Mortal Kombat: HD Arcade Kollection

Overview

On May 12, 2011, Warner Bros. officially announced the Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection, a package that includes:

• Mortal Kombat
• Mortal Kombat II
• Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

The collection features full online play and leaderboards, but will not be a HD remake as some previous rumors had stated. The press release states that the collection is an "arcade-perfect port."

The collection was released on August 30th, 2011 for the PlayStation 3 and then a day later on the Xbox 360. A PC version was also announced to be coming to Steam, but has yet to be given a release date.

The collection features all three original arcade games, 12 achievements/trophies and online play including leaderboards. Also available are options to reconfigure your controller layout and change the game's visual presentation using video filters.

Problems & Patch

Unfortunately the game was released with a few bugs, sound problems and an online mode that is almost unplayable. A few days after release a posting on the official Mortal Kombat Facebook page announced that a patch will be released in the future to "ensure the best gaming experience possible for everyone playing a Mortal Kombat game."

After many delays the 1.02 patch was eventually released world wide in late December of 2011. While it came with a much improved online play and fixed a few bugs, some audio "glitches" still remain. Most notably the music in Mortal Kombat 2 still has gaps in playback and the audio in Mortal Kombat 1 is just completely different in spots. This was found to be caused because the game uses "updated" audio that was created for the aborted Mortal Kombat HD Kollection instead of direct emulation and obviously it's playback issues were never fully sorted out.

Klassic Stick Accessory

To coincide with the release of the collection GameStop released a limited run of Mortal Kombat Klassic Fight Sticks manufactured by Performance Design Products for $129.99 that includes a code to download the Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection. The stick features artwork similar to the original Mortal Kombat arcade control panel and each stick is individually numbered 1 through 6000 on a plaque on the back of the stick. The stick is similar to the previously released Mortal Kombat Tournament Edition Stick but lacks the storage and easy open hinge, but is now slightly shorter and almost a pound lighter. One improvement is that it now has Cherry brand microswitches on the buttons for added responsiveness.

HD Remake Rumors

Though never officially announced, a couple of European online retailers listed something called Mortal Kombat HD Arcade Kollection for pre-order in 2010. Some early leaks contained information that the game would come bundled with a playable demo version of the Mortal Kombat reboot. The collection was due as a PlayStation 3 exclusive with all-new graphics, support for 3D televisions, and was originally said to be shipping in November 2010. After that date came and went, a new March 2011 date slipped out. Eventually it appears that the game was canceled in favor of a downloadable remake collection that remained faithful to the original arcade versions of the games and appeared on multiple platforms.