Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Encyclopedia
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, originally known as Mortal Kombat V: Vengeance or simply Mortal Kombat 5, is a fighting game
developed and published by Midway
for the Xbox
, PlayStation 2
, Microsoft Windows
, Nintendo GameCube
, and Game Boy Advance
. The game was released in North America in November 2002, December 2002 only for the Microsoft Windows version and PAL territories
in February 2003. It is chronologically the fifth in the Mortal Kombat series.
The game focuses on the alliance between sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung
and their schemes to revive an ancient army and control Outworld. Deadly Alliance was the first all-new Mortal Kombat fighting game produced exclusively for home consoles, with no preceding arcade release. The game's tagline was "A Fight So Brutal - So Evil - So Deadly".
, one sidestep could be performed at a rate of about one a second). To prevent fighters from leaving the arena, invisible "energy walls" appear when a fighter is knocked against the edge.
Characters models are now more realistic. Flesh will move or jiggle on a character as he or she moves around. Environmental interaction is present, but infrequent. Several levels include obstacles - such as pillars or statues - that can be shattered to damage an opponent standing behind one. There is just one Fatality
per character, while the previous games included many ways to finish the opponent. It is also the only Mortal Kombat game to date that does not includes Stage Fatalities, although the Acid Bath level still possesses special acid-vomiting statues called Acid Buddhas that does damage directly to fighters that stay too close.
for each character. Konquest mode consists of a series of missions to complete with each of the characters. In between each sequence, a video of a monk moving between various locations on the path of Konquest is shown, but this has no actual bearing on the gameplay itself other than to simulate the sense of a journey.
After completing eight initial kombat tasks with Sub-Zero
, the player is instructed to complete a specific set of tasks with each character, which vary from pulling off difficult combos to defeating opponents. Each series comes with text instructions that include a basic storyline that delves further into each character's backgrounds and motives. The characters Blaze and Mokap can only be unlocked by completing all stages of Konquest. Upon completing each mission (of a starting difficulty for each character that increases per mission), the player is rewarded with a number of koins that can be utilized to open Koffins in the Krypt and unlock secrets in the game.
, Ruby
, Sapphire
, Jade
, Onyx
, and Platinum
) of koins that were needed to purchase the opening of the Koffin.
The Krypt included unlockable characters, arenas, and alternative costumes. Also included amongst the Koffins were various videos, images, concept sketches, and the entire Mortal Kombat Collector's Edition comic book. Some Koffins contained koins that could be used towards other Koffins, others contained hints as to where highly sought after items were located, and others were even empty. One of the unlockable items from the Krypt is a CGI bag of adult nappies (complete with advertisement text). This is nod to a long-standing joke/urban legend
that gamers will wear nappies to keep from having to take restroom breaks at crucial times. The Wilhelm scream
can also be heard in the Krypt.
of the Mortal Kombat series, returns for the first time since the original game, and a parody
, Test Your Sight, is also included. This involved the character standing above a set of cups, and the game would show the player which cup had the Mortal Kombat logo icon in. The cups would begin to move in a random order, and by the end one has to select the cup which the icon was in. As the player progresses through the minigame, the number of cups would increase, as would the speed in which the cups would move. At higher levels, the camera would even move in order to make it more difficult for the player to keep track of the movement of the icon. This game would also be rewarded with Koins.
setting, with most of the game's events occurring on the fictional realms
of the Mortal Kombat series. The story begins in the Netherealm (although this is not a playable level), and later switches to Outworld, Edenia and eventually Earthrealm.
To fully understand the plot of Deadly Alliance, the player must not only beat Konquest mode but Arcade mode as well. As usual, beating Arcade mode unlocks endings for each character, but only a few endings or a part of them are considered canon to the Mortal Kombat storyline. Some endings even contradict one another. What really happened to the characters was only revealed on the sequel Mortal Kombat: Deception
, making Deadly Alliance the first game in the series to have a canonical ending that involves the heroes losing and the villains emerging victorious.
