Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Download Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and prepare for the ultimate battle in the legendary fighting series! Choose from an expanded roster of warriors, master their moves, and fight to the finish. Experience the ultimate combat and play now!
a game by Avalanche Software
Genres: Arcade Classics, Fighting Games, Multiplayer/Hotseat
Platforms: Sega GenesisGenesis, SNESSNES, Saturn
Editor Rating: 8.5/10, based on 11 reviews, 10 reviews are shown
User Rating: 6.7/10 - 154 votes
Rate this game:
See also: Download Fighting Games, Arcade Games, Games Like Persona 5, Games Like Pokemon, Mortal Kombat Games, Ultimate Games

Today we are taking a closer look at Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. The main thing we are focusing on today is the 16-bit version of the game. MK2 is my favorite in the series and I felt that Mortal Kombat 3 was not as good. While I do feel that they improved many things with this Ultimate version of the game, I still feel that it does not live up to what Mortal Kombat 2 offered.

The Earth Shall Be Mine

Just like in Mortal Kombat 2, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 once again fleshes out the lore of the MK universe. This time around Shao Khan can use his dead wife Sindel to open up the portals to Earth Realm so he can take it by force. This means that the game is now set on Earth. It is a pretty cool story and one that I do like. The story is actually the same as it was in the standard Mortal Kombat 3, but in all honesty, I see no reason for them to have changed it here.

Welcome Back

Visually, the game has been downgraded quite a bit from the arcade. The poor old Genesis just was not able to handle all that the arcade offered. It does though have much of what mattered and that is the returning characters such as Scorpion and Kitana along with more stages. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is an interesting looking game. I loved the stages that were in MK2 and the ones here are very different. As the game is set on Earth the stages have a more realistic look to them which is ok, I guess, but again it is one thing that makes it less special than Mortal Kombat 2.

Fight!

Each character has multiple finishing moves although they did take out the Animalities which kind of sucked. The fighting is nice and tight and this game along with MK3 put a heavy emphasis on combos with each character having multiple devastating combos that they could do. I guess you could argue that the fighting here was deeper than it was in MK2.

You can select which tower you want to do; each tower has a different number of opponents. Each character has their own ending and the difficulty, in general, is much higher here than it was in MK 2. You also have some extra game modes which are a great deal of fun when you are playing with your friends. The tournament mode in particular was a real favorite of mine back in the day.

I always have a hard time talking about Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and MK3 I general. It always comes across that I do not like them, but that is not actually true. I feel that this is a great addition to the series and I love the direction the story went along with the new and returning characters in the game. It is very hard to explain, but Mortal Kombat 2 is just a better game!

8

Final Score

Pros:

  • Lots of characters including some returning favorites
  • Plenty of stages
  • I liked the combo system
  • The story is really cool
  • The multiplayer modes are a lot of fun

Cons:

  • A fair bit of stuff is missing from the arcade and 32-bit version
  • It is missing something that MK2 had which made that game so special

Download Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

Genesis

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
  • Game modes: Single game mode

Player controls:

  • Up, Down, Left, Right - Arrow keys
  • Start - Enter (Pause, Menu select, Skip intro, Inventory)
  • "A" Gamepad button - Ctrl (usually Jump or Change weapon)
  • "B" button - Space (Jump, Fire, Menu select)
  • "C" button - Left Shift (Item select)

Use the F12 key to toggle mouse capture / release when using the mouse as a controller.

SNES

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
  • Pentium II (or equivalent) 266MHz (500MHz recommended), RAM: 64MB (128MB recommended), DirectX v8.0a or later must be installed
Saturn

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP

Game Reviews

Don't be fooled, fighting fans. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is not the ultimate fighting game, but it does have some new features and fighters that should temporarily satisfy hungry Mortal Kombateers.

UMK3 supplements the MK3 lineup with Scorpion, Jade, Kitana, Reptile, classic Sub-Zero, Ermac, and Mileena. In addition to these arcade characters, Rain and Noob are selectable, plus there's one hidden fighter.

