Review scoopings 4/5 · Feb 23, 2026
Highlight of Fighting Games So Far
Preliminary: In some ways it feels a bit redundant, since I just played MK3, but this update needed to happen. The original missed core characters , and this one has Jade and Ermac (red ninja ahhhh). And of course my childhood favorite: Reptile. It still has the Run feature which was the classic addition for MK3 (tho really it just …
Preliminary: In some ways it feels a bit redundant, since I just played MK3, but this update needed to happen. The original missed core characters , and this one has Jade and Ermac (red ninja ahhhh). And of course my childhood favorite: Reptile. It still has the Run feature which was the classic addition for MK3 (tho really it just hurts me since the computer uses it better). And this version was clearly geared for groups at arcades etc, which adds a nice fun to it and as you can see with my past status update, I've experienced with my family (tho I need to confirm whether that was UMK or MK3).
Now playing it at home, it is nice to see that I can actually get through several levels. And like I said with MK3, I didn't realize just how much I played MK3/UMK3/MKTrilogy on home consoles etc. I always thought MK2 on GB and then MK4 for PS1 were my most played, but this has to be up there with MK4 for sure.
(I'm playing as Jade and, gasp, actually doing well against the computer! Mind you it's Novice lol. But I like her speed! Will this be the first fighting game of the chronology project I actually finish or at least get far in?! It would make sense considering my history with it. And I love the dusk city background of one of the settings. Liu Kang's maybe? Some of the tunes are meh but some are jams)
Ok nvm, mid way through the tournament, they just get way too fast for me.
Alright yea my usual fighting game burnout finally happened, but at least I pushed through two more than I thought I could. I was just abuot to get to "E" that shows how bad I am :-p but still, furthest I've gone/longest I've played of a fighting game so far (I think). Or darn close to it if not.
Look: 8/10
Sound: 8/10 Classic. The screams when you run
Play: 7.5/10 Highlight of early fighting games for sure
Feel: 8.5/10 Lots of nostalgia, plus now able to play it with family forever
Attachment: 8.5/10
Overall: 8.1/10