Kano has added more cybernetic implants to himself.
He has retractable blades in his elbows also.

Not sure what the chest peice does, but it resembles both Hsu Hao's heart, and Kano's old bandolier/belt from 3 onwards.



Ka-Tra

He also has ta cable that literally comes out of his back, all the way to his eye.....which raises even more questions.

But like I said, Kano doesn't appear to need the chest implant to survive as he is seen installing a glowing orb to it in his intro. I'm guessing it enhances his existing cybernetics.

I think the difference is that, Hsu Hao's heart was physically removed from his body and the implant was placed in his chest so he could not only shoot lasers out of it, but unable to live without it. But in Deadly Alliance, if you did Kano's fatality on Hsu Hao, pretty sure he still rips out a heart from him. Maybe wasn't meant to happen and what happens during fatalities aren't cannon anyway.

With Kano, I still think his heart is in place otherwise how would he be able to take the energy source out when he pleases? unless it's some Iron Man shit going on here, where the body can survive for a few minutes or whatever, until the new energy source is installed / replaced. Maybe it's the same kind of technology or similar, and Kano's just being a cocky jerk just showing off "hey I'm walking up to ya without a heart", that's why he's taking it out constantly.

Considering it's the implant that is differently coloured for each of his variations, it might be that they are interchangeable for that reason. i.e. he needs the yellow implant to perform his Commando style moves, the blue one for the Cutthroat moves and so on.

Maybe it's a battery/powersource for his enhanced cybernetics?
Not HIS heart, but his tech's.



Ka-Tra

This is the assumption I've always had. It's some kind of power supply unit for his gizmos.