For ages it was a tournament of honor and glory. Noble warriors from around
the world we invited to take part, each seeking to win the title of Grand
Champion.
But that was a long time ago...
Before the tournament was corrupted by the evil demon Shang Tsung, a warrior
who took not only the lives of his opponents, but their very souls...
With the aid of his pupil, Goro, a hideous half-human dragon, Tsung began a
domination of the contest which has lasted for centuries. Today, 500 years
later, the contest begins anew as warriors once again gather to partake in
Mortal Kombat.
Let The Tournament Begin!
1. Make sure the power switch is OFF
2. Insert your Mortal Kombat game pak as described in your Super Nintendo
Entertainment System manual.
3. Turn the power switch ON. When you see the Mortal Kombat title screen, you
will be given two choices, Tournament and Options. Use the LEFT and RIGHT
CONTROL PAD ARROW to highlight your choice, then press any button to select
it.
This game pak is not designed for use with the slow motion feature of some
accessory controllers.
Tournament Mode
Tournament mode begins a one-player battle for the title of Grand Champion.
But first a warrior must be selected. The "CHOOSE YOUR FIGHTER" screen has
pictures of all the warriors available to a player- Liu Kang, Johnny Cage,
Kano, Rayden, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Sonya Blade. Move the colored frame
onto your choice using the CONTROL PAD ARROWS. When your choice is framed,
press any button to select him/her and begin the tournament.
Should a second player desire to join the tournament, he may do so at
any time by pressing the START BUTTON. This will then return both
players to the "CHOOSE YOUR FIGHTER" screen where they must again
choose their warriors. Should both players select the same warrior,
player two will be distinguished by color. The players with then
battle one another with the winner continuing onward in the
tournament, and the losers game ending.
OPTIONS
Options brings the player to the Options screen where a number of game
features can be modified using the CONTROL PAD ARROWS.
GAME MODE chooses whether one fights a NORMAL match, or a
HAND-TO-HAND match where all special moves are disabled.
MUSIC allows you to turn the music on or off.
DIFFICULTY allows you to choose whether the game will be very easy,
easy, medium, hard, or very hard.
HANDICAP is a feature designed to let two players of different skill
levels battle on an equal basis. It achieves this by affecting how
much injury each player recieves when he is hit. Use the RIGHT
CONTROL PAD ARROW to raise the amount of damage your player will
recieve, and the LEFT CONTROL PAD ARROW to lower it. Handicap only
works in 2 player mode.
BUTTON CONFIGURATION allows you to select which buttons will operate
the moves. To select a move, use the UP and DOWN CONTROL PAD ARROWS.
To change control, press the button you desire to use when the move
is selected. Keep in mind that when you change one button, the move
that originally used that button is also switched and the control
outlined in the "Art of Kombat" section of this manual will differ
accordinly. To leave Button Configuration, press the START BUTTON.
To exit the options screen and return to the main ittle screen, press the START BUTTON.
RULES OF THE TOURNAMENT
The Shaolin Tournament for Martial Arts is more than a simple
exhibition. Each of its combatants has been invited for extraordinary
skills and in accepting has wagered his very life upon them. The
tournament's structure-as simple as it is ancient- tests all aspects
of a warrior, for only the most worthy may earn the title of Grand
Champion.
The tournament first tests a warrior's fighting skill by pitting him
against the other tournament challengers. In all Mortal Kombat
battles, meters in the upper-left and upper right corners of the
screen measure the health of each warrior. The meters begin each
round with full health, but are reduced with each blow taken. The
amount of reduction depends both on the type of hit and whether or
not it was blocked. When a warrior's health runs out, he is knocked
out and the round goes to his opponent.
NOTE: If four rounds pass without a match winner, both combatants
will be disqualified from the tournament.
An ancient proverb declares a warrior as his own worst enemy. Another
declares his greatest ally knowlage of weaknesses. These maxims are
the origins of the tournament's next test, the Mirror Match, where
each warrior must face possibly his greatest foe- a doppleganger
possessing all of his looks, strenght, speed, and skill. In order to
defeat him, a warrior must demonstrate the one attribute his
doppleganger lacks- wisdom.
Should a warrior survive the Mirror Match, his conditioning is then
tested in three grueling Endurance Matches.
The rules of the Endurance Matches are similar to the standard
matches, but upon defeating an opponent in an Endurance Match, a
second warrior then enters the fray. To win a round, both opponents
must be vanquished before your warrior succumbs to injury even once!
