Play Mortal Kombat II - Kyuukyoku Shinken (Japan) on gb Online

I remember picking up Mortal Kombat II for the Game Boy back in 1994, published by Acclaim Entertainment. It was one of those ambitious ports that tried to bring the arcade experience to a handheld, a time when developers were still figuring out how to translate fighting games to such a small screen. The hardware limitations were obvious, but it was impressive just to have a version of MK2 you could take anywhere.

You control one of several fighters, each with their own special moves, and battle through a series of opponents in one-on-one combat. The main objective is to win each match and progress through the ladder of fighters, culminating in a fight against Shao Kahn. Signature mechanics include performing fatalities by inputting specific button combinations after defeating your opponent, and a two-button control scheme that simplifies the usual six-button layout into combinations for high and low attacks. The pacing is brisk, though the AI can be unforgiving, especially in later matches. It feels like a condensed, sometimes clumsy, but always earnest attempt to deliver a portable dose of the series' brutal charm.