Almost five years after releasing its first-ever Mortal Kombat fighting video game, the developers released Mortal Kombat 4 in 1997. This game was officially one of the most popular fighting video games of older times and is still among the best choices of people. As it was the new game, it included new features also. Some more characters were introduced in the Mortal Kombat 4 video game. If you have played its previous game, Mortal Kombat Trilogy, you will not find it difficult to pay for this game also. However, it has a new and surprising cast that has returned from the grave. The most important change that took place in this game is that it was the first Mortal Kombat series game to step into the third dimension. But, the game is identical to the previous versions.
Despite being the first third-dimensional game, it was not the last one in all Mortal Kombat games, as Mortal Kombat Gold was another addition to this series. The story was this game is also similar to the previous stories. Once again, the earth is in danger as the external forces from Outworld are trying to conquer the earth. Now, the heroes and combat fighters have to decide the fate of the earth by fighting in the tournament against people from Outworld. The traditional manner of fighting tournaments will decide whether the earth will remain the same or it will get in hands of the Outworld’s emperor. You will see many returning characters along with the new characters. In the list of characters, there are some playable characters, and some are non-playable characters, along with the boss’s characters.
Anyone familiar with the previous games of Mortal Kombat games will easily understand the point of MK4. However, if you are playing this MK game and have never played a single MK game before, you will also play it easily, due to its simple story and gameplay. All you need to do is use two punch buttons, block buttons, two kick buttons, and a run button. These are the main buttons that you will use to play the game, especially in tournaments. The simplicity of this game makes it easy to play if you want to make this more interesting, you should learn to perform special tasks in MK4.
Table of Contents
Mortal Kombat 4 Wiki | MK4 Wiki
MK4 was released in 1997 on various platforms. So it is an addition to the MK game series and comes in fourth place. Despite being a 3D fighting game, its gameplay remains in 2D style. It is one of the reasons why people didn’t like it most of the time. However, the enhanced story and various new characters made it fun to play. The next game after MK4 was Mortal Kombat Gold, which was the enhanced version of MK4, and overrides the story of the MK4 video game.
Mortal Kombat 4 Features | MK4 Features
As it was the new addition to the MK series, MK4 has many new features compared to its previous games. Some of the features are mentioned as below:
- It was the first game to include all computer-generated characters. However, the texture and actions of the animated characters were taken mostly from the live actions of the actors. The animation of the characters was developed through motion capture.
- It was the first game that introduced the system of limited weapons in the MK game series.
- As mentioned before, it was the first game that included the 3D combat of the players. But the sidestepping was limited in this combat.
- It was also the first game that included the maximum damage cap in the combo system of this game. In this, if the damage was done beyond the set number, the combos were to automatically get over, hence, preventing the infinite combos. However, there is a way to remove this cap from the game.
- Another feature of this game was characters dying upon the game being over.
Mortal Kombat 4 Storyline | MK4 Storyline
The storyline of MK4 was not very different from the other MK games. It starts with the line, thousands of years ago, the entire civilization was dead due to the battle between the fallen elder god, Shinnok, and Shao Kahn, where Shao Kahn won the battle and sent Shinnok to the place known as Netherrealm. The earth suffered from centuries of darkness. When Shao Kahn was defeated by the warriors of earth, Shinnok somehow managed to escape from the Netherrealm. Once again, there is a war between the warriors of the earth and external forces trying to capture it.
It has been a basic story of previous MK games, and when you will play MK4, you will see a similar storyline having the core aim of defending the earth.
Mortal Kombat 4 Gameplay | MK4 Gameplay
The gameplay of MK4 is also somewhat similar to the previous games. The developers of this series tried to introduce something different. And, they decided to make this game into a 3D Mortal Kombat game. As the 3D video games were popular at the time of the development of MK4, the developers thought it would be a nice idea to introduce them in 3D games.
This game was played in a similar way to the previous MK games. You have to use the run button, press the combos, and other similar buttons. Despite being a 3D game, the characters were restricted using a 2D path. This game also has a limited weapon system, where the player is allowed to use a special weapon with button combinations. Moreover, if the other player has dropped his/her weapon; the opponent can easily see it and use the weapon by picking it up.
