One thing lacking in MK are environmental hazards. My recent Weather Thread focused on the elements and this thread draws heavily from it. However, this thread focuses on the more physical, environmental hazards.

Certain stages like the Living Forest or Jades Desert could have incorporated some of these dangers. I present here some of those dangers and some of the other dangers that could possibly occur in other stages in MK.

Stages and Environmental Hazards

Jades Desert: It would’ve been cool to fight on the sands here. Environmental hazards here could include a sandstorm which can obstruct vision or damage both players. Or maybe even whisk them off balance. In deserts sand dunes rise and falling and it’d be cool to see the sands rise or fall with you on them. This could put you at a height advantage or disadvantage against the opponent. It can allow you to avoid attacks but you probably wouldn’t be able to attack them with all attacks. And finally, for a death trap, you can have quicksand there to suck the opponent down into the ground. Let's throw some mirages in that are really deathtraps also!

Snow Stage (MK4): This arena was circular and enclosed and the outside edges were covered in snow. The hail effects I mentioned earlier would be great for here, or maybe even sleet. Sleet would cause a small icy layer to appear on the surface and cause you to slip, slide and maybe fall at times if you move too quickly. If hail isn’t falling, then maybe snow can. If it is blizzard like the increase of snow on the ground can hinder the movement of the players. And if the opponents were to be knocked against the walls, the snow that has built up along the walls can fall down on top of them maybe. It’ll take the character awhile to get out of it and maybe make them slow as they recover from the cold. In a proper snow environment an avalanche could be caused. Also, in cold areas like this, characters other than Sub-Zero and gods might not be affected by the temperatures. Others would be shaky and shivery and this could slow them down a little.

The Wind Stage (MK4): Imagine the winds here building up and the thunder and lightning becoming even more violent. Tornadoes could build up and lightning could strike the mountains in the background destroying parts of them. The loosened rocks could be picked up by the tornadoes and launched into the arena your fighting in. unless you avoid them, you get crushed. If you do, flying debris might hurt you a little. The lightning can also strike the ground and maybe open up holes which would make you fall down to your death.

Subway: Imagine this place all nice and calm! And boring! Lets throw in an earthquake! Imagine the train coming off the track and the roof caving in and the pillars collapsing! It’d be a nice background effect! Imagine chunks of rock from the road above falling down and you have to avoid them. What if a car sudden drove down and crashed? The explosion would be one you’d need to avoid as well as the car itself. Instead of all that you could just have part of the roof cave in and act like a stair case to the street above.

Other stages in MK can have hazards too. Water stages can have huge tidal waves appear and crash down on both fighters or maybe earthquakes can happen in other stages and cause boulders to roll down or have buildings collapse on you. Slight tremors can interrupt fighting a little also. There are many possibilities. The Wastelands could have you fighting amongst vines and thorns which damage you and rip clothing. And then you can have volcanic eruptions and you have to avoid magma and hot rocks being shot out of the volcano. And even geysers!