Mario Andretti Racing

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Stormfront Studios

I have some friends that know absolutely everything about automobiles and racing that there is to know…but I do not have that knowledge. I pick up stuff here and there from being around them, though, so I know the name Mario Andretti…and I know he's a race car driver…and that's basically all I know. Doing mild research so I don't sound like a dummy (or as much of one, at the very least), I found that Mr. Andretti raced several different vehicle types…which makes sense why this game has three different styles of racing - Indy cars, Sprint Cars, and Stock Cars. You can adjust various aspects to tweak performance and (hopefully) help you win, like tires, engines, and even pit crews. The majority of the racing action is pretty fun, but in an odd design choice, computer-controlled vehicles seem to spin out or wreck in front of you for no reason other than to provide an obstacle for you to avoid. Granted, wrecks happen in racing, but sometimes it seems like cars in this game simply spin out for no reason other than to get in your way. Anyway, if you're looking for a racing game on the Genesis, you could do worse than playing Mario Andretti Racing…if you’re a racing nut and like the ability to customize your vehicles, then this may be the racing game for you on Sega’s 16-bit console.

Review added: 02/06/2022

Mortal Kombat

Also known as: Mortal Kombat: Shinken Kourin Densetsu (Japan)

Developer: Probe Software

Mortal Kombat is a classic example of a game that was considered good when it was released, but has not aged very well. The fighting was never Street Fighter-level smooth, nor as easy to pick up and play as Street Fighter was…but for its time, the fighting mechanics made this fighter stand out from the crowd as much as the blood and violence did. Mortal Kombat wasn’t a Street Fighter clone like the majority of fighting games released in the early/mid 90s, it was very much its own fighting game. With that said, I wasn't really a fan of the gameplay of the original Mortal Kombat, even as a youngster. I eventually grew to appreciate the game for what it is…but I still find it to be a so-so fighter that doesn’t have ageless controls or design, but I also see it as a game that set the groundwork for one of the most popular fighting game franchises of all-time. The sequel, which is better in just about every way, is what solidified that Mortal Kombat would be a mainstay in the fighting genre for years to come. This game just set the stage.

Review added: 07/21/2019

Mortal Kombat II

Also known as: Mortal Kombat II: Kyuukyoku Shinken (Japan)

Developer: Probe Entertainment Limited

The first Mortal Kombat was playable, and it unique fighting mechanics in a sea of Street Fighter clones, but it mostly just got attention because of the violence and gore, in my opinion. Mortal Kombat II aimed for more attention with more gore, but this time around, they improved on the combat (or is it kombat?) to create a very solid fighting game. It still wasn't Street Fighter-level great, and it hasn’t aged nearly as well as Capcom’s iconic fighter, but it was very, very well done for its time. Mortal Kombat II also very well could be the game that ensured that Mortal Kombat was a franchise that would be around long enough for the series to hit the double-digits in terms of sequels. Aside from improved gameplay, Mortal Kombat II introduced multiple Fatality finishers per fighter and the debuts of Babality and Friendship finishers, which added some light-hearted comedy to offset the gore and violence. Mortal Kombat II also introduced a new host of characters – five of them are playable - along with most of the cast of the first game, including the ability to play as Reptile, who was a hidden opponent in the first game. Goro, defeated in the first game, was replaced by the even fiercer-looking Kintaro, before you make your way to Shao Khan, who replaced Shang Tsung as the new final boss. There are also three hidden opponents to battle – Jade, Noob Saibot, and Smoke. Ed Boon, the lead programmer, once said that the development team’s intent was to add everything in Mortal Kombat II that they didn’t have time for in the first Mortal Kombat. The end result is a game that many fans of the series still think is the best Mortal Kombat game ever released.

Review added: 02/25/2020

Mortal Kombat 3

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Sculptured Software

To many people, the second Mortal Kombat was the peak of the franchise. Mortal Kombat 3 wasn't too shabby, either, but for every improvement that was made in Mortal Kombat 3, it feels like they took a step back in another area. The cast of characters is larger and a new combo system was introduced, but aside from the combo system, it doesn't feel like the gameplay was tweaked very much for improvement…and while the cast of characters is larger, the developers decided, for some reason, to not include one of the most popular characters in the franchise, Scorpion, as a playable character. I've actually seen people loathe this game purely based on that fact that Scorpion isn't here…which I find absolutely ridiculous - you hate a game based on a single missing character? However, I can also say that I find the decision to leave him out to be very puzzling considering his popularity. Anyway, to me, Mortal Kombat 3 just feels like a continuation of Mortal Kombat II…no real drastic changes in gameplay to really make it too much better or worse than the previous game. So, unless you just want to perform fatalities with a few new characters, you may find this game fairly dull if you've already gotten sick of Mortal Kombat II.

Review added: 03/15/2024

Mutant League Hockey

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Electronic Arts

After Mutant League Football saw success, hockey seemed like a natural choice for a sport that could be filled with death and destruction...and while it works, it seems like a violent, mutant-based sporting contest on ice doesn't work quite as well as football did. In hockey, it's a bit too easy to avoid the puck completely and simply focus on obliterating the other team...The end result is that you don't technically have to attempt to score at all during the game. You can still win fairly easily, without scoring, by simply attacking the opposing team until the referee awards you the game due to the other team not having enough players. I was hoping that this would essentially be like the amazing NHL 94, but with mutants and over-the-top violence and mayhem…instead it's just simply a so-so hockey game with a little bit of the Mutant League personality and over-the-top violence and mayhem tossed in for good measure. Still, though, Mutant League fans and hockey fans will both likely find something to like here. Mutant League Hockey isn't awful by any stretch, but it fails to capture the imagination quite like Mutant League Football did.

Review added: 12/09/2022