The protagonist
of the game is Raiden
, the main antagonist
s are, as the title implies, the Deadly Alliance formed by sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung
, and both act as the final boss
es
(depending on the storyline of that particular character it varies whether you'll have to fight Shang Tsung or Quan Chi, for example say you're playing with Kung Lao
, then his boss would be Shang Tsung because he was responsible for killing Liu Kang in his storyline, in which he's wanting to avenge the death of). Some of the more popular characters of the Mortal Kombat series returned in this title. Included are Hollywood movie star Johnny Cage
, the Princess Kitana
, the monk Kung Lao
, the Lin Kuei Grandmaster Sub-Zero
, the Black Dragon mercenary
Kano, the Zaterran warrior Reptile
, the Ninja specter Scorpion
and Special Forces Major Jax Briggs, Lieutenant Sonya Blade
and the cyborg Cyrax
.
New characters include the blind warrior Kenshi, the drunken-master Bo' Rai Cho, the Outworld warrior Li Mei, the vampire Nitara, the Lin Kuei apprentice Frost
, Red Dragon agents Mavado and Hsu Hao, and the Netherealm Onis Drahmin and Moloch
, who also acts as the sub boss of the game. The two secret characters are Mokap, who is said to have done motion capture work on Johnny Cage's films and is actually a tribute to Carlos Pesina
, and the fire elemental Blaze, which was originally a background character on The Pit stage from Mortal Kombat II
. According to art director, Steve Beran, Frost was one of the first characters designed for Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance.
Deadly Alliance is notable for being the first game in the series that does not feature Liu Kang
as a playable character, as he and Shao Kahn
only appear on the introduction video. Also mentioned in Konquest are the deaths of Goro, Kabal
, Motaro and Sheeva, but they would later appear on sequels. The Dragon King mentioned in the game would later appear as Onaga in the sequel Mortal Kombat: Deception
. Deadly Alliance is also the last game to feature both Scorpion and Sub-Zero in their unmasked forms and the first and only game where Kung Lao doesn't have his trademark hat on his main costume but from behind his back.
In the intro, it is revealed that Quan Chi was able to escape the Netherrealm, using the amulet he had stolen from Shinnok. He appears in a tomb containing several mummified remains and an ancient runestone, which reveals that the remains are the "undefeatable" army of the long forgotten ruler of Outworld, known simply as the "Dragon King". Learning that it can be revived, Quan Chi forms an alliance with Shang Tsung, offering him an endless supply of souls in return for him transplanting the souls of defeated warriors into the army. The two work together to defeat, and kill, Shao Kahn and Liu Kang, the two biggest threats to their plans.
Unable to interfere as an Elder God, Raiden surrenders his status after realising that, should the sorcerors succeed, they will be virtually unstoppable. He gathers together his most trusted mortal allies in order to stop the Deadly Alliance before the army can be fully resurrected.
Two different Game Boy Advance
games based on Deadly Alliance were released. The first version, also titled Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance was released on November 2002, during the same week as the home console versions, while the second GBA version, Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition (originally titled Mortal Kombat: Deadly Revenge, which was printed in the manual), was released on August 25, 2003. Although the GBA games feature 2D
sprites
, they were also the first portable Mortal Kombat games to feature 3D
style gameplay. The original character roster of Deadly Alliance was split for the two GBA titles:
Tournament Edition builds on the story of Deadly Alliance by including three extra characters that were not in the original versions. These were Sektor
, Noob Saibot
and Sareena. Sektor and Noob Saibot are palette-swaps of Cyrax and Scorpion respectively, while Sareena returns from the action-adventure game Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
. Tournament Edition is the only Mortal Kombat that does not feature Sub-Zero in any form. Noob Saibot, the original Sub-Zero, is playable, although his identity was not revealed to players until Mortal Kombat: Deception.
lasted for four months in 1996. In November 1997, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
, the sequel to the successful 1995 original, underperformed in theaters, while the live-action series Mortal Kombat: Conquest
lasted for only one season in 1998 despite strong ratings. Meanwhile, on the game front, the side-scrolling Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
was met with limited interest, as was the Dreamcast port of Mortal Kombat 4 titled Mortal Kombat Gold, among critics both games were considered mediocre at best and received less than favorable reviews. As of 2003, according to IGN, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance sold 2 million copies. In April 2011, Ed Boon stated that the game had sold 3.5 million units.
