From: l2wang@mobius08.math.uwaterloo.ca (  Lei Wang  )
Subject: Mortal Kombat MOVES, HINTS, COMBOS, Update 1.0
Keywords:  Mortal, Combat, Kombat, Moves, Hints, Combos, Blood, Violence, 42
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 21:25:06 GMT

     -------------------------------------
     --------Contents---------------------          Update 1.0
     -------------------------------------
...............................................................................
...... Introduction ...........................................................
...... Basic Definitions ......................................................
...... Basic Strategies .......................................................
...... Retaliation ............................................................
...... Moves And Combos For Individual Characters .............................
...... General Strategies Against The Computer ................................
...... Specific Strategies Against The Computer ...............................
...............................................................................

*******************************************************************************
***********               Introduction           ******************************
*******************************************************************************

****NOTE**
*
*   The following combinations are listed here of Personal experience.  None
* of that 'I heard that someone did this' or 'My friend said that he could do
* it' or even 'I saw my friend do this'.  I have personally tried all the
* button combinations below, and found it to be correct.  It may be incomplete,
* but it should not contain errors.  And yes, I haven't yet met reptile.
*
**********

  These moves and combos work specifically for version 3 of Mortal Kombat, for 
which some of the major distinguishing characteristics are:

  a) Shang Tsung explodes when you kill him.
  b) Goro can not be repeatedly uppercutted.
  c) Jump kicking an opponent on the ground immediately followed by
a jump kick/jump punch will Not hit the opponent before he falls, unless
he is in the corner.

  Comboes for versions 1 or 2 are too easy to do, and there are too many of
them to list here, so sorry for you guys with old machines.
  For the moves listed below, each will be assigned a difficulty level, if
it is actually not trivial.  So there are actually four rankings for difficulty
of a move:  Trivial, Easy, Difficult, Nearly Impossible(or if you're the
computer), but only the last three will be indicated.  Of course, things
may vary a bit from person to person.

  If you have anything to add, or there's a combo that you love to use(and it's
on version 3, and it's not listed here), tell me how you do it, and I'll try
it.  If I can do it within a few dozen tries, I'll put it in here.  Otherwise
I'll either keep trying.

  If you discover any spelling mistakes or typos in this article, reply kindly
and I'll correct it in the next version.

l2wang@napier.UWaterloo.ca               Lei 'Should switch games perhaps' Wang
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ME:  Univ. of Waterloo  YOU:  Huh?   o=> ME:  in Canada,  YOU:  Huh?
ME:  in Ontario,        YOU:  Huh?  /o/  ME:  up north!   YOU:  Aaaaaahhh...
ME:  near Toronto,      YOU:  Huh? ==o                                    Huh??
*******************************************************************************
************         Basic Definitions        *********************************
*******************************************************************************

  Forward fireball, button:  Spin a quarter circle from Down to Toward your 
opponent, then press the button indicated; or more detailedly:  Down, Down-
Toward, Toward, Button, in that order.
  Backward fireball, button: Spin a quarter circle from Down to Away from your
opponent, then press the button indicated; or more detailedly:  Down, Down-Away,
Away, Button, in that order.
  Block(whatever):  Hold block, then press the buttons indicated in that order,
then release block.  The block button is only necessary to keep you from 
jumping in most cases except for the nut crunch and the leg throw.

     ......Now we start.......

*******************************************************************************
  General Hints:
*******************************************************************************

