Gears of War 4 Review

(c) Microsoft Studios

The Coalition has unveiled their first explosive offering to the world: Gears of War 4.

Gears of War 4 takes place 25 years after the events of Gears of War 3, kick-starting an all-new saga. However, the game represents much, much more than that.

Microsoft purchased the Gears of War IP from Epic Games back in 2014, as the Unreal Engine developer began winding down its AAA game development ambitions. Microsoft repurposed the Vancouver-based Black Tusk Studios to oversee the franchise. Many developers from the original Gears of War team, including executive producer Rod Fergusson, jumped ship to join the new studio.

Black Tusk was renamed The Coalition to honor its stewardship of the Gears of War franchise. Much like Halo's 343 Industries and Forza's Turn 10, The Coalition is the third pillar in Microsoft's blockbuster Xbox-exclusive effort. The news was hugely exciting, but questions remained.

Can the Gears formula still work in 2016? Can The Coalition bring the same magic to the franchise under Microsoft Studios? Can Gears of War compete with the likes of Battlefield 1, Call of Duty, Titanfall 2, and various other heavy-hitting AAA shooters this holiday season? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding yes.

Story & Setting

Gears of War 4 follows the exploits of JD Fenix, the son of the original trilogy's main protagonist — Marcus Fenix. Throughout the campaign, JD is joined by his childhood friend, Delmont Walker.

Both JD and Delmont (Del for short) deserted the COG during a "classified" incident, leading them to join a band of Outsiders, who exist outside of the COG's jurisdiction. Kait Diaz, the daughter of the village's leader, joins you early on to raid an uninhabited COG settlement for supplies.

The new characters are likable and sport good chemistry as a trio, each with distinctive, but complementary personalities. 'Family' continues to be a strong theme Gears of War 4, with both JD and Kait prepared to risk everything when their parents get into trouble. Much of the game focuses on the rescue of Kait's mother from a new, but eerily familiar enemy, The Swarm.

The genocidal Locust have been destroyed, humanity has begun to rebuild, and the global military urgency of previous games simply isn't there.

As Kait, Del and JD battle through waves of “DeeBee” robots in hopes of stealing an uninhabited, 3D-printed city's Fabricator, the new leader of The Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG) appears via video, accusing the Outsiders of attacking COG soldiers. It's not long before you find out the real source of the attacks.

I won't be posting any spoilers for Gears of War 4, suffice to say that it’s one of the most intriguing games in the trilogy so far. The early stages really slam home the idea of this much, much wider universe, while reminding us of the totalitarian nature of the COG, which has often taken a backseat in the story.

The game kicks off with a flashback to the Pendulum Wars which established the COG's global dominance, and then towards the end of Gears of War 3, where Delta Squad were able to destroy the Locust with a massive, targeted radiation weapon. It moves you through the new world, 25 years later, showing how humanity is attempting to rebuild in the wake of the billions slaughtered by the Locust invasion of the previous saga. We're introduced to new creatures, beautiful, bright and colorful alien landscapes, and new characters, like the instantly lovable Oscar.

These early levels lull you into a false sense of security. As you progress through Gears of War 4, it gets gradually darker. Incrementally more industrial, desperate and horrifying. You'll traverse abandoned facilities, underground tunnels, destroyed cities, and the as the Swarm evolves, you begin to feel that fist-clenching life-threatening urgency that really typifies Gears of War.

I can't help but compare Gears of War 4's delivery to Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Formulaically, Gears of War 4 does little new. But what it does do is build on the wonderfully cinematic recipe of its predecessors while delivering something that not only re-establishes itself as one of the industry's greatest franchises but it also acts as a signal to let fans know the series is in good hands.

You will be agape with the implications laid bare by this new threat, you will enjoy the way the game hints at a larger, more diverse Gears of War universe, and you will be enraptured by the return of old friends, and the light-hearted camaraderie that typifies Gears games. You will adore the way the game subtly references scenes from previous games. You will be driven mad by the twists and turns in the introduction to this new saga, and by the time the game comes to its shocking conclusion, you will be beside yourself in the knowledge Gears of War 6 is probably a long, long way off.

Gears of War 4's story is perfectly paced, utterly engrossing and above all, it is indeed Gears of War.

Visual & Sound Design

Make no mistake, Gears of War 4 is among the most visually stunning titles not only on Xbox One but of this generation in general.

Gears of War 4's characters are lovingly rendered, inching away at the gap between video game and true photo realism. While Gears of War human designs historically feature blocky, almost comic-book style proportioning, Gears of War 4 edges towards something a little more realistic. Del, JD, and Kait are beautifully crafted, and returning characters like Marcus Fenix retain their signature look, albeit weathered by age.

Gears of War 3 is one of the most visually impressive Xbox 360 games out there, and Gears of War 4 continues that tradition with some utterly incredible particle effects, breath-taking weather sequences, and mind-blowing lighting.

Not only are the basic visual features great, but Gears of War 4's art direction is also on point. New gore physics and designs make weapons feel more impactful than ever, weapons like the iconic Lancer received more thunderous sound effects (to the point of vibrating my earphones with bass boost turned on), and some of the new creatures and environmental hazards are as terrifying as they are awe-inspiring.

The Mad Max-esque windflare storm sequences make up some of the game's most visually impressive moments. They send cascades of debris flying in all directions, painted with real-time lighting from arcing electrical strikes. Everything caught in a windflare is affected by the storm's wind physics, including the bloody chunks of Swarm drone destroyed by the game's arsenal of deadly weapons. All too often have I simply stopped playing to stare at the spectacle unfolding on my screen.

The Xbox One S's HDR features send the title's visuals into overdrive with boosted contrasts, revealing details otherwise hidden. Deeper shadows and brighter lights give Gears of War 4 a vivid, almost life-like realism, that combined with dynamic 1080p resolution scaling helps to elevate it.

There isn't a single dropped frame, even the slightest bit of screen-tearing or vaguest hint of slow-down in Gears of War 4. It's one of the most polished launch titles of recent memory, never crashing. Using dynamic scaling and 30 FPS works well for the game's campaign. The resolution visibly reduces during some of the game's most intense sequences, but you'll be too busy shredding drones with your chainsaw to notice.

Gears of War 4 also uses a technique similar to Quantum Break for its anti-aliasing, making the edges of models appear blurry in motion. I'm not a huge fan of this particular technology, but it's a subjective gripe. It does, however, remind us that the upper limits of what's possible with the Xbox One's hardware have likely been reached, but it's fair to assume Gears of War 4 will be among the first titles to enjoy boosted visuals on next year's monstrous Xbox Scorpio.

From the crimson entrails of a splattered Swarm to the delicate trails of rain sweeping down JD's armor - Gears of War 4 is a visual feast that is as satisfying as it is gruesomely delicious.

Home is where the meat is.

Gameplay

Gears of War's gameplay has a unique style that many tried to emulate in the Xbox 360 era, but it hasn't been seen much on Xbox One. Set in the third-person, Gears of War 4 is a highly cover-based shooter known for its gory combat, signature, heavy feel and cinematic showcases. Gears of War 4 doesn't attempt to redefine, or even evolve that formula, but it does refine it, giving it a glistening finish.

Split into three pillars, Gears of War 4 contains a huge amount of content. The campaign mode lasts a good 10-15 hours depending on the difficulty you choose, but Versus and Horde mode pack potentially dozens, maybe hundreds of hours of potential gameplay. And if Gears of War 4 is anything like Halo 5, it's fair to expect a good amount of post-launch content to keep those multiplayer modes fresh long into the future.

When it comes to basic Gears of War 4 combat, very little has changed. It's still a cover shooter — but the mechanics governing cover systems have been given a much-needed injection of fluidity. I can't remember a time throughout any of the game's modes where I unintuitively snapped into unwanted cover, which is something I recall experiencing with previous titles. The gun play still has that signature, Gears of War heavy feel, but everything handles a fair bit faster. You'll still struggle while dragging a Mulcher across the battlefield, but general movement feels nowhere near as lethargic as it could in previous entries.

While stunned, enemies are vulnerable to an execution attack, which is delightfully satisfying to pull off.

