Just in case anybody wonders, the version of Arcade MK4 I captured is an unpolished "skeletal" version visually. Final Arcade Graphics are better. Capturing Arcade Mk4 is notoriously hard. It felt really good to finally do another one of these after the usual months of research. Thank you to everybody that helped me with the general information. This game is notoriously hard to find out about at high level, hence this episode even existing in the first place. Hope you enjoy and are staying safe!
The alternate costumes gave the characters different weapons. Johnny had a saber by default but his tuxedo version had a gun with the moveset of Fujin's crossbow.
@@threat9231 I thought Kai actually had his weapon replaced with Raiden's staff after you beat the ladder with Kai as per his ending, though I too could be misremembering
I like how instead of working on the juggle and combo systems to avoid infinites, they just decided to implement a mechanic that throws both fighters across the screen if you do too much damage. It looks hilarious.
MKII has the same mechanic where once you hit the Maximum combo, it bounces your character away to prevent any further hits. Nearly all those combos are performed when your opponent is against the wall
@@schlockfather It really is, but laziness and MK are not exactly strangers to one-another. Just look at the UMK3 roster: they added "ten" characters that were really just two, and didn't test them nearly enough for infinites. And don't get me started on how many of the MK3 fatalities that were carefully designed not to need unique character sprites and poses to receive them (either cropped bitmaps or exploding into red water and eight skeletons) but I'm fairly sure the general consensus among fans is that MK3 did have the worst ones anyway.
@@Stars-Sapphire Yep honestly too many of them are the same thing and play out just like an injustice ending would. I defeated braniac/kronika and I rule everything now.
The reason this series means a lot to me is because a lot of fighting game franchises like KOF or SF have really well documented and respected histories. I feel like some people discredit MK because they don't think that it has the same kind of competitive history. Even if MK doesn't have the same level of competitive history as something like Street Fighter, it's awesome to see that it still had a dedicated and competitive community back then. Definitely makes it easier to be a proud MK fan/competitor.
MK isn't my favorite fighting franchise but I do give the franchise this: It is the only fighting game franchise that has remained relatively relevant up to this day and *isn't* Japanese. After MK, there is a power gap, then you have Killer Instinct. And after that you basically have to dig around obscure fighters.
I honestly didn't even know there was a MK scene at all for the classic games. I guess it was pretty underground at the arcades. There's a famous singer from Chile who happens to be a high level competitive MK2 player aswell, i have never heard of something like that ever again.
People like to hate on dial-a-kombo, maybe it's initial iterations were really bad honestly idk, but in the NRS-era the difference between their combo system and Tekken for example is in degree not kind. Specifically talking about normal buttons not the actual juggle system or the way they play, just that the idea of hiding certain attacks in a combo and not giving players access to them isn't unique to MK and doesn't make it a worse game. Other than that MK attracts a lot of kasual gamers many of whom don't actually care for fighting games but they do want to fatality their friends
So glad you got to do this video, Mortal Kombat 4 is so often left out (Midway Arcade Treasures, MK Arcade Kollection) that fans really need to take some time to appreciate MK4 for what it is!
MK4 on PC had a really bad issue that it went always into windowed mode by normal keys like ALT key. That was pretty annoying. I understand fighting games are made for controllers, but still such an issue shouldnt exist. Not sure how deep you was in the development, but just wanted to say that.^^
That MK4 commercial will always hold a special place in my heart. I had it recorded onto a VHS with the first episode of South Park and would rewind to watch it over and over again.
there was a bowling alley with this arcade back when I was a kid, I played on it a bit and used to beat some random people who'd show up and play against me, nothing too crazy to speak of, but I came back to it a few years and realized they're using the mk4 cab for tekken 3 now, still has all the art and and arcade decals for MK4 but its tekken 3 now lol
I played Mortal Kombat 4 a lot in the arcade, and when it was released for Nintendo 64 it became one of my favorite games on the console. The game has its flaws, but it's still a great game.
The aesthetics for this game are unforgettable. Still my favorite Mk game. Had such a strong balance of the dark/mystical tones and the great humor that can be found in MK games.
The MK game I played the most, when I was still at school. I come from small town in Bulgaria, so we were like 3-4 guys who could challenge each other. At first we played on Playstation I think, then on PC with keyboard some of the tricks and executions you mention were much easier. Thanks for the video. It surely brought some good memories :)
Everytime I see a new Meta Video, I get excited. I legitimately stop what Im doing and cast it to my TV with a good meal to really soak it in. Your hard research on a topic I enjoy is very much so appreciated. Keep up the fantastic work! 👏
Fast paced, great action, good cast, weapon combat, great music, sort of an old school MKX, loved it a lot, fond memory includes the endurance round where you had to play the whole cast till the end...good times
Great episode, great series. I have a really weird attachment to this game and it’s certainly one that gets dunked on by the larger Mortal Kombat community so props for putting so much time into this video.
This game is really underrated. The base gameplay comes from the best part of the Klassic era (UMK3/Trilogy) and the endings are hilarious. It’s a really good game.
