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Hands Of Ice
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Joined: 15 Nov 2002
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Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2002 11:58 pm
Post subject: Ten Years of Mortal Kombat. |
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I thought I'd post this here, as it was written for an omnimedia site, but will probably never see the light of day. Enjoy.
 Round One. Fight!
Ten years ago I had a crisis. One decade ago I feel my life really started. I was 19, the world was laid before me, and I began to push my boundaries. I had a girl (Much like every 19 year old should), and she wanted my time. Unfortunately, like a goldfish swimming in stagnant water, I couldn't seem to find the attention to manage this girl. Her eyes were led to another, and being that I had never really had a meaningful relationship up to this point, I did what any mid western boy of his age would. I lost my mind. Therapy ensued. Good God, looking back on it now I see that I had wasted a lot of my time bragging to my friends about all the horrid things I would do to her. I was the poster boy for "If I can't have her no one will."
This is the one and only time I'm going to be an advocate of mental therapy, so listen up.
My doctor said I needed an outlet. Something to vent. He told me to shout, to spar, or to find an artistic outlet. All things were dabbled with, but none so much as that fateful day in August of 1992. I had left therapy and gone to the mall (Mid West. Not much else to do). I walked through the entrance only to hear what would become my battlecry for a decade. It whipsered into my brain as it shouted into my ear. "Round One. Fight!" Not knowing what I was getting into, I looked to my right and saw the one thing that would keep my mental capacity intact. A video game. Intrigued, I entered the arcade and watched.
There were two ninja battling it out before my eyes. One dressed in yellow, while the other in blue. They punched, blocked, kicked, and hurled projectiles. All in all, it appeared to be a new generation Street Fighter. Almost turned off by the inane antics the two electric acrobats were displaying, I sighed. Then I saw it. An uppercut delivered to the chin of the yellow ninja, sending blood spurting all over the screen. I was hooked. The blue guy was my hero. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, an ominous voice boomed from the speakers. "Finish Him!" And he did. The blue ninja reached out, grabbing the yellow one's head, With a few wrenches, he tore it free and held it up in display like it was the ultimate trophy. I had to know this game. As I wandered further into the arcade to get quarters, I marvelled at one thing. I hadn't thought of the girl once since entering it. Life was once again good. Ten bucks into the change machine and I was well on my way to the ultimate prize. Knowledge.
 Round Two. Fight!
A year later and blood, sweat and tears led me to a truck stop (Doesn't it always?). The second installment of Mortal Kombat had hit, and my friends and I, now addicts, had searched far and wide for the best in the arcade playing circuit. We found Jay. I don't know Jay's last name, but I do know that his exposure is far overdue. He was the best. I can't tell you how many nights my friend Chris and I came back from the half hour drive either spouting words of annoyance at his skill or praising his ultimate fighting style. He coined the phrase I use to this day - "Don't jump at me." If you did, you were toast. Chris, in his evermost rare form, began a dialogue of "Your mother..." jokes and Jay had become a good friend. Odd thing was, we never saw him outside of the arcade at the truck stop in Hubbard, PA.
When the Eastwood Mall in Niles, OH got Mortal Kombat II in, we worked double time. Not only were we spending our nights in "The Trucker's Mall" in Hubbard, but we were spending our afternoons in the mall in Niles. Chris worked at a Jeweler in The Eastwood Mall. I met him every day and we played. We were Scorpion and Sub Zero. Then we were hit with a most humbling experience. Enter Ken. Ken was half our age and twice as good as Jay. I can't count the times I looked up and saw Chris' fist cocked behind this guy's head. He was that good, and twice as cocky. Months and months were spent playing Mortal Kombat II, and it never got old. Even past the home release of the game we played on at the arcade. After a while we realized that it was about commradery, not the game.
Then I went to college. During my college years, MK3 hit, and I was disappointed beyond all belief that Scorpion had taken a leave of absence and Sub Zero's mask had been left behind. This was a dark time in the fight for the earth realm. Shao Kahn had found his way into earth and was systematically taking out our heros. All the while I was juggling the new girlfriend, school, and the pressure of sending Shao Kahn back from wence he came. At this point in my life, I had taken this game and made it my own. If I didn't beat the forces of evil single handedly, the rest of us were doomed. so I did. Alot.
