For the second consecutive time, Mortal Kombat has been chosen as one of the nominees for the Walk of Game. Metreon, a Sony Entertainment Destination, is indicating the place of video games in modern entertainment with this annual award for electronic entertainment. The Walk of Game is similar to the Walk of Fame in Hollywood, in that it honors games with a walkway plaque, to be installed in the San Fransisco Metreon. This award is surely an honor to any game inducted into it's hallowed halls. During the entire month of October, cast your vote and put Mortal Kombat up with other past inductees that have changed the video game industry for the better, including such franchises like Mario, Zelda, Halo, and Sonic the Hedgehog. From the site:

Walk of Game is the first-of-its-kind landmark honoring the icons and pioneers of the videogame industry.

Walk of Game is located inside Metreon, a 350,000 square-foot entertainment complex at Fourth and Mission Streets in the heart of downtown San Francisco.

Every year, gamers worldwide cast their vote on www.WalkOfGame.com to induct the next set of honorees to receive a permanent 24"x 24", customized steel star on the Walk of Game. From the list of nominees, the top four in the category of Games/Characters and the top two in Lifetime Achievement will be inducted. Inductees to date are: Nolan Bushnell, Shigeru Miyamoto, Halo, Link (The Legend of Zelda), Mario, and Sonic The Hedgehog.

The list of nominees is compiled from a survey of industry members and technology, entertainment, and gaming media. SCA Interactive, a leader in online promotions, powers the Walk of Game voting interface.

Check www.WalkOfGame.com regularly to keep informed about upcoming events including unveiling of the stars for the 2006 Inductees!

Cast your ballot beginning Saturday at the Walk of Game website. Our thanks to Cinder, from the Official Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks Forums, for sending us the news!

Cinder of the Midway Boards has come through for the fans again! This time, he's posted another character render from Midway's Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. This particular render features Mortal Kombat's longtime comic relief and action movie actor, the fan favorite Johnny Cage!

To see the forum thread in which the render was originally posted, click here.

Our thanks to forum member icemantraveler for the heads-up on this new render!

Over on the Midway Boards, Cinder has posted a new render from Midway's Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. This render features the Shokan prince, Goro! This render isn't entirely new; while there had not been a Goro render from MK: Shaolin Monks before, this one appears to be the palace background from other MK: Shaolin Monks renders, with the Goro render from the Nintendo GameCube version of Mortal Kombat: Deception.

To see the forum thread in which the render was originally posted, click here.

Our thanks to forum member queve for the heads-up on this render!

Our favorite guy Cinder over at the MK: Shaolin Monks Forum has posted the next render as promised. This time, it's the mightiest of all the Tarkatan hordes, the ever-lovin' nomadic mutant, Baraka! Check it out.

To see the original forum post, click here. Thanks to MK Online forum member Buterbals for the news lead!

The reviews don't seem to stop coming in as TeamXbox has just released their review of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. The guys go as far as not only giving this game an overall rating of 8.7, but they also choose the game as their Editor's Choice! From the review:

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is much different than other MK titles out there, and this necessarily isn't a bad thing. The MK story and its band of characters have always been a blast; even the low-budget film had some high points. The same pretty much goes for Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. The gameplay is solid enough to not get in the way of a pretty cool story that, in one way of another, introduces all of your old friends into the mix. An absolutely incredible cinematic kicks off the story, and a short training/tutorial level will introduce gamers to the intricacies of Multi-Directional Kombat. The Multi system works for the most part, and is enhanced with the help of Havok physics. It's quite unique to be able to hit three or four foes at once and choose in which order to do so….all while in the air. The only drawback is that the camera (which isn't totally free-roaming) can sometimes get a little confused. Midway did, however, include a panoramic and close-up cam to at least give some options. The gameplay is definitely unique - exactly what the MK series needed as it makes the turn into yet another generation of consoles. [...]It is basically impossible that you have never played a MK title if you frequent TeamXbox.com. But in the case that you haven't messed with the Fatality crew before, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks isn't a bad place to start. The story may not make total sense, but the action is fresh and furious. Gamers well versed in the ways of the Flawless Victory should get a kick out of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks as well. While not a true fighter, it still offers up enough combo-type fighter moves to keep the hardcore head-to-head fans happy. If you're still leery about the new format, then give Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks a rent, but action fans should have no problems justifying the premium price- especially those that like to co-op campaign with a friend.

To read the review in full click here. Thanks goes out to Nathan Susag for sending words on the review, which is yet another great victory for Midway Games!