  Always block either Down-Away or Away.  Never block Down or just standing.
If you block Down-Away or Away, you'll NEVER be thrown.  Just make sure that
you know which direction your opponent is(after landing from a jump, for
instance), and either attack immediately or BLOCK DOWN-AWAY or AWAY.
  If your opponent is just blocking, walk up to him and start low-punching.
Often he forgets to block DOWN-AWAY or AWAY, and you'll throw him.  Even if
you don't, you take off a few slivers of energy.
  If you're just getting up, and someone is walking toward you with the
intention of low-punching you as you are getting up, uppercut immediately.
You'll often catch them off guard as they are expecting to hit you.
  Don't initiate a sweep unless the opponent is at the limit of your range.
Wait till he sweeps, then block and immediately sweep.  You'll Always get him,
if you're fast enough.
  When your opponent is just starting to jump toward you, quickly jump with
the high punch.  Unless they are well prepared with a kick or another high
punch, they'll get hit.
  If you expect your opponent to meet you in the air, press the kick button
early, and don't wait until you get hit in the face before you press that
button.
  If you're jumping in on an opponent, and he is crouching(but not defending),
that means he might try an uppercut.  Don't kick, use punch instead.  It over
rides the uppercut most of the time unless you're just at the wrong distance.
  If you are Raiden, Sub-Zero, or Liu Kang(or others, but it'll be more
difficult), when an opponent is jumping on you, back away as far as you can,
and use your missile weapon as they are about to jump kick you.  If they
jump from far away, and you're backing off, you'll always hit them since they
can't reach you.  If you do it right, the worse that you get is a trade-off,
and you both get hit.


*******************************************************************************
  Retaliation:
*******************************************************************************

  When someone sweeps you, you could either block and
    1)  Immediately sweep them back, which always hits,
    2)  Immediately use the missile weapon, and if you're fast enough, will
        always hit.  It's easiest if you're Scorpion or Raiden, however, since
        theirs are fast and easy to do.  Don't try it with other players until
        you can get it right, since they can block and cream you if you delay.
    3)  If you're Cage, slide-kick.  It's simple, and it always works.
    4)  If you're Sonya, leg-throw.  It's simple, and it always works.
    5)  If you're Raiden or Kano, move yo body.  It's easier with Raiden,
        but you always hit them either way.

  When Raiden body launches, you could block and
    1)  If you're Cage, Sonya, or Kano, don't do much unless you're really fast,
        since you'll rarely hit them with retaliation.
    2)  If you're Raiden, Scorpion, or Sub-Zero, use your missile immediately.
        If you were around the center of the screen(close to your opponent),
        you can easily hit him before he lands.
    3)  If you're Scorpion, you could alternatively teleport-punch, which will
        hit.
    4)  If you're Liu Kang, the flying kick will always hit if you do it fast.

  When Kano body spins, you could block and
    Slide kick, body-spin, standing kick, freeze, harpoon, missile weapon,
    whatever you like to your hearts desire.  Just don't uppercut.  You can
    even jump-kick or jump-punch.

  When Sonya Fly-punches, and you're on the ground, crouch, and uppercut her
when she is about to land next to you, and it hits if she is close enough.
  When Sonya leg-throws, and she doesn't pick you up automatically(either stay
right next to her or jump away, don't get caught at the right distance), block
and uppercut.

  When you expect Scorpion to teleport-punch, crouch.  when he does, walk up to
him and low-punch.  Often he will be confused, and you'll throw him.

  
*******************************************************************************

   ---Johnny Cage---

Victory Pose:  Arms crossed in front of him, sunglasses worn.
Fatality:  Knocks your opponent's head(s) off.

Green Bolt:  Away, Toward, LowPunch.
Slide Kick:  Away, Toward, LowKick.
Nut Crunch:  Block(LowPunch).
Fatality:  Toward, Toward, Toward, HighPunch.
Jump Kick Combo:  Jump kick a ground opponent, Slide Kick(or simply standing
                  kick if your opponent is in the corner).  Easy to Difficult.


  *Note:  The Fatality must be done right next to the opponent, and multiple
heads can be knocked off(or attempted) if the first fatality is performed very
early after 'finish him' and the second fatality is performed while swinging
the first uppercut.  A crotch grab can be done also, in place of succeeding
heads, in the same fashion.
  These succeeding fatalities and the nut crunch are ranked Difficult to 
Nearly Impossible.
  Something else interesting:  If the Slide kick is done at the same time
the opponent jumps/teleport punches, the jump/teleport punch will travel
twice as high/far.

   ---Kano---

Victory Pose:  Hands on chest after an animalistic shout.
Fatality:  Pulls out your opponent's heart and holds it high.