Speaking of the Mulcher, Gears of War 4 comes with an array of brand new weapons and combat features that keep the classic formula from feeling stale. You can now vault over cover by holding the 'B' button as you roadie run into it, stunning an enemy on the other side. While stunned, enemies are vulnerable to an execution attack, which is delightfully satisfying to pull off. Similarly, you can grab an enemy out of cover if they have taken up an opposite position, resulting in the same execution stunned state. Of course, this also means that your enemies can utilize these attacks against you. Thankfully, The Coalition had the forethought to include a counter move, which prevents the new techniques from feeling cheap.

Some of the new weapons include the cover-evading Dropshot, which sends a flying drill across the battlefield. Releasing the trigger causes the drill to burrow directly downwards, generating an explosion. Headshots with this thing are sickeningly satisfying, watching the drill bore into the cranium of your enemies ahead of an ensuing, gore-splattered explosion. The Dropshot sounds overpowered, as it can fly above cover, but it can be tough to use. Combining its skill requirement with a 4-round clip ensures the Dropshot remains balanced.

Another repurposed engineering weapon is the Buzzkill, which almost feels like an homage to Unreal Tournament's Ripsaw. The Buzzkill is a heavy weapon that sends deadly buzz saws spinning and ricocheting across the battlefield, dissecting enemies like a hot knife through crimson butter.

Like previous games, satisfaction typifies Gears of War 4's combat. Every aspect of it is designed to feel impactful, as though you're the star of your own violent action movie. Some of the other new weapons include the Mulcher-like Tri-shot, some ancient UIR weapons like the Markza rifle, and new robotic DeeBee weapons like the submachine gun Enforcer and blisteringly powerful Rocket Salvo.

Speaking of which, the first stages of the campaign will see you face off against an army of COG DeeBee robots. These deadly, but dumb automatons feel little more like canon fodder a lot of the time, but their accompanying heavies, swarming roller ball Trackers and cover-evading Guardians can make the DeeBees overwhelming without aggressive resistance. It's not long until you'll meet Gears of War 4's headline threat, though, the all-new (but familiar) Swarm.

The real nature of the Swarm is unraveled throughout the game's campaign, but in combat, they feature similar archetypes to that of the Locust Horde from previous games. The Wretch-like Juvies bounce off walls and dodge melee attacks at will. Complacency can be deadly. Drones are the more intelligent, cover-using Swarm, and their AI has been given a punishing make-over. They're often more aggressive than the Locust foot soldiers, happy to rush down with shotguns and get into close quarters combat, making use of the game's new cover-vaulting stun abilities.

Beyond standard enemies, the Swarm also have a deadly menagerie of new enemies like the vicious, cover-ignoring Pouncers, and the horrifying player-swallowing Snatchers. Each new enemy requires tactics fresh to the Gears of War franchise, which stops the game from feeling like a rehash with a new coat of 1080p paint.

There are plenty of epic set-pieces and boss fights scattered throughout Gears of War 4's campaign, but I don't want to spoil the fun. Still, these things are standard to Gears of War, but the fourth entry's new windflare mechanics give set-pieces an all-new meaning.

For reasons unknown, enormous electrical storms now rage across Sera's surface, ripping the environment apart with gale force winds and gigantic lightning strikes. As you traverse to the campaign's mission objective, JD Fenix and his crew are often caught up in these deadly meteorological death-traps, but you can use them to your advantage.

Most windflare sequences allow you to use the environment itself to vanquish your enemies. The wind affects the physics of most guns, warping the trajectory of projectiles. You can dislodge debris by shooting at them, sending massive battering rams sweeping across the battlefield to crush your enemies. The results of a well-placed shot in these scenarios are always incredibly rewarding, adding a new dimension to the Gears formula.

The fun continues in Gears of War 4's online modes, including the 60 FPS versus modes and the addictive 5-man Horde mode. I haven't been able to try too much Versus mode as of yet, due to the small amount of players with the game so far, but I'm hoping the game's new skill-based matchmaking system will pair me with players at my experience level. Previous Gears of War titles have been notoriously difficult to access for newer players, so these modern systems will hopefully go to some length to alleviate that issue.

I have, however, played a lot of Horde mode, which I'm happy to describe as the quintessential co-operative shooter experience on Xbox One. Horde 3.0 is class-based, giving players bonuses for committing to certain roles in battle. Snipers deal increased headshot damage and gain perks for spotting and so on, engineers take charge building and repairing fortifications, and heavies gain bonuses with explosives, heavy weapons and manual turrets.

Activities across Horde and Versus mode reward credits which can be spent on loot called Gear Packs, which contain tons of cosmetic items and skill cards for use in Horde mode. Duplicate cards can be destroyed and then put towards specific cards you're seeking, to reduce the randomness of the system. Upgrading your skill cards and leveling up your classes will be crucial if you eventually want to go through 50 ranks of Horde mode on insane difficulty, which, as the name implies, is a challenge best left to the thoroughly demented.

When you consider the 10-15 hour length of the campaign, the longevity of the online modes, the fact that Gears of War 4 also comes with Gears of War 1, 2, 3 and Judgement on backward compatibility, it's impossible to fault this game on value. It offers such a dizzying amount of raw, uncontaminated fun, making it such a pleasure to write about and recommend.

Conclusion

Gears of War 4 just feels great. It feels like the return of an old friend, and The Coalition masterfully weave that nostalgia into the game without smothering us in it exploitatively — which is something they very easily could have done. Gears of War 4's greatest moments can be found in between the lines. They're in the shadows of familiar silhouettes, in the tones of nostalgic sound effects, in every COG tag you find scattered around the battlefield, and every ridiculous, over-the-top set piece.

Pros:

Technical showcase for Xbox visuals

Polished to glistening

Satisfyingly gruesome combat

Engrossing story

Heaps of value

Cons:

Could have explored more new mechanics and features

Gears of War 4 is the greatest exclusive Xbox One has so far, and that's really saying something when you consider the likes of Forza Horizon 3, Halo 5 and Ori and the Blind Forest. The Coalition has solidified their guardianship of one of the greatest video game franchises of all time, and not only proven to the world that the IP is in good hands, but that Microsoft Studios isn't reliant on Halo to make its mark in the shooter space.

Whether you're a returning fan or a Gears of War newbie, do yourself a favor and pick up this stunning game as soon as you can.

Gears of War 4 launches on October 11th, 2016 for Xbox One and Windows 10 as a Play Anywhere title.

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WWE 2K17 Review

(c) WWE

WWE 2K17 is here, looking to build on the momentum from last year’s “Stone Cold” Steve Austin-headlined affair. With all the bells and whistles being promoted, including a possible actual tie-in match with Brock Lesnar and Bill Goldberg, how does this year’s big-budget wrestling game compare to what we’ve already seen? It certainly doesn’t feel like what WWE is like in 2017, or 2016 for that matter.

It should be noted, before I get too far into the review that, yes, I get it. Game development takes lots of time, and radical changes cannot be made to games without months or years to further develop on the new changes. I also understand that the WWE has recently made massive changes to the structure of the organization, with the brand split, new announce teams and sets. These changes were made too recently to allow the developers to reflect them in WWE 2K17. It’s unfortunate, but I understand.

Despite that, this game still feels like it belongs in 2015 instead of present day. Aside from a few major additions like AJ Styles and the Four Horsewomen, nothing else seems new.

The announce team is the most glaring example of the game’s outdated feel. The three men behind the table in WWE 2K17 are Michael Cole, JBL and Jerry Lawler. Those three haven’t been an announce team for ages. Even if we ignore the changes after WrestleMania 32, where’s Byron Saxton? Where’s Mauro Ranallo?

As far as in-ring gameplay, things are pretty much identical to what we’ve already seen. Gameplay is pretty smooth and generally works, but like WWE 2K16, matches still come down to if you can reverse your opponent’s attacks or not. If you can’t get your reversals down, you’ll lose just about every time. The biggest changes are the addition of backstage brawling and interactive promos. Unfortunately, both fall flat.

Backstage brawling is definitely the cooler of the two big new features, but it lacks direction. It’s great that we can finally fight in some place besides the middle of an arena, and the addition of side rooms to find new weapons to use is fun. The issue is these backstage brawls are often presented like regular matches, but there’s not really anything to tell you what to do. There’s no clear finish like there is with a pin or submission.

Interactive promos seem like a great idea as well, but these are worse than what we’ve had in WWE 2K16. You get the opportunity to pick from four options every time you speak, but these options are usually vague and don’t reflect the full promo. I would often pick what I thought would be a good “face” thing to say, only for the actual dialogue to include swearing and other “heel” characteristics. Maybe this gets easier if you increase your promo abilities, but it just seems confusing and overly complicated from what I’ve experienced.