Between matches the Tournament grandmasters will periodically test
you warrior's might. Your warrior will be required to break an object
with is bare hands- wood, stone, steel, ruby, or diamond. To raise
the power level of his hit, press the A and B BUTTONS repeatedly as
fast as you can. A meter next to your warrior indicates the current
power of the blow and the force required to break the object. When
the power level is above the line, press the L or R BUTTON to strike,
but make sure you strike before
THE ART OF KOMBAT
Each contestant invited to the Tournament has spent years in practice
and meditation to perfect his martial arts skills. Before engaging
these warriors in combat, you too should practice the martial arts by
meditating on these lessons.
BASIC MOVES
The best way to begin you training is with the fundamental moves:
kicks, punches, crouches, jumps and blocks. These moves may seem
trivial compared to powerful and acrobatic moves like the flying
kick, but knowing how to stop, avoid, or counteract a flying kick can
be far more useful than knowing how to land one yourself. Combined,
these fundamentals are the foundation for both a strong defense and a
potent defense.
Up: Jump
Up Left/Right: Flip forward/back
Left/Right: Walk forward/back
Down: Crouch
Y: Hign Punch
X: High Kick
B: Low Punch
A: Low Kick
L/R: Block
WHEN IN CLOSE CORNERS
Additional moves used in close-in combat situations are the knee, the
head blow, and the throw. All three are highly effective, and do not
require full limb extension which is impossible in close quarters.
Although these moves are potent, they can be used only when directly
adjacent to an opponent.
Y: Head-Blow
B: Throw
X: Knee
A: Knee
CROUCHING MOVES
Defensively, the crouching moves allow one to avoid punches and
aerial weapons, to escape from close proximity and to avoid being
thrown. Offensively, the uppercut, executed from the crouch is one of
the most powerful offensive weapons in a warrior's arsenal. Crouching
moves can only be used when holding the DOWN CONTROL PAD
ARROW(or DOWN+LEFT OR RIGHT CONTROL PAD ARROWS)
The spin is the key to such moves as the Roundhouse Kick and the Foot
Sweep. The Foot Sweep hits your opponent's ankles and knocks him onto
his back. The Roundhouse is a spinning kick which strikes your
opponent in the face. To execute spin moves, hold the CONTROL PAD
AWAY from your opponent while you press the attack buttons.
Back+X: Roundhouse Kick
Back+A:Foot Sweep
AERIAL MOVES
The final moves one should learn are the Aerial moves- the flying
punches and kick. To execute these moves, first jump, either in place
or towards your opponent, then press the attack buttons while in the
air. However, unlike most attacks, aerial attacks must be timed
properly to land blows.
All of the Mortal Kombat warriors possess expert fighting skills- in
that respect, they are equal to thousands of other warriors around
the globe. What raises them above their peers are the special moves
which they have created and perfected. In order to become a superior
warrior, skilled enough to win the title of Grand Champion, you too
must learn these moves, for these moves, whether special kicks or
elemental bolts, make the Mortal Kombat warriors the fiercest and
most ferocious warriors on Earth.
WISDOM OF THE FIGHTING MONKS
The mind is stronger than the body. Observe fights to learn which
moves counteract others, which can be executed faster, and which will
do the most damage. For example, a crouched block will prevent you
from being foot swept. Use this type of knowlage to your advantage.
With practice, you can learn combinations or moves which can be
executed in sequence. These combinations allow you to hit your
opponent several times before he can defend himself, making them an
invaluable tool.
One battle plan will not work for every fighter. Since each warrior
has different strenghts and moves, each should employ a different
fighting style. Experiment to discover which strategies are best
suited to each fighter.
LIU KANG
Age: 24
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 185
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Legal Status: Citizen of the People's Republic of China
Known Relatives: Lee Kang, Father(deceased); Lin Kang, Mother(deceased); Chow
Kang, Brother(whereabouts unknown)
Birthplace: Honan Province, China
Occupation: Shaolin Monk, Fisherman
Once a member of the super-secret White Lotus Society, Liu Kang left the
organization in order to represent all Shaolin temples at the tournament.
Through his entire life he has heard stories and rumors about Shang Tsung's
martial arts tournament. He is well aware of the evil behind it, and has
entered the tournament expressly to defeat Shang Tsung and return the
tournament to its noble origins.
Special Moves:Flying Kick: Toward, Toward, High Kick
JOHNNY CAGE
Real Name: John Carlton
Age: 29
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 200
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Legal Status: Citizen of the United States of America
Known Relatives: Robert Carlton, Father; Rose Carlton, Mother; Rebecca
Carlton, Sister; Cindy Ford, Wife(Divorced)
Birthplace: Venice, California
Occupation: Actor
A martial arts superstar trained by great masters around the world,
Cage uses his talents on the big screen. He is current box office
champ, starring in such movies as Dragon Fist and Dragon Fist II, as
well as the award winning Sudden Violence. He entered the tournament
purely for publicity it would generate for him around the world.