GameSpot
awarded Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance the award of Best Fighting Game of the Xbox in 2002 as well as the best Fighting Game on the GameCube of 2002. Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance won the Best Brawl at G-Phoria
on 2003, and later would also be included on the PlayStation 2 Greatest Hits.
recorded a song for the game titled "Immortal" as well as an accompanying music video that featured Scorpion
. The song was present in many of the game's commercials and the music video is present within the game's extras, as well as a short live video taken from Adema's performance in Electronic Entertainment Expo. Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance was released in the United Kingdom
on Valentine's Day
2003. In this date one special ad had a girlfriend hugging her boyfriend and as she pulled away, there were bloody hand-prints where her hands had been on his back.
and heart rate
. The manipulated variable was the game's blood setting: Maximum, Medium, Low, or Off. The Maximum and Medium blood levels were found to increase hostility and arousal more than Low or Off. Subjects assigned to the Maximum and Medium conditions also used the weapons-based fighting style more than the other subjects did, which Barlett et al. interpreted as evidence of "more aggressive
thoughts activated in semantic memory
".
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
developed and published by Midway
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
for the Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
, PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, and Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
. The game was released in North America in November 2002, December 2002 only for the Microsoft Windows version and PAL territories
PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
in February 2003. It is chronologically the fifth in the Mortal Kombat series.
The game focuses on the alliance between sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung
Shang Tsung
Shang Tsung is a boss and player character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. A powerful and deadly sorcerer and a primary antagonist in the Mortal Kombat series, Shang Tsung is a shapeshifter who absorbs the souls of those he slays in order to maintain his youth and power...
and their schemes to revive an ancient army and control Outworld. Deadly Alliance was the first all-new Mortal Kombat fighting game produced exclusively for home consoles, with no preceding arcade release. The game's tagline was "A Fight So Brutal - So Evil - So Deadly".
Fighting and basics
Like all of the Mortal Kombat games, Deadly Alliance focuses heavily on its fighting modes. The gameplay is regarded as a full "reboot" of the gameplay style of the franchise. It is credited with reviving the Mortal Kombat series. Different from its predecessors, each character now possesses three individual fighting styles consisting of two martial arts and one weapon (excepting Blaze and Mokap, who received three martial arts and no weapon) which players can switch between with the push of a button. In previous games, aside from "dial-a-combos" all the characters fought virtually identically, with only special moves to differentiate them. The number of special moves per character (usable in any fighting style) has also been reduced, varying only from two to four for most, thus forcing the player to make use of the improved fighting system. Running, as well as the running meter, have been dropped. However, while still limited to only moving into the background and foreground, movement in the third dimension is much easier and can be used continuously (in Mortal Kombat 4Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat 4 is the fourth main game in the Mortal Kombat series of fighting video games developed by Midway Games. Released to arcades in 1997, Mortal Kombat 4 is the first title from the series to use 3D computer graphics as well as one of the first games that Midway made in 3D. Eurocom later...
, one sidestep could be performed at a rate of about one a second). To prevent fighters from leaving the arena, invisible "energy walls" appear when a fighter is knocked against the edge.
Characters models are now more realistic. Flesh will move or jiggle on a character as he or she moves around. Environmental interaction is present, but infrequent. Several levels include obstacles - such as pillars or statues - that can be shattered to damage an opponent standing behind one. There is just one Fatality
Fatality (Mortal Kombat)
In the Mortal Kombat series of fighting games, a Fatality is a finishing move that can be used against one's defeated opponent at the end of the final match, after the boss character says "Finish Him/Her." The Fatalities are usually lethal, featuring a brutal and morbid execution of the defenseless...
per character, while the previous games included many ways to finish the opponent. It is also the only Mortal Kombat game to date that does not includes Stage Fatalities, although the Acid Bath level still possesses special acid-vomiting statues called Acid Buddhas that does damage directly to fighters that stay too close.
