/super-nintendo-games-hit-switch-today/1100-6469641/ |archive-date=6 September 2019 |date=5 September 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2023, [[Roger Waters]] made reference to the game in a narrative dream sequence involving a battle of good versus evil in On The Run, the 3rd track of [[The Dark Side of the Moon Redux]].

A stage based on ''Pilotwings'' makes an appearance in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. The stage combines elements from the original Super NES game and ''[[Pilotwings Resort]]''.

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
*{{official website|https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Super-Nintendo/Pilotwings-775615.html}}

{{Portal bar|1990s|Aviation|Video games}}
{{Pilotwings}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1990 video games]]
[[Category:Flight simulation video games]]
[[Category:Helicopter video games]]
[[Category:New Nintendo 3DS games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development games]]
[[Category:Parachuting video games]]
[[Category:Pilotwings]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System games]]
[[Category:Video games about terrorism]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:Video games produced by Shigeru Miyamoto]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Soyo Oka]]
[[Category:Virtual Console games for Nintendo 3DS]]
[[Category:Virtual Console games for Wii]]
[[Category:Virtual Console games for Wii U]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Classics games]]

Final Fantasy Adventure

2025-10-26T00:51:11Z

2600:1700:E5D0:A9A0:7000:7B1B:BDEA:C3EC:

{{short description|1991 video game}}
{{Distinguish|Final Fantasy Mystic Quest}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Final Fantasy Adventure
| image = File:Final-Fantasy-Adventure-GameBoy-Boxart.png
| caption = North American cover art
| developer = [[Square (video game company)|Square]]
| publisher = {{ubli|Square |{{vgrelease|EU|[[Nintendo]]}}}}
| director = [[Koichi Ishii]]
| designer = {{ubli|Goro Ohashi|[[Yoshinori Kitase]]<ref name="jpnstaffcredits" />}}
| programmer = {{ubli|Satoru Yoshieda|Masaaki Saito<ref name="jpnstaffcredits" />}}
| writer = {{ubli|Koichi Ishii|Yoshinori Kitase<ref name="jpnstaffcredits" />}}
| artist = {{ubli|[[Kazuko Shibuya]]|Koichi Ishii<ref name="jpnstaffcredits" />}}
| composer = [[Kenji Ito]]
| series = {{ubli|''[[Final Fantasy]]''|''[[Mana (series)|Mana]]''}}
| platforms = [[Game Boy]], [[mobile phone]], [[Nintendo Switch]]
| released = '''Game Boy'''{{Video game release|JP|June 28, 1991|NA|November 1991<ref name=nintendo/>|EU|June 17, 1993}}'''Mobile (Remake)'''{{Video game release|JP|August 16, 2006}}'''Switch (''Collection of Mana'')'''{{Video game release|JP|June 1, 2017|WW|June 11, 2019}}
| genre = [[Action role-playing game|Action role-playing]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
}}
'''''Final Fantasy Adventure''''', known in Japan as {{nihongo foot|'''''Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden'''''|聖剣伝説〜ファイナルファンタジー外伝〜||{{lit}} ''The Legend of the Sacred Sword: Final Fantasy [[Gaiden]]''|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} or simply {{nihongo foot|'''''Seiken Densetsu''''',|聖剣伝説||{{lit}} ''Legend of the Sacred Sword''|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} and later released in Europe as '''''Mystic Quest''''', is a 1991 [[action role-playing game]] developed and published by [[Square (video game company)|Square]] for the [[Game Boy]]. It is a spin-off of the ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' series and the first game in the ''[[Mana (series)|Mana]]'' series.

Originally developed under the name ''Gemma Knights'', it features gameplay roughly similar to that of the original ''[[The Legend of Zelda (1986 video game)|The Legend of Zelda]]'', but with the addition of [[role-playing video game|role-playing]] statistical elements. A [[Video game remake|remake]], ''[[Sword of Mana]]'', was released for the [[Game Boy Advance]] in 2003, changing the plot and many gameplay aspects. A second remake was released on mobile phones in Japan which improved the graphics and music of the original version. A third remake, ''[[Adventures of Mana]]'', was released for [[iOS]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], and [[PlayStation Vita]] on February 4, 2016.

The story follows the hero and the heroine as they attempt to thwart the Dark Lord of Glaive and his sorcerer assistant, Julius, from destroying the Tree of Mana and dooming their world. The game was released with many familiar elements of the ''Final Fantasy'' series, such as [[chocobos]], but these were later changed to feature common enemies and the gameplay style of the ''Mana'' series.