The game may already be out, but Cinder is still at it! This time, another render from MK: Shaolin Monks: fan favorite Kitana. Check it out:

To read the original post in its entirety, click here. Thanks to MK Online reader icemantraveler for the word on this update. And by the way, Cinder assures us another render is coming tomorrow. Who could it be? Only time will tell!

The TV spot for MK: Shaolin Monks in the U.K. is out, and the folks responsible for it - Maverick Media - has posted it on their website. It involves a bunch of CEO's at some business meeting, when all of a sudden the President has them fighting each other and doing Fatalities, and even takes off his own hat and does a Fatality himself! Check out the pics: To see the commercial in its entirety, click here. Thanks to MK Online Flawless Account holder Khaos of MK Outworld for the word on this update!

1UP.com is next up to bat with their latest review of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. The review praises the game, even giving this action/adventure title another solid rating of 8.0. Here is a snippet from their review:

One of the key features of the fighting engine is the substantial amount of combat and attack freedom. In fact, it may be said that Paradox Entertainment specially made MK: SM a combo-oriented game. The engine revolves around a system of launchers, heavy attacks, light attacks, and special moves. By utilizing the five different sets of attacks, the player has a plethora of combo options to set up combo strings, juggles, and links. If you're adept to the inner-workings of the combo system, you can create stylish combos that would even rival the ones found in actual fighting games. The variety of attacks, juggle set-ups, combo strings and launchers is amazing -- it truly feels that you're not playing just a normal action-adventure game, but a hybrid featuring the best ideas found in a fighting and adventure game.

Another main selling point is the astronomical number of hidden quests and secrets found throughout the game. Finding secrets is a crucial component to the game -- it's the only way to unlock fatality inputs, secret playable characters, character art, and an arcade port of Mortal Kombat II (which is the same rendition found on the Midway Arcade Treasures 2). Some of the secrets are easy to acquire, but others require a bit of intuition and luck (and you'll need more than luck to acquire all 68 hidden objects in the game). Although most gamers will take an estimated twelve hours to complete the game on normal mode, unlocking all the secrets will tack on an additional eight-plus hours.

To read the review in all of its entirety, click here. Thanks goes out to chatroom user, Three-11, for sending us the word on another great win for the Midway Games L.A. Team!

Gamespot has now released its final review for the recent release of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. They give the a game a pretty solid rating of 7.5. Though it does criticize certain aspects of the game, it is safe to say that MK: Shaolin Monks will never be compared against the lackluster attempt that was Mortal Kombat: Special Forces. From their complete review:

When it comes down to it, if you're a Mortal Kombat fan, you'll like Shaolin Monks. If you aren't, you won't. The core action of the game will be enjoyable to any beat-'em-up fan, but what makes Shaolin Monks specifically appealing isn't its brawling. Instead, it's the game's unrelenting desire to cater to classic Kombat fans. Average players aren't likely to want to seek out all the crazy, hidden missions you have to accomplish to unlock the included arcade port of Mortal Kombat II, for instance, but fans are likely to squeal with delight at the thought of being able to unlock their favorite arcade fighter. And that's pretty much how it is with the entirety of the game. It's fan service, pure and simple, and as such, the vast bulk of the content is only going to be appealing to those with a penchant for fatalities and toasty guy. So if you played and loved the classic Mortal Kombat fighters, Shaolin Monks is a game well worth checking out. For anybody else, Shaolin Monks might make for a solid rental; but ultimately, this one's probably best left to the fans.

Thanks goes out to Mortal Kombat Online user DECEPTION for the news lead.

Also, we'd like to bring to your attention that our most recent Developer Diary with MK: Shaolin Monks producer Shaun Himmerick made some waves over at GameSpot concerning Shaun's mentioning of the possibility of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks coming to the Sony PSP. From their rumor control:

Although there's already one Mortal Kombat game confirmed for the PSP--Mortal Kombat: Deception Unchained, due next February--word began to percolate last week that a handheld version of Shaolin Monks is in the works. The rumor trail led back to a post on Mortalkombatonline.com, an independent MK fan site with strong ties to Midway Games. These ties are so strong, apparently, that one of Shaolin Monks' producers, Shaun Himmerick, has been using the forums for his own developer diary. In the sixth entry, he mentions that "we are doing analysis of possibly doing MKSM for PSP.... And I say an ANALYSIS, not a commitment to do it." (Emphasis in the original.) But despite Himmerick's caveat, word began to spread that MKSM for the PSP was a done deal, prompting a quick and emphatic response from a Midway spokesperson. "That's a rumor at best," said the rep. "I can confirm that Deception is in the works on PSP and should ship by the end of this year. Shaolin PSP is nonexistent right now but could definitely kick off in development soon after the platforms ship."

