Play Mortal Kombat - Shinken Kourin Densetsu (Japan) Online

So, Mortal Kombat: Shinken Kourin Densetsu—basically Japan’s SNES version of the arcade bloodbath—is this weird, cool middle ground between the censored U.S. release and the full-on gorefest. Yeah, it’s still toned down compared to the arcade, but you actually get some blood here, unlike the infamous "sweat" edition. Scorpion’s spear actually looks painful, and Sub-Zero’s spine rip? Well, let’s just say it’s implied rather than shown in full detail.

The sprites are surprisingly sharp for an SNES port, and pulling off special moves feels just as satisfying as you’d hope. Liu Kang’s bicycle kick still slaps, and Raiden’s torpedo move is as ridiculous (and fun) as ever. It’s not arcade-perfect—some animations are a little choppy, and the fatalities are tamer—but there’s something charming about how it tries to keep the spirit intact while working within Nintendo’s rules.

If you’re into retro fighting games or just curious about regional differences, this one’s a neat time capsule. Just don’t go in expecting the brutality of the original—think of it as Mortal Kombat with training wheels, but still packing a punch.