''Final Fantasy Adventure'' was met with generally positive reviews at the time of its release. Over the course of time, reviewers have considered it one of the best action adventure games on the Game Boy. The game also spawned an entirely new game series, called the ''Mana'' series, which became a successful video game role-playing franchise. Its sequel, ''[[Secret of Mana]]'', was released in 1993. A port for mobile was released on Mobile in Japan in 2006. A port was also released as part of the ''[[Collection of Mana]]'' on [[Nintendo Switch]] on 2017 and 2019.

== Gameplay ==
[[File:Final Fantasy Adventure Screenshot.png|thumb|left|Hero attacking an enemy with the sickle weapon]]
The gameplay is similar to the original ''The Legend of Zelda'' for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]: the world is viewed from a top-down camera angle, it is divided up into many different squares that can fit on the screen, and the main character can move up, down, left, and right across the screen. The player can interact with individuals within towns by gathering information and buying or selling items and equipment. A variety of enemies can be battled on a field screen to gain experience, [[Gold coin|GP]], and items. Within [[dungeon (games)|dungeon]] areas, a number of puzzles may be present and required to be solved in order for the player to advance. The player can also [[saved game|save]] at any point. A number of weapons can be found throughout the game to maneuver through obstacles such as cutting through trees and thorns.<ref name="Square-archive" />

The main character possesses several [[Attribute (role-playing games)|statistics]], including [[hit point]]s, power, and stamina, which can all increase upon gaining an experience level. [[Final Fantasy magic|Magic]] spells, which expend the character's MP, can be used to heal oneself or damage enemies. These spells can only be found in certain locations or obtained from other characters at specific plot intervals. In addition, the protagonist has a power gauge that affects his attack strength—the higher the gauge, the stronger his attack will be. The speed at which it fills is directly affected by the character's [[Will (philosophy)|will]] level.<ref name="guidecite"/> The gauge will slowly fill up over time, but once the main character attacks, the gauge is emptied. When the gauge is completely filled up and the main character attacks with a weapon, he will perform a special attack.<ref name="Square-archive" />

One additional [[non-player character]] may occasionally accompany the main character in the story and can perform different activities to aid the main character in his quest. The game introduced the ability to kill townspeople, something that many [[Japanese role-playing video game]]s of the time lacked.<ref name="Andrew1998"/>

==Plot==
The Hero (named by the player, officially called Sumo) is a prisoner of the Dark Lord. One day, the Hero's friend informs him of the Dark Lord's goals, and he urges him to seek a Knight named Bogard. As the Hero escapes imprisonment, he learns that the Dark Lord is seeking a key to the Mana Sanctuary in order to control the Mana Tree, an energy source that sustains life. The Hero is befriended by the Heroine (named by the player, officially called Fuji) who is also seeking Bogard. The two find Bogard, who recommends they seek out a man named Cibba. During their journey to meet him, the Heroine is kidnapped. With the aid of a mysterious man, she is later rescued by the Hero. When they meet Cibba, he plays a message left by the Heroine's mother, who reveals she is a descendant of the guardians of the Mana Tree and her pendant is the key to it. The mysterious man, upon discovering that the heroine holds the pendant, reveals himself to be Julius, the Dark Lord's advisor, and kidnaps her. The Hero then attempts to rescue the Heroine, but he fails and is knocked off of Julius's airship. However, the Heroine gives the Hero the pendant just before he falls.

The Hero is then reunited with Amanda, an escapee from his prison, who steals the pendant in order to win her brother Lester's freedom. The mayor of Jadd, Davias, takes the pendant, but he transforms Lester into a parrot. The Hero and Amanda confront a Medusa for its tear, which will break the spell. They kill it, but Amanda is infected by the Medusa's attack, causing her to transform into one herself. The Hero reluctantly kills her, and uses her tears to break Lester's spell. Lester avenges Amanda's death by killing Davias, who reveals that he gave the pendant to the Dark Lord. The Hero confronts and defeats the Dark Lord; however, Hero discovers that the Heroine is under Julius' mind control and has opened the entrance to the Mana Tree. Julius reveals he is the last survivor of the Vandole Empire, the empire who attempted to control the Mana Tree years ago, and handily defeats the Hero.

Realizing he is powerless to defeat Julius, the Hero learns from Cibba about a powerful sword called Excalibur. Cibba helps him find the Excalibur only to find a rusty sword instead. He explains that the rusty sword is the Excalibur and would reveal its true strength to whoever it finds worthy. The Hero then raises Dime Tower to reach the Mana Sanctuary and meets a robot known as Marcie. After reaching the top, the tower begins to collapse and Marcie sacrifices himself by throwing the Hero across. After obtaining and passing the sword's trials, the Hero confronts and defeats Julius at the cost of the Mana Tree's life. The Mana Tree reveals that she is the Heroine's mother and before dying, asks the Heroine to succeed her current position. The Heroine agrees and bids farewell to the Hero as she becomes the next Mana Tree, and the Hero her guardian.