Honestly, we first heard of this rumor when we read the developer diary itself. Stay tuned for our Fight Night chat with the Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks Development Team on Monday October 3^rd, and maybe then we'll get some answers.

Our transcript is now available.

--

Mortal Kombat Online is proud to announce along with the release of Midway Games' Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, the return of its popular celebrity chat feature FIGHT NIGHT! The return of Fight Night will bring fans and the Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks Development Team, including creative director Ed Boon and producer Shaun Himmerick, together in one central location to have the fans' questions answered by the team itself!

The chat event itself will take place on Monday, October 3^rd at 9 PM Eastern Daylight Time. The event will last for about an hour, and it will take place at the #MortalKombat Online IRC Network!

The event can be reached via a java chat at the link above or by using the following settings in your IRC client of choice:

Server: irc.webmaster.com -or- irc.webchat.org
Port: 6667
Channel: #mortalkombat

Because of the anticipated high attendance, question submission for Fight Night will be done before the event. From now until Friday, September 30^th at 11:59 PM EDT, we will be pre-accepting questions for the chat via the Fight Night Submission Form available at this link. We will be accepting approximately ten to fifteen questions related to Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (either development questions and/or playable hints) from the pre-submitted queue, time permitting. Then, attendees will be able to submit questions at the actual event itself. The remainder of the questions for the evening will be picked from the questions asked at the event. It will be at this time that we might take a few questions pertaining to the development of Mortal Kombat 7.

Don't forget to mark your calendars! Again, the event will be taking place Monday, October 3^rd at 9 PM EDT. We look forward to seeing you all at Fight Night! As Shaun Himmerick would put it best, Tell your friends!

About Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks:

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is an Action/Adventure title driven by both intense single and multi-player action. Similar to the recently released Mortal Kombat: Deception, background interactions (i.e., acid pits, living trees, spiked ceilings, etc.), multiple new fatalities, and action-based puzzles will also play an important role in the player’s quest for an “outstanding� victory. Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks will feature an impressive line-up of Mortal Kombat characters, as well, that make frequent appearances as enemies, in boss battles and during several additional in-game interactions.

About Mortal Kombat Online Fight Night:

Fight Night chat events have been taking place in the Mortal Kombat Community since well before 1999 with special guests including Ed Boon (creator, Mortal Kombat), the MK: Deadly Alliance and MK: Deception developments teams, members of Threshold Entertainment's Conquest television program, and other various MK personalities. Mortal Kombat Online broke a Fight Night record in October 2004 when over 1,200 guests witnessed the event with key members of the Mortal Kombat: Deception development team.

About Mortal Kombat Online:

Founded in 1998, Mortal Kombat Online has covered four E3 conventions, three Midway Gamers' Day events, two past Mortal Kombat developer chats, and Game Stars Live in London. Mortal Kombat Online has gained the reputation of providing the best analysis of the games' progress while featuring exclusive hands on previews of games like Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks and Mortal Kombat: Deception, even before release. The website's growing relationship with Midway Games and the Mortal Kombat Team has supplied fans with information that can't be found anywhere else. Mortal Kombat Online in February of 2004, changed its name from MK5.ORG, in an effort to expand its focus on the entire Mortal Kombat franchise.

Fight Night Host Contact Information:

Scott Howell
Webmaster
scott@mortalkombatonline.com

Scott Bishop
Senior Editor
drkbish@mortalkombatonline.com

Mortal Kombat Online - The Ultimate Mortal Kombat Experience
http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/

If you visit EB Games or GameStop, you can get your copy of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks today! The game is out a couple days early, as the release date is supposed to be Monday, September 19th. If you go in and say you didn't know it was out and you just wanted to pre-order it, you can probably get away with picking up the action figures by Jazwares, at no additional charge. Check out the display stuff the different stores have:

So have fun playing MK: Shaolin Monks, everyone!

UPDATE - 19th September 2005 - Midway has issued a press release announcing the release of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. From the press release:

CHICAGO – September 19, 2005 – Building on the success of its best-selling Mortal Kombat franchise, Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), a leading software industry publisher and developer, today announced that it has shipped Mortal Kombat®: Shaolin Monks™ for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft.

"Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks delivers on our plan to produce quality Mortal Kombat titles on an annual basis," said Steve Allison, chief marketing officer, Midway. "In expanding the Mortal Kombat universe in the action/adventure genre, players can expect a challenging and innovative gameplay experience that adds a fresh new look and feel to our best-selling franchise."

The press release also has information on the marketing campaign for MK: Shaolin Monks. To read the press release in its entirety, click here.

Desperately trying to break free of the shadow that is Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, Midway Games has made every effort to pump brand new life into Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. While it still may be be three days until  all gamers are able to get their twitchy hands on the latest installment into the Mortal Kombat series (Shaolin Monks is already available as of yesterday at some retailers), the folks over at IGN.com have played through the game and come through with the first official review. From IGN:

Midway has done a great job of taking a very popular, well-entrenched franchise and moving it over to another genre with success. Shaolin Monks isn't without its faults, but the game's tenets are good, the moves, the fighting, the unlockables, and its surprising level of depth all count for so much. And all of this is topped off with the superb co-op mode. Grab a friend and play this, you'll have a blast.

That being said, both the XBOX and PS2 versions of the game were given an 8.0 rating, which means even though the game could still a few bits of work, it is still excellent and highly recommended. Congratulations to Midway Games and the entire Shaolin Monks team for bringing in yet another solid title!

If you wish to read the rest of IGN's review, click here. As always, keep Mortal Kombat: Online tabbed for all of the latest news.

IGN has posted a whopping ten new videos of in-game footage from Midway's soon-to-be-released Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks! The videos are mostly short videos showing miscellaneous gameplay, including Kung Lao dealing with some giant snakes by feeding them enemies, Kung Lao being defeated by enemies in the Living Forest and being eaten by a living tree, and Kung Lao (again) gaining the ability to perform a Brutality (which is activated via a code combination like any other finisher) and executing it on a small group of enemies. Also included in the videos are a couple of Legends of Kombat videos, including one that discusses Kitana (who, it is revealed, is an enemy until you can break a spell on her, making her an ally) and the Outworld emperor himself, Shao Kahn (who Ed Boon reveals is in fact the final boss of MK: Shaolin Monks).

The videos are in varying lengths and sizes; they are available to stream and also to download in Windows Media format in 320x240 resolution, but IGN Insider members can download 640x480 versions in both Windows Media and Quicktime format. To watch and/or download the videos, click here.

Our thanks to forum member Subzero2 for the heads-up on these new videos!

Over on the Midway Boards, Cinder has once again come through and posted some more koncept drawings from the soon-to-be-released action/adventure game Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks! This time, Cinder has posted two koncept drawings. The first is a color drawing of one of the two title characters, Kung Lao! The other is a koncept drawing of the Outworld female assassin, Mileena!

In addition, Cinder posted the official TV commercial from MK: Shaolin Monks. This video is the same as was seen back at Midway Summer Gamers Day, with Raiden prompting Kung Lao and Liu Kang to begin their quest. The video is in Windows Media format.

MK: Shaolin Monks TV commercial.

To see the original forum thread where the Kung Lao sketch was posted, click here. To see the original forum thread where the Mileena sketch was posted, click here. To see the original forum thread where the TV spot was posted, click here.

Our thanks to forum member Subzero2 for the heads-up on these new koncept drawings and the new video!

First off in today's updates the folks over at IGN have provided their complete preview of this month's release of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. The preview commends the game for it's rich gaming experience. Here's an excerpt:

I really don't like the Mortal Kombat series. I've played the game for years, but it's never been one my favorites. I've never liked the design all that much or the fighting style (always preferring Street Fighter), but this game has attracted me because of its well thought out design, expert execution, and fun, deep gameplay.

Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks is simple and arcade-style in design. It's deep with extras, upgrades, and items, while giving players the great joy of playing it alone or with some one else. While the graphics are decent, and the sound effects riddled with blood-curdling screams and gushing puncture wounds though the head, the fighting hits that perfect level of polished, honed, combo-heavy madness.

As far as we've played, the levels are diverse, refreshing, and fun, and the unlockable extra MK characters (OMG, which ones will be playable??!!!!) should give gamers another reason to rip through this meaty game at least one more time.

IGN in conjunction with their preview, has released six new videos of direct feed footage that can be found here.

On a related note, Gamespot has also released a new Official Trailer 2 for Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks that you can download at this link.

Thanks goes out to fellow MK Online users Blackcyborg and FatalTragedy for sending in the news leads!

