IGN has just posted a story in which they give a preview of one of Jakks Pacific's upcoming additions to its TV Games lineup. This particular TV Games unit has only one game on it, but it is a heftier game than most other TV Games: the original Mortal Kombat! From the article:

Mortal Kombat TV Games will be a self-contained unit based on the original arcade game's upright control panel in a control-pad form. This battery-powered device simply plugs into any TV or VCR with video/audio inputs, offering an accurate version of the original 1990 arcade hit Mortal Kombat without the need for a gaming console.

Two of these units can be linked together for one-on-one fights, and the internal memory chip will record high score standings, just like the original arcade unit. Jakks Pacific promises that the version of Mortal Kombat in this controller will be completely unedited, featuring the same blood and fatalities the series is known for

The article also has an image of the controller; the color scheme of the controller matches the red, yellow, and orange look of the original Mortal Kombat arcade machine. A release date has not been set yet, but the article does state that the currently planned price is $19.99. As we learn more about this controller, we'll be sure to post it here!

To read the story in its entirety, click here.

Our thanks to forum member darthtsung for the heads-up on this news story!

New Shaolin Monks Interview over at Team Xbox! From the article:

The Mortal Kombat series is one that certainly needs no introduction. Visions of gruesome, bloody combat and over-the-top fatalities immediately come to mind as soon as the MK dragon seal is seen. Ever since debuting in arcades back in 1992, gamers have held a special place in their hearts for Mortal Kombat, and while not every title has been a success (cough, Mortal Kombat Advance, cough), there is no doubting the influence that the series has had on the industry. So what’s next for Mortal Kombat? How about a an action/adventure game that digs deep into the MK mythology while providing a multi-directional combat system, a cooperative mode, and of course, lots of fatalities. In this exclusive interview, Producer Shaun Himmerick outlines the direction that Paradox Development is taking the Mortal Kombat series with their creation, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks.

Go HERE for the full interview where they touch on multiple playable characters as well as an explanation on the multi-directional "kombat" system in game, the multiplayer aspects of gameplay, and of course, the Fatalities and even new "Multalities"!


Special thanks go out to forum user UltimateRyu for the heads up!

A few months back, MTV had Mortal Kombat: Deception characters Baraka, Scorpion, and Raiden guest star on a show of theirs called Video Mods. Now, they have made that video freely available on their website as a streaming video. The name of the song that the video game characters are dancing to is called "Stand And Choose" and was about the Presidential election. Thanks to MK Online forum/chat member DECEPTION for the news!

Mortal Kombat: Deception's own emerald assassin, Jade, will be making an appearance on a new show on G4TechTV's lineup in May called "Girls Gone Wired". It's looks as though they will use a CG model as opposed to a live actress, but either way, this is something the MK fans won't want to miss! The new TV show is described as "a digital beauty pageant featuring the hottest 2D and 3D women on the planet, which is set to premiere in May."


Check out the entire press release here.

It looks like the gaming site FileFront had the opportunity to have an interview with John Podlasek, the producer for Mortal Kombat: Deception. They talk about some of the goals behind MKD's creation, some of what went into Deadly Alliance that they have now continued, some of the things to expect for the GameCube version of Deception, and a variety of other subjects. From the interview:

One of the things we're most proud of is also having an online mode not just for the fighting mode, but also the puzzle and board game modes. The ability to find gamers 24/7 all over the country to compete against with in these different modes is awesome. And unlike our competition, the fact that the majority of players are having a good experience online in terms of performance and latency will keep the game growing as more people get broadband (we're really close to 2 million online matches played since launch on just the PS2, which is amazing).

Check out the full interview here.