Energy Axe:  Block(wiggle between Away and Toward).
Body Twirl:  Block(3/4 Circle in the direction of a backward fireball),
             or simply Block(Circle toward your opponent).
Fatality:  Forward fireball, LowPunch, or Away, Down, Toward, LowPunch.
Jump Kick Combo:  Jump kick a ground opponent, Body Twirl.  Nearly Impossible.

  *Note:  The Fatality must be done right next to the opponent.  If an uppercut 
is the last hit on a cornered opponent on a finishing round, the fatality can 
be performed very quickly, and Kano will appear to grab a heart out of thin 
air, before the opponent lands from the uppercut.  Easy, given the right 
conditions.

  ---Raiden---

Victory Pose:  Absorbs lightning with up-reached hands.
Fatality:  Electricutes your opponent's head off.

Lightning Bolt:  Forward fireball, LowPunch.
Body Launch:  Away, Away, Toward.
Teleport:  Middle, Down, Up.
Fatality:  Toward, Toward, Away, Away, Away, HighPunch.  Easy.
Jump Kick Combo:  Jump kick a ground opponent, Body Launch.  Nearly Impossible,
                  if done right(before the opponent hits the ground).

  *Note:  The Fatality should be started right next to the opponent.

  ---Liu Kang---

Victory Pose:  Hands folded in bowed contemplation(Partying on the inside).
Fatality:  Somersault, double kick, powerful uppercut.

Red Bolt:  Toward, Toward, HighPunch.
Flying Kick:  Toward, Toward, HighKick.
Fatality:  Block(3/4 Circle in the direction of a backward fireball),
           or simply Block(Circle toward your opponent).
Jump Kick Combo:  Jump kick a ground opponent, Flying Kick.  Easy.
Red Bolt/Kick Combo:  Bolt hits an opponent in air more than half a screen away,
                      Flying Kick.  Easy.
Red Bolt/Red Bolt Combo:  Bolt hits an opponent in air(just beginning to jump)
                          half a screen away, Bolt immediately again will hit
                          the opponent before he lands.  Nearly impossible.

  *Note:  If fatality is performed more than 3/4 of the screen away, the
          opponent will remain standing, and he can be subject to various forms
          of torture after death:

          a)  Immediately fatality again, thereby appearing to somersault twice
              without pause ending in an uppercut.  Impressive-looking.
          b)  Back away a bit, flying kick opponent down, or sweep opponent 
              down, and
           b1)  Sweep fallen opponent back up, then down again repeatedly.
           b2)  Jump up and down on opponent, imitating Goro.
          c)  Jump back, do fatality again, wander around, ending with a
                standing fatality.
  **Note:  My favourite character.

  ---Scorpion---
  
Victory Pose:  One arm raised in triumph.
Fatality:  Burns opponent with skull after pulling off mask(most stale).

Harpoon:  Away, Away, LowPunch.
Teleport Punch:  Backward fireball, HighPunch.
Fatality:  Block(Up, Up).
Jump Kick Combo:  Jump kick a ground opponent, Harpoon.  Difficult.

  *Note:  Fatality must be done just less than a man's length away from 
          opponent.  Against Kano who just bounced off you(or anyone jumping 
          right next to you), instead of simply harpooning him before they 
          land, do two High- Punches, then harpoon them.  This will take off 
          an impressive amount of energy.  Also, the Jump Kick Combo is the 
          most useful in the game(perhaps next to Liu Kang's), since two of 
          them and nothing else will being an opponent just a sliver above 
          Danger from full health.
  **Note:  Becoming my second 'favourite character'.

  ---Sub Zero---

Victory Pose:  One arm raised in triumph.
Fatality:  Jerks opponent's head and spine from his/her body and shows it.

Freeze:  Forward fireball, LowPunch.
Slide:  Away(Bottom three buttons).
Fatality:  Toward, Down, Toward, HighPunch, or Toward, Forward fireball,
           HighPunch(Dragon Punch as in SFII).
Jump Kick Combo:  Jump kick an opponent frozen in the air, jump kick again,
                  Slide.  Difficult.