It was also the first game that included the maximum damage cap in the combo system of this game. In this game, if the damage was done beyond the set number, the combos were to automatically get over, hence, preventing the infinite combos. However, there is a way to remove this cap from the game. In the previous game, MKT had multiple finishing caps, which were removed in this game. Moreover, there are only two fatalities and two-stage fatalities per character in the MK4 game. The stage fatalities can be performed in certain areas. Unlike previous games, it doesn’t include non-playable boss characters.
Mortal Kombat 4 Cast | MK4 Cast
MK4 cast was vivid and included all the previous characters, along with some new characters. Here is a list of the whole cast:
List of new Characters
- Fujin
- Jarek
- Kai
- Reiko
- Quan Chi
- Shinnok
- Tanya
- Meat
List of returning Characters
- Goro
- Jax Briggs
- Johnny Cage
- Liu Kang
- Noob Saibot
- Raiden
- Reptile
- Scorpion
- Sonya Blade
- Sub-Zero
Boss and Sub-Boss
- Boss: Shinnok
- Sub-Boss: Goro (Home Version only), Quan Chi (Arcade Version only)
- Mid-Boss: Quan Chi (Home Version only)
Mortal Kombat 4 Characters | MK4 Characters
There are a total of 15 playable characters in the MK4 game, along with the three additional secret characters. The MK4 rosters can be seen here:
Mortal Kombat 4 Rosters | MK4 Rosters
- Fujin – This character is the ally of Raiden, and it was first appeared in the MKM: Sub-zero game.
- Jarek – This character is the last member who remained in the black dragon after the supposed death of Kano.
- Kai – This character is a friend of Liu Kang and also a Shaolin monk.
- Meat (a hidden character) – This character is nothing but a fleshy and bloody skeleton.
- Quan Chi – This character is the mysterious evil sorcerer who helped Shinnok in escaping from the Netherrealm. This character is a sub-boss in this game’s arcade version. He also appeared in the Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero.
- Reiko – This character is the general of Shinnok.
- Shinnok – This character is a fallen Elder God. This character will appear both as a playable character and as a final boss character in this game.
- Tanya – This character is a traitor to Edenia.
List of returning Characters:
- Goro – This character returned as a sub-boss in the home version of this game. He is also reenacting the original role in the first game.
- Jax – This character is a special force of the US, who go after the character of Jarek when he gets to know that Jarek is alive.
- Johnny Cage – This character is a Hollywood actor who is looking for producing his new movie.
- Liu Kang – This character is a Shaolin monk who has to defeat Shinnok.
- Noob Saibot (a hidden character) – This character is the servant of Quan Chi, who has returned from the grave.
- Raiden – This character is a thunder god who has the aim of guiding the mortals to save the earth.
- Reptile – This character is a Zaterran warrior who is helping Shinnok to save his realm.
- Scorpion – This character is a ninja who was supposed to be dead but it wasn’t. But it has come again to take revenge from his enemies, including Sub-Zero and Quan Chi.
- Sonya Blade – This character is a lieutenant in Special Forces who has to arrest Jarek.
- Sub-Zero – This character is a former member of Lin Kuei. He was stalked by Scorpion.
Mortal Kombat 4 Challenges | MK4 Challenges
When you play this game, you will find many challenges and different arenas. Below is the list of some areas that you will find in this game:
- Elder Gods’ Arena
- Goro’s Lair
- Ice Pit
- Living Forest
- Reptile’s Lair
- Shaolin Temple
- The Prison
- The Tomb
- Fire Well
- Wind World
- Ladder
Apart from the arenas, you will also find characters’ live backgrounds as mentioned below:
- Reptile inside Reptile’s Lair
- Raiden and Fujin inside Elder Gods’ Arena and Wind World
- Goro inside Goro’s Lair
- Sub-Zero inside Ice Pit
- Shinnok inside Fire Well
Mortal Kombat 4 Walkthrough | MK4 Walkthrough
Mortal Kombat 4 is the fourth official installment to the Mortal Kombat video game series. It was released to the arcade in 1997 after it was released to other gaming platforms also. As it was the first Mortal Kombat game that included 3D computer graphics; however, the characters had to choose the 2D path. Currently, it is available on the PlayStation, PC, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy Color during 1998.