You can also have dueling promos, where you and another Superstar go head-to-head on the microphone. These suffer the same issues as before, but the way the game generates the text for promos doesn’t quite work. You end up yelling back and forth, sometimes about related things but often not.

Promos also feature paragraphs worth of text each time you talk. This means enough dialogue could never be recorded to make the promos sound good. Unfortunately, promos are instead done with the characters flapping their mouths and no sounds coming out. It’s jarring when you see two men in the middle of a ring yelling at each other, but not hearing any of it.

Perhaps my biggest complaint is the weird way WWE 2K17 is presented. When playing through MyCareer mode, you still set up each show with the match you’re in, if you want to run in on an opponent’s match or if you want to do a promo between matches. Once done, instead of simply simming to the points you want to play, you’ll have to sit through the opening of the show you’re starting.

This means you have to watch through the opening for NXT, Main Event and the rest EVERY. TIME. I didn’t ever want to know the lyrics to the Main Event theme song, but I have no choice any more. From what I can tell, this can’t be turned off either. Add in the dated, repetitive commentary and I’m pretty sure WWE 2K17 actually wants you to mute it when playing. You certainly will not be missing anything if you do.

As for any improvements, the graphics do look much nicer than previous games. The biggest addition is an upgrade to the lighting, which really helps make everything look and feel more authentic.

The creation tools also feel improved. There are more options to customize your wrestlers, the create-an-arena mode is a nice touch, and with the ability to change your MyUniverse mode as you see fit, you can get things looking like they do on TV.

Throw in a complete lack of a Showcase mode, and it’s really hard to recommend WWE 2K17. Aside from the improved graphics, there’s just about nothing new that’s worth getting the latest game. If you don’t have any wrestling game, WWE 2K17 is still pretty enjoyable. The core mechanics are still solid, and gameplay is fun and addicting. That being said, WWE 2K16 is almost identical, and doesn’t feature any of the annoying presentations or directionless gameplay. It’s also going to be cheaper, and you can probably find a used copy for a decent price.

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Mortal Kombat X Patch Notes for March 2016

These notes are from the developers for the new update that went live today for Mortal Kombat X(L):

General Gameplay fixes
•New rollback based enhanced online multiplayer is now active
•Reduced chipdamage from most normals
•Reduced metergain from having most normals blocked
•Round timer now operates in real time seconds
•Neutral jumping attacks are more negative on block on the way up
•After a breaker or block breaker stamina is removed from both players
•Stamina now starts to refill 2 secs after a breaker (down from 2.5 secs) at a 50% faster rate
•Lowered the trade priority of most jumping attacks and increased hurt regions after their startup frames
•Reduced the meter gain on most multi-hitting strings and some multi-hitting special moves
•Grab background interactions now function as true command grabs which can combo from a hit
•Most projectile background interactions can now have their trajectory lowered by holding Down which can make them harder to low profile
•Adjusted the background collision at the ends of some arenas which would cancel out some profiles sooner than desired
•Added 2 more recovery frames after a blocked or missed attack while jumping backwards
•Adjusted the throw immunity of most special moves
•Increased combo damage scaling after a throw tech
•Combos do not end after a meter burned throw at the end of a match
•Some hit sparks are now red when the move connects during an opponent's recovery frames
•Fixed some incorrect framedata in the movelist
•Adjusted many combos which were inconsistent if the player and opponent were not both chest to screen or chest away from screen
•Added 3 more frames to the throw tech window
•A teched throw at the beginning of a match will no longer grant first hit bonus



Character Specific Fixes
•Cassie - Flip Kick now has 7 startup frames (up from 6)
•Cassie - Flip KickEx no longer has armor
•Cassie - Down+FP is now -6 on block (up from -8)
•Cassie - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -4 on block (up from -9)
•Cassie - Change the last input of the Cage Raged combo from Away+BP, FP, BP, Down+FP+BP to Down+BP+BK
•Cassie - Reduced the cancel advantage of the 4th hit of the Away+BP, FP, BP, Down+BP+BK combo
•Cassie - Away+BP, FP, BP is now -14 on block with less pushback (down from -4)
•Cassie (Hollywood) - The hit advantage of Nut Buster and Nut Kracker are now more consistent regardless of the height it connects at
•Cassie (Brawler) - Added Haymaker (enhanced version of Take Down) which is armored and does more damage
•Cassie (Brawler) - Added Bone Breaker (enhanced version of Bow Breaker) which is armored, does more damage, and can combo from a hit


•D'Vorah - Increased the damage of Ovipositor Charge & Ovipositor Rush by 2
•D'Vorah - Ovipositor Rush now has 14 startup frames (down from 20)
•D'Vorah - Ovipositor Rush is now -17 on block (down from -12)
•D'Vorah - Away+FK is now a high block and +11 on block (up from +2 and a mid)
•D'Vorah - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -11 on block (down from -15)
•D’Vorah (Swarm Queen) - increased combo damage scaling after dash cancelling out of Wasp Grenade
•D'Vorah (Brood Mother) - reduced the cooldown on Krawler to 3 seconds (down from 4)
•D'Vorah (Venomous) - Bug Spray &Bug Burst is now max -23 on block and +12 on hit (down from -20 on block and +15 on hit)


•Ermac - Away+FP is now a high block and has 9 startup frames and 3 active frames (down from 11 start and up from 2 active)
•Ermac - Down+FP is now -6 on block (down from -10)
•Ermac - Increased the block advantage of Away+BP by 1 and it is now more plus on block the longer it is charged
•Ermac - Towards+FK now has 11 startup frames and is -4 on block (down from 13 startup and -3 on block)
•Ermac - Towards+FK, BK is now -1 on block (up from -6)
•Ermac - Towards+BK, FK is now -6 on block (up from -11)
•Ermac - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -10 on block (up from -16)
•Ermac - Changed the command input of Hover to Down, Up+Block (from Down, Down, Up)
•Ermac (Mystic) - Levitate (Tele-Choke) is now -6 on block and has 9 startup frames (up from -14 on block and down from 11 startup frames)
•Ermac (Spectral) - Changed the command input of Soul Ascension to Down, Up+Block (from Down, Down, Up)


•Erron Black - Increased pushback on block for Sand Shot and it is now +6 on block (down from +7)
•Erron Black - Increased range on Sand Trap Tackle and it now has13 startup frames (down from16)
•Erron Black - Quick Sand Tackle will now combo from a hit
•Erron Black - Increased the hit advantage of Quick Sand Tackle &Sand Trap Tackle by 10
•Erron Black - Down+FP now has 7 startup frames (down from 8)
•Erron Black - Towards+BK is now -12 on block and +17 on hit (down from -21 on block and up +7 on hit)
•Erron Black - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -7 on block (up from -12)
•Erron Black - Increased hit advantage and hit cancel advantage by 1-3 on most normals and strings


•Ferra/Torr - Added Little One Slide (enhanced Bowl Girl) special move which can allow for a combo afterwards
•Ferra/Torr - Added Ferra Throw (enhanced Ferra Toss) special move which can allow for a combo afterwards
•Ferra/Torr - BP, Towards+BK is now -5 on block (up from -8), does 1 less damage, and can now be special canceled
•Ferra/Torr - Down+BP is now +4 on block (up from -11)
•Ferra/Torr - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -9 on block (down from -18)
•Ferra/Torr - Down+FP (sans Ferra) is now -6 on block (down from -3)
•Ferra/Torr - Away+BK (sans Ferra) is now -6 on block (up from -17)
•Ferra/Torr - Towards+BP can no longer be used twice to extend the same combo
•Ferra/Torr - Grab 'n' Stab can now combo from a hit
•Ferra/Torr - Away+2 can now be special canceled into X-Ray or background interactions
•Ferra/Torr - Increased hit advantage and hit cancel advantage by 2-4 on most normals and strings
•Ferra/Torr (Vicious) - Added Boss Launch (enhanced Boss Toss) which goes farther
•Ferra/Torr (Vicious) - Slightly reduced the range of Boss Toss
•Ferra/Torr (Vicious) - Gut Ripper can now combo from a hit
•Ferra/Torr (Lackey) - Boulder Roll&Double Boulder Roll are now -10 and -6 on block (down from -12 and -9)
•Ferra/Torr (Lackey) - Increased combo damage scaling on Boulder Roll&Double Boulder Roll
•Ferra/Torr (Lackey) - Colossal Crush can now combo from a hit