Sadly, the new fighters are all that make UMK3 a fresh fighting experience. The returning cast is the same as in MK3, with no new moves to learn -- even the combo system is identical! Players will quickly find the gameplay tiresome as they perform the same combos found in MK3. New features like the tournament modes, new Vs. codes, and Brutality finishing moves add only a little life to the redundant gameplay.

If MK3 had never been released, UMK3 would be closer to an ultimate fighting game. Unfortunately, UMK3 is just a slight variation of a game that has been completely played to death.

ProTip: After you defeat your first opponent in the endurance match, you can score a free hit when the second opponent 'jumps in.

Graphics

The backgrounds and fighters are rich in color and detail, but the slightly choppy character animation keeps UMK3 from being a perfect translation.

Control

Not bad, but the SNES's slow processing power, combined with missing frames of character animation, make a slight difference in the timing of combos and juggle moves found in the arcade.

Sound

Only a few screams of terror are missing from the arcade original. The rest of the voices and music are duplicated extremely well.

Fun Factor

UMK3 is best enjoyed with a group of friends. Playing against the cheap computer is about as fun as getting your gums scraped by Kabal's twin blades.

The best way to beat the boss Motaro is to constantly use jump kicks and neck kicks to slowly wear him down.

The battle involving three worlds reopens the doors of its bloody arenas for the best martial artists in the third installment of the famous fighting game lineup - Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Choose your best fighters and make them champions of the largest and bloodiest tournament of the Mortal Kombat worlds.

Wife won't just leave

Cindel is the queen of the fallen world and the wife of Shao Kahn. Cindel decided to kill herself because of the grief of losing her husband and her home world. However, her soul was not destined to be appeased, for Shao Kahn does not tolerate betrayal, even if it carries the death of a traitor. Since Shao Kahn's fighters always lost to Earth warriors in tournaments, it was decided to resurrect Sindel on Earth. Then Shao Kahn would have every right to invade Earth, without holding a Mortal Kombat tournament. Now all the warriors of Earth must unite and defend Earth.

Finishing must be beautiful

The game uses the standard fighting game mechanics of the Mortal Kombat series. In two-on-two duels the heroes demonstrate all their special moves, which are created by combining special keys. When the enemy is critically low in health, then there is a special mode, where you can activate the deadly combo - Fatality. However, spectacular tricks Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is not limited to. For those who know the special combinations will be available such final combos:

  • Babality - make yourself a baby and the enemy won't dare touch you. A killer cute combo.
  • Brutality - Can a game about fierce battles be even bloodier. It can! You won't find more brutal killing methods anywhere else.
  • Friendship - friends don't really want to be beaten up, so friendship comes into play. Watching violent fighters jump rope or cuddle is what friendship is all about.

Escape from Trouble

A new feature has been added in the new installment: running. You will not be able to run away from the enemy, but it is possible to avoid his attacks. However, running is limited by special new scale, which is responsible only for the ability to escape from the enemy, but has no effect on stamina.

10

Fighting, which most of the future fans of Mortal Kombat began their bloody career. New heroes like Cindell fueled interest in the new part of the game and made us wait for the new one, for the sake of new heroes and updated versions of veterans. Collect all the fatalities and combos and enjoy your friend's battered character and your victory.

We've been pretty tough on MK in the past, harping on its repetitiveness and flawed playability; not this time. Ultimate MK3 is simply a great game.

An almost perfect translation of the arcade game (a surprise on the Saturn), UMK3 includes almost all of the past and present competitors, including the secret characters. Over 20 playable fighters are packed in here, so bon apetit. If there was ever a definitive MK game, this is it and it's a Saturn exclusive, so don't hold your breath waiting for the PlayStation version.

Are you perchance a bloodthirsty butcher? Well, chances are you will be after you play Ultimate MK III.

So for the past few months you've been blowing your mind playing the arcade version of Ultimate Mortal Kombat III, but lately, your supply of quarters has been dwindling.Your pockets are almost bare and you still need that fix that only UMK III can provide. What, oh, what do you do, my friends? Well, if you're smart, you rush to your local gaming shop and rustle up a copy of Ultimate Mortal Kombat III.