Mortal Kombat 4 Controversy | MK4 Controversy
There is no major controversy in this game. But it was criticized for violence.
Mortal Kombat 4 Graphics | MK4 Graphics
The graphics of this game was not satisfactory. Despite having high resolution and 3D gameplay, the pace of the game couldn’t match with the graphics, making them dull.
Mortal Kombat 4 Soundtrack | MK4 Soundtrack
You will see various sounds in this game, especially during the fighting. It has ominous music, sound effects, and babbling sound cries.
Mortal Kombat 4 Length | MK4 Length
The length of this game is of total 3 hours. The main story comprises 1 hour, an extra story of 1.5 hours, and completion of 0.5 hours.
Mortal Kombat 4 Cheats | MK4 Cheats
Various cheat codes can be used to make hidden characters playable.
Mortal Kombat 4 Mods | MK4 Mods
There are several MK4 mods available to enhance your gameplay. Mods help in overcoming the limitation of the games.
Mortal Kombat 4 Game Review
Mortal Kombat 4 Reviews were based on gameplay, storyline, and characters. Overall, it got great ratings and reviews, but it couldn’t satisfy in the graphic areas. Initial MK4 reviews were negative. But, after some time, people started enjoying the game. The graphics of the MK4 game became much of a concern in MK4 game reviews.
Another essential thing to remember in this game is that it was the last Mortal Kombat game to be released on the arcade version. As the arcade platform was not receiving much popularity, many video games, including Mortal Kombat were restricted to be released on that platform.
Mortal Kombat 4 Game Pass | MK4 Game Pass
This game is not available on Gamepass.
Mortal Kombat 4 SNES | MK4 SNES
This game is available on SNES. The Nintendo 64 version is a very popular to play this game.
Mortal Kombat 4 Switch | MK4 Switch
You can also play this game on the switch.
Mortal Kombat 4 Xbox & Xbox One | MK4 Xbox
Unfortunately, it is not available on any Xbox platforms.
Mortal Kombat 4 Ps4 & Ps5 | MK4 Ps4 | MK4 Ps5
If you want to play this game on PlayStation, you can easily do it as MK4 was released on the PlayStation in 1988.
Mortal Kombat 4 Ending Explained | MK4 Final Verdict
If we have to do the final verdict on this game, we will say that it was satisfactory to play this game. The story was similar yet different from the other games. It was also the last MK game to be released on the Arcade platform. The returning characters increased the excitement among the players. Overall, it was a nice combination of 3D and 2D gameplay, although introducing 3D gameplay was not a good idea. Here are some FAQs to solve your queries.
FAQs
How do you do fatalities in Mortal Kombat 4?
Doing fatalities in MK4 is very easy. There are two special moves and two fatalities for each character. It includes friendship and babalities fatality. Some fatalities are very brutal, while some are simple to perform.
What is the price of the Mortal Kombat 4 Game?
MK4 price is different depending on the platform you are using it to play. Overall, the price of MK4 ranges from $49.99 to $199.99.
What is the rating of the Mortal Kombat 4 Game?
The average MK4 rating out of 10 is:
- Storyline & Characters: 9/10
- Graphics, Animation & Soundtrack: 7/10
- Gameplay: 9/10
- Challenge: 8/10
What is the release date for Mortal Kombat 4 Game?
The MK4 release date was October 15, 1997. It was released on other platforms in 1988.
How to download the Mortal Kombat 4 game for free?
Downloading MK4 is very easy. For MK4 download, you have to visit the official website and search for the downloading option.
How can I install the Mortal Kombat 4 game for free?
Once you have downloaded the game, you have to install it. MK4 install is easy; you only have to perform the steps mentioned in the instructions.
What are the system requirements for the Mortal Kombat 4 game?
The MK4 system requirements are:
- System: 7 / 8 / 10
- Processor: 1.8 GHz
- Memory: 512MB RAM
- Graphics: 3D graphics card compatible with DirectX 7 (compatible with DirectX 9 recommended)
- Storage: 2 GB
- Other: Integrated graphics cards are not supported