•Goro - Increased the active frames on jumping FP
•Goro - Shokan Slam can now combo from a hit
•Goro - armor on X-Ray now lasts until the active frames
•Goro - Towards+BK is now +4 on block (up from +2)
•Goro - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -9 on block (down from -13)
•Goro - Reduced run startup frames and increased it distance traveled
•Goro - Slightly sped up his step forward
•Goro (Kuatan Warrior) - Tremor will be combo damage scaled after combo when used in an unavoidable off the ground situation
•Goro (Dragon Fangs) - Shokan Massacre can now combo from a hit


•Jacqui - Bionic Dash & Bionic Blast are now -9 and 0 on block (down from -19 and -21) with increased pushback on block
•Jacqui - BP, FK is now a low block
•Jacqui - Increased hit advantage and hit cancel advantage by 1-3 on most normals and strings
•Jacqui - added 5 more frames to buffer the Stanky Leg input from BK
•Jacqui - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -6 on block (up from -10)
•Jacqui (Shotgun) - Single Barrel is now +17 on hit (up from +1)


•Jason - added 5 recovery frames to Back Breaker & Spine Shatter
•Jason - Choke & Choke Slam now have 12 startup frames (down from 15)
•Jason - You can now throw the opponent forward by holding Towards after Spine Shatter connects
•Jason - Down+FP now has 6 startup frames (down from 8)
•Jason - Down+BP now has 6 startup frames (down from 9)
•Jason - Away+FK now has 9 startup frames and is -11 on block (down from 12 startup and -9 on block)
•Jason - Away+FK, FP+FK is now a command throw
•Jason - Added Away+FK, Up+FP combo string
•Jason - Added Away+FK, Down+FP combo string
•Jason - Towards+FK is now +7 on block (up from -1)
•Jason - Down+FK now has 10 startup frames and is -3 on block (down from 11 startup and up -8 on block)
•Jason - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -3 on block (up from -14)
•Jason - Down+BK now has 13 startup frames and is -2 on block (down from 16 startup and up -3 on block)
•Jason (Slasher) - removed 9 recovery frames from Machete Toss & Machete Throw
•Jason (Slasher) - Away+FP now has 9 startup frames and is -11 on block (down from 11 startup and -10 on block)
•Jason (Relentless) - Increased the scaling damage boost from Damned to 1.1x / 1.25x / 1.45x / 1.75x (from 1.1x / 1.2x / 1.33x / 1.5x)
•Jason (Unstoppable) - removed 12 recovery frames from Corpse Walk
•Jason (Unstoppable) - slightly increased the health gain from Rise & Corpse Walk
•Jason (Unstoppable) - Rise & Corpse Walk now also gain meter while active
•Jason (Unstoppable) - while Punishment & Rampant are active most of your attacks will break through opponents armor
•Jason (Unstoppable) - Punishment & Rampant now lasts 7 seconds (up from 5 seconds)
•Jason (Unstoppable) - Rampant now lasts 10 seconds (up from 5 seconds)


•Jax - Reduced the hit region of Towards+FK
•Jax - Down+FP, Down+BP is now -2 on block (up from -7)
•Jax - Increased combo damage scaling after Gotcha Beatdown, Downward Dash Punch, &Downward Dash Fist
•Jax - Away+BP is now -13 on block (down from -8)
•Jax - Down+FK is now -2 on block (down from 0)
•Jax - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -13 on block (up from -17)
•Jax - Ground Shake will be combo damage scaled after combo when used in an unavoidable off the ground situation
•Jax (Pumped Up) - Air Drill Punch &Ground Quake will be combo damage scaled after combo when used in an unavoidable off the ground situation
•Jax (Wrestler) - Added 8 recovery frames to Quad Grab&Quad Grapple
•Jax (Wrestler) - increased hit advantage after Back Breaker by 10
•Jax (Wrestler) -Quad Grapple can now combo from a hit


•Johnny Cage - Increased the active frames on jumping BP
•Johnny Cage - Nutcracker is now -14 on block (down from -12)
•Johnny Cage - Down+FK now has 7 startup frames and is -9 on block (down from 10 startup and -4 on block)
•Johnny Cage - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -12 on block (up from -22)
•Johnny Cage - Down+BK now has 5 more recovery frames and is-6 on block (down from -1)
•Johnny Cage - Increased damage of throw when Red Shadow is active
•Johnny Cage (Fisticuffs) - Fist Bump now recovers 4 frames faster and lasts for 9 seconds (up from 8 seconds)
•Johnny Cage (Fisticuffs) - Away+1 now has 10 startup frames (down from 11)
•Johnny Cage (Fisticuffs) - Hits of Speed Bag string do additional damage on hit and block if Fist Bump is active
•Johnny Cage (Fisticuffs) - does the increased damage throw while Fist Bump is active
•Johnny Cage (A-List) - Nut Breaker is now -21 on block (down from -11)
•Johnny Cage (A-List) - Nut Breaker when meter burned is now -14 on block (down from -12)


•Kano - Up Ball&Uprise Ball will hit more consistently after 7 startup frames
•Kano - Away+FP is now -8 on block (down -2)
•Kano - Away+FP, FK is now -2 on block (down from -1)
•Kano - Down+FP is now -7 on block (down from -9)
•Kano - Down+FK now has 7 startup frames (down from 8)
•Kano - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -6 on block (up from -10)
•Kano - Down+BK is now -12 on block (up from -7)
•Kano - Air Ball now hits overhead
•Kano (CutThroat) - Blade Slice is now -5 on block (up from -8)
•Kano (CutThroat) - Bloody Slice is now -15 on block (down from -8)
•Kano (CutThroat) - Away+FP has slightly increased range
•Kano (Cybernetic) - Upward Laser now has 6 startup frames and 21 recovery frames (down from 10 startup and up from 18 recovery)
•Kano (Commando) - Added 8 recovery frames to Rib Strike &Rib Breaker
•Kano (Commando) - Choke &Strangle are now +15 and +23 on hit (up from -5 and +5)
•Kano (Commando) - Gains a new BP, BP combo string
•Kano (Commando) - Gains a new Away+FP, FK, FP+FK string
•Kano (Commando) - Rib Breaker&Power Bomb can now combo from a hit


•Kenshi - Blade Reflect & Blade Absorb now have 7 startup frames (down from 10)
•Kenshi - Blade Reflect & Blade Absorb can now parry most non low attacks
•Kenshi - After a successful parry from Blade Reflect &Blade Absorb you can special cancel into another special move
•Kenshi - Away+FP now has 13 startup frames and is -1 on block (down from 17 startup and up from -6 on block)
•Kenshi - Down+FP now has 7 startup frames (down from 8)
•Kenshi - BP now has 9 startup frames and is -14 on block (down from 11 and -9 on block)
•Kenshi - BP, BP can now be meter burned to reset the combo string
•Kenshi - Added Towards+BP, FP, FP / BK combo strings
•Kenshi - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -9 on block (up from -13)
•Kenshi - Away+BP is now -4 on block (up from -18)
•Kenshi - adjusted the reaction of BP, FP, FP, BP+BK to make comboing afterwards easier
•Kenshi - Increased the damage of BK by 2 and decreased the damage of BK, FP by 2
•Kenshi - Towards+BK is now a high block, has extended range, and has 16 startup frames (down from 18)
•Kenshi - BP, FP, BP is now -2 on block (up from -5)
•Kenshi (Possessed) - After Demon Port & Demon Beam you can hold Towards to perform directional jumping attacks instead of neutral jumping attacks
•Kenshi (Possessed) - Increased damage of Soul Push & Soul Charge by 2 and 5
•Kenshi (Kenjutsu) - FK, BP, BP is now -4 on block (up from -8)
•Kenshi (Kenjutsu) - Away+BP is now -4 on block (up from -18)


•Kitana - Down+FK now has 6 startup frames and is -3 on block (down from 9 startup and up from -5 on block)
•Kitana - BK is now +11 on block (up from +2)
•Kitana - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -2 on block (up from -6)
•Kitana (Assassin) - Sharpen &Razor Blade now has 54 and 30 recovery frames (down from 73 & 55)
•Kitana (Assassin) - Increased armor frames on Assassin Impale
•Kitana (Mournful) - reduced block stun frames on the first hit of Glaive Return


