Mortal Kombat Demo 3D Hands-On: What You’ll Get On Tuesday

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Mortal Kombat Demo 3D Hands-On: What You’ll Get On Tuesday

Mortal Kombat for PS3

Sometimes, life is about the simple pleasures. The contented cooing of a sleepy puppy. The smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. The sickening crunch of Scorpion stomping your rib cage while an X-ray view displays the internal damage in real time. In 3D.

Yes, friends. I have played the Mortal Kombat PSN demo, and it is good. Comprised of four characters and two stages, the demo is a meaty preview of what to expect when the full game hits PS3 on April 19th (April 21st in the EU). PlayStation Plus subscribers are getting early access this coming Tuesday, March 8th (March 9th in the EU) and it’ll be delivered directly to your PS3 as long as you enable Automatic Downloads in your XMB settings. All other PSN users will be able to download the demo on Tuesday, March 15th.

The demo comes with four playable fighters: Johnny Cage, Mileena, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero. Fan-favorite Scorpion is nastier than ever, packing his trademark throwing spear (“Get over here!”) and a wicked new sword, while rival ninja Sub-Zero forges weapons from ice and shatters internal organs with a touch. Hollywood prima donna Johnny Cage hits below the belt, and sai-wielding mutant assassin Mileena makes no effort to hide her gleaming five-inch fangs. You’ll also get two environments: The Living Forest and The Pit, complete with its gruesome stage fatality.

Mortal Kombat for PS3: Sub-Zero

Mortal Kombat’s stereoscopic 3D viewing mode is exclusive to the PS3, and I was lucky enough to try it on a massive 60’’ 3D Sony Bravia. Stereoscopic 3D lends an impressive sense of grandeur and scope — the environments seem to stretch on into infinity but don’t distract from the fighting. “We didn’t want 3D to change the basic mechanics or complicate things needlessly,” Mortal Kombat creative director and series co-creator Ed Boon told me. “Our 3D implementation makes the characters pop from the background a little more, and helps you focus on them.” By rendering the fighters in 2D for its stereoscopic 3D mode, Mortal Kombat’s action remains visible even if you’re not wearing 3D glasses. This is a handy detail if you’re playing with a group on a 3D TV and find yourself short of 3D glasses — everyone will be able to play and watch whether they wear 3D glasses or not. If you’re not wearing glasses, the 3D backgrounds will look a bit blurry but the characters will appear crisp and clean.

Mortal Kombat for PS3Mortal Kombat for PS3

Gameplay-wise, the Mortal Kombat demo is loaded with special attacks, combos, juggles, and ultra-powerful X-ray attacks that will leave your opponents reeling (and your stomach heaving). The action is fast and satisfying, with a 2D, side-scrolling feel that’s much closer in spirit to MKII or MK3. A standout example lies in the glorious return of the turn-around kick, which is a powerful juggle combo starter where you jump over an opponent and kick after you clear his shoulder. Judging by my hands-on time, turn-around kicks — a staple of the classic games but downplayed in later entries — are back in full force. According to Boon, this is by design. “We know turn-around kicks are an essential ingredient this time,” Boon told me. With a little practice, I was able to easily perform my signature Scorpion combo from Mortal Kombat II: Turn-around jump kick, teleport punch, spear throw followed by an uppercut or combo for an easy 25-30% damage. Not bad, but I’m sure some of you can do much better!

The Mortal Kombat demo supports two modes: One-on-one Versus battles (the final game supports two-on-two tag battles as well), and a short single-player Ladder mode. Protip: Completing that Ladder mode in the PSN demo unlocks a jaw-dropping video montage of the final game, complete with glimpses of new fatalities, returning characters, and impressive new stages. I won’t spill any secrets, but consider that video to be required viewing.

Oh, and one more thing: The “Toasty” guy is back. I’ve seen him! Have any questions about the features or feel of the upcoming PS3 Mortal Kombat demo? I’ll be delighted to provide further information, just ask away in the comments.