The kind folks from Williams Entertainment recently showed the staff of VideoGames the work-in-progress version of UMK III, and even at this early stage it looks much better than the flawed Saturn version of Mortal Kombat II. All of the characters and secrets from the arcade version of UMK III have been packed into the disc, so you can calm down now. Do you want to play Noob Saibot, the human Smoke, Ermac, Mileena, or the classic Sub-Zero? Does the idea of checking out some new moves for your favorite characters get your temperature rising? Well, how do you think we feel?

While not "arcade-perfect", UMK III is pretty darn close. From what we saw, the delay in ShangTsung's morphs, which have been bedeviling home players, is gone. The Ultimate Kombat Kodes are still in place and have in fact been expanded. The new backgrounds remain intact as well.What else is there to say? You know you want it, we know you want it, and Williams knows you want it, so you're gonna to get it. And hey, if you don't own a Saturn, don't rule out the possibility of an eventual 16-bit release. Wait, did I say 16-bit? I must be nuts! Or maybe not...

People say:

8.0

I could see how all of you may be getting annoyed with all the different MK games that have come out or are coming out lately. This version of UMK3 is really a great fighter-that is if you like the digitized style of MK. The moves and combos are great-looking as well as being fairly easy to pull off. I've never been a big fan of fatalities, but UMK has some pretty cool-looking ones-and some that are silly. For UMK3 being on the Super NES it looks and plays incredibly well (the SNES still has what it takes to handle graphics like this). I'd say it's a little on the hard side, even with the difficulty being adjustable, but two-player is great.

6.0

Does anyone else feel a little cheated? After all, Mortal Kombat 3 was released for the SNES just a year ago. Now, we're getting Ultimate MK3 (a decent improvement over MK3), while a couple of other systems are getting Mortal Kombat Trilogy. Perhaps SNES carts can't hold enough memory to handle Trilogy. Even so, I wouldn't want to buy UMK3 knowing that a better MK package exists. The game and moves are pretty much all there. Of course, the characters are small, and the color palette sucks, but hey, we're talking about an old machine here! I recommend this to MK fens who may have missed Mortal Kombat 3.

7.0

UMK3 is the best MK game to hit the Super NES. So why the less-than-perfect score? Well, if you bought MK3 a year ago, you might not be too crazy about plunking down more cash for this slightly enhanced version. It gives you four of the ninja characters (Jade, Reptile, Scorpion and Kitana) that weren't available in MK3, plus four openly playable fighters that were secret combatants before. You also get all the combos (some were left out of MK3), as well as the new, yet cheap, auto combos. UMK3's graphics are sharp, with slightly larger fighters than in MK3. The only thing missing from the arcade is the four-armed Sheeva.

6.5

Hmmm, I haven't found a good justification for buying this overdone game (it's almost as bad as Street Fighter now), but if you haven't invested in 32-Bit hardware, and don't own any of the Mortal Kombat games, this is the one to get. The sheer number of characters is appealing (Hey! Where's SheevaPP), and the game engine is pretty close to the original. One big problem of UMK3 is that the computer Al is pathetic against certain characters. To win, the computer must pull off impossible counters to valid player attacks, and that's never been a good substitute for solid programming. Good rental!

By the time UMK hit the shelves, the 32-bit systems were in full swing, with versions of Ultimate MK and MK Trilogy inspiring most hard-core gamers to turn their backs on the 16-bit versions. Although it received a fairly positive review, sales were not as high as expected and the game quickly became a discount item in most stores. Another problem at the time was the frequent rumors that the 16-bit versions of the game were never going to be released, which pushed release dates all the way until Christmas 1996.

  • Fighting
  • 2 Players
  • Side View

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 adds new moves and fighters to the MK3 lineup, but it's pretty much the same MK fighting you've seen before.

