By BlueZero
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There comes a time where I have to honor gaming traditions. Killer Instinct is a gaming tradition for me since it represents a mastery of fun 2D fighters. RARE managed to create a game where a robot, an animated skeleton, a ninja, and a black boxing champion can fight in a tournament much cooler than Mortal Kombat. Evil corporations like Ultratech are much cooler than different realms fighting with magic. Killer Instinct is possible in the future, Mortal Kombat's magic isn't.
I started my Killer Instinct by playing the gameboy version that was packed in with the gameboy for a while. With only two buttons and a D-pad, this was a much more simplified version of the arcade Killer Instinct (which I didn't play at the time). I choose to use the cheapest characters because when I was younger, I didn't have time to learn a million moves. So I choose to use the skeleton with his powerful foot thrust attack and button mashing with Sabrewulf (the wereworlf). Most of the AI couldn't handle me spamming these good moves. I was actually able to defeat the game on the hardest level by utilizing the Sabrewulf's spin/roll moves repeatedly.
I next moved to playing the arcade versions of KI. I couldn't believe how silky smooth the animations were. I was spoiled because I played KI2 before I played KI in the arcades.
Next I was able to play the N64 version called Killer Instinct Gold. It is basically a poor man's Killer Instinct 2, with worse graphics and other things removed. Understandable due to hardware limitations. Still a lot of fun to play even with the poor layout of the N64 controller for fighting games.
Ultra Combo!!!!
The arcade version came with the amazing announcer who would let the entire arcade room know that you just got hit by an "ULTRAAAAAAAA COMBOOOOOOOO!!"
Now, please allow me to introduce the Ultra Combos for the SNES version of the game below. Notice the background music for the video is from the Killer Instinct Killer Cuts, and the name of the song is the Instinct. Killer Cuts is the album that ScrewAttack raved about in their top video game music list. I have to agree.
C-C-C-Combo Breaker
Are you guys ready for the combo breaker? This move is a trump card that prevents your character from getting hit by almost never ending combos from the opponent. Don't want to be humiliated by an Ultra Combo? Then just make sure you know how to do a Combo Breaker!
Here is not one, but a dual combo breaker. It's magnitude is unmatched in announcer glory.
On the Gameboy, instead of the awesome voice, the player hears a sound effect to signal that the combo was broken.
Since there is a boxer named TJ Combo, here is some TJ Combo gameplay from YouTube user Santora2007. There are a lot of Combo Breakers performed on both sides. If you want to jump into the action, you can start watching the video around 3 minute mark. If you want the most combo breakers, skip ahead to the Fulgore fight after the skeleton at 4:30 for back to back combo breakers by the computer. This causes the player to cheat the AI by abusing his moves.
I personally hate Eyedol, I'm glad that the player pulled off some great moves against that beast. It's no fair that Eyedol can recover HP by stomping the ground and has overpowered moves.
Sometimes TJ does the Ultimate Combo Breaker. Oh noes! My Combo has been broken. I got a laugh out of these short comics.
Amazing Killer Instinct Music
Welcome to the world of Killer Instinct. It has a main theme so catchy that people play the game just to hear it. I am partial to the gameboy one since I grew up on it even though the arcade versions have the better quality music. The thunder at the start of the Gameboy version set a great tone. These intro themes can't be rushed into, they must be enjoyed in their entirety.
Killer Instinct Gameboy Theme
Killer Instinct Arcade Theme
Killer Instinct 2 Arcade Theme
Killer Instinct Gold (N64) Theme
Better yet is that there are are many very catchy tunes, too many in fact to list since the soundtrack is a supreme victory for RARE. I like Sabrewulf's and Orchid's.
Orchid's KI2 Theme
Glacius' Killer Instinct Theme
Sabrewulf's KI Theme
Amazing Killer Instinct Music Remixes
My favorite Killer Instinct Remix is the remix of Glacius' theme by Bionickz Beatz. Excellent mood and has a very edge feel. Nothing short of amazing!
Killer Instinct Glacius Remix by Bionickz Beatz
Killer Instinct: Orchid's Breast/Boob Fatality
Let me end this post with what everyone wants to see: Orchid's Breast Fatality.
My favorite responses are Fulgore's circuits being fried, Orchid getting upset at being flashed, and Spinel's eyes coming out of their sockets. TJ Combo can't touch that.
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While I concede that Mortal Kombat is lamer than Killer Instinct, stating that magic is impossible for the future is narrow-minded.
I just figure that magic in the future will be the equivalent of genetic engineering, biology, and technology. That's the best way to explain how a skeleton is able to rise and fight. It can explain how the robot Fulgore is tested in the Killer Instinct Tournament and also how Eyegol is some strange biological experiment.
magic = technology + living organisms (biology)
Video Gamer Blog
I grew up in the 90's and was in the local mall arcade every weekend. When SF 2 came out there were lines for the machine but not very long ones. Cool game, but it didn't make as big an impact in that arcade as it did nationwide. MK 1 did a little better, but still didn't create a huge buzz. When MK 2 came out there was a line out of the arcade, as the sequel had better graphics, cooler fatalities, smoother controls and appealed to nearly every arcade goer age 9-30 thanks to better graphics and controversy. When MK3 came out no one gave a crap. The graphics just weren't that cool, and the controls were choppier than the second. When KI 1 came out everyone who had never seen that machine before just said "whooooaaaaa….." Lines formed fast and quarters were stacked nearly down to the joysticks with 3 hour waits to play. Here was a game with phenomenal 3d graphics with a 2d fighting feel. The game played with the fluid control system of SF 2 that so many gamers preferred over MK's, there was just enough gore without going as overboard as many other fighting games that had fatality systems at the time, and the characters were just flat cool. Midway and Rare did a great job with this game, and the only real fault it had was that Rare didn't make a third one.
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