•Kotal Kahn - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -8 on block (up from -13)
•Kotal Kahn - Sunstone & Burning Sunstone now breaks through Ice Klone
•Kotal Kahn - Towards+BK now has 23 startup frames and is now +9 on block (up from 20 startup frames and -2)
•Kotal Kahn (War God) - Sword Quake will be combo damage scaled after combo when used in an unavoidable off the ground situation
•Kotal Kahn (Sun God) - Moon God Choke can now combo from a hit


•Kung Lao - Reduced the hit region of Jumping BP
•Kung Lao (Tempest) - Orbiting Hat is now +7 on block (down from +12)
•Kung Lao (Tempest) - Orbiting Hat is now +40 on hit (up from +17)
•Kung Lao (Tempest) - Cyclone pulls the opponent closer when blocked


•Kung Jin - Towards+BK is now +4 on block (up from -1)
•Kung Jin - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -8 on block (up from -12)


•Liu kang - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -9 on block (up from -13)
•Liu kang (Dragon Fire) - Flip Kick from Bicycle Kick is now 0 on block (down from +2)
•Liu kang (Dualist) - Yang damage buff no longer goes away when you get hit


•Mileena - Removed 5 recovery frames from Double Sai Blast
•Mileena - Removed 3 recovery frames from Sai Blast
•Mileena - Removed 3 recovery frames from Air Sai Blast
•Mileena - Down+FP now has 6 startup frames and is -5 on block (down from 9 startup and -4 on block)
•Mileena - Down+FK now has 8 startup frames and is -6 on block (down from 10 startup and -1 on block)
•Mileena - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -4 on block (up from -8)
•Mileena - Towards+BK now has 15 startup frames and is -8 on block (down from 17 startup and -31 on block)
•Mileena (Piercing) - Removed 5 recovery frames from Low Sai & Double Low Sai
•Mileena (Piercing) - Away+FP is now -2 on block (down from -5)
•Mileena (Piercing) - Away+FP, BP is now -1 on block (down from +2)
•Mileena (Ravenous) - High Pounce now has 12 startup frames, is -3 on block, and has 9 less recovery frames (down from 15 startup and -7 on block) and has increased range
•Mileena (Ravenous) - Low Pounce now has 8 startup frames and has 8 less recovery frames (down from 13 startup)


•Predator - Down+FP now has 8 startup frames and is -6 on block (down from 9 startup and -3 on block)
•Predator - Down+FK is now -6 on block (down from -3)
•Predator - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -10 on block (up from -15)
•Predator (Warrior) - Dread Slam now has 13 startup frames and is -4 on block (down from 29 startup and up from -9 on block)
•Predator (Warrior) - Dread Launch now has 13 startup frames and is -14 on block (down from 29 startup and down from -9 on block)
•Predator (Warrior) - removed 3 recovery frames from Self-Detonate & Self-Destruct
•Predator (Hish-Qu-Ten) - lowered damage of all Plasma Shots by 1
•Predator (Hish-Qu-Ten) - added 3 recovery frames with Cancel from Plasma Shot when the opponent is in block stun


•Quan Chi - Trance is now +46 on hit (down from 80)
•Quan Chi - Removed 9 startup frames from Sky Crush
•Quan Chi - removed 5 startup frames from Sky Drop
•Quan Chi - Ground Burst meter burn is now -1 on block (down from +14) but it can now be delayed to increase the block advantage
•Quan Chi - Increased combo damage scaling after Ground Burst
•Quan Chi - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -8 on block (up from -12)
•Quan Chi (Sorcerer) - Black Magic now activates in 29 frames and has 30 recovery frames (down from activates in 53 frames and 70 recovery frames)
•Quan Chi (Sorcerer) - Final Hex now activates in 31 frames and has 53 recovery frames (down from activates in 47 frames and 55 recovery frames)
•Quan Chi (Sorcerer) - Dark Curse now activates in 36 frames and has 59 recovery frames (down from activates in 45 frames and 62 recovery frames)
•Quan Chi (Summoner) - Increased combo damage scaling after Bat attacks


•Raiden - Towards+FP, BP is now 0 on block (up from -3)
•Raiden - Down+FP is now -7 on block (down from -9)
•Raiden - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -3 on block (up from -17)
•Raiden - Towards+BK is now +6 on block (up from -3)
•Raiden - Increased the cancel advantage of Towards+FP, BP
•Raiden (Master of Storms) - Static Traps now last 20 seconds (up from 10 seconds)


•Reptile - Increased active frames on jumping FP
•Reptile - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -9 on block (up from -13)
•Reptile (Deceptive) - added 5 recovery frames with Stealth & Invisibility when the opponent is in block stun
•Reptile (Nimble) - Basilisk now recovers in 31 frames (down from 36)
•Reptile (Nimble) - Basilisk Runner now recovers in 61 frames (down from 71)


•Scorpion - Takedown & Takeout are now +15 on hit (up from -5)
•Scorpion - FP, FP is now +1 on block (up from -4)
•Scorpion - FP, BP is now -6 on block (up from -11)
•Scorpion - Down+FP is now -7 on block (up from -9)
•Scorpion - BP, FP is now +2 on block (up from -7)
•Scorpion - BP, FP, BK is now +2 on block (up from -14)
•Scorpion - FK now has 7 startup frames and is +2 on block (down from 11 startup frames and down from -3 on block)
•Scorpion - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -9 on block (up from -18)
•Scorpion (Ninjutsu) - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -4 on block (up from -16)
•Scorpion (Ninjutsu) - The 2nd hit of Towards+BP is now an overhead block
•Scorpion (Ninjutsu) - Away+BK can now be special canceled before the 2nd hit
•Scorpion (Hellfire) - Hell-Ferno will be combo damage scaled after combo when used in an unavoidable off the ground situation


•Shinnok - Amulet Curse has increased pushback on block
•Shinnok - Down+FP is now -7 on block (up from -9)
•Shinnok - Down+BP is now a high block
•Shinnok - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -8 on block (up from -19)
•Shinnok (Impostor) - After Air Tricky Portal you can hold Towards to perform directional jumping attacks instead of neutral jumping attacks
•Shinnok (Necromancer) - Judgment Fist & Judgment Smash now has 52 startup frames and is +2 on hit (down from 58 startup and -3 on hit)


•Sonya - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -10 on block (up from -14)
•Sonya (Demolition) - Grenades no longer bounce when they hit the ground
•Sonya (Demolition) - Drone Drop now reloads 5 frames faster and recovers 3 frames faster
•Sonya (Demolition) - Increased combo damage scaling on Stun Grenade
•Sonya (Demolition) - Drone Drop now adds combo damage scaling


•Subzero - Down+FP is now -4 on block (up from -6)
•Subzero - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -5 on block (up from -16)
•Subzero (Unbreakable) - Icy Slide will now leave the opponent frozen if it connects while Frozen Aura or Ice Aura is active
•Subzero (Grand Master) - Klone Toss can now have its trajectory lowered by holding Down




•Takeda - Down+FP now has 7 startup frames (up from 8)
•Takeda - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -5 on block (up from -9)
•Takeda - Towards+BK is now +9 on block (up from +2)
•Takeda (Ronin) - Blade Kall and Blade Summon is now -13 on block and only hits once on block or armor (down from -5)
•Takeda (Ronin) - Away+BP now has 15 startup frames (up from 12)


•Tanya - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -7 on block (up from -12)
•Tanya - FK, BK can no longer be canceled on the first active frame
•Tanya (Kobu Jutsu) - reduced the blockstun on Tonfa Throw
•Tanya (Kobu Jutsu) - Away+FP now has 10 startup frames (up from 9)
•Tanya (Kobu Jutsu) - Reduced the pushback on block from the last hit of Tonfa Swipe
•Tanya (Kobu Jutsu) - Away+FP, BP+BK is now -10 on block (down from -4)
•Tanya (Dragon Naginata) - Increased damage of Away+BP by 2
•Tanya (Dragon Naginata) - Increased damage of Down+Away+BP by 2
•Tanya (Pyromancer) - removed 5 recovery frames from Low Fireball & High Fireball
•Tanya (Pyromancer) - removed 2 recovery frames from Air Far Fire Blast & Air Close Fire Blast