Midway Games released last week eight new screenshots from the upcoming PC release of Midway Arcade Treasures: Deluxe Edition. The compilation will feature games from both Midway Arcade Treasures 2 and Midway Arcade Treasures 3. This is important to Mortal Kombat fans as it means that the arcade ports of Mortal Kombat 2 and Mortal Kombat 3 will be included. Although a screenshot of the original Mortal Kombat is shown below, our best guess is that it was released in error. Check out the screens below:

Midway Arcade Treasures: Deluxe Edition is scheduled for a late September release by the end of the month and will retail at $19.99 USD. Also, our friends at TRMK report that Midway has concluded that no network multiplayer will be available for this exclusive PC release.

UPDATE - 13 September 2005 11 AM EDT - We have checked with our sources at Midway, and they have confirmed that the inclusion of MK1 screenshots was an error on their part. Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3 are the only MK games that will be part of Midway Arcade Treasures: Deluxe Edition. We have gone ahead and removed the MK1 screenshot from the article.

Playboy Magazine has published one of the first reviews of Midway's soon-to-be-released action-adventure game, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. The brief review, in which MK: Shaolin Monks gets four rabbits (their highest rating), is rather concise and to the point. From the review:

Rather than rehash, the newest in the series, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks ... takes the action out of the familiar one-on-one face-off that almost all fighting games employ and frees it, Double Dragon-style, to deliver a sprawling, explorative adventure positively packed with old-school cooperative arcade brawling. ... New tag-team combos provide a plethora of new fatalities, giving this intense and nostalgic joyride a fresh perspective.

The review (where MK:SM is labeled as "Game of the Month"), appears in the October 2005 issue of Playboy, which should be out to subscribers and at newsstands soon.

Our thanks to Joe of MK KOOL for the heads-up on this new review!

Mortal Kombat Guides has received a brand new render from Midway's soon-to-be-released action/adventure game, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. This render features a minor character from the game, but one that is fought often: one of Shang Tsung's Masked Guards!

To see the forum thread on Mortal Kombat Guides in which this image is posted and discussed, click here.

The folks over at IGN have really outdone themselves this time. Check out part 2 of their article, The Legends of Kombat, complete with 3 downloadable videos.

The first video explores Goro, Baraka, and the Masked Guard. Their histories and backstories throughout the MK universe are explained, as well as how they are represented in MK: Shaolin Monks. Another neat trivia fact is that John Vogel played the Masked Guard in MK1!

The next video deals with Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, and Kano. This one shows a little bit of rivalry between Johnny Cage and Kung Lao which may sound surprising, but it's really well done here. It also explains that Sonya and Kano are chained up in a level in the game, and it's possible to free them. If you free Kano, you have a boss battle with him.

The last video features Sub-Zero, Shang Tsung, and Reptile. This video shows that the rivalry between Sub-Zero and Scorpion is going on strong, and while they don't quite say that it's the younger Sub-Zero, they do show that he has a scar in a scene where he announces that he is going to the Netherealm to battle Scorpion. (More than likely, both of the Sub-Zero brothers will appear in the game.) They also key moments in MK history such as Shang Tsung going from old to young, and they showcase the "Acid Snake" boss battle with Reptile.

All the videos have commentary from official MKSM team members such as Ed Boon, John Vogel, and Shaun Himmerick, and have video footage from the game mixed in as well. To read the article in its entirety and download the videos, click here. Thanks to MK Online forum member redsoul for the word on this update!

It looks like Midway Games sent out another e-mail to announce the updating of the MK: Shaolin Monks web site. They've updated with a ton of material, including new character renders, downloadable developer movies, and some extra koncept art - so be sure to check it out!

Also, here are the pics of the action figures, included with the email:


Be sure you pre-order the game at your local retailer to ensure that you can get ahold of these action figures, and don't forget to visit the the official MK: Shaolin Monks site with the content there as well! Thanks go to Midway themselves for this update.

Hot on the heels of the announcement that Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks has gone gold, Cinder over on the Midway Boards has posted two more pieces of koncept art! This time, the two pieces of koncept art feature the heroes of MK: Shaolin Monks: Liu Kang and Kung Lao (who is featured with a furry little familiar friend)!

To see the original thread in which the Liu Kang koncept art was posted, click here. To see the original thread in which the Kung Lao koncept art was posted, click here.

Our thanks to forum/chat members Subzero2 and DECEPTION for the heads-up on these new pieces of koncept art!

After years of brain-storming, story-boarding, and development, Midway Games has announced that their epic title Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks has gone golden!

