Mortal Kombat II finally keeps the blood on SNES, with a wider roster. Smooth, brutal, mythical for 90s versus fans.
Your verdict
Category
Fighting1 player16+
Description
Sequel to Mortal Kombat with an expanded roster and spectacular fatalities. Published by Acclaim, released in Europe in 1994. Sixteen fighters including Kitana, Baraka and Kung Lao, new arenas, enriched fatalities and arcade and versus modes. Second Mortal Kombat on Super Nintendo, superior to the first.
Mortal Kombat II review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Digitised and bloody, the fights bet on punchy hits, spectacular fatalities and a gallery of characters turned cult. The satisfaction of landing a combo and finishing with a memorable finisher is instant. The dark mood and the stiff challenge grab versus fans. Brutal, stylish and as gleeful as ever, a fighting classic to savour in a duel.
The European PAL SNES edition of Acclaim's Mortal Kombat II from 1994, distributed in uncensored form unlike the first PAL entry. The Rev 1 fixes several scrutinised bugs. The PAL cart is rarer than the US version, and PAL boxed CIB in the original cardboard box has become a structuring target for MK SNES PAL collectors. The cote climbs hard, sustained by physical scarcity and by the game's cult status in the 16-bit fighter lineage.
A questionable morality
Billed as the most serious of martial-arts tournaments, the game saves its real reward for the moment the opponent wavers: a spectacular execution, triggered by a precise input. You drill the move like a dance step, proud to nail it cleanly, happily forgetting that this fine choreography celebrates nothing other than finishing off a beaten foe.
Is Mortal Kombat II still worth playing in 2026?
Mortal Kombat II brings blood back to the SNES after the sanitized first episode. The Midway port preserves the essentials of the arcade board, namely the expanded roster, the iconic fatalities and the direct handling. The tech keeps the signature digitized sprites with a very 1990s aesthetic. The competition with Street Fighter II and Killer Instinct is fierce, but MKII keeps a unique identity. Recommended to 16 bit versus fans, especially for its cultural history.
