Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is a fighting game in the Mortal Kombat series, released in arcades in 1995. It is an update of Mortal Kombat 3 and was later updated into Mortal Kombat Trilogy. Midway has also announced an online version of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 for the Xbox Live Arcade on the Xbox 360 due for release sometime in 2006.

Characters and cast
UMK3 has all of the Mortal Kombat 3 fighters plus some of the characters that were left out from Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II:
 * Jade (Becky Gable)
 * Kitana (Becky Gable)
 * Scorpion (John Turk)
 * Smoke, robot form (Sal Divita). Formerly only accessible via a secret code in MK3, Smoke became a normal playable character in UMK3.
 * Reptile (John Turk)

The following characters were hidden unlockable characters:
 * Mileena (Becky Gable) - Unlocked by Ultimate Kombat Kode (2-2-2-6-4-2-2-2-6-4)
 * Classic Sub-Zero (John Turk) - Unlocked by Ultimate Kombat Kode (8-1-8-3-5-8-1-8-3-5)
 * Ermac (John Turk) - Unlocked by Ultimate Kombat Kode (1-2-3-4-4-4-4-3-2-1), he was rumored to be a glitched red ninja from the original Mortal Kombat game. He is now a new playable character.
 * Human Smoke (John Turk) - Unlocked by holding Back + HP + HK + BLOCK + RUN after choosing Robot Smoke. He is basically a clone of Scorpion, with some of Ermac's aerial combos.

Hidden opponents:
 * Noob Saibot (John Turk) - Although he was featured in the original MK3, he is no longer the palette swap of Kano but once again of a ninja. Like before, he is fought via Kombat Kode. Some machines known as Wavenet machines which were mostly placed throughout the Chicago area had a hidden code to play as Noob Saibot.
 * Rain (John Turk) - Featured in the games opening montage, he is a fake hidden character that is not found in this game. He was obviously intended as a means of generating interest in the game and to keep quarters flowing into the machine as die-hard fans tried to find or unlock him. In the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and Super Nintendo version he was, however, playable. He also becomes playable in Mortal Kombat Trilogy. A clue to his identity is presented in the fact that the font used in his name is different from all the other characters.

Other mentionable changes

 * New 2-on-2 kombat mode (similar to an Endurance match but with humans on both sides).
 * New 8 player tournament kombat.
 * "Chain combos", commonly called "dial-a-combos", can now be started by using a jump punch or a hop kick.
 * Stryker now has a "rapid fire gun" special move added to his arsenal. His grenades have been given a delay which greatly tones down his ability to bombard foes.
 * Kano now has a diagonal cannonball among his special moves.
 * Liu Kang and Sonya have new knock-up dial-a-combos.
 * A "toned down" Kabal, who lost a few cheap combos.
 * A "toned down" Sub-Zero, who can no longer create an ice clone next to the opponent to freeze him on the spot. If he tries, the statue will not form.
 * Sonya's MK3 Friendship, which had her waving her arms back-and-forth in a silly manner, is removed. Now she simply does her victory pose and a row of flowers grow out of the ground.
 * Improved CPU opponent AI.
 * Shao Kahn's Lost Treasures are added to when you beat the game.
 * The "Select Your Fighter" screen no longer states which Kombat Zone is going to be used during the match.
 * The original red portal background used for the "Choose Your Destiny" screen is now replaced with a blue portal.
 * The character endings are only accompanied by text and your character's versus screen picture.
 * The same applies to the character bios during the attract mode. However, the only bios featured are for Kitana, Jade, Scorpion, and Reptile; the ninja characters who weren't featured in the original MK3 and don't have to be unlocked via Ultimate Kombat Kode in this game. The full body artwork from MK3 of each character is completely removed and only features these four ninjas in their verses screen pictures plus text on a background of the battleplan/portal. This "cheap solution" for the characters to save space on artwork is also used in Mortal Kombat Trilogy, although there are bios for most of the characters in that game.
 * The storyline pictures and accompanying text have been removed (beginning with "These are the words of Raiden" and explaining the plan to conquer Earth and the Tournament warriors' struggle).
 * An extra "Master" difficulty is added to the "Choose Your Destiny" screen.
 * "Endurance Matches" return since last being featured in the first Mortal Kombat. Some matches have you face as many as three opponents in a given round.

Kombat zones
Including all of the original backgrounds from the Mortal Kombat 3, minus The Bank and the Hidden Portal (which were removed), UMK3 includes several new backgrounds:
 * Scorpion's Lair (Hell): This stage also contains a new pit fatality, where the opponent is uppercutted into a river of lava.
 * Jade's Desert
 * In a reference to his MK3 ending, Cyrax is seen stuck waist-deep in sand in the background.
 * Kahn's Kave
 * River Kombat
 * Scislac Busorez (Blue Portal): A combination of the background from the UMK3 "Choose Your Destiny" screen, The Pit 3 bridge, and the mountains and bridge from The Pit II in MKII.
 * This stage is added to the permanent level cycle when Mileena, Classic Sub-Zero, and Ermac are unlocked.
 * When unscrambled, "Scislac Busorez" spells out "Classic Sub-Zero."
 * Noob's Dorfen: An obvious knock-off of The Balcony stage, can now be played using a Kombat Kode unlike having to fight Noob to see it like in MK3.