==Development==
Square trademarked ''Seiken Densetsu'' in 1987 intending to use it for a game project subtitled ''The Emergence of Excalibur'', and led by Kazuhiko Aoki for the [[Famicom Disk System]].<ref name="lostlevels"/> According to early advertisements, the game would consist of an unprecedented five [[floppy disk]]s, making it one of the largest titles developed for the Famicom up until that point. Although Square solicited [[pre-order]]s for the game, [[Kaoru Moriyama]], a former Square employee, affirms that management canceled the ambitious project before it advanced beyond the early planning stages. In October 1987, customers who had placed orders were sent a letter informing them of the cancellation and had their purchases refunded. The letter also suggested to consider placing an order on another upcoming Square role-playing game in a similar vein: ''[[Final Fantasy (video game)|Final Fantasy]]''.<ref name="lostlevels"/>

After the release of the third ''Final Fantasy'' title in 1990, Square offered designer [[Koichi Ishii]] to direct a spin-off series game.<ref name="ishiitop100">{{cite web|work=[[IGN]] |url=http://games.ign.com/top-100-game-creators/97.html |title=97. Koichi Ishii |at=Top 100 Game Creators Of All Time |publisher=IGN Entertainment |access-date=November 23, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005032655/http://games.ign.com/top-100-game-creators/97.html |archive-date=October 5, 2013}}</ref><ref name="truthaboutmana">{{cite journal|journal=LEVEL|date=2006|issue=6|title=Sanningen om Mana|last=Schaufelberger|first=Fredrik|pages=124–132|publisher=Reset Media AB}}</ref> It began development for the Game Boy under the working title ''Gemma Knights''; eventually, Square revived the trademarked name and released the game as ''Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden''.<ref name="lostlevels" /> It was later released in Europe as ''Mystic Quest''. Ishii suggested the basis of the game's story, while scenario writer [[Yoshinori Kitase]] helped write the game's script.<ref name="jpnstaffcredits"/> Ishii designed all of the characters himself, while Goro Ohashi was responsible for the development of the game system.

The ''Mana'' series, of which ''Final Fantasy Adventure'' was the first game, was the result of Koichi Ishii's desire to create a fictional world. In Ishii's opinion, ''Mana'' is not a series of video games, but rather a world which is illustrated by and can be explored through video games.<ref name="JeuxFrance"/> When working on the series, Koichi Ishii drew inspiration from abstract images from his memories of childhood, as well as films and [[fantasy]] books that captivated him as a child. Ishii took care to avoid set conventions, and his influences are correspondingly very wide and non-specific. Nonetheless, among his literary influences, he acknowledges [[Tove Jansson]]'s ''[[Moomin]]'', [[Lewis Carroll]]'s ''[[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland]]'', and [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings|Lord of the Rings]]''.<ref name="RPGamer"/>

=== Music ===
{{main article|Music of the Mana series}}
The {{nihongo foot|''Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden Original Soundtrack''|聖剣伝説ファイナルファンタジー外伝 Original Soundtrack|group=lower-alpha}} was released in Japan on July 15, 1991.<ref name="OST" /> Most of the tracks were composed by [[Kenji Ito]], while track 16, "Chocobo Tanjou (Chocobo's Birth)", is credited to Square composer [[Nobuo Uematsu]]. {{nihongo foot|''Seiken Densetsu/Arranged Version Omoi wa Shirabe ni Nosete''|聖剣伝説/アレンジ・ヴァージョン・想いは調べにのせて||"Holy Sword Legend/Arranged Version Let Thoughts Ride On Knowledge"|group=lower-alpha}}, a set of [[arrangement|arranged]] tracks was also released on September 30 the same year.<ref name="OST-arr" /> Both albums were compiled into ''Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden Sound Collections'', originally released on August 18, 1995.<ref name="Sound-Collection" /> The game's music was included in a 20th anniversary CD compilation of all of the [[Mana (series)|''Mana'' series]] games' soundtracks.<ref name="compilation"/> A second arranged album titled {{nihongo foot|''Tanoshī Baieru Heiyō Seiken Densetsu''| 楽しいバイエル併用聖剣伝説||"Fun Together with Beyer: Holy Sword Legend"|group=lower-alpha}} was released on December 10, 1998. The album was compiled by Yu Hong Ishikawa and Kushiro Negishi.<ref name="beyer" />