Konquest
Deadly Alliance also introduces a "Konquest" mode, which expands on the storyline and acts as a tutorialTutorial
A tutorial is one method of transferring knowledge and may be used as a part of a learning process. More interactive and specific than a book or a lecture; a tutorial seeks to teach by example and supply the information to complete a certain task....
for each character. Konquest mode consists of a series of missions to complete with each of the characters. In between each sequence, a video of a monk moving between various locations on the path of Konquest is shown, but this has no actual bearing on the gameplay itself other than to simulate the sense of a journey.
After completing eight initial kombat tasks with Sub-Zero
Sub-Zero (Mortal Kombat)
Sub-Zero is the name given to two video game characters from the Mortal Kombat series. The older Sub-Zero first appeared in the first Mortal Kombat game, being replaced by his younger brother in Mortal Kombat II and the subsequent games...
, the player is instructed to complete a specific set of tasks with each character, which vary from pulling off difficult combos to defeating opponents. Each series comes with text instructions that include a basic storyline that delves further into each character's backgrounds and motives. The characters Blaze and Mokap can only be unlocked by completing all stages of Konquest. Upon completing each mission (of a starting difficulty for each character that increases per mission), the player is rewarded with a number of koins that can be utilized to open Koffins in the Krypt and unlock secrets in the game.
Krypt
The game has a "Krypt", where the player can buy extras with koins earned in regular play and in Konquest mode. The Krypt consisted of 676 Koffins arranged in a square format with each designated alphabetically by a two-letter designation (AA - ZZ). The Koffins were filled with a vast number of secrets and unlockables available only through that game. Each Koffin had a different designated price, listed in a number (anywhere from 1 up to the thousands) and color (GoldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, Ruby
Ruby
A ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum . The red color is caused mainly by the presence of the element chromium. Its name comes from ruber, Latin for red. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphires...
, Sapphire
Sapphire
Sapphire is a gemstone variety of the mineral corundum, an aluminium oxide , when it is a color other than red or dark pink; in which case the gem would instead be called a ruby, considered to be a different gemstone. Trace amounts of other elements such as iron, titanium, or chromium can give...
, Jade
Jade
Jade is an ornamental stone.The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals:...
, Onyx
Onyx
Onyx is a banded variety of chalcedony. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color . Commonly, specimens of onyx contain bands of black and/or white.-Etymology:...
, and Platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
) of koins that were needed to purchase the opening of the Koffin.
The Krypt included unlockable characters, arenas, and alternative costumes. Also included amongst the Koffins were various videos, images, concept sketches, and the entire Mortal Kombat Collector's Edition comic book. Some Koffins contained koins that could be used towards other Koffins, others contained hints as to where highly sought after items were located, and others were even empty. One of the unlockable items from the Krypt is a CGI bag of adult nappies (complete with advertisement text). This is nod to a long-standing joke/urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
that gamers will wear nappies to keep from having to take restroom breaks at crucial times. The Wilhelm scream
Wilhelm scream
The Wilhelm scream is a film and television stock sound effect first used in 1951 for the film Distant Drums. The effect gained new popularity after it was used in Star Wars and many other blockbuster films as well as television programs and video games...
can also be heard in the Krypt.
Test Your Might and Test Your Sight
Test Your Might, the original minigameMinigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
of the Mortal Kombat series, returns for the first time since the original game, and a parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
, Test Your Sight, is also included. This involved the character standing above a set of cups, and the game would show the player which cup had the Mortal Kombat logo icon in. The cups would begin to move in a random order, and by the end one has to select the cup which the icon was in. As the player progresses through the minigame, the number of cups would increase, as would the speed in which the cups would move. At higher levels, the camera would even move in order to make it more difficult for the player to keep track of the movement of the icon. This game would also be rewarded with Koins.