For those who are not aware, a "gold title" is a piece of software that has been completely finished, and is now being sent to manufacturing. A gold title does not refer to how many copies of the game have been sold.

With the game now complete, gamers who have read the Developer's Diary, scanned through the promotional renders, and watched the movie clips in awe will finally be able to step into the shoes of their favorite Mortal Kombat legends, and whup some Outworld tail within the next few weeks.

Check out GameSpot for the full story!

With the Epic Battles Trading Card Game release right around the corner, the folks over at Score Entertainment have been kind enough to send us some sample cards that we may show you here. In this update, we've got four of the Mortal Kombat: Deception cards and four of the Street Fighter III: Third Strike cards as well. Not only does the game play really well, but the artwork from Udon Comics is astounding. Our thanks again to Score Entertainment for providing us with the exclusive images for this update!

UPDATE: To see more previews of thes cards, head on over to Mortal Kombat Guides as well as Top Tier Gaming!

The WWE has announced a new sweepstakes based upon Midway's upcoming action/adventure game, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks! The Grand Prize winner will win a new X-Box video game system, a copy of MK: Shaolin Monks signed by a WWE superstar, and four tickets in the Grand Prize winners area at an unspecified WWE event!

The contest is open to residents of the continental United States who are at least seventeen years old. For more information on the contest (including official rules) and to enter, click here.

Our thanks to forum/chat member DECEPTION for the heads-up on this sweepstakes!

The website for the Epic Battles Trading Card Game (featuring Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat cards battling it out, with more fighting games to be added) has undergone a major change. It's got extra great features, such as site themes - the ability to view the page "Mortal Kombat" style or "Street Fighter" style, a rules list, FAQ's, a Round 1 preview, the card library, organized play, a list of future events, a store locator and tournament locator, and of course, access to the message board. So check it all out:



Thanks go to MK Online forum user FJ_JJ for the word on this update.

GameSpot has posted another video in their Developer Interview series of videos for Midway's upcoming Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. In Developer Interview 3, Ed Boon and Shaun Himmerick discuss a wide array of topics, ranging from Paradox (now Midway L.A.) approaching Midway with the game that would eventually become MK: Shaolin Monks, to Midway L.A.'s dedication to the sanctity of the Mortal Kombat II era as shown in the game, the game mechanics and fighting engine (including the kombat puzzle system, block/lock-on mechanics, and the boss battles), and even the future of the Mortal Kombat franchise and how they want it to branch out. For example, an RPG is specifically mentioned as a type of genre, but nothing is confirmed and Ed admits branching out "is a little intimidating, but at the same time, I think it's necessary".

The video is available for download to GameSpot Basic members, and to stream for non-members. The video runs six minutes five seconds, is 161 MB at high-res, and is 72.1 MB in low-res. To view the video, click here, and scroll down to Developer Interview 3.

Our thanks to forum member FF_JJ for the heads-up on this new Developer Interview!

So Cinder over at the Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks forum gives another couple pieces of content; this time, it's an MP3 of the music from the Forest Battle boss stage and a concept picture of Scorpion from that very battle. To listen to the original MP3 and check out Cinder's post, click here. Thanks to MK Online forum poster and #mortalkombat IRC chatter DECEPTION for yet another News Lead!

Over at Amazon.com you can now pre-order the strategy guide to MK: Shaolin Monks. They've got it listed for $11.55 and they have the release date listed as September 27, 2005. As mentioned in a previous update here, the strategy guide by Prima will include a free CD. Check out the cover: To check out the whole pre-order page, click here. Thanks a lot to MK Online forum/chat guy DECEPTION for the word on this update!

Update: An even better version of the cover can be found here, thanks to MK Online chatter/forum poster fraysol for this part of the update!

Cinder of the Midway Boards has come through for the fans once again. This time, he has posted renders of the main characters from Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks: Liu Kang and Kung Lao! These renders are in the same format as the other released renders, with the characters posing in Shang Tsung's throne room.

To see the thread in which the Liu Kang render was originally posted, click here. To see the thread in which the Kung Lao render was originally posted, click here.

Our thanks to forum/chat member dragonj87 for the heads-up on these new renders!

Midway has released five new screenshots from their upcoming action/adventure game, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks! These five shots show a couple of interesting surprises, including Scorpion's UMK3 costume, Reptile giving an odd kick to Liu Kang, and Mileena taking a bit of a fire bath.

Our thanks to Midway for releasing these images!