==Versions and merchandise==
{{main article|Sword of Mana|Adventures of Mana}}
{{Video game release table
| 1 = Game Boy | 1A = 1991 | 1B = 1991 | 1C = 1993
| 2 = [[Sword of Mana|Game Boy Advance]] | 2A = 2003 | 2B = 2003 | 2C = 2004
| 3 = Cellphones | 3A = 2006 | 3B = n/a | 3C = n/a
| 4 = [[Adventures of Mana|PlayStation Vita, iOS, Android]] | 4W = 2016
}}

In 1998, Sunsoft obtained the license for it and re-released it along with the [[Saga (series)|''Final Fantasy Legend'']] games.<ref name="sunsoft"/><ref>{{cite magazine |title=The RPG Revolution: RPGing on the Go|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |issue=106 |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=May 1998 |page=95}}</ref> This version was advertised as having [[Game Boy Color]] support, although the release was not enhanced in any way.<ref name="Sy2000"/> RPGamer reported in July 2004 that Square Enix was polling die-hard customers, testing the feasibility of porting ''Final Fantasy Adventure'' to the [[Nintendo DS]].<ref name="Adashek2004"/> [[GamesRadar]] listed ''Final Fantasy Adventure'' as one of the titles they wanted in the [[Nintendo 3DS|3DS]] [[Virtual Console]].<ref name=radar/>

The game received a [[enhanced remake|remake]] for the [[Game Boy Advance]] called ''[[Sword of Mana]]'' in 2003. The original version was remade again to mobile phones and released on August 16, 2006, for [[SoftBank Mobile|SoftBank's 3G]] network.<ref name="mobile-release-SB3G" /> It was later ported onto [[i-Mode]] distribution service on November 6 and [[EZweb]] distribution service on February 5, 2007.<ref name="mobile-release-iMode" /><ref name="mobile-release-EZweb" /> The gameplay of the mobile phone version is closer to the original game's design, but featuring updated graphics and sound, an improved world map, and other minor changes.<ref name="Baker2007"/> The characters have been redesigned several times between each remake.<ref name="Redesigns" /> A [[3D computer graphics|3D]] remake, ''[[Adventures of Mana]]'', was released in 2016 for [[PlayStation Vita]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]] and [[iOS]].<ref name="3Dremake"/> A port of the original game was released with ports of ''Secret of Mana'' and ''Trials of Mana'' as part of the ''Seiken Densetsu Collection'' on June 1, 2017<ref name="Switch"/> in Japan and on June 11, 2019 in North America and Europe as ''[[Collection of Mana]]'' for the [[Nintendo Switch]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://square-enix-games.com/en_GB/news/whats-good-about-collection-mana|title=What's so good about… Collection of Mana on Nintendo Switch? | Square Enix Blog|access-date=2022-01-04|archive-date=2022-01-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104014237/https://square-enix-games.com/en_GB/news/whats-good-about-collection-mana|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/final-fantasy-adventure-irl-mana-collection-133008777.html|title='Final Fantasy Adventure' was everything I hoped for 25 years later|date=3 June 2020 |access-date=2022-01-04|archive-date=2022-01-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104014238/https://www.engadget.com/final-fantasy-adventure-irl-mana-collection-133008777.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Two guidebooks have been released in Japan: {{nihongo foot|''Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden kiso chishiki-hen''|聖剣伝説ファイナルファンタジー外伝: 基礎知識編|lit. Holy Sword Legend Final Fantasy Supplementary Story Basic Knowledge|group=lower-alpha}} and {{nihongo foot|''Seiken Densetsu Final Fantasy Gaiden kanzen kōryaku-hen''|聖剣伝説ファイナルファンタジー外伝完全攻略編|lit. Holy Sword Legend Final Fantasy Supplementary Story Advance Knowledge|group=lower-alpha}}, each of which contains character illustrations and [[manga]]. The guidebooks were released in May and August 1991 respectively.<ref name="basic-guide" /><ref name="advance-guide" />

=== Other manga ===
''Final Fantasy Adventure'' is one of the video games featured in the manga titled ''Rock'n Game Boy'', by Shigeto Ikehara and published by Comic BomBom from October 1989 to December 1991.

== Reception ==
{{Video game reviews
| GR = 79%<ref name="GameRankings"/>
| ACE = 820/1000<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Final Fantasy |magazine=[[ACE (magazine)|ACE]] |date=8 January 1992 |issue=53 (February 1992) |page=82 |url=https://ia600604.us.archive.org/view_archive.php?archive=/1/items/World_of_Spectrum_June_2017_Mirror/World%20of%20Spectrum%20June%202017%20Mirror.zip&file=World%20of%20Spectrum%20June%202017%20Mirror/sinclair/magazines/ACE/Issue53/Pages/ACE5300082.jpg}}</ref>
| Fam = 9/10, 9/10, 9/10, 6/10<ref name="Fam"/>
| GameZone = 90%<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Final Fantasy Adventure |magazine=Nintendo Game Zone |date=November 1992 |issue=1 |page=29 |url=https://archive.org/details/nintendo-game-zone-01/page/29/mode/1up}}</ref>
| IGN = 9/10<ref name="Sy2000"/>
| RPG = 3/5<ref name="RPGamer-rev"/>
| RPGFan = 92%<ref name="RPGFan"/>
| rev1 = ''Nintendojo''
| rev1Score = 8.7/10<ref name="Ndojo"/>
|}}