Plot and setting
In Deadly Alliance, the player receives information concerning the backstories of the characters and their relationships with one another mainly during Konquest mode, but also in way of biographies that can be obtained in the Krypt. The game takes place in a fantasyFantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
setting, with most of the game's events occurring on the fictional realms
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
of the Mortal Kombat series. The story begins in the Netherealm (although this is not a playable level), and later switches to Outworld, Edenia and eventually Earthrealm.
To fully understand the plot of Deadly Alliance, the player must not only beat Konquest mode but Arcade mode as well. As usual, beating Arcade mode unlocks endings for each character, but only a few endings or a part of them are considered canon to the Mortal Kombat storyline. Some endings even contradict one another. What really happened to the characters was only revealed on the sequel Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Deception is a fighting game developed and published by Midway as the sixth installment for the Mortal Kombat series. It was released for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in October 2004, while a Nintendo GameCube version was published in March 2005. Mortal Kombat: Deception follows the...
, making Deadly Alliance the first game in the series to have a canonical ending that involves the heroes losing and the villains emerging victorious.
Characters
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the game is Raiden
Raiden (Mortal Kombat)
Raiden is a player character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. Raiden, also known as Lord Raiden, is a thunder god of the Mortal Kombat universe and protector of Earthrealm. He commands many supernatural abilities such as the ability to teleport, control over lightning, and flight...
, the main antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
s are, as the title implies, the Deadly Alliance formed by sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung
Shang Tsung
Shang Tsung is a boss and player character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. A powerful and deadly sorcerer and a primary antagonist in the Mortal Kombat series, Shang Tsung is a shapeshifter who absorbs the souls of those he slays in order to maintain his youth and power...
, and both act as the final boss
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
es
(depending on the storyline of that particular character it varies whether you'll have to fight Shang Tsung or Quan Chi, for example say you're playing with Kung Lao
Kung Lao
Kung Lao is a player character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series.Kung Lao is a former Shaolin monk and a former member of the White Lotus Society. He stands in the shadow of his great ancestor, the Great Kung Lao, but unlike his great ancestor he has no desire to be champion and would...
, then his boss would be Shang Tsung because he was responsible for killing Liu Kang in his storyline, in which he's wanting to avenge the death of). Some of the more popular characters of the Mortal Kombat series returned in this title. Included are Hollywood movie star Johnny Cage
Johnny Cage
Johnny Cage, whose real name is John Carlton, is a video game character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. Cage is portrayed as a film actor who enters the game's tournament, and provides the comic relief of the franchise....
, the Princess Kitana
Kitana (Mortal Kombat)
Kitana is a recurring player and a one-time boss character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. One of the lead characters of the Mortal Kombat saga, Kitana is the princess of the otherdimensional realm of Edenia and the daughter of Queen Sindel...
, the monk Kung Lao
Kung Lao
Kung Lao is a player character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series.Kung Lao is a former Shaolin monk and a former member of the White Lotus Society. He stands in the shadow of his great ancestor, the Great Kung Lao, but unlike his great ancestor he has no desire to be champion and would...
, the Lin Kuei Grandmaster Sub-Zero
Sub-Zero (Mortal Kombat)
Sub-Zero is the name given to two video game characters from the Mortal Kombat series. The older Sub-Zero first appeared in the first Mortal Kombat game, being replaced by his younger brother in Mortal Kombat II and the subsequent games...
, the Black Dragon mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
Kano, the Zaterran warrior Reptile
Reptile (Mortal Kombat)
Reptile is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat series of video games. Created for Midway Games by John Tobias and Ed Boon, Reptile debuted in Mortal Kombat as a hidden boss and appeared in subsequent titles as a playable character. The character has also appeared on various merchandise,...
, the Ninja specter Scorpion
Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)
Scorpion is a recurring player and boss character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He has been a playable character in all the games, with the exception of the original version of Mortal Kombat 3.-In video games:...
and Special Forces Major Jax Briggs, Lieutenant Sonya Blade
Sonya Blade
Sonya Blade is a player character from the Mortal Kombat series. She is portrayed in the games as an officer of the United States Special Forces.-In video games:...
and the cyborg Cyrax
Cyrax
Cyrax is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat series. Making his debut in Mortal Kombat 3, Cyrax is a cyborg ninja who used to be human until he was automated, along with Sektor and Smoke.-In video games:...