  *Note:  Fatality must be performed right next to the opponent.

  ---Sonya---

Victory Pose:  Gymnastic Y.
Fatality:  Blows fireball off her lips which fries opponent.

Sonic Rings:  Repeat Away & LowPunch.
Flying Punch:  Toward, Away, HighPunch.
Leg Throw:  Bottom three buttons, can not be blocked if at proper distance(just
            less than maximum range).
Fatality:  Toward, Toward, Away, Away, Block.
Jump Kick Combo:  Jump kick ground opponent, Sonic Rings.  Nearly impossible.

  *Note:  Fatality can be performed at any distance.

*******************************************************************************


  .VS. the computer:

  General Hints:
    When you get trapped in the corner, stand up and block.  This way they'll
punch you repeatedly and get pushed away.  Immediately jump out of there with
a jumping high punch:  even if they try to jump kick, you'll likely hit them
instead.
    When a computer is right next to you, and you want to get away, crouch and
defend.  Wait until they do the wimpy kick, then immediately stand up and jump
back and away.
    The jump kick, if done correctly, will hit the computer 95% of the time,
no matter which opponent it is(except Shang Tsung), and no matter what level
it is.  You just have to press the jump button Very early, around the apex of
your jump, so that your kick will just about run out of gas when you hit the
computer.  They just won't defend.  After you knock them down, jump back,
and repeat.
    If you jump kick in on the computer, and they block, don't crouch down.
Instead, immediately pull back and defend(standing up).  Often they'll
immediately hit you with a missile, sweep, or standing roundhouse.  Either way,
you can immediately uppercut them after you defend the hit, since you're so
close.
    For beginning computer opponents, standing roundhouse them when you're
not right next to them, and immediately sweep.  If the first hits, the second
will also.
    When you sweep, don't sweep when the computer is right next to you.  Sweep
when they are just at the limit of your range.  Don't sweep if you can help it,
unless as retaliation.

*******************************************************************************

  Cage:  Do not use the slide kick except as a retaliation move or as part of
         a combo.  Computer sweeps you far too often.
  Kano:  Not much to say.
  Raiden:  Do not teleport, of course, as you'll quickly learn.
           After you knock the computer down, immediately follow up with a
           body launch, then a lightning bolt.  The body launch may be blocked,
           but the lightning bolt will rarely be.  His lightning bolt is the
           most useful missile weapon against the computer, because either they
           jump or they stand up in it.
  Liu Kang:  Use the jump kick combo to your advantage.
  Scorpion:  Harpoon right midst a few low punches will often hit.
             When teleport punching, don't do it when the computer is less than
             a half screen away from you, and don't do it when he is a full
             screen away from you.  If you hit, follow up with a harpoon, and
             it will often hit.
             The harpoon is very fast, so use it often, but only as retaliation.
  Sub Zero:  Use the freeze often.  The computer don't block it much at all.
             use it either when they are all the way across the screen, or when
             they are less than half a screen away.  This way, even if they
             jump, they won't get to you.  After you knock your opponent down
             with a jump kick or uppercut, immediately slide, and it will
             always hit.
  Sonya:  Your foot sweep is very fast, and not only can you catch Raiden with
          his pants down most of the time, you can also sweep Sub Zero with his
          invincible slide to death.
          Of course, immediately after you knock the computer down, always
          follow with a leg throw.  They are suckers for it.  Repeat the
          leg throws with glee, but only after you knock them down(by sweep,
          jump kick, or leg throw).
  
*******************************************************************************
*********************    Finished Him    **************************************
*******************************************************************************

-- 
l2wang@napier.UWaterloo.ca
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ME:  Univ. of Waterloo  YOU:  Huh?   o=> ME:  in Canada,  YOU:  Huh?
ME:  in Ontario,        YOU:  Huh?  /o/  ME:  up north!   YOU:  Aaaaaahhh...
ME:  near Toronto,      YOU:  Huh? ==o                                    Huh??