According to Square's publicity department, the game sold 700,000 units worldwide, with 500,000 of these sold in Japan.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Final Fantasy III|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=63|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=October 1994|page=172}}</ref>

''Final Fantasy Adventure'' was featured in ''[[Nintendo Power]]'' when it was re-released in the United States.<ref name="venture"/> ''[[IGN]]'' praised the [[Game Boy]] re-release version noting its strong story, graphics, and music. They additionally praised the game's puzzle elements as innovative and drew comparisons to ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening]]'', though noted that its role-playing gameplay did not blend well with its action-oriented nature.<ref name="Sy2000"/> ''RPGFan'' also praised the game and called it one of the best RPG titles for Game Boy.<ref name="RPGFan" /> ''RPGamer'' praised the game's plot and the characters.<ref name="RPGamer-rev" /> ''Nintendojo'' also gave similar praise to the game but noting it being vastly different from other ''Final Fantasy'' titles.<ref name="Ndojo" />

The game has been perceived very positively in the years following its initial release.<ref name="RPGamer-rev"/> ''[[GameDaily]]'' named it alongside the other Game Boy ''Final Fantasy'' titles as definitive games for the system, describing it as providing "hours of role-playing" to play.<ref name="GameDaily"/> The sentiment was shared by gaming magazine ''Pocket Games'', which ranked the titles together 8th out of the Top 50 games for the Game Boy, stating that every game in the series is a classic with well-written scripts and solid characters.<ref name="Staff1999"/> ''[[Kotaku]]'' praised the original release of the game as a "really great action-RPG".<ref name="kotaku"/> ''[[1UP.com]]'' called the game ambitious for its time, writing that it represented an evolution of the overhead perspective action adventure genre.<ref name="up"/> They also rated the game as "Worth It!" in terms of buying and enjoying the original game in 2007, and noted it as the origins of the ''Mana'' series' many unique gameplay features.<ref name="worthit"/><ref name="original"/> ''[[GamesRadar]]'' named it the 13th best [[Game Boy]] game ever made, noting that its interesting leveling system and a large number of collectible items made up for a poor English translation.<ref name="thirteen"/> ''[[Game Informer]]'' also praised the game's leveling system, though it did call it a "simplistic" title in comparison to its sequels.<ref name="informer"/>

== References ==
;Translations
{{notelist}}

;Citations
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="Ndojo">{{cite web|title=Final Fantasy Adventure |publisher=Nintendojo |url=http://www.nintendojo.com/archives/reviews/GB/view_item.php?1122766377 |access-date=July 15, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110155915/http://www.nintendojo.com/archives/reviews/GB/view_item.php?1122766377 |archive-date=January 10, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="RPGamer-rev">{{cite web |first=Rachel |last=Steiner |title=Final Fantasy Adventure - Retroreview |publisher=RPGamer |url=http://www.rpgamer.com/games/sd/ffa/reviews/ffastrev1.html |access-date=June 21, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110160514/http://www.rpgamer.com/games/sd/ffa/reviews/ffastrev1.html |archive-date=January 10, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="RPGFan">{{cite web|first=Patrick |last=Gann |title=Final Fantasy Adventure |publisher=RPGFan |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/finalfantasyadventure/Final_Fantasy_Adventure.html |access-date=June 21, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513025902/http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/finalfantasyadventure/Final_Fantasy_Adventure.html |archive-date=May 13, 2008}}</ref>

<ref name="GameRankings">{{cite web|title=Final Fantasy Adventure |publisher=Gamerankings.com |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/gameboy/563272-final-fantasy-adventure/index.html |access-date=June 20, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090314053028/http://www.gamerankings.com/gameboy/563272-final-fantasy-adventure/index.html |archive-date=March 14, 2009}}</ref>

<ref name="basic-guide">{{cite book | script-title=ja:聖剣伝説ファイナルファンタジー外伝〈基礎知識編〉| language=ja | id={{ASIN|4871881237|country=jp}}}}</ref>

<ref name="advance-guide">{{cite book | script-title=ja:聖剣伝説ファイナルファンタジー外伝〈完全攻略編〉| language=ja | id={{ASIN|4871881326|country=jp}}}}</ref>