Mk4 was the first mk game I ever played. I never played the arcade version or any arcade game in general. But I did get the N64 version and had fun playing vs my bro. My favorite character to play was scorpion. But I pretty much played everyone and knew their special moves/fatally. There is a bug I found out about in mk4 that can make the AI you fight against stop trying to kill you. It's kinda funny because once it works you could win by letting the time run out. But if you hit them they start acting normally again. To do it involves doing a combo in a certain way that I learned while playing in the practice mode. Scorpion can do this bug and sub zero could too. But it requires a different combo for him. For some reason the bug works on everyone but goro. To do the scorpion one here is what you gotta do. Get close and high punch them into they back away and use your spear to bring them back to continue to combo. Then do HP HP HK and whatever you call upper cut. Once they're in the air you wanna punch them with HP or maybe LP might work aswell. I think 2 or maybe 1 times might work. I remember usually doing 2. You might need to walk up a little closer while they're in the air so you can land the hits. And then BHK should get the max damage thing to come up. After that happens you should immediately use your spear while you're across the map away from the ai because of the max damage pushing you away. What would happen if it works is they try to duck it but after that they don't move anymore. This does not always work. I could only get it to work about 50% of the time. The reason I think this happens is because the ai acts wired when you trown things at them. They usually wait there into the right time to jump over or something. And I think what happens here is they think they're still waiting for the right time to move but the thing is the object is already gone so they just get stuck there waiting into time runs out. I can't remember if it works on any level of difficulty AI but I know for sure it works against the hardest ones. Doesn't work against humans just AI
Yo I remember this game being my first mk game on arcade, it left a really strong impression on me because of the shock I got from watching the game over screen as a kid, as I didn't know games could be that violent, me and the boys played mainly kof and tekken, but I became an mk fan after my experience with the game, so I have a soft spot for it. Coincidentally, I'm venezuelan and had no idea there was a competitive history for the game in my country, which is just awesome. Nice video as always
I remember the first thing that caught my attention in MK4 was when you roundhouse kick your opponent they spin in the air and the camera turns with them. First time I saw it as a kid in arcades I was instantly hooked. Also I remember my friends and I called the "bone breakers" crunch moves lol.
Also, I can vouch for ya on playing MK4 at the arcades being expensive. There was a Cici's Pizza over near Azle, in Texas, that I used to go to. Every time I went there, I would want to play MK 4, but it cost 75 cents/3 quarters. Because of this, I *NEVER* got a chance to play this until I got my n64.
Man this video was amazing. Super high quality and in depth and entertaining. Im def a street fighter guy but the nostalgia of Mk and the info i never knew about mk3 and beyond was super enjoyable. Thanks and cheers 🍻
I remember looking forward to this game as a kid and being confused by its janky weirdness after finally saving up enough money to buy it. Its the first MK game i abandoned and never returned to, not when that same year tekken 3, virtua fighter 3 and soul calibur were available. Looking back on it this might be the game that ended my obsession with the MK franchise. Thank you for the excellent video and insightful commentary.
Fabulous content as always. Thoroughly researched and your ingenuous passion for MK shines through brilliantly, yet with subtlety . Keep up the good work, mates!
I love these info filled videos based around the meta of these classic MK games. Personally id like the part talking about tier lists and the Top tiers to be expanded upon just a bit and not casually mentioned with random character details. I love knowing what was the meta and why.
If there's one thing I loved about this game, its definitely the easy-bake combo system that every character has. Might not be visually impressive, but even from a casual standpoint it has its moments.
I can't wait for you to get to Deadly Alliance, though I'm not even really sure if a competitive scene ever existed for it. Definitely not in the same way Deception did.
I loved this game so much, wish more MK games were like it! The unified combo system made it feel so easy and fun to try new characters, but there was still enough differentiation with their specials and weapons to make characters feel unique.
MK4 is one of the most underrated MK games in the franchise, it can and has been played competitively as well. Was the only MK to have actual cinematic endings too and among the best music in the franchise. That being said I'd also play MK 4 any day over MK 11 which is full of gimmicks, cheaters and toxicity. MK4 actually takes skill to win in. Also fun fact Mk deadly Alliance was originally supposed to be in the arcades but sadly got canceled and limited to direct home ports only.
I have absolutely no idea why you think MK11 doesn't take skill to win in. Name one fighting game that doesn't have gimmicks, "cheaters" (don't even know what you mean by that), or toxicity. No need to put another game down while talking about a game you like, it just makes you look bad and hurts the point you were trying to make.
This game has some things going for it sure, but in terms of gameplay it’s a rushed mess full of exploits. Mk11 has its own problems but it’s nowhere near as fundamentally broken as this.
@@johnfakester5527 Agreed! So dark and creepy even MK4a music was! *@Cezkarma Gaming* You're joking right? Have you seen the bad feedback for MK11? It's the worst MK game of the last 3 MKs since NRS existed... Mk11 has a boatload of issues custom variations are busted, characters aren't balanced at all when you have characters like Jacqui, LK, Cetrion among others are busted. Gsme has unbalanced gimmicks like Krushing blows where you have easy ones like scorpion, Geras and LK among others vs characters like Raiden, Skarlet etc Also kombat league is the dumbest idea the mk team ever thought of. Only good thing about MK 11 are graphics and story. The gameplay, roster and unlocks are trash however. It doesn't make me look bad what makes uou look bad is the denial. My comment has 10 likes so clearly others agree and feel the same way... if you have to question what I mean by cheaters clearly you haven't played the games ranked aka kpmbat league filled with lag switchers, wifi people, pullers and doxxers...thsts what I mean by cheaters. You obviously don't play competitively or you'd know this. *@James Klausmeyer* Every fg is fundamentally broken to a degree or has broken elements to it but its whether or not its so broke to the point of not being able to be played but the broken stuff in game actually takes skill and risks or extremely situational as ketchup explains here where as MK11 its all staggers into 5050s, KBs, FBs, horrible wake up, corner trapping is easy in MK11 with little to no options to escape list goes on. Mk4 had one of the most balanced elements in all mk max damage...this needs to come back.