As things happen, human beings grow, and grow I did. I was mildly less disappointed at Ultimate Mortal Komat 3, which saw the return of Scorpion and a masked Sub Zero. At this point, I was battling with what I wanted to do in life, and that was reflected in my Mortal Kombat game play. It was never a question of stopping the game, but the question was where next to play?
 Round Three. Finish Him!
Pittsburgh. I went to The Art Institute of Pittsburgh and took the fight south. Through school, I was met with Mortal Kombat 4. A full 3D system attempted in war Gods. It took some getting used to, but damn Sub Zero's head rip looked good. This time I was against Quan Chi and Shinnok. Not a problem. I spanked them like I defeated my classes. Life was good. Mortal Kombat Gold hit the Dreamcast, and I was astounded by the first ever MK not to hit arcades. Man, it was pretty, though. A Mortal Kombat 4 direct port with added characters and levels? I was there with bells on.
California had come a callin' when my time at AIP had come to a close, and much time has passed. Here I sit with too many fond memories wrapped around the glorious world that Ed Boon and John Tobias has given us. And much like a twist ending, Midway's bringing us another chapter in the one game that saved my life. Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance is Koming on Fatal Friday this month. That's right kids, on November 22nd, 2002 I will once again save all your asses so you can live happily another day. I will be handing out Xbox, Game Cube, and PS2 reviews and contrasts. Outworld's up to it's bag of tricks again, and yours truelly will be at the frontline holding them back. It's a thankless job, but I can handle it.
Thanks for a great decade, Ed and John.
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Cold, we're so cold...
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The path of every warrior has a humble begining and the road to ones destiny is long traveled.
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scorpionsadvocate
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2002 2:02 am
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whoa man thats definately a tear jerker and a great tribute to a great game. thanks for a trip down memory lane.
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being a rebel isnt doing things differently its not beings afraid to be yourself
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Violater
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2002 11:33 pm
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Hopefully it will remain for another 10 years...
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Hands Of Ice
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Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2002 12:24 am
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Thanks alot for the replies, guys. It means alot to me that someone read it.
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Cold, we're so cold...
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The path of every warrior has a humble begining and the road to ones destiny is long traveled.
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reppy_reps
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Joined: 28 Jul 2002
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Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2002 4:30 am
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Kick ass commentary and a great trip down memory lane. Looking forward to your review of MKDA
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Darth Goro
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Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2002 12:41 pm
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I too have been into MK since the beginning. I always try to tell people that there's something oddly therapeutic, even meditative about playing MK. But people just look at me like I'm nuts. Oh well.
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Hands Of Ice
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Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2002 4:52 pm
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I totally understand and identify with your opinion on Mortal Kombat's cathartic nature. These days most people identify with GTA, but I'm still an MK fan to the hilt.
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Cold, we're so cold...
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The path of every warrior has a humble begining and the road to ones destiny is long traveled.
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Sektor
the shirt ninja
Joined: 15 Nov 2002
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Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2002 4:31 pm
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That story is really cool. It reminded me of my first contact to MK because it was similar to yours!! But in my version, the yellow Ninja won the fight... 
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Sub-Zero_king_j2
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Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2002 7:39 pm
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wow man nice story...hopefully mk stays around forever
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Let's Freeze
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ThunderG0D
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Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2002 3:46 pm
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Nice Story. I been down since mk1 also, and I'm dyin to get mkda. All i can do right now is watch the gameplay vids 
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There is no knowledge that is not power
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Phyrexian Plaguelord
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Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2002 9:50 am
Post subject: Wow... |
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I didn't know how many ppl thought the same as me... MK is alot like SF it will never die no matter how many ppl want it 2... Long live our King, Mr. Ed Boon!!! 
P.S. 1st time I saw MK1 was in 1992 and Kano and Sonja were fighting... Kano won w/ a fatality; it was hella sweet... It just sucked that I was only 9 and my parents wouldn't get it 4 me; thank "god" 4 arcades...
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ThunderG0D
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Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2002 12:06 pm
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Dude, first time i played mk i was like 8, and i got it as a bday present and didnt know what it was. I played it, and then ive been hooked ever since. They also used to have this recreation thing at my skool, and they had mk2 there. There wuz like a line of 30kids and i wooped everyones @ss over and over with rayden till i had to leave ;0 rayden owns 
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