<ref name="Adashek2004">{{cite web |last=Adashek |first=Jeffrey |title=Square Enix Polls Customers on Potential DS Ports |publisher=RPGamer |date=July 28, 2004 |url=http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q3-2004/072804b.html |access-date=May 1, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061106191524/http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q3-2004/072804b.html |archive-date=November 6, 2006}}</ref>

<ref name="Andrew1998">{{cite web|first=Andrew |last=Vestal|title=Other Game Boy RPGs|work=[[GameSpot]]|publisher=CBS Interactive|date=November 2, 1998|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/rpg_hs/gameboy3.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711071821/http://uk.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/rpg_hs/gameboy3.html|archive-date=July 11, 2011|access-date=November 18, 2009}}</ref>

<ref name="Baker2007">{{cite web |last=Baker |first=Michael |date=November 2, 2007 |title=RPGamer > Japandemonium |url=http://www.rpgamer.com/news/japan/mb110207.html |publisher=RPGamer |access-date=December 29, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201225202/http://www.rpgamer.com/news/japan/mb110207.html |archive-date=February 1, 2009}}</ref>

<ref name="Square-archive">{{cite web|date=November 2, 2007 |script-title=ja:聖剣伝説～ファイナルファンタジー外伝～ |url=http://www.jp.square-enix.com/archive/seiken/ |publisher=Square Enix |language=ja |access-date=June 9, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707153349/http://www.jp.square-enix.com/archive/seiken/ |archive-date=July 7, 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="compilation">{{cite web|author=Spencer |title=20 Years Of Mana In One Super-Sized Sountrack |work=Siliconera |publisher=Crave Online |date=June 28, 2011 |url=http://www.siliconera.com/2011/06/28/20-years-of-mana-in-one-super-sized-sountrack/ |access-date=April 26, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110213430/http://www.siliconera.com/2011/06/28/20-years-of-mana-in-one-super-sized-sountrack/ |archive-date=January 10, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="OST">{{cite web|title=聖剣伝説ファイナルファンタジー外伝 Original Soundtrack |date=15 July 1991 |publisher=iTunes |language=ja |url=https://music.apple.com/jp/album/sheng-jian-chuan-shuo-fainarufantaji/201447786 |access-date=April 30, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529212305/https://itunes.apple.com/jp/album/sheng-jian-chuan-shuo-fainarufantaji/id201447786 |archive-date=May 29, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="OST-arr">{{cite web|url=http://rpgfan.com/soundtracks/sd-arr/index.html |title=Seiken Densetsu ~ Let Thoughts Ride on Knowledge |last=Mattich |first=Ryan |date=2004-05-26 |publisher=RPGFan |access-date=2009-08-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906040129/http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/sd-arr/index.html |archive-date=2015-09-06}}</ref>

<ref name="Sound-Collection">{{cite web|title=聖剣伝説〈FF外伝〉サウンド・コレクションズ |publisher=NTT Publishing Co., Ltd |language=ja |url=http://www.nttpub.co.jp/search/books/detail/100000385 |access-date=April 30, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203122715/http://www.nttpub.co.jp/search/books/detail/100000385 |archive-date=December 3, 2010}}</ref>

<ref name="guidecite">{{cite book | year=1991 | editor=Square Co. | title=Final Fantasy Adventure instruction manual | page=31 | publisher=Square Co.}}</ref>

<ref name="informer">{{cite magazine|last=Turi |first=Tim |title=Square's Unsung Opus: Reflecting On The Secret Of Mana |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=GameStop |date=October 3, 2012 |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/10/03/square-39-s-unsung-opus-reflecting-on-the-secret-of-mana.aspx |access-date=April 26, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214161741/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/10/03/square-39-s-unsung-opus-reflecting-on-the-secret-of-mana.aspx |archive-date=December 14, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="JeuxFrance">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamekyo.com/articles_dossiers304_interview-children-of-mana.html |title=Interview Children of Mana |access-date=June 15, 2007 |author=Morcos, Antoine |date=December 15, 2006 |publisher=JeuxFrance.com |language=fr |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004130157/http://www.gamekyo.com/articles_dossiers304_interview-children-of-mana.html |archive-date=October 4, 2011}}</ref>

<ref name="jpnstaffcredits">{{cite video game|title=Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden |developer=Square Co., Ltd. |publisher=Square Co., Ltd. |date=8 June 1991 |platform=[[Game Boy]] |language=ja |scene=staff credits |quote=ストーリー／キャラクターデザイン　いしい　こういち — ゲームデザイン／シナリオ　きたせ　よしのり — ゲームデザイン／マップデザイン　おおはし　ごろう}}</ref>

