Mortal Kombat 2 (Arcade, SNES, GEN) - The Good, The Bad & The Buggy!

There was nothing like going into the arcade and seeing the new mk2. People would literally crowd around it.

MK2 is still the best MK game of them all. It was so much fun back in the Arcade Era.

you know everytime i walk home at nights and see the moon i always think of the mk2 theme

I still consider MK2 my favorite MK arcade and remember very vividly at Grand Union supermarket lobby in Connecticut where I grew up, the moment I lay my eyes on the arcade cabinet, I was sold and played it like many early teens did in those amazing early 90's-time frame. The best of times!!

Funny how my earliest MK memory is also of the second game and also involves a fatality as well only it involved Reptile's head chomp. My sister was playing as Mileena and lost and when I saw Reptile take off his mask revealing that head underneath I was scared shitless. I had never seen anything like it. The Living Forest stage already creeped me out first time I saw it... but then I saw that and I was terrified for years to come. Good times.

When the game came out, I begged my dad to buy it. We went to the closest shopping center at the time (40 km away) and when I got there I didn't see the game on a giant display. I searched and searched for several minutes until I found a copy and couldn't put it down. I called the employee to go get the cartridge and they had some difficulty finding it, but after several minutes he arrived and put it in the box. I just left him at home... I called my friends and the rest is history. The came costs 14.000 escudos (portuguese corrency at the time) and is equivalent to 70 euros at the time. Today with inflation, 70 euros is like 300 euros.

I worked at Babbages in Troy Michigan when MKII was released for home consoles. What a magical time that was!!

Great retrospect. I remember my Dad surprising me with MK2 for SNES the Friday it came out after school. My original plan that day was to get to the video store ASAP before I knew I was getting it lol

Absolutely loved playing the megadrive version. A perfect conversion for the then ageing console

I remember being 12 when this came out. The arcade at the mall had 2 of them - set back to back - and there were genuine 10+ people crowds around both. The level of content plus the graphics and sound upgrades were so massive compared to the 1st MK; you simply had to be there to compare how big a jump MK2 was compared to its predecessor. All the stages, the hidden characters, the music, the new screams, DOUBLE the number of fatalities, the hit boxes and controls were so much better than MK1 - everything - EVERYTHING - was bigger and better in this game. I remember the very first fatality I saw someone perform was the dragon morph with Liu Kang, and my mind was totally blown. Getting a glimpse of a new fatality here and there was peak "oh shit!!!!" when it happened. The first friendship was Cage's autograph, and I was like "Wait, what in the world was THAT???" and then you find out there are specific circumstances behind pulling off the friendships and babalities. It was mind boggling. It was NOT uncommon to see people unfold a 8.5" x 11" sheets of paper with all the moves and finishers on them - that was just part of the arcade back then. Was really cool when someone showed you something new, and you in turn shared something you knew, and in some cases you made friends with total strangers right there on the spot. There was a pretty chill but cool "code of honor" with this game. You KNEW which quarter was yours on that glass, and you didn't dare skip your turn. If someone wanted to try a move - just to see if they could pull it off - most would be cool about it block in a corner and let you try for 5-10 seconds. If you were watching someone fight the computer, you could put your quarters in and "save them" if the computer beat them - like near the end of your video - giving them a 2nd change to keep going...if they could beat you first. Loved how kids ages 8-21 could act more like adults with this game in 1993 than most adults on the internet today. And then the rumors - the Sub-Zero polar bear, Blaze and Hornbuckle in the back of the Pit II/seeing them actually fight in the background/someone knew someone who they saw actually fight them as completely new hidden characters, someone swears they saw the living forest eat their character as a special stage fatality, someone swears they saw a character get stage-fatalitied in the lava on the armory level, Raiden drawing the lightning in the Portal stage and using it against you, Goro/Kano/Sonya morphs with Shang Tsung, ways to return to stages from MK1, nudalities with Kitana and Mileena - yep - I heard ALL of these and more, but never saw them happen cause that's exactly what they were: rumors. But it was awesome and added to the lore and mystique of the game. This wasn't just another arcade game in 1993 - this was something different, and man, do I miss those days. Great to see new videos on it and it still getting played on Retroarch to this day!!!!

Arcade version was amazing, bought the Sega genesis version and though it was an extremely watered-down version compared to the arcade version I didn't care , I locked myself in my room and wasted my youth mastering each characters 2 fatalities as well as friendships and babalities. I was so proud of myself.

Alright I shared my MKII experience on your Trilogy video, but I want to elaborate more on what I remember. So Shang Tsung! That was also next level, I mean like what?? The first boss...as a playable character?? And could morph into all characters?? I forgot how much impact that had on me, not to mention the Kintaro fatality I wish I knew how to do when I was younger...oh man that would have...well, made me idle like MKIII/UMKIII characters lol. The secret characters were also another dopamine rush. The living forest was quite a sight, the roars, the secret characters peeking from behind certain trees. Even the music if I remember right was a 13/8 time signature. Like what thought process goes into such uniqueness? And of course Shao Kahn, the newest boss with a killer voice! And how could I not mention "Toasty!!" 😆 Now as for the home versions. We had SNES at the time, it was the first time blood was enabled without any cheat codes. The secret opening screen was sick if you knew how to do it. Even on very easy was a challenge, because we had no moves list unless friends knew it when I asked at school. No save states back then either...we were hardcore for this. I finally got to experience the arcade version through emulation later on, and wow!! There were some glitches in the sound but it was amazing, almost took me back to being in the arcade. That's also when I was less hardcore because I used a lot of those save states lol. At least until I owned it with Kitana, or Mileena. I never knew Richard Divizio was Baraka, I just knew it was kind of messed up seeing Kano and Sonya on the sides and not playable. Lui Kang's dragon fatality was such a OMG moment when I first saw it. But I will argue so was his friendship disco ball! Friendships were something else, but Babality?? Haha oh my goodness, what a random messed up finishing move I will never get over 🤣

I was 12 back then, I have a great memories about the arcade visits and playing at home. It's also my favourite MK. Altrough I know it in and out, I still love to play MK2.

My 1st encounter with Mk2. It 1st came out in arcades. I went to walmart one day. I saw a group of kids surrounding an arcade machine. It was mk2! I begged my mom for some quarters. When It was my turn. The dude handed my ass to me with Liu Kang. He used the bicycle kick. Im standing there in aww like...wtf just happened lol

The start of this video. The sound of the quarter insert of MK1 OMFG it’s so nostalgic!! New sub and great video! Flawless Victory!

The music of the first 2 mortal kombat games are GOAT status

The first time I ever played MKII was at a Tilt at the mall. I was melted by the cabinet just like you were. I picked Scorpion. My second fight was Jax and I lost. He ripped my arms off for the fatality and I actually had nightmares about that similar to you. It’s crazy how impactful things used to be. MKII is and will forever be my favorite in the series. I hated 3 with all my heart when it came out.

September 93, I was 13 at the time and I played this game a lot. I played it also on the SNES through dial up over XBAND too. Good times. I'm 44 now.

The PC port was spot on. The thunder rolling in behind the logo, the music, Gfx everything was perfect.

Great history and memories, thank you for making this