Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance

"Best MK handheld."

Remember the older and less productive or detailed handheld versions of Mortal Kombat? Deadly Alliance steps up and takes a swing at what the previous Game Boy and Game Gear handhelds never had. Expect your old favorites and some new ones take a shot.
Right off the bat, you will be impressed by the fresh 3-dimensional movement in the arena. Evasion and attacking is well favored by the axis of total allowed movement. Maybe the jumping system needs improvement, but the ground tactics of controlling are mind blowing.
The controls are fairly easy to get a hang of if you're a player from back in the day. There may be some delayed reactions or some opposite counters effected from jumping too much. Practice makes perfect, thank God.
Each character now has their own unique fighting style and not just their own combos like the series in the past. You can even create your own strings if you master their techniques well enough.
Special moves are still a gigantic part of the game. Not many difficult fights in this game can be won with just fist. You have to have a spear, laser, etc. to complete your need for arsenal.
Along with specials, there are many handheld weapons in this game. Some are vital to strong, fast combo strings and attract some attention off of hand to hand combat. There's one individual blade for each fighter to slice up with.
The one thing this game needs more is adventure. The classic arcade mode is still a delicious time maker, but more of a story should fit in there. Currency makes the game longer and harder, once you figure how to get as many ''koins'' as possible to purchase items. You may buy outfits, modes, and perhaps some more secrets.
Maybe you're just interested in the grotesque violence in this game. If you are, you won't be disappointed. You may cry because fatalities are almost all new and in crisp vision. The gruesome acts of striking leave large blobs and spills on the floor, not to mention some body parts once in a while. Take it with you for gore-on-the-go!
Multi player is a great way to kill time and earn secrets in the game quickly. Players may gamble their ''koins'' or fight for fun. Head to head is a surefire love for beginners to show off how good they are so far to their friends.
Bottom line, this is the best Mortal Kombat for a handheld gaming system due to detail and new features. The speed of animation may bring you down at first, but you will find how to use this to your advantage after time.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/30/02, Updated 11/30/02