Layers
The following displays the Kombat Zones where a character can be uppercutted into different backgrounds.


 * The Subway → The Street
 * The Soul Chamber → The Balcony
 * Scorpion's Lair → Kahn's Kave

Storyline
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is assumed to be the same as the Mortal Kombat 3 story, except with more added characters. Mortal Kombat Trilogy later overrides the UMK3 story.

Character bios and endings
Note: This only pertains to new bios/endings not found in the original Mortal Kombat 3.

Unlike the original MK3, UMK3 did not feature graphics illustrating the character's endings, instead superimposing their "versus" image on top of a background showing a portal. Also, the only bios that were featured in the original arcade version of UMK3 were for Kitana, Jade, Reptile and Scorpion. The console ports included the rest of the character bios not featured in the arcade game.

Classic Sub-Zero
Bio: Thought to have been vanquished in the Shaolin Tournament, Sub-Zero mysteriously returns. It's believed this secretive member of the Lin Kuei, a legendary clan of Chinese "ninjas", has returned to again attempt an assassination of Shang Tsung. To do so, he must fight his way through Shao Kahn's tournament.

Ending: Having been killed in the first tournament, Sub-Zero somehow seems to have emerged to win the third tournament. However, upon removing his mask both the Outworld and the Earth-born warriors...

Are shocked to discover the true identity of this warrior. A warrior who has long been missing from a previous Mortal Kombat, and one who will return in the fourth tournament.

Ermac
Bio: An enigma to all who come into contact with him. Ermac's past remains shrouded in mystery. It's believed that he exists as a life force brought together by the souls of extinguished Outworld warriors. Shao Kahn has managed to take possession of these souls and use them to fight on the side of tyranny.

Ending: Having been in hiding since the first Mortal kombat, neither the Earth nor the Outworld has recognized this elusive ninja. Ermac uses his victory in the tournament to prove his existence...

As well as a warning that he will return as an unstoppable force in the fourth Mortal Kombat.

Jade
Bio: When the renegade Princess Kitana makes her escape into the unknown regions of Earth, Jade is appointed by Shao Kahn to bring his daughter back alive. Once a close friend of the Princess, Jade is faced with the task of betraying her friend or disobeying her Emperor.

Ending: Jade makes the decision to assist her longtime friend, Kitana. She thwarts an assassination attempt by Reptile against the princess and fends off their other Outworld enemies.

This clears the path for Kitana to turn Sindel against the Emperor Shao Kahn. With Sindel removed as an enemy Jade finds herself facing the Emperor in Kombat.

She defeats him and both Earth and her former homeland of Edenia are transformed to their original states. Jade has earned herself a place alongside the great heroes of Mortal Kombat.

Kitana
Bio: Kitana is accused of treason by the High Courts of the Outworld after murdering her evil twin Mileena. Shao Kahn takes it upon himself to appoint a group of warriors specifically to catch his daughter and bring her back alive. But Kitana must find a way to reach the newly crowned Queen Sindel first and warn her of their true past.

Ending: Kitana evades the evil clutches of Shao Kahn and escapes into the unknown regions of Earth. She survives an assassination attempt by the vile creature Reptile, and allies herself with her onetime comrade - Jade.

Together with the help of Earth's Warriors, Kitana reaches Sindel and turns the Queen against her Emperor. With Shao Kahn defeated the Earth is changed back to its original state, as is Kitana's realm of Edenia.

She will be forever in debt to her friends from Earth as she rules the new realm of Edenia at Queen Sindel's side.

Mileena
Bio: Murdered by her twin sister Kitana, Mileena finds herself brought back to life by Shao Kahn himself. Her skills as a vicious fighter will be needed to defeat Earth's chosen warriors. Her ability to read the thoughts of her twin sister will enable Kahn to stay one step ahead.

Ending: Winning the third tournament enables Mileena to reclaim her role as the Outworld Queen. With the help of Baraka she then takes both Sindel and her daughter Kitana hostage.

Together they threaten Shao Kahn with their lives unless he lures the Earth-born warriors into a fourth Mortal Kombat where Baraka can return regain his title as the Ultimate Mortal Kombat Champion

Reptile
Bio: Always a reliable servant to Shao Kahn, Reptile is chosen to assist Jade in the capture of Kitana. In contrast to Jade's instructions, Reptile is ordered to stop the renegade Princess at all costs... Even if it means her death.