@@DougDongo Nah tell that to the many patches mk 11 has had and people who wholely agree its the worst mk since NRS existed. Most fg games are fundamentally busted to a degree the question is whether or not its playable which MK 4 is but unlike MK 11 full of gimmicks snd broken customs, mk4 has a limit via max damage. As for it being rushed that was most games in the 90s why do you think all mk and sf games had 100 revisions because this was before instant patches and the internet. Plus at least mk 4 is more fun to play than mk11 I'd bet any amount of money on that and the broken mechanics are situational, risky and take more skill to pull off in this gsme vs MK11s nonsense.
First time I played MK4 I discovered some very easy infinite combos with Subzero and Scorpion which kinda killed it. Maximum damage was a very necessary addition it seems. Also there was a weird bug where if you froze or harpooned Lui Kang mid bicycle kick, you would trade but you would be stuck in the bicycle kick animation but Lui Kang would be perma stunned from your projectile and you'd have to wait till time over
Man, I have always been truly awful at fighting games, but the lore of MK was always interesting to me. As well, seeing the competitive history of MK by game, as well as Character specific has been really interesting! Thank you for doing these
super underrated game, i love the ps2 era titles as well but i played this one a ton on n64 as a kid. i think its an interesting balance of a more stripped down classic mk game with some small 3d flourishes
Congrats for a great video, as usual. In my experience in the arcades that I went to in Caracas, Venezuela, I only played a little of MK4 for a while till the place closed it's doors because it went out of business. Of course I did played a lot of MK1 thru UMK3
I didn’t know the arcade mode didn’t have Goro - that must make it even easier!! Shinnok is easy to defeat, considering he’s just a regular playable character. Goro was the hardest on the console versions!
Seeing the MK4 infinite fall Death Coin Continue screen on an arcade machine in real life was such a memorable experience for me. Back when MK used to embrace horror and gothic themes way more freely. great video
A scary idea hit me. You said Shinnok could "morph" into a character, draw their weapon & use it for that round. ... Imagine Shinnok stealing Sektor's *GUN.*
Was shocked to find this game on GOG the other day for dirt cheap, didn't think a single digital storefront sold it. Immediately picked it up, looking forward to playing it when I have time.
My brother and I had this on N64 growing up and we used to rent the PS1 version and go up to our friends house to play it just to watch the (Awesome) live-action cut scenes. Good times
When I was a kid, like 3-4 years old I had MK1 on the SNES. It was my absolute fave game and it made me SOOO into Mortal Kombat for several years, watched and rewatched both MK1 and MK2 movies. I even enjoyed the second one lol I didn't understand the concept of video game sequels so the next time I saw MK in video game form was actually with MK4, skipping past MK2 and MK3. I never knew about MK1 fatalities either lol I saw the blood and the fatalities for the first time in MK4, or any MK game, and I thought it was so cool. I was like "Omg this is so realistic!! SNES MK1 didn't have blood even though they were beating each other up! So glad that they added blood and made it realistic!" Little did I realise that was MK's identity and I never even knew lol
MK4 was the first Mortal Kombat I ever encountered, at a OSU Buckeyes themed resaurant of all places. I remember thinking Scorpion looked so cool, and seeing his scorpion Fatality in attract mode blew my mind
I liked MK4 a lot when I got it on PC. back then I liked a lot more than 3, UMK3 or trilogy. the places and "mood" felt closer to 1 and 2 than to 3. 3 lost some of the "mistery" or "darkness" because of the setting, music, colors, and "tone". it's not bad, I like 3, but it's very different from 1 and 2. 4 is like a mix of some of the gameplay of 3 and the tone of 1 and 2. it was a surprise to find out on the internet lots of people don't like it and think it's "bad". I think it's good.
@PNDK&M another great meta video I remember when MK 4 came out in Australian arcades the cabs had censor curtains to stop kids seeing the violence Keep us in mind mate if you ever going to do a MK2 Meta , have a lot of footage of current running MK2 arcade tournaments in our local arcades 😀
32:15 the 1 and only time i ever saw an MK 4 machine was in a truckstop off the side of the QEW on the way out to Niagara falls from Toronto back on 2003. I saw it on an angle same as this. This exact image was burned into my memory when i saw the machine. I asked my parents for a coin, they said no, and i just stared at the machine while we ate our lunch. I had the game at home for PS1, but as a kid who was born in 1995, its not often I’d come across a worth while machine of any game. Typically all I’d see was the puzzle bobble machine at a fish & chips joint my dad used to take us to, Or it was lame shooter games in the lobby of the laser tag place all us kid would wanna go to for our birthday parties back then. A Deep, strange, and ultimately nonsensical memory. Why would i hold onto that memory for nearly 20 years? Why do i still think about it? Why would i tell anybody else about this? Something about it was influential. I loved this game when i was young. Seeing a game you have at home out in a public place triggers the brain. Makes you wanna play that game in a situation where you typically couldn’t, unless you had some change in your pocket.
