Ultimate Mortal Kombat is a solid compilation piece. The package includes Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, one of the best 2D fighters from the arcade era, and the Puzzle Kombat minigame which was found on Mortal Kombat: Deception on last-generation consoles. For the most part, handheld titles in the franchise have been extremely sub-par. However, Other Ocean Interactive has managed to successfully bring Mortal Kombat to the DS without sacrificing the game’s quality. And with the addition of being able to play both games locally and online, fans of the genre and the franchise are sure to find a lot to like here.

The primary and most important game of the two is obviously the arcade-perfect port of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. This was a real treasure of the 2D fighting era, and with good reason. The game features a roster of 22 fighters, 3 of which need to be unlocked. Most of them feel fairly balanced, but Jade, Smoke, and Stryker still can feel a bit too overpowered. But like the original versions, both games are infinitely more enjoyable in multiplayer than just as single-player experiences.

Now while this transfer to the DS could have possibly gone horribly wrong by the inclusion of needless touch screen functionality etc., it is instead saved by mapping all the combat and special moves to the buttons, and the buttons only. The button scheme is completely identical to the SNES version, and it feels really nice. The L and R-triggers are used for running and defending respectively, and the face buttons are used in the standard low kick, low punch, high kick and high punch fashion.

The fighting itself is fast, furious, and completely rediculous. You’ll send a flurry of punches and kicks at your opponent as you button-mash your way through each round. Eventually, you may accidentally come across and actual combo which can result from anywhere between 2-7 hit strings to bring your opponent’s health down, but it’s never clear what these combos are, so then you have to button-mash to figure them out.

The fighting has the same punishing difficulty as the original version. While the first three fights in the single-player may not seem too challenging, the fights immediately afterwards are extremely brutal. The computer from this point-on becomes relentless, and rarely gives you a chance to breathe. And the rare opportunities you have to attack may not go so well since the computer seems to manage to time its defense at the perfect moment, followed by a perfect counter-attack. Don’t be surprised if you end up seeing the “Try Again?” screen over and over again. Fights online will sometimes result in the same thing, and you may likely get frustrated as you are almost instantly killed without landing a hit on your opponent.

The sub-boss, Motaro, and the final boss, Shao Kahn, certainly don’t help matters. But they can still be beaten by spamming the high kicks/high jump kicks, and the run-n-uppercut strategies respectively, just as in the arcades. It just takes an enormous amount of persistence. While it’s great that this is such a close translation to the original game, the difficulty really should have been brought down, even just a bit. Newcomers to the game are certainly not going to have an easy time, even on the novice setting. Just be thankful you have infinite continues. And if you need proof that this is a good value, imagine how much more you’d end up spending to beat this game in arcades?

The signature finishing moves (known as Fatalities) from the franchise are incredibly over-the-top in comparison to previous installments. One of which has the victor bringing an original Mortal Kombat arcade machine crashing down on the head of his opponent. This blend of comedy and grisly (for the time of the game’s release) violence is strange, but entertaining nonetheless. Each fatality feels very unique here, and you’ll want to try and pull off each finishing move with all the characters just so that you can see them all.

Special moves have always been the staple of the series, and have been the only real defining difference between the characters who handle, for the most part, the exact same. Scorpion has always had his spear-attack, Sub-Zero has always had the ability to freeze, etc. But very rarely did anyone actually know how to pull these moves off without a cheat sheet resting next to them. That problem has been fixed by placing a small list of all your character’s special moves on the DS’ other screen, complete with the fatality combinations, but also their animality, babality, and friendship finishers. This is a lot more helpful, but for some reason, when either you or your opponent change what side of the screen you’re on, the combo screen remains the exact same. So while a special move may be listed as forward-back-A (right-left-A), if you leap over your opponent, the combo will still look as it did on the other side, when it should have instead switched to be left-right-A. This can certainly lead to some confusion.

The game has really managed to hold up well over the years. The 2D digitized fighters still look really nice, and the entire game looks very crisp on the DS’ screens. The same screams and shouts from the original versions have carried over quite well, and sound almost exactly as they did over a decade ago. The voice-0ver of Shao Kahn as he spurts out “superb”, or “well done” still sounds clear. Even when he occasionally announces “You Suck!” Okay… so maybe that isn’t always what you want to hear.

The Puzzle Kombat minigame is most-definitely going to be glanced over by most, but the mode itself holds up fairly well. Puzzle Kombat is ultimately a knock-off of Super Puzzle Fighter, except now you play as characters from the Mortal Kombat universe. It’s a simple, strangely addictive puzzle design where you can select from 12, 3D-rendered fighters. And as you and your opponent constantly drop and break blocks, your fighters duke it out on the top screen. Each character also has a special move which can help hinder your opponent’s success. You’re bound to end up finding a favorite, and while this isn’t the deepest or most original game, it certainly does what it needs to do well, and definitely provides a bit of a break for those who need one from the fighting.

As I said before, both games are much more fun when playing multiplayer. Both games can be played via single or multi-cart, or through Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. When you both have copies of the game, it feels like the same arcade fighter experience from the arcades or 16-bit console eras. DS Download Play, however, is far more restrictive, as you will be limited to only four fighters (Kitana, Reptile, Jade, and Scorpion) in UMK3. The moves list also seems to be missing from the single-cart multiplayer. This is incredibly odd since you’d think that you would want to make things easier for those who don’t own the game.

The online play works well… for the most part. Connecting hasn’t always been very successful. And while most matches have run fairly smoothly without any noticeable lag, others have been just unplayable. But when it does work, again, it works well, so then all you have to worry about are the numerous people who will consistently rip you to shreds online, without you being able to land a hit. One thing that is really missing, however, is the ability to use the DS’ voice-chat abilities. One of the best aspects of playing next to your opponent, whether it was in arcades or on your Super Nintendo, was the trash-talk that went on. For managing such a close recreation to the original game, you would think the developers would note to add in that function, even if was only with those who you traded friend codes with.

Ultimate Mortal Kombat is a great deal of fun overall. The port of this arcade classic has made and excellent transition to the DS. The addition of Puzzle Kombat is also really welcomed. And the ability to play both of these games both online and with a friend really provides a great multiplayer experience. The fact that the game tracks your wins and losses online and off is another solid addition to the package. While there isn’t a whole lot in terms of neat unlockables besides the three additional fighters, no concept art or behind-the-scenes stuff of any kind, it doesn’t really matter. Ultimate Mortal Kombat provides enough punch that you’re bound to have a good time with it. While certainly not a perfect experience, this is certainly one of the DS’ better fighters, something the handheld doesn’t have much of. If you want a fighter or arcade-like experience, this tight little package certainly should be worth considering.

SCORE: 7.8/10