.
New characters include the blind warrior Kenshi, the drunken-master Bo' Rai Cho, the Outworld warrior Li Mei, the vampire Nitara, the Lin Kuei apprentice Frost
Frost
Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapour available. Frost is also usually...
, Red Dragon agents Mavado and Hsu Hao, and the Netherealm Onis Drahmin and Moloch
Moloch
Moloch — also rendered as Molech, Molekh, Molok, Molek, Molock, or Moloc — is the name of an ancient Semitic god...
, who also acts as the sub boss of the game. The two secret characters are Mokap, who is said to have done motion capture work on Johnny Cage's films and is actually a tribute to Carlos Pesina
Carlos Pesina
Carlos Pesina is a skilled martial artist and employee of NetherRealm Studios. He is most recognized as the actor who played Raiden in Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II, and Mortal Kombat Trilogy...
, and the fire elemental Blaze, which was originally a background character on The Pit stage from Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat II is a competitive fighting game originally produced by Midway Games for the arcades in . It is the second game in the Mortal Kombat series. Like its predecessor, various home versions were produced...
. According to art director, Steve Beran, Frost was one of the first characters designed for Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance.
Deadly Alliance is notable for being the first game in the series that does not feature Liu Kang
Liu Kang
Liu Kang is a video game character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. First appearing in the series' first title, Liu Kang is portrayed as a Shaolin monk who enters the Mortal Kombat tournament to save his world, Earthrealm, from being destroyed due to having lost nine consecutive...
as a playable character, as he and Shao Kahn
Shao Kahn
Shao Kahn is a boss, announcer and recurring playable character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The main antagonist in the Mortal Kombat series, Shao Kahn is the Emperor of Outworld known for his godlike strength, extreme brutality and knowledge of black magic...
only appear on the introduction video. Also mentioned in Konquest are the deaths of Goro, Kabal
Kabal
For Cabal see: Cabal For Kabal, a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series See: Kabal ....
, Motaro and Sheeva, but they would later appear on sequels. The Dragon King mentioned in the game would later appear as Onaga in the sequel Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Deception is a fighting game developed and published by Midway as the sixth installment for the Mortal Kombat series. It was released for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in October 2004, while a Nintendo GameCube version was published in March 2005. Mortal Kombat: Deception follows the...
. Deadly Alliance is also the last game to feature both Scorpion and Sub-Zero in their unmasked forms and the first and only game where Kung Lao doesn't have his trademark hat on his main costume but from behind his back.
Story
At the end of Mortal Kombat 4 (which is Scorpion's canon ending), the sorcerer Quan Chi revealed himself as the murderer of Scorpion's family and clan, before attempting to send him back to the Netherrealm. Scorpion, fueled with homicidal rage, grabbed Quan Chi at the last minute, bringing him to the realm alongside him.In the intro, it is revealed that Quan Chi was able to escape the Netherrealm, using the amulet he had stolen from Shinnok. He appears in a tomb containing several mummified remains and an ancient runestone, which reveals that the remains are the "undefeatable" army of the long forgotten ruler of Outworld, known simply as the "Dragon King". Learning that it can be revived, Quan Chi forms an alliance with Shang Tsung, offering him an endless supply of souls in return for him transplanting the souls of defeated warriors into the army. The two work together to defeat, and kill, Shao Kahn and Liu Kang, the two biggest threats to their plans.
Unable to interfere as an Elder God, Raiden surrenders his status after realising that, should the sorcerors succeed, they will be virtually unstoppable. He gathers together his most trusted mortal allies in order to stop the Deadly Alliance before the army can be fully resurrected.