No lie, I have a glossary of competitive Mortal Kombat fighting terms open while I watch these because I don't understand any of it. But I enjoy the knowledge you have. I play MK very casually and feel a bit like an outcast on this channel, because I have certain mains but I can't explain in technical terms why, but I still enjoy learning.
If your watch time is ticking up in a very specific area and your retention time is improving, just know that it's me binging all the MK Meta videos on this channel. I think I have two videos left after this one and then I'll binge something else.
Stopped watching just to say that mk meta intro was awesome, excellent quality content as usual. Looking forward to this one, cheers from South Africa ✌
Got this game for Christmas as a kid and at the same time my ps1 was starting to break. So everytime I wanted to play it I had to spend 30 minutes of restarting the system for it read the damn disc.
Man Jarek's ground pound looks so stupid. With Jax it's a bit more believable because "Me got big metal arms, me big strong!" but Jarek is just a normal sized guy that literally just...falls over.
I remember the first time I heard and saw that you can play the boss character I was excited. I also spent whole summer where my brother and I let a guy borrow Goldeneye so we could borrow MK4 for the N64.
I honestly love MK4, it was one of my favorite games to play in arcades/pizza hut back in the day. If I ever get the chance to buy one arcade machine of my choice, this would be it.
@@PNDKM Yeah, I noticed that too. Although I wonder what else has changed or have been added in the patch. I was very surprised that MKXL even got an update in 2020.
Just in case anybody wonders, the version of Arcade MK4 I captured is an unpolished "skeletal" version visually. Final Arcade Graphics are better. Capturing Arcade Mk4 is notoriously hard.
It felt really good to finally do another one of these after the usual months of research.
Thank you to everybody that helped me with the general information. This game is notoriously hard to find out about at high level, hence this episode even existing in the first place.
Hope you enjoy and are staying safe!
Love your videos! Keep it up 👍
"Jarek, a character mostly known for his weapon in this game."
Arcade endings: Am I a joke to you?
these are incredible
Will you or have you done anything with the MKP (Mungen) stuff?
@@Biosynthnut Not yet!
The alternate costumes gave the characters different weapons. Johnny had a saber by default but his tuxedo version had a gun with the moveset of Fujin's crossbow.
Wasn’t there a way to get Kai with Raiden’s staff too or am I misrembering?
Indrid misremembering
@@threat9231 I thought Kai actually had his weapon replaced with Raiden's staff after you beat the ladder with Kai as per his ending, though I too could be misremembering
@@indrid54 Yeah he actually does.
@@threat9231 poor soul, never having unlocked Kais secret weapon.
"This isnt a brutality jarek ....THIS IS A FATALITY"
"I SO GAAAAAAY"
DUN, DUN, DUUUNNNNN!
@@ultrayoshi100 Rather than their weapons or speed, I'm pretty sure these quotes are what Jarek and Jax are actually remembered for.
@@zanmaru139 Jarek for sure but Jax? There's the metal arms, the gotcha grab, growing 200 feet tall and stepping on you, the Jaxophone.
@@ultrayoshi100 Oh, I meant in terms of MK4. Hard to beat the Jaxophone.
I like how instead of working on the juggle and combo systems to avoid infinites, they just decided to implement a mechanic that throws both fighters across the screen if you do too much damage. It looks hilarious.
It's pretty fucking lazy honestly. Just like the rest of the game and how it's haphazardly slapped together.
MKII has the same mechanic where once you hit the Maximum combo, it bounces your character away to prevent any further hits.
Nearly all those combos are performed when your opponent is against the wall
Like two ppl breaking up a fight & throwing both opponents to their respective corners 🤣🤣🤣
@@schlockfather It really is, but laziness and MK are not exactly strangers to one-another. Just look at the UMK3 roster: they added "ten" characters that were really just two, and didn't test them nearly enough for infinites. And don't get me started on how many of the MK3 fatalities that were carefully designed not to need unique character sprites and poses to receive them (either cropped bitmaps or exploding into red water and eight skeletons) but I'm fairly sure the general consensus among fans is that MK3 did have the worst ones anyway.
To be fair, it is the first 3d Mortal Kombat
The game with the best gibberish of all time for sure as well as the most ominous continue screen music ever
Absolutely top tier cutscenes as well
Some of the best MK music was in 4
Hahaha Raidens throw
Or as he calls it Dogelpiano or whatever it is
OOOOOHHHHIMGONNATHROWYOUOVERTHERE
@@goldskarr CURSE OBAMA
MK4 has some of the funniest tower endings
"this is not a brutality, this is a fatality" XD
@@dylangodor9843 I'd be down for Jarek in a newer MK game just for such a reference.
Not nearly as funny as the MK11 endings 😁
@@dylangodor9843 imsooogaaae!!!!!
@@Stars-Sapphire Yep honestly too many of them are the same thing and play out just like an injustice ending would. I defeated braniac/kronika and I rule everything now.
The reason this series means a lot to me is because a lot of fighting game franchises like KOF or SF have really well documented and respected histories. I feel like some people discredit MK because they don't think that it has the same kind of competitive history. Even if MK doesn't have the same level of competitive history as something like Street Fighter, it's awesome to see that it still had a dedicated and competitive community back then.