<ref name="kotaku">{{cite web|last=Schreier |first=Jason |title=Ode To The Final Fantasy Games That Weren't Really Final Fantasy Games |work=Kotaku |publisher=Gawker Media |date=August 24, 2012 |url=http://kotaku.com/5937675/ode-to-the-final-fantasy-games-that-werent-really-final-fantasy-games |access-date=April 26, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128181921/http://kotaku.com/5937675/ode-to-the-final-fantasy-games-that-werent-really-final-fantasy-games |archive-date=January 28, 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="lostlevels">{{cite web|url=http://www.lostlevels.org/200311/200311-square.shtml |title=Elusions: Final Fantasy IV / Seiken Densetsu |access-date=June 9, 2007 |last=Collette |first=Chris |date=November 15, 2003 |publisher=Lost Levels |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614115209/http://www.lostlevels.org/200311/200311-square.shtml |archive-date=June 14, 2007}}</ref>

<ref name=nintendo>{{cite web | url=https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/gameslist/manuals/dmg_games.pdf | title=Game Boy (original) Games | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615005225/http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/gameslist/manuals/dmg_games.pdf | archive-date=June 15, 2011 | publisher=[[Nintendo]] | access-date=April 14, 2011}}</ref>

<ref name="original">{{cite web | first=Jeremy | last=Parish | title=Retronautsploration: Let's Go on a Final Fantasy Adventure | work=[[1UP.com]] | date=May 4, 2009 | url=http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8987485 | publisher=IGN Entertainment Inc. | access-date=April 26, 2013 | archive-date=June 13, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160613172309/http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=8987485 | url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name=radar>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/f/12-classic-game-boy-and-game-boy-color-games-we-want-on-3ds/a-20110119172340571046|archive-date=October 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010235353/http://www.gamesradar.com/12-classic-game-boy-and-game-boy-color-games-we-want-on-3ds/|title=12 classic Game Boy and Game Boy Color games we want on 3DS |work=[[GamesRadar]] |publisher=Future plc|date=Jan 19, 2010 |access-date=January 27, 2011|author1=Henry Gilbert |author2=Chris Antista |author3=Carolyn Gudmundson |author4=Brett Elston}}</ref>

<ref name="Redesigns">{{cite web|author=Spencer |title=Manavolution: the original Seiken Densetsu characters over time |url=https://www.siliconera.com/manavolution-the-original-seiken-densetsu-characters-over-time/ |publisher=Siliconera |date=February 13, 2007 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071101094944/http://www.siliconera.com/2007/02/13/manavolution-the-original-seiken-densetsu-characters-over-time/ |archive-date=November 1, 2007}}</ref>

<ref name="beyer">{{cite book | script-title=ja:楽しいバイエル併用聖剣伝説 [楽譜] | language=ja | id= {{ASIN|4810826228|country=jp}}}}</ref>

<ref name="GameDaily">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/retro-rewind-game-boy/189/?page=6 |title=Retro Rewind: Game Boy |work=[[GameDaily]] |publisher=[[AOL]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080401205636/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/retro-rewind-game-boy/189/?page=6|archive-date=April 1, 2008|access-date=June 1, 2009}}</ref>

<ref name="RPGamer">{{cite web |url=http://www.rpgamer.com/games/sd/sdproject/sdprojectinterview.html |title=Children of Mana Interview |access-date=June 9, 2007 |author=RPGamer staff |date=October 6, 2006 |publisher=RPGamer |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208211655/http://www.rpgamer.com/games/sd/sdproject/sdprojectinterview.html |archive-date=December 8, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="Staff1999">{{cite journal |last=Staff |date=Summer–Fall 1999 |title=Top 50 Games |journal=Pocket Games |issue=1 |page=32}}</ref>

<ref name="sunsoft">{{cite web |date=January 24, 1998 |title=Sunsoft to Rerelease Square Game Boy Games |url=http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q1-1998/012498a.html |publisher=RPGamer |access-date=December 13, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131070549/http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q1-1998/012498a.html |archive-date=January 31, 2009}}</ref>

