When Mortal Kombat and DC Comics universe collide, who will survive? Prepare for super fighting, super powers and super men, in a style only Midway can deliver.
The creators of beat ‘em up Mortal Kombat, have taken their fair share of blows – none more so than the opening salvo fired in their direction when it was announced videogames’ most violent fighting title was to be combined with comic book giants, DC Comics. How would anyone be able to defeat the likes of Superman or Batman? Would MK’s legendary Fatalities finishing moves be removed? How on Earth could this all work?
With each answer, Mortal Kombat vs DC gets better and better…
Fighting expectations
There’s no doubt that the opening impressions of Mortal Kombat vs DC are uncanny. The sight of MK mainstays such as Scorpion and Sub Zero squaring off against comic book icons such as Green Lantern and Flash is a tad bewildering. While comics and games have shared a healthy relationship for a fair few decades now, crossovers like this are rare, especially for DC’s beloved characters which have had much less games exposure compared to its Marvel Comics competitors.
Times have changed. DC’s heroes – and villains – are now taking centre stage and duking it out against some of the most brutal combatants ever to grace videogames, and so far the results are rather lovely. Taking the 2D action that occasionally flirts with 3D thanks to sidesteps, dodges and some new combat mechanics, MK vs DC remains true to both franchises.
The answer as to how these two heavyweights come to clash isn’t quite clear yet – Midway is keeping the storyline under wraps beyond a general plot that sees both universes merging (and if you really want to know, the magic-rich powers of the MK fighters can harm the magic-vulnerable Superman, so it’s still respectful to the last son of Krypton). If you’re wondering how the original game idea came together, however, that’s a tale Midway is more than happy to tell.
Them’s fightin’ words
“Somebody really high up in our Marketing department knew someone high up at Warner Bros and DC and on a night out they talked about doing a game together,” divulges Hector M. Sanchez Jr., Producer for Midway. “It turned into this and it was presented to Midway and it was something that we wanted to do. It was something a little bit different.”
In terms of the character roster, neither company seemed to have too many problems in choosing representatives in the game. “We’re keeping our most iconic characters at the forefront; Scorpion, Lui Kang, Sub Zero, those kinda guys,” says Sanchez Jr. “We’re keeping their moves too, but also upgrading them, making them next generation.”
The game also includes the likes of Catwoman, Darkseid, Deathstroke, the Joker, Lex Luthor and Wonder Woman on the DC side, and Jax, Kano, Sonya Blade and Raiden for Midway – to mention but a few of the final line-up, which should feature around 22 characters in total.
Capital punishment, DC style
So, the next concern voiced by some – if Mortal Kombat would be watered down by the presence of DC’s million dollar babies. After all, it just wouldn’t seem too good for superheroes such as Batman and Superman, who don’t kill, to suddenly rip their opponents heads off in a shower of viscera that Mortal Kombat is known for.
“DC is obviously really protective of its brand,” says Sanchez Jr. “Whenever we had any special moves for any of the DC characters, we sent the team video clips and they had to give approval and feedback. But they’ve been really helpful. When we first started working with them they were very strict about stuff, but as we started sending them things, they said you guys know what you’re doing – the character models look good, the gameplay is good, everything’s kinda working, so it’s been cool working with them.”
Even with the additional visual damage that builds up on the characters as they take punishment, DC has been fine with letting its finest look beaten up to a fair degree through ripped clothes, bruises and more. And as for the Fatalities… well, that’s already been well and truly discussed by the companies at hand.
“Finish him!”
“Obviously Superman and Batman can’t kill – they’re not killers – so [these characters] can’t have Fatalities,” says Sanchez Jr. “Instead they have Brutalities, which is basically a finishing move that acts as a heroic version of a Fatality. So for example, Superman beats his rival into the ground but they’re still alive. It’s not as final as a Fatality, but it’s still embarrassing enough when it’s performed on you.”
This isn’t to say there are no Fatalities at all – most of the characters (such as all the DC villains and the whole MK crew) maintain their killing strokes which are performed on the loser at the end of each bout. Batman nemesis, the Joker has one such example involving a fake pistol swiftly followed by a real one, which is utterly true to the character.
“Sometimes the scariest things are the things that you don’t see, so we had to make a point by using the limited amount of violence we have to make the most impact. And we’ve been able to do that by having the camera shake, DUALSHOCK feedback, stuff like that. It’s still intense, which is the main quality to keep.”
(Not the) Final Round…
Old school Mortal Kombat fans will find comforting familiarity in the gameplay, with its tense array of meaty melee attacks, over-the-top special moves, crazy projectiles and everything else you would expect. The addition of the new fighting methods Klose Kombat (where close-quarters fighting mode is engaged for what Sanchez Jr. describes as an “interactive throw”) and Freefall Kombat (3D level transitions where you fight as your combatants move, crash or fall to another stage) show that Midway isn’t resting on its laurels with the DC super team-up.
Mortal Kombat vs DC is in full flow and looking to take on all comers, regardless of whether you’re a believer or not. “Even with a Teen rating we’re still making a brutal, intense fighting game,” smiles Sanchez Jr. And it’s hard to disagree based on the promise and play so far. With Midway and DC combining, anything is possible.
“It’s cool to have Batman and Scorpion fighting each other, it’s cool to have Joker and Superman and those kind of characters in this kind of universe,” says Sanchez Jr. “It’s been a good experience.”