•Tremor - Rock Shower now activates 6 frames later and has 6 more recovery frames
•Tremor - Rock Drop now activates 6 frames later and has 10 more recovery frames
•Tremor - Down+FK is now -2 on block (down from +1)
•Tremor - Down+BK is now -11 on block (down from -8)
•Tremor - Ground Pulse & Ground Quake will be combo damage scaled after combo when used in an unavoidable off the ground situation
•Tremor (Crystalline) - Krystal Blast Down Shatter is now -5 on block (down from 0)
General Gameplay fixes
•New rollback based enhanced online multiplayer is now active
•Reduced chipdamage from most normals
•Reduced metergain from having most normals blocked
•Round timer now operates in real time seconds
•Neutral jumping attacks are more negative on block on the way up
•After a breaker or block breaker stamina is removed from both players
•Stamina now starts to refill 2 secs after a breaker (down from 2.5 secs) at a 50% faster rate
•Lowered the trade priority of most jumping attacks and increased hurt regions after their startup frames
•Reduced the meter gain on most multi-hitting strings and some multi-hitting special moves
•Grab background interactions now function as true command grabs which can combo from a hit
•Most projectile background interactions can now have their trajectory lowered by holding Down which can make them harder to low profile
•Adjusted the background collision at the ends of some arenas which would cancel out some profiles sooner than desired
•Added 2 more recovery frames after a blocked or missed attack while jumping backwards
•Adjusted the throw immunity of most special moves
•Increased combo damage scaling after a throw tech
•Combos do not end after a meter burned throw at the end of a match
•Some hit sparks are now red when the move connects during an opponent's recovery frames
•Fixed some incorrect framedata in the movelist
•Adjusted many combos which were inconsistent if the player and opponent were not both chest to screen or chest away from screen
•Added 3 more frames to the throw tech window
•A teched throw at the beginning of a match will no longer grant first hit bonus



Character Specific Fixes
•Cassie - Flip Kick now has 7 startup frames (up from 6)
•Cassie - Flip KickEx no longer has armor
•Cassie - Down+FP is now -6 on block (up from -8)
•Cassie - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -4 on block (up from -9)
•Cassie - Change the last input of the Cage Raged combo from Away+BP, FP, BP, Down+FP+BP to Down+BP+BK
•Cassie - Reduced the cancel advantage of the 4th hit of the Away+BP, FP, BP, Down+BP+BK combo
•Cassie - Away+BP, FP, BP is now -14 on block with less pushback (down from -4)
•Cassie (Hollywood) - The hit advantage of Nut Buster and Nut Kracker are now more consistent regardless of the height it connects at
•Cassie (Brawler) - Added Haymaker (enhanced version of Take Down) which is armored and does more damage
•Cassie (Brawler) - Added Bone Breaker (enhanced version of Bow Breaker) which is armored, does more damage, and can combo from a hit


•D'Vorah - Increased the damage of Ovipositor Charge & Ovipositor Rush by 2
•D'Vorah - Ovipositor Rush now has 14 startup frames (down from 20)
•D'Vorah - Ovipositor Rush is now -17 on block (down from -12)
•D'Vorah - Away+FK is now a high block and +11 on block (up from +2 and a mid)
•D'Vorah - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -11 on block (down from -15)
•D’Vorah (Swarm Queen) - increased combo damage scaling after dash cancelling out of Wasp Grenade
•D'Vorah (Brood Mother) - reduced the cooldown on Krawler to 3 seconds (down from 4)
•D'Vorah (Venomous) - Bug Spray &Bug Burst is now max -23 on block and +12 on hit (down from -20 on block and +15 on hit)


•Ermac - Away+FP is now a high block and has 9 startup frames and 3 active frames (down from 11 start and up from 2 active)
•Ermac - Down+FP is now -6 on block (down from -10)
•Ermac - Increased the block advantage of Away+BP by 1 and it is now more plus on block the longer it is charged
•Ermac - Towards+FK now has 11 startup frames and is -4 on block (down from 13 startup and -3 on block)
•Ermac - Towards+FK, BK is now -1 on block (up from -6)
•Ermac - Towards+BK, FK is now -6 on block (up from -11)
•Ermac - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -10 on block (up from -16)
•Ermac - Changed the command input of Hover to Down, Up+Block (from Down, Down, Up)
•Ermac (Mystic) - Levitate (Tele-Choke) is now -6 on block and has 9 startup frames (up from -14 on block and down from 11 startup frames)
•Ermac (Spectral) - Changed the command input of Soul Ascension to Down, Up+Block (from Down, Down, Up)


•Erron Black - Increased pushback on block for Sand Shot and it is now +6 on block (down from +7)
•Erron Black - Increased range on Sand Trap Tackle and it now has13 startup frames (down from16)
•Erron Black - Quick Sand Tackle will now combo from a hit
•Erron Black - Increased the hit advantage of Quick Sand Tackle &Sand Trap Tackle by 10
•Erron Black - Down+FP now has 7 startup frames (down from 8)
•Erron Black - Towards+BK is now -12 on block and +17 on hit (down from -21 on block and up +7 on hit)
•Erron Black - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -7 on block (up from -12)
•Erron Black - Increased hit advantage and hit cancel advantage by 1-3 on most normals and strings


•Ferra/Torr - Added Little One Slide (enhanced Bowl Girl) special move which can allow for a combo afterwards
•Ferra/Torr - Added Ferra Throw (enhanced Ferra Toss) special move which can allow for a combo afterwards
•Ferra/Torr - BP, Towards+BK is now -5 on block (up from -8), does 1 less damage, and can now be special canceled
•Ferra/Torr - Down+BP is now +4 on block (up from -11)
•Ferra/Torr - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -9 on block (down from -18)
•Ferra/Torr - Down+FP (sans Ferra) is now -6 on block (down from -3)
•Ferra/Torr - Away+BK (sans Ferra) is now -6 on block (up from -17)
•Ferra/Torr - Towards+BP can no longer be used twice to extend the same combo
•Ferra/Torr - Grab 'n' Stab can now combo from a hit
•Ferra/Torr - Away+2 can now be special canceled into X-Ray or background interactions
•Ferra/Torr - Increased hit advantage and hit cancel advantage by 2-4 on most normals and strings
•Ferra/Torr (Vicious) - Added Boss Launch (enhanced Boss Toss) which goes farther
•Ferra/Torr (Vicious) - Slightly reduced the range of Boss Toss
•Ferra/Torr (Vicious) - Gut Ripper can now combo from a hit
•Ferra/Torr (Lackey) - Boulder Roll&Double Boulder Roll are now -10 and -6 on block (down from -12 and -9)
•Ferra/Torr (Lackey) - Increased combo damage scaling on Boulder Roll&Double Boulder Roll
•Ferra/Torr (Lackey) - Colossal Crush can now combo from a hit


•Goro - Increased the active frames on jumping FP
•Goro - Shokan Slam can now combo from a hit
•Goro - armor on X-Ray now lasts until the active frames
•Goro - Towards+BK is now +4 on block (up from +2)
•Goro - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -9 on block (down from -13)
•Goro - Reduced run startup frames and increased it distance traveled
•Goro - Slightly sped up his step forward
•Goro (Kuatan Warrior) - Tremor will be combo damage scaled after combo when used in an unavoidable off the ground situation
•Goro (Dragon Fangs) - Shokan Massacre can now combo from a hit


•Jacqui - Bionic Dash & Bionic Blast are now -9 and 0 on block (down from -19 and -21) with increased pushback on block
•Jacqui - BP, FK is now a low block
•Jacqui - Increased hit advantage and hit cancel advantage by 1-3 on most normals and strings
•Jacqui - added 5 more frames to buffer the Stanky Leg input from BK
•Jacqui - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -6 on block (up from -10)
•Jacqui (Shotgun) - Single Barrel is now +17 on hit (up from +1)


