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Gaming site IGN has revealed new information, images and video from the upcoming Ultimate Mortal Kombat for the Nintendo DS. In the center of this update is a new preview of the game, as Midway stopped by the IGN offices to show off what they call a "near final version" of the game. There still does not appear to be a use found for the top screen of the DS, except in Puzzle Kombat, which has been mentioned previously. The focus is mostly on the accuracy of the emulation and the online multi-player capabilities of the game.

[INDENT]If you started Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, you'd be booted to an emulated version of the arcade running on the lower screen of the Nintendo DS. Small visual sacrifices have to be made mainly due to the Nintendo DS system's lesser resolution, so the graphics have a bit of "shimmering" going on as the development team resizes the higher resolution arcade on the lower resolution LCD screen. But beyond that, the game looks, plays, and sounds spot-on to the arcade original, and works extremely well using the standard D-pad and button configuration - the Nintendo DS matches the amount of buttons of the arcade game: high and low punch, high and low kick, block and run, all mapped to a button on the handheld system. All the blood, violence, and fatalities are in there, which admittedly, aren't nearly as shocking as they were back in the day thanks to years of designers one-upping the gore in their own games.[/INDENT]

[INDENT]Local multiplayer is a simple matter of hosting a game and letting someone join, or joining a game that someone else is hosting. You'll get a full experience if both players have a cartridge, but the developers managed to squeeze in single cartridge multiplayer where you'll get a taste of the two player combat. The sacrifices in this Download Play option are that you'll only get to fight in one arena, and only four characters (including Scorpion, Jade, and Liu Kang) are playable. In our playtest, local wireless mode was absolutely flawless with no sacrifice in speed.[/INDENT]

[INDENT]The real test will be the online multiplayer, and this was the only mode we didn't get a chance to try out due to its early-in-development status. But when it's available you'll be able to hop online using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service and link up with friends via Friend Code, or random players via a rival system. It'll track your wins and losses in an extensive ranking system.[/INDENT]
In addition to the review, IGN has also posted new media in the form of five new images and a video. To read the remainder of the preview, click here. The videos and images can be accessed by clicking on the links found on the preview page.

The perennial favorite among many fans, Mortal Kombat II, has been listed among the preferred online purchasable games to beat the heat of visiting your local gaming store. The list was composed by Yahoo! Games and titled "Game Shopping from your Sofa". It features all three current generation systems, PS3, XBox 360 and Wii. The Playstation 3 games are located on the second page, and Mortal Kombat II appears at the bottom.

[INDENT]One of the original "video game nasties," it's a little amusing to think of Mortal Kombat II, somewhat tame by Grand Theft Auto standards, causing a nation of parents to fear for the integrity of their offspring. The culprit, of course, was the game's infamous "Fatality" moves, which saw, among other things, contestants being decapitated, frozen alive, or sliced in half. Nice. While Mortal Kombat II's shock value is largely gone, the solid beat-em-up gameplay retains its competitive edge.[/INDENT]
Yahoo! Games scores MKII 3.5/5 and of course lists the game's price as $4.99. To view the entire list of games on all systems, click here.

Source MKOnline

We're just hours away from the start of theE3 2007 trade show, and the folks over at Midway have sent out a press release announcing their lineup for the show! As might be expected, Ultimate Mortal Kombat for the Nintendo DS is listed as being part of the lineup. From the press release.


[INDENT]CHICAGO, IL -- July 9, 2007 -- Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), a leading interactive entertainment publisher and developer, today announced its product portfolio to be shown at the E3 Business & Media Summit, July 11-13 in Los Angeles. This year's lineup showcases exciting new properties such as Stranglehold™, highly anticipated next generation games such as BlackSite: Area 51</EM>™, developed by Midway Studios -- Austin, proven brands such as </EM>Unreal Tournament® 3 from world renowned developer Epic Games and Ultimate Mortal Kombat , Midway's top-selling fighting franchise´s debut on Nintendo DS™; and kid´s games like Foster´s Home for Imaginary Friends, based on the top-rated Cartoon Network series.[/INDENT]

[INDENT]"Our 2007 E3 lineup truly reflects our product strategy to develop top quality titles in a wide range of genres across all major platforms ," said David F. Zucker, president and CEO, Midway. "With exciting next generation games such as Stranglehold and proven brands like Mortal Kombat, along with games for the younger market and handhelds, this is Midway's most diverse and strongest line up yet."[/INDENT]

[INDENT]...[/INDENT]

[INDENT]Ultimate Mortal Kombat (Nintendo DS, November) -- Ultimate Mortal Kombat combines the visceral thrills of the classic Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and the addictive puzzle action of the Puzzle Kombat component of Midway's best-selling Mortal Kombat: Deception® in a single DS-friendly package. With unlockable content, new record-keeping capability, and Wi-Fi-connected multiplayer, players will be able take UMK anywhere for fighting action on the go.[/INDENT]

It should be noted that not all of the games listed will be playable; the list is merely of those Midway will be advertising and presenting at the show in one form or another. In a recent interview with GameSpot, Midway CEO David Zucker confirmed that not only would Ultimate Mortal Kombat not be playable at the show, he confirmed that Mortal Kombat 8 would be a complete no-show as well. From the interview:[INDENT]GS: So what are you going be showing at the hangar itself?[/INDENT]