The Kombatants are familiar. With the exception of Sheeva, the entire MK3 bunch is back. The UMK3 cast includes Scorpion, Jade, Kitana, Reptile, classic Sub-Zero, Ermac, and Mileena. In addition, Rain and Noob Saibot are selectable, with one slot left for a hidden fighter.

The UMK3 lineup offers plenty of moves and combos, but most of the returning MK3 fighters' moves are unchanged. Even the combo system remains the same. With nothing new to learn, MK pros will soon find the moves tiresome.

New features that add freshness to UMK3 are the tournament mode, additional Vs. codes, and Brutality finishing moves where you beat your opponents senseless until they explode. Mortal Kombat fans looking for a quick fix should enjoy UMK3, and players new to MK will find this game a treat. If you're looking for a new fighting game experience, however, you'll have to wait for MK4.

ProTips:

  • To play as Human Smoke, first pick Smoke. Hold Left as Player One or Right as Player Two, and hold High Punch, Run, High Kick, and Block until the match starts.
  • Fighters a score an extra hit a combo by first jumping in with a punch.

Control

The six-button controller is the only way to go. With a little practice and timing, you can easily juggle-combo your way to victory.

Graphics

UMK3's sharp colors are good for 16-bit game. The characters are clean-looking, and smooth animations help support theit movement.

Fun Factor

The added tournament mode makes for fun if you're playing with friends. Unfortunately, the new fighter don't rejuvenate the overworked combo systems.

Sound

Sore throats could explain why ever Kombatant's voice sounds scratchy, but trying to pass off the clunky sounds as music is a little harder to swallow.

Sixteen-bit Kombat fans will finally get their Ultimate MK 3! Williams vows to pack as much Mortal Kombat into the 16-bit games as it can. UMK 3 will sport the original kombos and fatalities, although there may not be room for all the Animalities, Babalities, or Friendships. As in the arcade version, Kitana, Jade, Scorpion, and Reptile will return, but the exact status of the other 15 MK 3 warriors is yet unknown.

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is a fighting game and part of the Mortal Kombat franchise, bringing several improvements over its predecessors. The original MK3 was heavily criticized, especially for the exclusion of favorite characters, and UMK3 sought to fix that.

The story unfolds after the events in Mortal Kombat 2. Following his bitter defeat, Shao Kahn decides to cross realms in order to revive his deceased wife, thus hoping to reclaim his power. In doing so, he merges the two realms (his and that of humans), draining the souls of countless innocents. It is now the duty of human warriors to defeat him and restore balance.

The roster packs an impressive over 20 playable characters, not including several unlockable characters from previous games or bosses. Naturally, in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, the goal is to defeat your adversary in a one-on-one battle, using an array of moves and attacks, from simple punches and kicks to much more complex and deadly combinations. As in the rest of the series, each character has different abilities and powers, and some have been much improved.

You can play in story mode, tournament mode or endurance mode. Story mode has you follow the story of the game, obviously, leading to the final battle with Shao Kahn. At the end you may choose a reward which can include character biographies or hidden characters. The tournament mode is a simple 8-player match-up, while endurance mode has you fight as many opponents successively as you can. In this mode, you can fight as many as 3 enemies before moving to the next round.

Except for Motaro and Goro, all characters are animated using sprites with real actors dressed up, performing the moves themselves. This adds some realism to the game, although there were only a handful of actors used, and this is quite visible when the two fighters were played by the same person. The sounds are a very nice touch, although something must happen for you to actually hear them; they don’t scream or yell unless they are hit or actually the ones hitting. Some sound choices were also less inspired and can lead to very comical situations. For example, Reptile’s fatality is to eat his opponent in three bites, starting from the head. The victim screams all three times, even though all that is left are his or her legs.

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 offers the same bloody gameplay that we have all come to know and love. Even the producer of the game series considers it the best of the 2D series. That should say plenty.

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 features:

Over 20 different characters to choose from

Realistic, motion captured sprites

3 different game modes with different difficulty settings

Unlockable content

Snapshots and Media

Saturn Screenshots

Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Screenshots

SNES/Super Nintendo/Super Famicom Screenshots

See Also

Viewing games 1 to 4