•Jason - added 5 recovery frames to Back Breaker & Spine Shatter
•Jason - Choke & Choke Slam now have 12 startup frames (down from 15)
•Jason - You can now throw the opponent forward by holding Towards after Spine Shatter connects
•Jason - Down+FP now has 6 startup frames (down from 8)
•Jason - Down+BP now has 6 startup frames (down from 9)
•Jason - Away+FK now has 9 startup frames and is -11 on block (down from 12 startup and -9 on block)
•Jason - Away+FK, FP+FK is now a command throw
•Jason - Added Away+FK, Up+FP combo string
•Jason - Added Away+FK, Down+FP combo string
•Jason - Towards+FK is now +7 on block (up from -1)
•Jason - Down+FK now has 10 startup frames and is -3 on block (down from 11 startup and up -8 on block)
•Jason - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -3 on block (up from -14)
•Jason - Down+BK now has 13 startup frames and is -2 on block (down from 16 startup and up -3 on block)
•Jason (Slasher) - removed 9 recovery frames from Machete Toss & Machete Throw
•Jason (Slasher) - Away+FP now has 9 startup frames and is -11 on block (down from 11 startup and -10 on block)
•Jason (Relentless) - Increased the scaling damage boost from Damned to 1.1x / 1.25x / 1.45x / 1.75x (from 1.1x / 1.2x / 1.33x / 1.5x)
•Jason (Unstoppable) - removed 12 recovery frames from Corpse Walk
•Jason (Unstoppable) - slightly increased the health gain from Rise & Corpse Walk
•Jason (Unstoppable) - Rise & Corpse Walk now also gain meter while active
•Jason (Unstoppable) - while Punishment & Rampant are active most of your attacks will break through opponents armor
•Jason (Unstoppable) - Punishment & Rampant now lasts 7 seconds (up from 5 seconds)
•Jason (Unstoppable) - Rampant now lasts 10 seconds (up from 5 seconds)


•Jax - Reduced the hit region of Towards+FK
•Jax - Down+FP, Down+BP is now -2 on block (up from -7)
•Jax - Increased combo damage scaling after Gotcha Beatdown, Downward Dash Punch, &Downward Dash Fist
•Jax - Away+BP is now -13 on block (down from -8)
•Jax - Down+FK is now -2 on block (down from 0)
•Jax - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -13 on block (up from -17)
•Jax - Ground Shake will be combo damage scaled after combo when used in an unavoidable off the ground situation
•Jax (Pumped Up) - Air Drill Punch &Ground Quake will be combo damage scaled after combo when used in an unavoidable off the ground situation
•Jax (Wrestler) - Added 8 recovery frames to Quad Grab&Quad Grapple
•Jax (Wrestler) - increased hit advantage after Back Breaker by 10
•Jax (Wrestler) -Quad Grapple can now combo from a hit


•Johnny Cage - Increased the active frames on jumping BP
•Johnny Cage - Nutcracker is now -14 on block (down from -12)
•Johnny Cage - Down+FK now has 7 startup frames and is -9 on block (down from 10 startup and -4 on block)
•Johnny Cage - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -12 on block (up from -22)
•Johnny Cage - Down+BK now has 5 more recovery frames and is-6 on block (down from -1)
•Johnny Cage - Increased damage of throw when Red Shadow is active
•Johnny Cage (Fisticuffs) - Fist Bump now recovers 4 frames faster and lasts for 9 seconds (up from 8 seconds)
•Johnny Cage (Fisticuffs) - Away+1 now has 10 startup frames (down from 11)
•Johnny Cage (Fisticuffs) - Hits of Speed Bag string do additional damage on hit and block if Fist Bump is active
•Johnny Cage (Fisticuffs) - does the increased damage throw while Fist Bump is active
•Johnny Cage (A-List) - Nut Breaker is now -21 on block (down from -11)
•Johnny Cage (A-List) - Nut Breaker when meter burned is now -14 on block (down from -12)


•Kano - Up Ball&Uprise Ball will hit more consistently after 7 startup frames
•Kano - Away+FP is now -8 on block (down -2)
•Kano - Away+FP, FK is now -2 on block (down from -1)
•Kano - Down+FP is now -7 on block (down from -9)
•Kano - Down+FK now has 7 startup frames (down from 8)
•Kano - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -6 on block (up from -10)
•Kano - Down+BK is now -12 on block (up from -7)
•Kano - Air Ball now hits overhead
•Kano (CutThroat) - Blade Slice is now -5 on block (up from -8)
•Kano (CutThroat) - Bloody Slice is now -15 on block (down from -8)
•Kano (CutThroat) - Away+FP has slightly increased range
•Kano (Cybernetic) - Upward Laser now has 6 startup frames and 21 recovery frames (down from 10 startup and up from 18 recovery)
•Kano (Commando) - Added 8 recovery frames to Rib Strike &Rib Breaker
•Kano (Commando) - Choke &Strangle are now +15 and +23 on hit (up from -5 and +5)
•Kano (Commando) - Gains a new BP, BP combo string
•Kano (Commando) - Gains a new Away+FP, FK, FP+FK string
•Kano (Commando) - Rib Breaker&Power Bomb can now combo from a hit


•Kenshi - Blade Reflect & Blade Absorb now have 7 startup frames (down from 10)
•Kenshi - Blade Reflect & Blade Absorb can now parry most non low attacks
•Kenshi - After a successful parry from Blade Reflect &Blade Absorb you can special cancel into another special move
•Kenshi - Away+FP now has 13 startup frames and is -1 on block (down from 17 startup and up from -6 on block)
•Kenshi - Down+FP now has 7 startup frames (down from 8)
•Kenshi - BP now has 9 startup frames and is -14 on block (down from 11 and -9 on block)
•Kenshi - BP, BP can now be meter burned to reset the combo string
•Kenshi - Added Towards+BP, FP, FP / BK combo strings
•Kenshi - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -9 on block (up from -13)
•Kenshi - Away+BP is now -4 on block (up from -18)
•Kenshi - adjusted the reaction of BP, FP, FP, BP+BK to make comboing afterwards easier
•Kenshi - Increased the damage of BK by 2 and decreased the damage of BK, FP by 2
•Kenshi - Towards+BK is now a high block, has extended range, and has 16 startup frames (down from 18)
•Kenshi - BP, FP, BP is now -2 on block (up from -5)
•Kenshi (Possessed) - After Demon Port & Demon Beam you can hold Towards to perform directional jumping attacks instead of neutral jumping attacks
•Kenshi (Possessed) - Increased damage of Soul Push & Soul Charge by 2 and 5
•Kenshi (Kenjutsu) - FK, BP, BP is now -4 on block (up from -8)
•Kenshi (Kenjutsu) - Away+BP is now -4 on block (up from -18)


•Kitana - Down+FK now has 6 startup frames and is -3 on block (down from 9 startup and up from -5 on block)
•Kitana - BK is now +11 on block (up from +2)
•Kitana - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -2 on block (up from -6)
•Kitana (Assassin) - Sharpen &Razor Blade now has 54 and 30 recovery frames (down from 73 & 55)
•Kitana (Assassin) - Increased armor frames on Assassin Impale
•Kitana (Mournful) - reduced block stun frames on the first hit of Glaive Return


•Kotal Kahn - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -8 on block (up from -13)
•Kotal Kahn - Sunstone & Burning Sunstone now breaks through Ice Klone
•Kotal Kahn - Towards+BK now has 23 startup frames and is now +9 on block (up from 20 startup frames and -2)
•Kotal Kahn (War God) - Sword Quake will be combo damage scaled after combo when used in an unavoidable off the ground situation
•Kotal Kahn (Sun God) - Moon God Choke can now combo from a hit


•Kung Lao - Reduced the hit region of Jumping BP
•Kung Lao (Tempest) - Orbiting Hat is now +7 on block (down from +12)
•Kung Lao (Tempest) - Orbiting Hat is now +40 on hit (up from +17)
•Kung Lao (Tempest) - Cyclone pulls the opponent closer when blocked


•Kung Jin - Towards+BK is now +4 on block (up from -1)
•Kung Jin - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -8 on block (up from -12)


•Liu kang - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -9 on block (up from -13)
•Liu kang (Dragon Fire) - Flip Kick from Bicycle Kick is now 0 on block (down from +2)
•Liu kang (Dualist) - Yang damage buff no longer goes away when you get hit