Definitely makes it easier to be a proud MK fan/competitor.
MK isn't my favorite fighting franchise but I do give the franchise this: It is the only fighting game franchise that has remained relatively relevant up to this day and *isn't* Japanese. After MK, there is a power gap, then you have Killer Instinct. And after that you basically have to dig around obscure fighters.
Kof has competitive documentation? Where?
I honestly didn't even know there was a MK scene at all for the classic games.
I guess it was pretty underground at the arcades.
There's a famous singer from Chile who happens to be a high level competitive MK2 player aswell, i have never heard of something like that ever again.
@@Freefork I ould like to know as well all I usually see is Tekken and SF
People like to hate on dial-a-kombo, maybe it's initial iterations were really bad honestly idk, but in the NRS-era the difference between their combo system and Tekken for example is in degree not kind. Specifically talking about normal buttons not the actual juggle system or the way they play, just that the idea of hiding certain attacks in a combo and not giving players access to them isn't unique to MK and doesn't make it a worse game. Other than that MK attracts a lot of kasual gamers many of whom don't actually care for fighting games but they do want to fatality their friends
So glad you got to do this video, Mortal Kombat 4 is so often left out (Midway Arcade Treasures, MK Arcade Kollection) that fans really need to take some time to appreciate MK4 for what it is!
cuz they use emulators for mk1-3 and mk4 wass unplayable on mame back then, also thats why they never add MK Trilogy cuz there were no arcade version
Hey it’s tabmok99!
Out of the Midway Era games though, I think this is still the oddity. I remember thinking higher of MK Trilogy (on PSOne) than this, back in the day.
Love your fucking channel man. Like seriously.
HEY ITS YOU
I really love when people around the world apreciated our hard work, love this video props to hanzo who keep the scene alive for so many years
Woah wtf you had a hand in this!? :o
On this video? No! I'm. Not who edited this on the contrary the mkk team it's named there why the question?
MK4 on PC had a really bad issue that it went always into windowed mode by normal keys like ALT key. That was pretty annoying.
I understand fighting games are made for controllers, but still such an issue shouldnt exist.
Not sure how deep you was in the development, but just wanted to say that.^^
That MK4 commercial will always hold a special place in my heart. I had it recorded onto a VHS with the first episode of South Park and would rewind to watch it over and over again.
there was a bowling alley with this arcade back when I was a kid, I played on it a bit and used to beat some random people who'd show up and play against me, nothing too crazy to speak of, but I came back to it a few years and realized they're using the mk4 cab for tekken 3 now, still has all the art and and arcade decals for MK4 but its tekken 3 now lol
Ok wher it located?
Only replacement that works 😂
So Quan Chi is just there with Tekken 3 playing.
@@ShiftyGuy777 yep, exactly, it’s pretty funny but also a bit depressing
I played Mortal Kombat 4 a lot in the arcade, and when it was released for Nintendo 64 it became one of my favorite games on the console. The game has its flaws, but it's still a great game.
AGREEEEEEEE
I loooove the combos, and the overall brokenness lol i think its perfect
Its the second worst Mortal Kombat game ever.
@@shr00mhead Are we just not counting Ps2/Xbox era? Because all of those games were worse.
@@hozz1014 boi, we bout to have a problem
"We've joined the smash e-sports team" uh oh
When I was little, Kai was so forgetable for me that I called him 'Carl' as a joke 😆
Until this day I still call him like that
Cobra Karl ! 😂
The aesthetics for this game are unforgettable. Still my favorite Mk game. Had such a strong balance of the dark/mystical tones and the great humor that can be found in MK games.
The MK game I played the most, when I was still at school. I come from small town in Bulgaria, so we were like 3-4 guys who could challenge each other. At first we played on Playstation I think, then on PC with keyboard some of the tricks and executions you mention were much easier. Thanks for the video. It surely brought some good memories :)
For me MK4 is one of the best game in the series, also had the best soundtrack and the scariest atmosphere of all Mk games!
Everyone hates on mk4 but it was my first move game and I love it endlessly
This is my favorite series, as always this dudes bring in top notch content
Everytime I see a new Meta Video, I get excited. I legitimately stop what Im doing and cast it to my TV with a good meal to really soak it in. Your hard research on a topic I enjoy is very much so appreciated. Keep up the fantastic work! 👏
Yes! I love this series, and MK4 is the game i have most nostalgia for.
"Huge thanks to Hanzo from Venezuela"
Never would have expected to hear a shout-out to someone from my country in a MK Meta video (vamos carajooooo)
Fast paced, great action, good cast, weapon combat, great music, sort of an old school MKX, loved it a lot, fond memory includes the endurance round where you had to play the whole cast till the end...good times
That intro was p fire. I love the effort put in ketchup! Thx so much!
Oh. Hello there mustards beard. I see you've found a new host.
Great episode, great series. I have a really weird attachment to this game and it’s certainly one that gets dunked on by the larger Mortal Kombat community so props for putting so much time into this video.
This series is literally television quality. We appreciate your work so much!
3:07 lmao sub-zero gave no f$&#s to Kai’s bowing
Someday this era of Midway arcade games will be available for us to play
This game is really underrated. The base gameplay comes from the best part of the Klassic era (UMK3/Trilogy) and the endings are hilarious. It’s a really good game.