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144 Comments

41 Author Replies

  • With Kratos in this battle maybe it should be called….

    IMMORTAL KOMBAT!

  • Sweet….Thanks for including my picture! I win

  • KRATOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • so if we dont have atumatic download turned on we wont get it?

  • Mortal Kombat Kollector’s Edition Pre-Ordered at GameStop :D

    Can’t Wait.

    Never was to much of a Street Fighter Fan. Hopefully this will bring back memory’s of playing the Original Mortal Kombat game back in the day.

  • So glad “Toasty!” has returned.

  • Just the mention of the Toasty guy alone makes me giggle with much joy. Can not wait for this to come out!

    • The topic of Toasty has been a pressing question for me too :) But it’s in! Toasty’s real name is Dan Forden, he’s been the audio composer for the entire series.

  • Oh yeah!! I’m so excited!! I joined Playstation Plus tonight for a year!!

    I have the Tournament, Kollector’s, and standard edition pre-ordered!!

    And I have an 82″ 3DTV for Mortal Kombat!!

    Life Is good!!

  • Im pretty pump to play this demo. the last MK game i played was MK3.

  • Can we please have some Mortal Kombat avatars?!!

  • Whenever I share an idea, it never gets accepted, my number of ideas remain at zero.

  • why doesnt the demo have online support. thats what will make people buy this game. being able to kombat it out against your buddies who you used to play MK with. dont get me wrong im super excited to play the demo but i feel your missing out on the key function that will draw masses to this game.

    • Well, you could have said buddies over to your house :-) I’m not certain, but I know it costs money to run servers for online play so I assume that’s why it’s in the final version.

  • I have a feeling that the hype itself will bring people to Kombat.

  • @Sid

    this isnt 1997 anymore. Most of said buddies have moved etc etc. Wouldnt that be a good way to stress test the servers? Nothing kills a fighting game more than lag…

    • A good point, but you know what? Series creator Ed Boon is very active on Twitter (@noobde). If you ask nicely, he may tell you why!

  • @Sid

    cool thanks for the info! :)

  • Hey Sid, here’s a good question for those of us that are HDD space-challenged. How big is the MK demo’s file size? I wanna make sure that the auto download will go off without a hitch.

  • im still playin tekken 6 but this is definitely gonna steal my time I lurvs Mortal Kombat =}

  • I think I just got sold on finally getting a PS+ account. Can’t wait for Tuesday.

  • I have been a long time fan of the series…. but after 4 i kinda fell out of it caz a the time i really wasn’t into the whole 3d area arena…. and the later games for the ps2 i just recently picked up with in the past 2 years. MK vs. DC makes me very sad… i watched a review and seen all the fatalities…. it doesn’t feel like an Mk game. it didn’t feel like it was suspostu. But now with the new one returning to its roots im very very happy about it. all the new redesigns i love. the games looks just gorgeous.Although i am very disappointed that of all the stores offering preorder DLC best buys is the worst. I want subzero <3 him to death. but i want the Kollectors edition and the DLC only comes in standard. all other places have DLC for all versions. I hope the rest of the DLC becomes available at some point.

    But can't wait to play it. Belated B-day present for my self!!

  • @Sid

    Sid It’s a 82″ Mitsubishi 3D DLP. So amazing!

    http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/product/WD82838

  • Will there be a Kollectors Edition of the game in the UK?

  • Can’t wait to play the demo :D

  • How do you schedule your PS3 to check for PS Store updates?

  • Give me blood & guts and I’m a happy guy :)

  • Nice to see a dev actually respond to comments. Can’t wait to play this on tues.

  • still not interested in 3d… but ill give the demo a try as i havent played an MK game in years.. i was never much for fighting games, but MK was the only series that even remotely interested me in the genre…

  • I just bought PSN+

    not because of this particularly but it seems like they’re adding a ton of PHR33 and X-Clusive stuff now to it ;)

  • yes i have been waiting for this day to come this demo is going to be awsome get over here

  • Awesome! Cant wait to play the demo and practice allready. Have the kollectors edition preorderd months ago.