•Mileena - Removed 5 recovery frames from Double Sai Blast
•Mileena - Removed 3 recovery frames from Sai Blast
•Mileena - Removed 3 recovery frames from Air Sai Blast
•Mileena - Down+FP now has 6 startup frames and is -5 on block (down from 9 startup and -4 on block)
•Mileena - Down+FK now has 8 startup frames and is -6 on block (down from 10 startup and -1 on block)
•Mileena - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -4 on block (up from -8)
•Mileena - Towards+BK now has 15 startup frames and is -8 on block (down from 17 startup and -31 on block)
•Mileena (Piercing) - Removed 5 recovery frames from Low Sai & Double Low Sai
•Mileena (Piercing) - Away+FP is now -2 on block (down from -5)
•Mileena (Piercing) - Away+FP, BP is now -1 on block (down from +2)
•Mileena (Ravenous) - High Pounce now has 12 startup frames, is -3 on block, and has 9 less recovery frames (down from 15 startup and -7 on block) and has increased range
•Mileena (Ravenous) - Low Pounce now has 8 startup frames and has 8 less recovery frames (down from 13 startup)


•Predator - Down+FP now has 8 startup frames and is -6 on block (down from 9 startup and -3 on block)
•Predator - Down+FK is now -6 on block (down from -3)
•Predator - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -10 on block (up from -15)
•Predator (Warrior) - Dread Slam now has 13 startup frames and is -4 on block (down from 29 startup and up from -9 on block)
•Predator (Warrior) - Dread Launch now has 13 startup frames and is -14 on block (down from 29 startup and down from -9 on block)
•Predator (Warrior) - removed 3 recovery frames from Self-Detonate & Self-Destruct
•Predator (Hish-Qu-Ten) - lowered damage of all Plasma Shots by 1
•Predator (Hish-Qu-Ten) - added 3 recovery frames with Cancel from Plasma Shot when the opponent is in block stun


•Quan Chi - Trance is now +46 on hit (down from 80)
•Quan Chi - Removed 9 startup frames from Sky Crush
•Quan Chi - removed 5 startup frames from Sky Drop
•Quan Chi - Ground Burst meter burn is now -1 on block (down from +14) but it can now be delayed to increase the block advantage
•Quan Chi - Increased combo damage scaling after Ground Burst
•Quan Chi - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -8 on block (up from -12)
•Quan Chi (Sorcerer) - Black Magic now activates in 29 frames and has 30 recovery frames (down from activates in 53 frames and 70 recovery frames)
•Quan Chi (Sorcerer) - Final Hex now activates in 31 frames and has 53 recovery frames (down from activates in 47 frames and 55 recovery frames)
•Quan Chi (Sorcerer) - Dark Curse now activates in 36 frames and has 59 recovery frames (down from activates in 45 frames and 62 recovery frames)
•Quan Chi (Summoner) - Increased combo damage scaling after Bat attacks


•Raiden - Towards+FP, BP is now 0 on block (up from -3)
•Raiden - Down+FP is now -7 on block (down from -9)
•Raiden - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -3 on block (up from -17)
•Raiden - Towards+BK is now +6 on block (up from -3)
•Raiden - Increased the cancel advantage of Towards+FP, BP
•Raiden (Master of Storms) - Static Traps now last 20 seconds (up from 10 seconds)


•Reptile - Increased active frames on jumping FP
•Reptile - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -9 on block (up from -13)
•Reptile (Deceptive) - added 5 recovery frames with Stealth & Invisibility when the opponent is in block stun
•Reptile (Nimble) - Basilisk now recovers in 31 frames (down from 36)
•Reptile (Nimble) - Basilisk Runner now recovers in 61 frames (down from 71)


•Scorpion - Takedown & Takeout are now +15 on hit (up from -5)
•Scorpion - FP, FP is now +1 on block (up from -4)
•Scorpion - FP, BP is now -6 on block (up from -11)
•Scorpion - Down+FP is now -7 on block (up from -9)
•Scorpion - BP, FP is now +2 on block (up from -7)
•Scorpion - BP, FP, BK is now +2 on block (up from -14)
•Scorpion - FK now has 7 startup frames and is +2 on block (down from 11 startup frames and down from -3 on block)
•Scorpion - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -9 on block (up from -18)
•Scorpion (Ninjutsu) - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -4 on block (up from -16)
•Scorpion (Ninjutsu) - The 2nd hit of Towards+BP is now an overhead block
•Scorpion (Ninjutsu) - Away+BK can now be special canceled before the 2nd hit
•Scorpion (Hellfire) - Hell-Ferno will be combo damage scaled after combo when used in an unavoidable off the ground situation


•Shinnok - Amulet Curse has increased pushback on block
•Shinnok - Down+FP is now -7 on block (up from -9)
•Shinnok - Down+BP is now a high block
•Shinnok - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -8 on block (up from -19)
•Shinnok (Impostor) - After Air Tricky Portal you can hold Towards to perform directional jumping attacks instead of neutral jumping attacks
•Shinnok (Necromancer) - Judgment Fist & Judgment Smash now has 52 startup frames and is +2 on hit (down from 58 startup and -3 on hit)


•Sonya - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -10 on block (up from -14)
•Sonya (Demolition) - Grenades no longer bounce when they hit the ground
•Sonya (Demolition) - Drone Drop now reloads 5 frames faster and recovers 3 frames faster
•Sonya (Demolition) - Increased combo damage scaling on Stun Grenade
•Sonya (Demolition) - Drone Drop now adds combo damage scaling


•Subzero - Down+FP is now -4 on block (up from -6)
•Subzero - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -5 on block (up from -16)
•Subzero (Unbreakable) - Icy Slide will now leave the opponent frozen if it connects while Frozen Aura or Ice Aura is active
•Subzero (Grand Master) - Klone Toss can now have its trajectory lowered by holding Down




•Takeda - Down+FP now has 7 startup frames (up from 8)
•Takeda - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -5 on block (up from -9)
•Takeda - Towards+BK is now +9 on block (up from +2)
•Takeda (Ronin) - Blade Kall and Blade Summon is now -13 on block and only hits once on block or armor (down from -5)
•Takeda (Ronin) - Away+BP now has 15 startup frames (up from 12)


•Tanya - Away+BK has increased pushback and is now -7 on block (up from -12)
•Tanya - FK, BK can no longer be canceled on the first active frame
•Tanya (Kobu Jutsu) - reduced the blockstun on Tonfa Throw
•Tanya (Kobu Jutsu) - Away+FP now has 10 startup frames (up from 9)
•Tanya (Kobu Jutsu) - Reduced the pushback on block from the last hit of Tonfa Swipe
•Tanya (Kobu Jutsu) - Away+FP, BP+BK is now -10 on block (down from -4)
•Tanya (Dragon Naginata) - Increased damage of Away+BP by 2
•Tanya (Dragon Naginata) - Increased damage of Down+Away+BP by 2
•Tanya (Pyromancer) - removed 5 recovery frames from Low Fireball & High Fireball
•Tanya (Pyromancer) - removed 2 recovery frames from Air Far Fire Blast & Air Close Fire Blast


•Tremor - Rock Shower now activates 6 frames later and has 6 more recovery frames
•Tremor - Rock Drop now activates 6 frames later and has 10 more recovery frames
•Tremor - Down+FK is now -2 on block (down from +1)
•Tremor - Down+BK is now -11 on block (down from -8)
•Tremor - Ground Pulse & Ground Quake will be combo damage scaled after combo when used in an unavoidable off the ground situation
•Tremor (Crystalline) - Krystal Blast Down Shatter is now -5 on block (down from 0)

credit to @NetherRealm NetherRealm Studios

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Mortal Kombat Arcade Secret Hidden Menus

The so-called "EJB Menus" — presumably named after Mortal Kombat co-designer Edward J. Boon — were first discovered last year by The Cutting Room Floor. Now, the secrets found in Mortal Kombat 1, 2, and 3 have been documented on video by YouTube user YourMKArcadeSource. (Video below)

The Easter eggs largely act like debug menus, particularly in the first two games. Users can run diagnostics, skip to character endings, and program initials into the leaderboards.

Links for the codes are listed below: (opens in new window)

Mortal Kombat (MK1)
Mortal Kombat II (MKII)
Mortal Kombat 3 (MK3)
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3


instead of clicking on a bunch of links, here are the cliff note code listings...

The code is P1 Block (x times) then P2 Block (x times) then P1 Block (x times) etc...

MK1...

P1 (5), P2 (10), P1 (2), P2 (1), P1 (2), P2 (3), P1 (4)

MK2...

P1 (5), P2 (10), P1 (2), P2 (8), P1 (2)

MK3/UMK3...

P1 (5), P2 (10), P1 (3), P2 (1), P1 (2), P2 (2), P1 (3), P2 (4)
 

Hope you guys enjoy!

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