<ref name="Sy2000">{{cite web|first=Dexter |last=Sy |title=Final Fantasy Adventure |work=[[IGN]] |publisher=IGN Entertainment Inc. |date=June 9, 2000 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2000/06/10/final-fantasy-adventure |access-date=May 1, 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018011033/http://www.ign.com/articles/2000/06/10/final-fantasy-adventure |archive-date=October 18, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="thirteen">{{cite web|author=GamesRadar Staff |title=Best Game Boy games of all time: 13. Final Fantasy Adventure |work=[[GamesRadar]] |date=April 16, 2012 |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/best-game-boy-games-all-time/ |publisher=Future plc. |access-date=April 26, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425120329/http://www.gamesradar.com/best-game-boy-games-all-time/ |archive-date=April 25, 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="up">{{cite web | first=Jeremy | last=Parish | title=What Happened to the Action RPG? | work=[[1UP.com]] | date=July 30, 2012 | url=http://www.1up.com/features/what-happened-action-rpg | publisher=IGN Entertainment Inc. | access-date=April 26, 2013 | archive-date=August 3, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803170015/http://www.1up.com/features/what-happened-action-rpg | url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="venture">{{cite web|first=Brian |last=Shirk |title=Forget World Of Mana–Remember The Series' Epic Beginning (Final Fantasy Adventure Review) |publisher=Venture Beat |date=September 14, 2009 |url=https://venturebeat.com/2009/09/14/forget-world-of-mana-remember-the-series-epic-beginning-final-fantasy-adventure-review/ |access-date=April 26, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725154442/http://venturebeat.com/2009/09/14/forget-world-of-mana-remember-the-series-epic-beginning-final-fantasy-adventure-review/ |archive-date=July 25, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="mobile-release-SB3G">{{cite web|title=スクウェア・エニックス、「聖剣伝説」が携帯電話で復活 Vフォン「聖剣伝説 -ファイナルファンタジー外伝-」 |publisher=Game Watch |date=August 16, 2006 |language=ja |url=http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20060809/seiken.htm |access-date=April 27, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130628061612/http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20060809/seiken.htm |archive-date=June 28, 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="mobile-release-iMode">{{cite web|title=スクウェア・エニックスは、iモード向けのゲームとして「MONOTONE」正式版、「聖剣伝説 -ファイナルファンタジー外伝-」の配信を開始した。|publisher=Game Watch |date=November 6, 2006 |language=ja |url=http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/31818.html |access-date=April 29, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110153254/http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/31818.html |archive-date=January 10, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="mobile-release-EZweb">{{cite web|title=スクウェア・エニックス、EZweb「聖剣伝説 -FF 外伝-」配信 Yahoo! ケータイ「聖剣伝説FoM」には新ランド登場 |publisher=Game Watch |date=February 5, 2007 |language=ja |url=http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20070205/seiken.htm |access-date=April 29, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130628161742/http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20070205/seiken.htm |archive-date=June 28, 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="worthit">{{cite web | first=Jeremy | last=Parish | title=Final Fantasy Series Roundup | work=[[1UP.com]] | date=December 8, 2007 | url=http://www.1up.com/features/final-fantasy-roundup | publisher=IGN Entertainment Inc. | access-date=March 9, 2013 | archive-date=June 15, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615232806/http://www.1up.com/features/final-fantasy-roundup | url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="Fam">{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Famitsu|Famicom Tsūshin]]|title=新作ゲームクロスレビュー|date=July 12, 1991|publisher=ASCII Corporation|language=Japanese|issue=135|p=21|last1=Famibo|first1=Tofuya
|last2= Mizuno
|first2=Bucho
|last3=Morishita
|first3=Mariko
|author4=TACOX}}</ref>

<ref name="3Dremake">{{cite web|title=New Final Fantasy Adventure Game Is A Remake For PS Vita And Smartphone |url=http://www.siliconera.com/2015/09/16/new-final-fantasy-adventure-game-is-a-remake-for-ps-vita-and-smartphone/ |website=Siliconera |access-date=September 16, 2015 |date=September 16, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130234055/http://www.siliconera.com/2015/09/16/new-final-fantasy-adventure-game-is-a-remake-for-ps-vita-and-smartphone/ |archive-date=January 30, 2016}}</ref>

<ref name="Switch">{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2017/06/01/the-switch-gets-a-new-secret-of-mana-game-collection-but-only-in-japan/ |title=The Switch Gets A New 'Secret Of Mana' Game Collection But Only In Japan |date=2017-06-01 |last=Barder |first=Ollie |work=[[Forbes]] |access-date=2017-07-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701181300/https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2017/06/01/the-switch-gets-a-new-secret-of-mana-game-collection-but-only-in-japan/ |archive-date=2017-07-01 |url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.jp.square-enix.com/seiken/en/}} {{in lang|en}}
* {{moby game|id=/final-fantasy-adventure|name=''Mystic Quest''}}

{{Mana series}}
{{Final Fantasy series}}

[[Category:Mana (series) video games]]
[[Category:Final Fantasy video games]]
[[Category:Sunsoft games]]
[[Category:Role-playing video games]]
[[Category:Action role-playing video games]]
[[Category:Hack and slash role-playing games]]
[[Category:Game Boy games]]
[[Category:I-mode games]]
[[Category:1991 video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Kenji Ito]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]

[[de:Seiken Densetsu#Mystic Quest]]
[[pl:Final Fantasy Mystic Quest]]