[INDENT]DZ: We'll be having Stranglehold and BlackSite: Area 51 at the hangar.[/INDENT]

[INDENT]...[/INDENT]

[INDENT]GS: Outstanding. Now one thing I know people are wondering about is what you are doing with your signature franchises, such as Mortal Kombat. Now that it's out on the Wii, everybody is wondering what's next with that franchise? Are you going to reveal that at your press conference?[/INDENT]

[INDENT]DZ: We won't be talking about it. It's not the end of Mortal Kombat, but we won't be talking about the next iteration at this conference. But we are working on some pretty exciting stuff. [/INDENT]



[INDENT]To read the GameSpot interview in its entirety, click here.[/INDENT]


[INDENT]Source [I]MKOnline and Gamespot[/I][/INDENT]

IGN are reporting that Midway has revealed to them the titles for their next three games for the Nintendo DS. Back in January, we reported that Midway was in the process of making a MK title for the DS. According to IGN, this title will be entitled Ultimate Mortal Kombat, and is a port of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, complete with online play and leaderboards. In addition, Ultimate Mortal Kombat will include Puzzle Kombat, the MK-themed puzzle game that was first introduced as an extra in Mortal Kombat: Deception. From the article:[INDENT]Ultimate Mortal Kombat, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, and Maya the Bee are on the slate in Midway's holiday line-up for the Nintendo DS. The company made the announcement that these three games are scheduled for release this November.
Ultimate Mortal Kombat is a conversion of the Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 arcade game, complete with local and online competitions with record tracking. Added to the mix is Puzzle Kombat, the Super Puzzle Fighter clone featuring super deformed Mortal Kombat characters.
[/INDENT]We'll definitely be keeping an eye out on this title. As we learn more, we'll be sure to report it here.
To read the article in its entirety, click here.

Midway has released another bio from MK: Armageddon! This time the vampriss, Nitara, is the focus. The bio confirms that her ending in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance was indeed canon, as the vampire realm Vaeternus has been restored and the vampire colonies have migrated to this new location. However, an extensive backstory reveals a connection to Ashrah and her assumed holy quest. It is revealed that her weapon, the Kriss, is actually an ancient vampire slaying blade called the Datusha. It has seemingly possessed Ashrah and caused her to believe she is acting for a greater good. Nitara's role in Armageddon is apparently to attempt to destroy this blade once in for all using Blaze's essence.

The realm of Vaeternus had regained independence from Shao Kahn. I was revered for my part in the victory. The restructuring of our civilization was well underway; soon we would regain our former majesty. Unfortunately our honor was not all that had returned from ages past....Reports of genocide raced throughout the restored Moroi Empire. Many vampires had been slain;none had yet survived an attack to describe the assailants. I set forth to uncover the truth.Examining the wounds of the dead, I came to the disheartening conclusion that these murders were not the work of a band of assassins. The victims had fallen to the blade known as Datusha, the bane of the Moroi. The ancient kriss had found a new wielder. It had returned for vampire blood.


Though Datusha's origin has been lost to history, its purpose is clear: It lives to kill as many vampires as it can. We are a powerful race; there are few who threaten our immortality. It has been speculated by the Elders that the sword itself may be our one "natural" predator.


The accursed blade finds a wielder and corrupts them into believing they are slaying for some higher purpose. In the past it has chosen a vampire as its puppet. The last was Kahil Grigesh. Though he was driven mad by the power of the sword, he was strong enough to eventually overcome its mind control. To atone for slaying his fellow vampires, he took the sword into the Netherrealm, where he committed hara-kiri, imprisoning Datusha in Hell.


It was believed that the sword would never find another vampire wielder in that desolate place. Safe from slaughter, our numbers had exceeded those of any recorded era. But with Datusha's return, vampires were being rapidly driven to extinction. Something needed to be done!


The Elders researched ancient vampire texts, hoping to find some means of defeating the blade. An obscure Edenian prophecy they found might hold the key. It describes a force of great power concealed in a crater there. I was commanded to find this power and use it against our foe.


As I made for Edenia, I came upon a massacre. The bodies of my vampire kin lay everywhere. Amidst the carnage stood a woman in white wielding the unholy kriss. Enraged, I did battle with her -- but she was too powerful. I broke away, luring her out of Vaeternus as I escaped.


As long as her attention is fixed on me, the vampire nation will be safe. I must draw Ashrah closer to the crater and use the Edenian weapon against her. This may be our only hope of eliminating the blade once and for all. May the Moroi Live Eternal!

Though the game was released earlier this month, GameSpot has posted a set of new images from Mortal Kombat: Armageddon on the Wii! These screenshots, like others for the Wii version of this game, feature a screenshot with an example of how the action displayed is performed using the Wii remote. All but two of these images feature various characters performing special moves, including Ashrah, Nightwolf, Shang Tsung and Rain. The remaining two screenshots feature the controls for the mini-game, Motor Kombat.
To view these images and the rest of GameSpot's image library for this game, click here