The Mortal Kombat series has been defined by its traditional fighting games, throughout multiple eras that each have their own fans. That being said, both original developer Midway Games and the later creators at Netherrealm Studios have tried to branch out from the series roots before, to mixed success. One of the best Mortal Kombat titles out there still has some of the most engaging action in the franchise, even decades later.
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The direction of Mortal Kombat‘s future could lead to more spin-offs later, with rumors of an RPG or hack-and-slash title making sense given the nature of single-player modes in recent entries to the series. For example, the Invasions mode of Mortal Kombat 1 has plenty of RPG elements, with 2D fighting game matches having unique bosses, character modifiers, and even hidden secrets gained by completing side missions. Despite the fresh nature of a spin-off set in the Mortal Kombat universe, only one game stands out as equal to the mainline titles.
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks Is Arguably The Best Spin-Off For The Fighting Game Franchise
A far cry from the disaster that was Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks was an action-adventure game starring Liu Kang and Kung Lao, the two expert martial artists who had been fan-favorites since the series’ first two games. The flaming strikes and bicycle kicks of Liu Kang match perfectly with Kung Lao’s razor hat and flurry fists, creating a duo whose combat was incredibly cool to engage with. Released in 2005, Shaolin Monks is something of a cult classic, capturing the hearts of fans as a spin-off worth remembering.
This game was originally part of Midway Games’ plans to release a new Mortal Kombat game every year, before the studio faced bankruptcy. Shaolin Monks focuses on the story of the original Mortal Kombat 2 arcade title, following the perspectives of Liu Kang and Kung Lao as they travel through various realms to stop the nefarious sorcerer Shang Tsung. This journey across the realms saw plenty of familiar faces, including bosses like Goro, Reptile, Mileena, Kitana, Jade, and Baraka alongside allies like Raiden, Jax, or Sonya Blade.
Coming out around the same time when the series was moving into 3D graphics, the visuals of Shaolin Monks were ahead of their time, offering a much more detailed world of Mortal Kombat compared to what came before. Traveling through the harsh landscapes of Outworld or the nightmarish environments of the NetherRealm created an immersive quality that a normal fighting game stage couldn’t. The banter between Liu Kang and Kung Lao also added a charm to the game’s story, creating a buddy cop style narrative with its own ups and downs.
Co-Op “Hack-and-Slash” Action Created Fun Gameplay With Iconic Characters
The “Ko-op” mode of Shaolin Monks is its greatest strength, allowing two players to go through its adventure at the same time. Levels in this game are divided into arenas you and your friend explore, before fighting powerful bosses or waves of smaller enemies. This game uses a system called the Multi-Direction Fighting Engine, which allows players to attack enemies on all sides fluidly without breaking combos. Even after a throw or strike that launches someone in the air, your attacks can chain into multiple targets or focus on one, making it hard for anyone to interrupt you.
Plenty of attacks in this game knock enemies back into deadly arena hazards, leading to environmental kills that feel straight out of a Hong Kong style action film. The martial arts movie moments have a signature Mortal Kombat flair for the brutal, though, as you and your friend can perform gruesome Fatality finishers on enemies you face too. Special team attacks between both characters also add a level of excitement to combat, almost emulating systems games like Batman: Arkham Asylum or Marvel’s Spider-Man would adopt years later.
Updating Visuals & Gameplay For This Title Over Two Decades Later Would Help Mortal Kombat Become A More Diverse Series
Despite being 21 years old, Shaolin Monks holds up incredibly well today. The omni-directional combat blends well with the game’s innate secrets, making it a gem to come back to every now and then. Yet, this game could be exactly what Mortal Kombat needs, evolving the series beyond the traditional 2D fighting games seen ever since 2011 cemented NetherRealm Studios’ path with the franchise. Kung Lao, Liu Kang, and unlockable characters Scorpion and Sub-Zero are still fan-favorites years later, so this game highlighting those fighters again wouldn’t be too surprising.
Just a simple remake or remaster of this title wouldn’t be a bad idea either, as its gameplay still has a degree of polish to this day. The intricate combat systems in Shaolin Monks would look even better with improved visuals, especially ones that match the stylized look the series has adopted with titles like Mortal Kombat 11 and Mortal Kombat 1. Even though the story could use some updates, the constant references to the “Shaolin Monks” and “Fire and Ice” co-op nostalgia in NetherRealm’s games call back to the thrill of Mortal Kombat characters teaming up.
More character move sets could even be made in a full remake, while a spiritual successor could create a new “hack-and-slash” martial arts adventure set in the series’ new timeline. At the bare minimum, bringing back this game to modern consoles would be a great way to put it in more players’ hands, even with small remastered graphic updates. Regardless of how it’s done, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks isn’t a game that should be left to be forgotten in this fighting game franchise’s long history.
How do you think Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks should be brought back? Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the ComicBook Forum!
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