Game Boy Advance versions
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
games based on Deadly Alliance were released. The first version, also titled Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance was released on November 2002, during the same week as the home console versions, while the second GBA version, Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition (originally titled Mortal Kombat: Deadly Revenge, which was printed in the manual), was released on August 25, 2003. Although the GBA games feature 2D
2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
sprites
Sprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
, they were also the first portable Mortal Kombat games to feature 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
style gameplay. The original character roster of Deadly Alliance was split for the two GBA titles:
- Shang TsungShang TsungShang Tsung is a boss and player character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. A powerful and deadly sorcerer and a primary antagonist in the Mortal Kombat series, Shang Tsung is a shapeshifter who absorbs the souls of those he slays in order to maintain his youth and power...
, Quan Chi and ScorpionScorpion (Mortal Kombat)Scorpion is a recurring player and boss character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He has been a playable character in all the games, with the exception of the original version of Mortal Kombat 3.-In video games:...
were included in both versions. - Frost, Jax, Sub-ZeroSub-Zero (Mortal Kombat)Sub-Zero is the name given to two video game characters from the Mortal Kombat series. The older Sub-Zero first appeared in the first Mortal Kombat game, being replaced by his younger brother in Mortal Kombat II and the subsequent games...
, Kano, Kung LaoKung LaoKung Lao is a player character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series.Kung Lao is a former Shaolin monk and a former member of the White Lotus Society. He stands in the shadow of his great ancestor, the Great Kung Lao, but unlike his great ancestor he has no desire to be champion and would...
, Kenshi, KitanaKitana (Mortal Kombat)Kitana is a recurring player and a one-time boss character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. One of the lead characters of the Mortal Kombat saga, Kitana is the princess of the otherdimensional realm of Edenia and the daughter of Queen Sindel...
, Li Mei, and Sonya are included only in the first Deadly Alliance port. - Bo' Rai Cho, CyraxCyraxCyrax is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat series. Making his debut in Mortal Kombat 3, Cyrax is a cyborg ninja who used to be human until he was automated, along with Sektor and Smoke.-In video games:...
, Drahmin, Hsu Hao, Johnny CageJohnny CageJohnny Cage, whose real name is John Carlton, is a video game character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. Cage is portrayed as a film actor who enters the game's tournament, and provides the comic relief of the franchise....
, Mavado, Nitara, RaidenRaiden (Mortal Kombat)Raiden is a player character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. Raiden, also known as Lord Raiden, is a thunder god of the Mortal Kombat universe and protector of Earthrealm. He commands many supernatural abilities such as the ability to teleport, control over lightning, and flight...
and ReptileReptile (Mortal Kombat)Reptile is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat series of video games. Created for Midway Games by John Tobias and Ed Boon, Reptile debuted in Mortal Kombat as a hidden boss and appeared in subsequent titles as a playable character. The character has also appeared on various merchandise,...
are included only in Tournament Edition. - Blaze, Mokap and Moloch are excluded in both versions.
Tournament Edition builds on the story of Deadly Alliance by including three extra characters that were not in the original versions. These were Sektor
Sektor
Sektor is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat series. Making his debut in Mortal Kombat 3 in 1995, Sektor is a cyborg ninja who used to be human until he was automated, along with Cyrax and Smoke....
, Noob Saibot
Noob Saibot
Noob Saibot is a video game character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He debuted as a hidden character in Mortal Kombat II , although the later game Mortal Kombat: Deception established his true identity as that of the original Sub-Zero, who was killed by his nemesis Scorpion after...
and Sareena. Sektor and Noob Saibot are palette-swaps of Cyrax and Scorpion respectively, while Sareena returns from the action-adventure game Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero is a 1997 action-adventure game spin-off of the fighting game series Mortal Kombat. It is the first Mortal Kombat game to feature side-scrolling gameplay. It was released for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64...
. Tournament Edition is the only Mortal Kombat that does not feature Sub-Zero in any form. Noob Saibot, the original Sub-Zero, is playable, although his identity was not revealed to players until Mortal Kombat: Deception.