Mk4 was the first mk game I ever played. I never played the arcade version or any arcade game in general. But I did get the N64 version and had fun playing vs my bro. My favorite character to play was scorpion. But I pretty much played everyone and knew their special moves/fatally. There is a bug I found out about in mk4 that can make the AI you fight against stop trying to kill you. It's kinda funny because once it works you could win by letting the time run out. But if you hit them they start acting normally again. To do it involves doing a combo in a certain way that I learned while playing in the practice mode. Scorpion can do this bug and sub zero could too. But it requires a different combo for him. For some reason the bug works on everyone but goro. To do the scorpion one here is what you gotta do. Get close and high punch them into they back away and use your spear to bring them back to continue to combo. Then do HP HP HK and whatever you call upper cut. Once they're in the air you wanna punch them with HP or maybe LP might work aswell. I think 2 or maybe 1 times might work. I remember usually doing 2. You might need to walk up a little closer while they're in the air so you can land the hits. And then BHK should get the max damage thing to come up. After that happens you should immediately use your spear while you're across the map away from the ai because of the max damage pushing you away. What would happen if it works is they try to duck it but after that they don't move anymore. This does not always work. I could only get it to work about 50% of the time. The reason I think this happens is because the ai acts wired when you trown things at them. They usually wait there into the right time to jump over or something. And I think what happens here is they think they're still waiting for the right time to move but the thing is the object is already gone so they just get stuck there waiting into time runs out. I can't remember if it works on any level of difficulty AI but I know for sure it works against the hardest ones. Doesn't work against humans just AI
This is the version of Liu Kang I remember best, with the red vest. Wish they'd bring it back at least once.
This episode turned out awesome! Im very glad to be a part of it as well! GGs to everyone!
Yo I remember this game being my first mk game on arcade, it left a really strong impression on me because of the shock I got from watching the game over screen as a kid, as I didn't know games could be that violent, me and the boys played mainly kof and tekken, but I became an mk fan after my experience with the game, so I have a soft spot for it. Coincidentally, I'm venezuelan and had no idea there was a competitive history for the game in my country, which is just awesome. Nice video as always
I remember the first thing that caught my attention in MK4 was when you roundhouse kick your opponent they spin in the air and the camera turns with them. First time I saw it as a kid in arcades I was instantly hooked. Also I remember my friends and I called the "bone breakers" crunch moves lol.
Thats what we call the "Hong Kong spin"
Also, I can vouch for ya on playing MK4 at the arcades being expensive. There was a Cici's Pizza over near Azle, in Texas, that I used to go to. Every time I went there, I would want to play MK 4, but it cost 75 cents/3 quarters. Because of this, I *NEVER* got a chance to play this until I got my n64.
Thank you so much for this, I love your videos on the meta of characters and how a games meta turned out.
You guys are awesome
Man this video was amazing. Super high quality and in depth and entertaining. Im def a street fighter guy but the nostalgia of Mk and the info i never knew about mk3 and beyond was super enjoyable. Thanks and cheers 🍻
Mk4 still my favorite mk game,despite how corny it is
Being corny makes it better.
I remember looking forward to this game as a kid and being confused by its janky weirdness after finally saving up enough money to buy it. Its the first MK game i abandoned and never returned to, not when that same year tekken 3, virtua fighter 3 and soul calibur were available. Looking back on it this might be the game that ended my obsession with the MK franchise.
Thank you for the excellent video and insightful commentary.
Stumbled on your channel, all your content has been killing it.
Absolutely love this series man, takes me back to playing MK back in the good ol' days of the arcades. Looking forward to the next one!
Fabulous content as always. Thoroughly researched and your ingenuous passion for MK shines through brilliantly, yet with subtlety . Keep up the good work, mates!
Been waiting so long for this, love the content as always. Keep it up you guys are one of the best channels on this platform
This is easily one of my top 3 channels, I look forward to more in-depth MK Meta episodes.
I love these info filled videos based around the meta of these classic MK games. Personally id like the part talking about tier lists and the Top tiers to be expanded upon just a bit and not casually mentioned with random character details. I love knowing what was the meta and why.
If there's one thing I loved about this game, its definitely the easy-bake combo system that every character has. Might not be visually impressive, but even from a casual standpoint it has its moments.
I can't wait for you to get to Deadly Alliance, though I'm not even really sure if a competitive scene ever existed for it. Definitely not in the same way Deception did.
I can't wait for his videos on DA and MKD.
@@CDages or mk 2
This is the 1st mortal kombat game that I had ever played since I was young. you could really feel how MK was really scary back then..
I loved this game so much, wish more MK games were like it! The unified combo system made it feel so easy and fun to try new characters, but there was still enough differentiation with their specials and weapons to make characters feel unique.
MK4 is one of the most underrated MK games in the franchise, it can and has been played competitively as well. Was the only MK to have actual cinematic endings too and among the best music in the franchise. That being said I'd also play MK 4 any day over MK 11 which is full of gimmicks, cheaters and toxicity. MK4 actually takes skill to win in. Also fun fact Mk deadly Alliance was originally supposed to be in the arcades but sadly got canceled and limited to direct home ports only.
Mannnn the music was impecable
I have absolutely no idea why you think MK11 doesn't take skill to win in. Name one fighting game that doesn't have gimmicks, "cheaters" (don't even know what you mean by that), or toxicity. No need to put another game down while talking about a game you like, it just makes you look bad and hurts the point you were trying to make.