  • Is this exclusive to the PS3? meaning not on other platforms

    • The demo is indeed exclusively available on PlayStation Plus starting Tuesday, then the following Tuesday for open PSN users. I think a few weeks after that all other platforms may get it

  • Will I be able to use the mortal combat demo if I have wifi?

  • does the demo feel choppy at all? from all the vids i’ve seen it looks pretty fluid, but playing it is a different story. you notice any frame-rate lag, button input lag? [i know it’s a demo but these issues are what need to be addressed, which is why they put out a demo]

  • I wish I had some use for the Automatic Download feature for demos I want. I usually download them manually the evening they are released, so the AD feature is irrelevant :/

  • MORTAL FREAKIN KOMBAT!
    Hell yeah! One of my top wnated games of this year!
    Along with Dead Space 2, Uncharted 3, Batman Ark. city, and Zelda sky Sword! (possibly MGS5?) :D

  • Nice to see they are releasing the demo early, stinks when games release a demo weeks or even months after the game comes out.

  • Is the One-on-One mode online or local only?

  • “If you’re not wearing glasses, the 3D backgrounds will look a bit blurry but the characters will appear crisp and clean.”

    Can I remove the 3D stuff so I don’t see a background with Vaseline smeared all over it? The 3D fad seems to be making games worse while the motion control fad seems to be making sequels unplayable without some overpriced peripheral (Echochrome 2 for example).

  • For the love of God, stop putting full demos on auto-download! Some of us have #$%$^#$ bandwidth limits. Are you trying to get me to shut it off?

  • @ Everyone worried about 3D:
    If you do not have a 3D TV and a matching pair of 3D glasses, that means you’ve never set up 3D on your PS3, which means all games work strictly in 2D mode. Nothing is going to be blurry on your regular HD TVs unless you’re not using your trusty HDMI cable. It will be crisp, fluid, and beautiful. If you don’t understand something, it’s called Google.

  • Since we are talking MK, is it possible to let Warner Brothers know that we want MK4, Mortal Kombat Trilogy, and Mortal Kombat Subzero Mythologies on PSN. I really like to know if they have plans to port these PS1 games to PSN.

  • So will the demo and final game itself play automatically in 3D? if thats the case it seems like a waste to be so stoked about this game only to know i need a 3D to fully enjoy it..I don’t wanna play a game that’s blurry with colors..

  • Of course not! The 3D option is always there, though! In case you ever decide to grab a 3D TV.

  • Sid,Sure, it would just download via Wifi. No online play for the demo, though.

    Ok so does that mean I will not be able to play the game?

  • I love me some mortal kombat

  • Can’t wait for the demo…I spent 50 dollars just to sign up for PS+ just for the demo and preordered the tournament edition so i can beat everyone online then go to tournaments…ugh…Come on Tuesday!!!! Im the biggest mortal kombat fan ever…My room is full of mortal kombat gear, clothes, every last mortal kombat arcade, and games on every system…Glad to see it’s back… MORTAL KOMBATTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Does anyone else have the MK widget? Mine updated when I launched it today and now it wants my gamestop code AGAIN to watch fatalities unedited. That codeis long gone. What a fiasco.

  • Oh, Sid

    Auto-download = epic failure

    Unless something has changed this has not worked since Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. Updates happen but early access never does. I know I’m not the only one who has this happen. Simply an FYI, not being a gaming girly whiner.

  • Gonna import the Tournament edition as I live in the UK.

    Stupid question will the MK FIGHT STICK work on my pal machine?

    Let me know Sid, big purchase for a potential pretty box.

    Cheers

  • Update pal PS3.

  • Sid,

    What time is the story going to update with the Mortal Kombat demo available? Because the store is never available until the evening time on the East Coast. Do I really have to wait til 6pm Eastern time to get this demo Thursday?

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