Despite his seeming shallowness, he is a formidable foe with limber
limbs, quick reflexes, and his patented Shadow Kick.
Special Moves: Shadow Kick: Toward, Away, Low Kick
SONYA BLADE
Age: 26
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 140
Hair: Blond
Eyes: Blue
Legal Status: Citizen of the United States of America
Known Relatives: Major Herman Blade, Father; Erica Blade, Mother; Daniel
Blade, Twin Brother, (Deceased)
Birthplace: Austin, Texas
Occupation: Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Member of a special para-military
force.
Sonya Blade is a member of a top special forces unit. Her team was
hot on the trail of Kano's Black Dragon. Her unit followed Kano to an
uncharted island, but were ambushed by Shang Tsung's personal army.
Tsung forced Sonya into the tournament holding comrades hostage. Now,
not only does her own life rest on her performance, but those of her
companions as well!
Special Moves: Leb Grab: Bloch+Low Punch+Low Kick
KANO
Age: 35
Height: 6'
Weight: 205
Hair: Black
Eyes: 1 Brown, 1 Infra-Red (built into metal implant)
Legal Status: Deported from Japan, wanted criminal in 35 countries
Known Relatives: None- was orphaned as a small child by an American woman in
Tokyo.
Birthplace: Unknown
Occupation: Criminal Member of the Black Dragon Organization
A mercenary, thug, extortionist, thief- Kano lives a life of crime and
injustice. He is a devoted member of the Black Dragon, a dangerous group of
cutthroat madmen feared and respected throughout all of the crime's inner
circles. Believing Tsung's palace to be made of gold, Kano has entered the
tournament in order to gain access and loot the palace.
Special Moves: Cannonball- Towards, Down, Away, Up, Towards
RAYDEN
Age: Eternal
Height: 7'
Weight: 350
Hair: Black
Eyes: None
Legal Status: Mystic- Does not apply
Known Relatives: None
Occupation: Warrior
The name Rayden is actually that of a mystical warrior who lives
among the thunder clouds. It is rumored that he recieved a personal
invitation from Shang Tsung himself and took the form of a human to
compete in the tournament. His elemental powers make him a dangerous
foe from both the land and the air.
Special Moves: Flying Thunderbolt: Away, Away, Towards
SUB-ZERO
Real Name: Unknown
Age: 32
Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 210
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Legal Statues: None. However, he resides somewhere in China
Known Relatives: None
Birthplace: Unknown
Occupation: Life-long member of Lin Kuei, a clan of Chinese ninjas
The actual name and origin of this warrior is unknown. However, based
on his uniform, it is believed that he belongs to the Lin Kuei, a
legendary clan of Chinese ninjas. As his name implies, he has
mastered the element of cold. His deep freeze leaves an opponent at
his mercy, a dangerous situation, for Sub-Zero possesses none.
Special Moves: Deep Freeze: Down, Towards, Low Punch
SCORPION
Real Name: Unknown
Age: 32
Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 210
Hair: Black
Eyes: Varies
Legal Status: Scorpion is a reincarnated spectre and has no legal status.
Known Relatives: Wife and Child in former life.
Birthplace: In former life- unknown; As Scorpion- unknown
Occupation: In Former Life: Unknown; As Scorpion: On Revenge
Like Sub-Zero, Scorpion's true name and origin are not known. It is
believed that he is a fallen ninja granted the opprotunity to avenge
his death at the hands of the Lin Kuei. He has been given a new body
and a uniform which mocks the Lin Kuei's with its cowardly yellow
color.
Special Moves: Harpoon: Away, Away, Low Punch
GORO
Age: 2000
Height: 8' 2"
Weight: 550
Hair: Black
Eyes: Red
Legal Status: Earth: None; Outworld: Prince of Kuatan
Known Relatives: King Gorbak, Father; Queen Mai, Mother; Goro also has 7
wives
Birthplace: Kuatan, 4th Astral Plane of Shokan, realm of the Outworld.
Occupation: Prince of Kuatan, Ruler Supreme of Shokan's Armies.
A 2000 year old half-human dragon, Goro remains undefeated for the
past 500 years. He won the title of Grand Champion by defeating Kung
Lao, a Shaolin fighting monk. It was during this period that the
tournament fell into Shang Tsung's hands and was corrupted. Goro
possesses both massive strength and great agility. None who have
fought him have reported any weaknesses. In fact, none who have
opposed him have survived!