Ending: Reptile is ordered by Shao Kahn to find and kill Kitana. He is successful in completing his task, but upon returning, finds himself shunned by the Emperor.

Shao Kahn promised Reptile that if he was successful that he would resurrect Reptile's race. Shao Kahn never had any intentions of fulfilling his promise.

Enraged, Reptile turns against his master and defeats him in battle but by killing his master, Reptile destroys the one chance to ever know his true race.

Scorpion
Bio: When Shao Kahn makes a failed attempt at stealing the souls which occupy Earth's hell, Scorpion is able to escape from the nether region. Free to roam the Earth once more, Scorpion holds allegiance with no one. He's a wild card in Earth's struggle against the Outworld.

Ending: Scorpion is inadvertently released from his damnation in hell when Kahn's Plan to overtake that realm goes awry. Free to roam Earth, Scorpion is enlisted by the Emperor to aid him in his quest to destroy the chosen warriors.

But, his allegiance to Shao Kahn falters when he discovers one of the chosen warriors to be Sub-Zero. Scorpion has vowed to protect the former ninja as restitution for killing his brother.

Shao Kahn finds himself the victim of his own scheme as Scorpion is forced to turn against him, he destroys the Emperor and the Earth is returned to normal.

Scorpion finds himself once again roaming the pits of Hell, only to one day rise again.

Smoke
Human Smoke bio: In his human form, Smoke was a lethal assassin working for the Lin Kuei. But when they decided to automate their ninjas, Smoke is caught in the middle. He became a cyborg assassin, whose human form would exist as a memory forever more.

Human Smoke ending: Winning the tournament enables Smoke to escape his artificial body. He then devotes his life to study the fighting skills of his counter part ninjas: Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Reptile. Without warning, Smoke once again vanishes...

He retreats into the hidden forest to continue his study, and will remain there until he has perfected the skills of the remaining ninjas and can compete in Mortal Kombat 4.

Arcade vs. consoles
Like most Mortal Kombat games of its time, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 made its debut in the arcade. When it was ported to home consoles, it underwent several changes.

Sega Saturn changes

 * "The Bank" stage is back.
 * There are a few new Kombat Kodes, and a couple from the arcade do not work here.
 * The Ultimate Kombat Kodes (to unlock the secret characters) have six slots instead of ten (probably in order to be performed with only one control).
 * Alternatively, the secret characters can be unlocked via a secret options screen, which is faster than entering all three UKKs one by one (since the characters unlock cannot be saved).
 * Noob Saibot is a shadow Kano as in Mortal Kombat 3, not a black ninja as in the arcade version of UMK3.
 * Since the arcade intro is missing, Rain does not appear in the game, yet the message kombat kode "Rain can be found in the Graveyard" is still there.
 * Shang Tsung can morph into Robot Smoke, which is not possible in the arcades.

SNES changes

 * Animalities removed.
 * Sonya's Friendship from Mortal Kombat 3 is used as opposed to her Friendship from the arcade version of UMK3.
 * Brutalities are introduced, a new form of Fatality which allows the player to attack their opponent with a series of kicks and punches which result in the victim exploding, leaving a somewhat unrealistic amount of bones on the ground.
 * Shao Kahn's treasure chest has only 10 boxes instead of 12.
 * Ermac's Fatality is altered.
 * Scorpion's Hellraiser fatality is different. He just takes the opponent back into the Hell stage where they just catch on fire and explode.
 * Sheeva has been removed.
 * Kitana's kiss of death only inflates heads..same effect as Kabal's air pump fatality.
 * Rain and Noob Saibot are playable. Mileena, Ermac and Classic Sub-Zero are playable without any need of codes.
 * Motaro and Shao Kahn are unlockable characters for two player fights, although only one player can choose a boss.
 * Announcer no longer announces the characters names.
 * Most of the MK3 levels are missing.

Mega Drive/Genesis changes

 * Animalities and Mercies removed.
 * Sonya's Friendship from Mortal Kombat 3 is used as opposed to her Friendship from the arcade version of UMK3.
 * Brutalities introduced, a new form of Fatality which allows the player to attack their opponent with a series of kicks and punches which result in the victim exploding.
 * Shao Kahn's treasure chest has only 10 boxes instead of 12.
 * Sheeva has been removed.
 * Kitana's kiss of death only inflates heads..same effect as Kabal's air pump fatality.
 * Rain and Noob Saibot are playable. Mileena, Ermac and Classic Sub-Zero are playable without any need of codes.
 * Motaro and Shao Kahn are unlockable characters for two player fights, although only one player can choose a boss. In addition, only one boss can be unlocked at any given time.
 * Shang Tsung can morph into Robot Smoke, which is not possible in the arcades. He can also morph into Noob Saibot and Rain.
 * Announcer no longer announces the characters names.
 * Most of the MK3 levels are missing which include the Balcony and Street so uppercutting in the Subway and Soul Chamber does not take you to level above.