Reception and revival
Deadly Alliance resuscitated a series that had been waning since the late 1990s. Despite the success of Mortal Kombat 4, the franchise had begun to suffer from overexposure and mostly spawned failed and mediocre projects during this period. The animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the RealmMortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm
Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, also known as Mortal Kombat: The Animated Series, is a cartoon series based on the popular Mortal Kombat video game series...
lasted for four months in 1996. In November 1997, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation is a 1997 American martial arts action film that was the sequel to 1995's Mortal Kombat, and was directed by John R. Leonetti, who had served as the cinematographer for the previous film...
, the sequel to the successful 1995 original, underperformed in theaters, while the live-action series Mortal Kombat: Conquest
Mortal Kombat: Conquest
Mortal Kombat: Konquest is an American martial arts television series that aired for one season from 1998 to 1999, and was based on the popular Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The program was filmed at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida.-Storyline:"In each of us there burns a soul...
lasted for only one season in 1998 despite strong ratings. Meanwhile, on the game front, the side-scrolling Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero is a 1997 action-adventure game spin-off of the fighting game series Mortal Kombat. It is the first Mortal Kombat game to feature side-scrolling gameplay. It was released for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64...
was met with limited interest, as was the Dreamcast port of Mortal Kombat 4 titled Mortal Kombat Gold, among critics both games were considered mediocre at best and received less than favorable reviews. As of 2003, according to IGN, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance sold 2 million copies. In April 2011, Ed Boon stated that the game had sold 3.5 million units.
GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
awarded Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance the award of Best Fighting Game of the Xbox in 2002 as well as the best Fighting Game on the GameCube of 2002. Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance won the Best Brawl at G-Phoria
G-Phoria
G-Phoria is an annual video game awards show started in 2003 and produced by G4. The awards are democratically voted on.Formerly the event was formatted like a regular awards ceremony taped in front of an audience, featuring celebrities such as Hal Sparks, Carmen Electra, Wilmer Valderamma and Anna...
on 2003, and later would also be included on the PlayStation 2 Greatest Hits.
Promotion
To help promote the game, American rock band AdemaAdema
-2003–2004: Unstable, Mark Chavez's and Mike Ransom's departure:Adema's second album, Unstable, was released by Arista in August 2003. It was produced by Howard Benson, whose credits also include producing albums with P.O.D., Hoobastank and Cold....
recorded a song for the game titled "Immortal" as well as an accompanying music video that featured Scorpion
Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)
Scorpion is a recurring player and boss character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He has been a playable character in all the games, with the exception of the original version of Mortal Kombat 3.-In video games:...
. The song was present in many of the game's commercials and the music video is present within the game's extras, as well as a short live video taken from Adema's performance in Electronic Entertainment Expo. Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance was released in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
2003. In this date one special ad had a girlfriend hugging her boyfriend and as she pulled away, there were bloody hand-prints where her hands had been on his back.
Use in research
A study by Barlett, Harris, and Bruey examined how playing Deadly Alliance affected state hostilityHostility
Hostility is a form of angry internal rejection or denial in psychology. It is a part of personal construct psychology, developed by George Kelly...
and heart rate
Heart rate
Heart rate is the number of heartbeats per unit of time, typically expressed as beats per minute . Heart rate can vary as the body's need to absorb oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide changes, such as during exercise or sleep....
. The manipulated variable was the game's blood setting: Maximum, Medium, Low, or Off. The Maximum and Medium blood levels were found to increase hostility and arousal more than Low or Off. Subjects assigned to the Maximum and Medium conditions also used the weapons-based fighting style more than the other subjects did, which Barlett et al. interpreted as evidence of "more aggressive
Aggression
In psychology, as well as other social and behavioral sciences, aggression refers to behavior between members of the same species that is intended to cause humiliation, pain, or harm. Ferguson and Beaver defined aggressive behavior as "Behavior which is intended to increase the social dominance of...
thoughts activated in semantic memory
Semantic memory
Semantic memory refers to the memory of meanings, understandings, and other concept-based knowledge unrelated to specific experiences. The conscious recollection of factual information and general knowledge about the world is generally thought to be independent of context and personal relevance...
".