Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat II was an improvement in every way over its predecessor and a standout fighting title on the SNES which has us wishing it made the cut for the SNES Classic Edition. Where the first game rode the wave of its brutality and “realism,” MKII was just a darn good fighting game. The speed was increased to make fights more engaging, combos became much easier to pull off, and new abilities were given to each of the characters. There was also the introduction of several characters who are now fan-favorites such as Jax, Baraka, Kung Lao, and Kitana. Honestly, I couldn’t imagine a Mortal Kombat game that doesn’t have them in some form.
What really makes the second entry a standout was the expansion of the Fatality system which introduced multiple match-ending abilities such as Babalities and Friendships (both of which were sort of hilarious). Throw in stage-specific Fatalities, and you had one seriously fun and violent fighting game that was completely unmatched. Granted, its violence may be why Nintendo wouldn’t even consider this game for the SNES Classic Edition, but that won’t stop us from missing it.