This game has some things going for it sure, but in terms of gameplay it’s a rushed mess full of exploits. Mk11 has its own problems but it’s nowhere near as fundamentally broken as this.
@@johnfakester5527 Agreed! So dark and creepy even MK4a music was!
*@Cezkarma Gaming* You're joking right? Have you seen the bad feedback for MK11? It's the worst MK game of the last 3 MKs since NRS existed...
Mk11 has a boatload of issues custom variations are busted, characters aren't balanced at all when you have characters like Jacqui, LK, Cetrion among others are busted. Gsme has unbalanced gimmicks like Krushing blows where you have easy ones like scorpion, Geras and LK among others vs characters like Raiden, Skarlet etc Also kombat league is the dumbest idea the mk team ever thought of. Only good thing about MK 11 are graphics and story. The gameplay, roster and unlocks are trash however. It doesn't make me look bad what makes uou look bad is the denial. My comment has 10 likes so clearly others agree and feel the same way... if you have to question what I mean by cheaters clearly you haven't played the games ranked aka kpmbat league filled with lag switchers, wifi people, pullers and doxxers...thsts what I mean by cheaters. You obviously don't play competitively or you'd know this.
*@James Klausmeyer* Every fg is fundamentally broken to a degree or has broken elements to it but its whether or not its so broke to the point of not being able to be played but the broken stuff in game actually takes skill and risks or extremely situational as ketchup explains here where as MK11 its all staggers into 5050s, KBs, FBs, horrible wake up, corner trapping is easy in MK11 with little to no options to escape list goes on. Mk4 had one of the most balanced elements in all mk max damage...this needs to come back.
@@DougDongo Nah tell that to the many patches mk 11 has had and people who wholely agree its the worst mk since NRS existed. Most fg games are fundamentally busted to a degree the question is whether or not its playable which MK 4 is but unlike MK 11 full of gimmicks snd broken customs, mk4 has a limit via max damage. As for it being rushed that was most games in the 90s why do you think all mk and sf games had 100 revisions because this was before instant patches and the internet.
Plus at least mk 4 is more fun to play than mk11 I'd bet any amount of money on that and the broken mechanics are situational, risky and take more skill to pull off in this gsme vs MK11s nonsense.
First time I played MK4 I discovered some very easy infinite combos with Subzero and Scorpion which kinda killed it. Maximum damage was a very necessary addition it seems.
Also there was a weird bug where if you froze or harpooned Lui Kang mid bicycle kick, you would trade but you would be stuck in the bicycle kick animation but Lui Kang would be perma stunned from your projectile and you'd have to wait till time over
I was not ready for that kinda of production from the intro 🔥🔥🔥
Best game over screen of all time
Man, I have always been truly awful at fighting games, but the lore of MK was always interesting to me. As well, seeing the competitive history of MK by game, as well as Character specific has been really interesting! Thank you for doing these
So why couldn't they implement the push back poke system in MK11? Cz even in high level play the D1/D3s are so abused.
I love playing mk4. It's not the best but still had some great times.
I rrmember liu kang having a one button infinite with his weapon. Was that only on n64?
Nope, PSX had it as well.
great mk meta intro and also when is mk2 and mk deceptions mk metas coming btw keep up the good work
super underrated game, i love the ps2 era titles as well but i played this one a ton on n64 as a kid. i think its an interesting balance of a more stripped down classic mk game with some small 3d flourishes
dude!!!! I have been waiting for this meta!!
I really love MK4 !!!
This game is amazing, I don't think there is a more fast paced MK game! Definitely going to be playing it on my own channel soon!
Quan Chi reminds me of Ivan Ooze from the first Power Rangers movie
I had MK Gold for Dreamcast man I loved it a lot. Awesome video thank you for being this little bit of MK history back. Till the next video good sir
Idk about you, but being able to execute jax's multislam was like a HUGE accomplishment for me
Congrats for a great video, as usual. In my experience in the arcades that I went to in Caracas, Venezuela, I only played a little of MK4 for a while till the place closed it's doors because it went out of business. Of course I did played a lot of MK1 thru UMK3
I didn’t know the arcade mode didn’t have Goro - that must make it even easier!! Shinnok is easy to defeat, considering he’s just a regular playable character. Goro was the hardest on the console versions!
Seeing the MK4 infinite fall Death Coin Continue screen on an arcade machine in real life was such a memorable experience for me. Back when MK used to embrace horror and gothic themes way more freely. great video
The Continue screen used to really freak me out as a kid
@@PNDKM ditto. Never could play this game in the middle of the night by myself lol
I just binged all the mk meta videos and just got to this one, and damn that intro is hellfire
Clicked like b4 the vid began cause these are always fire......Ketchup and Mustard the Goats
Universal strings was my favorite part of this game. I hope they do it again someday
A scary idea hit me. You said Shinnok could "morph" into a character, draw their weapon & use it for that round.
... Imagine Shinnok stealing Sektor's *GUN.*
Was shocked to find this game on GOG the other day for dirt cheap, didn't think a single digital storefront sold it. Immediately picked it up, looking forward to playing it when I have time.
My brother and I had this on N64 growing up and we used to rent the PS1 version and go up to our friends house to play it just to watch the (Awesome) live-action cut scenes. Good times
I love the mk meta and competitive history videos!!!
The game had the most interesting voices of all time can't forget Jax voice was so fun..
MK4 was my first love. It's my top 5 favourite video game of all time, simply because it brought me into the MK universe.
When I was a kid, like 3-4 years old I had MK1 on the SNES. It was my absolute fave game and it made me SOOO into Mortal Kombat for several years, watched and rewatched both MK1 and MK2 movies. I even enjoyed the second one lol I didn't understand the concept of video game sequels so the next time I saw MK in video game form was actually with MK4, skipping past MK2 and MK3. I never knew about MK1 fatalities either lol I saw the blood and the fatalities for the first time in MK4, or any MK game, and I thought it was so cool. I was like "Omg this is so realistic!! SNES MK1 didn't have blood even though they were beating each other up! So glad that they added blood and made it realistic!" Little did I realise that was MK's identity and I never even knew lol
This, the creepiest MK entry so far
Thank you for another great video! I love this series!
i have been waiting so long for another MK Meta video!! CHEERS
MK4 was the first Mortal Kombat I ever encountered, at a OSU Buckeyes themed resaurant of all places. I remember thinking Scorpion looked so cool, and seeing his scorpion Fatality in attract mode blew my mind
You two are a shining example quality content for the FGC. Thank you so much.
Also Tabmok!
Thank you :D
The graphics are a product of its time but the feel and aesthetic of this game is still one of my favorites in the series. Very dark and moody.
I liked MK4 a lot when I got it on PC. back then I liked a lot more than 3, UMK3 or trilogy.
the places and "mood" felt closer to 1 and 2 than to 3.
3 lost some of the "mistery" or "darkness" because of the setting, music, colors, and "tone". it's not bad, I like 3, but it's very different from 1 and 2. 4 is like a mix of some of the gameplay of 3 and the tone of 1 and 2.
it was a surprise to find out on the internet lots of people don't like it and think it's "bad".
I think it's good.
@PNDK&M another great meta video
I remember when MK 4 came out in Australian arcades the cabs had censor curtains to stop kids seeing the violence
Keep us in mind mate if you ever going to do a MK2 Meta , have a lot of footage of current running MK2 arcade tournaments in our local arcades 😀
HOLY BUJEEZUS. I LOVE the new MK Meta intro. looking dam gorgeos!
32:15 the 1 and only time i ever saw an MK 4 machine was in a truckstop off the side of the QEW on the way out to Niagara falls from Toronto back on 2003.
I saw it on an angle same as this. This exact image was burned into my memory when i saw the machine.
I asked my parents for a coin, they said no, and i just stared at the machine while we ate our lunch.
I had the game at home for PS1, but as a kid who was born in 1995, its not often I’d come across a worth while machine of any game.
Typically all I’d see was the puzzle bobble machine at a fish & chips joint my dad used to take us to,
Or it was lame shooter games in the lobby of the laser tag place all us kid would wanna go to for our birthday parties back then.
A Deep, strange, and ultimately nonsensical memory.
Why would i hold onto that memory for nearly 20 years?
Why do i still think about it?
Why would i tell anybody else about this?
Something about it was influential.
I loved this game when i was young.
Seeing a game you have at home out in a public place triggers the brain.
Makes you wanna play that game in a situation where you typically couldn’t, unless you had some change in your pocket.
No lie, I have a glossary of competitive Mortal Kombat fighting terms open while I watch these because I don't understand any of it. But I enjoy the knowledge you have. I play MK very casually and feel a bit like an outcast on this channel, because I have certain mains but I can't explain in technical terms why, but I still enjoy learning.
If your watch time is ticking up in a very specific area and your retention time is improving, just know that it's me binging all the MK Meta videos on this channel. I think I have two videos left after this one and then I'll binge something else.
Fantastic video! You made my weekend.
I recently got the PS1 version again and playing it in my PS2 Slim. I'm definitely enjoying Tanya and Shinnok again.
Stopped watching just to say that mk meta intro was awesome, excellent quality content as usual. Looking forward to this one, cheers from South Africa ✌
Got this game for Christmas as a kid and at the same time my ps1 was starting to break. So everytime I wanted to play it I had to spend 30 minutes of restarting the system for it read the damn disc.
The last time I played MK4 in the arcade was at Universal Studios in Florida. That must have been 20 years ago.
Perfect video for me before going to sleep.
Man Jarek's ground pound looks so stupid. With Jax it's a bit more believable because "Me got big metal arms, me big strong!" but Jarek is just a normal sized guy that literally just...falls over.
I remember the first time I heard and saw that you can play the boss character I was excited. I also spent whole summer where my brother and I let a guy borrow Goldeneye so we could borrow MK4 for the N64.
Quanchi: ""CArajo, CoÑo!"
Raiden: "ToCa El PiAnO"
I honestly love MK4, it was one of my favorite games to play in arcades/pizza hut back in the day. If I ever get the chance to buy one arcade machine of my choice, this would be it.
Sorry to be off topic but, did you know that Mortal Kombat XL received a patch update recently?
Yeah. It seems like it's just patched in some aftermath graphics.
@@PNDKM Yeah, I noticed that too. Although I wonder what else has changed or have been added in the patch. I was very surprised that MKXL even got an update in 2020.