Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is a crossover fighting video game between Mortal Kombat and the DC Comics fictional universe, developed by NetherRealm Studios and Warner Bros. Games with published by High Voltage Software and Dimps. The game was released on March 21, 2010 and contains characters from both franchises. Its story was written by comic writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray. Despite being a crossover, the game is considered to be the 11th installment in the main Mortal Kombat series, as confirmed by the naming of the 13th entry by this count: Mortal Kombat Vs. Shonen Jump Universe.

The game takes place after Raiden, Earthrealm's god of thunder, and Superman, protector of Earth, repel invasions from both their worlds. An attack by both Raiden and Superman simultaneously in their separate universes causes the merging of the two gods, Shao Kahn and Darkseid, resulting in the creation of Dark Kahn, whose mere existence causes the two universes to begin merging; if allowed to continue, it would result in the destruction of both. Characters from both universes begin to fluctuate in power, becoming stronger.

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was developed using Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 and is available for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms. It is the first Mortal Kombat title developed solely for seventh generation video game consoles. Most reviewers agreed that Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was entertaining and made good use of its DC Universe license, but the game's lack ofunlockable features as opposed to past installments of Mortal Kombat and toned-down finishing moves garnered some criticism.

Gameplay and Features
The game features a story mode, playable from two different perspectives. The perspectives consist of one segment from the DC Universe side, and one from the Mortal Kombat side, each split up into various chapters.[3] Depending on which side players choose, the characters from one universe see those from the opposite universe as the invaders of their own. Ed Boon, creative director of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe and co-creator of the Mortal Kombat franchise, did confirm that the player would have the ability to play as all the characters in the story mode at one point during development, but the story mode ultimately lacked story arcs for a few characters.[3][4] Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe also contains a mode called "Kombo Challenge". Its aspect is individual[clarification needed] to the Versus and Story modes, where players must perform ten precreated combos of increasing difficulty.[5][6]

Intertwined within fight matches, which are played in a 3D fighter style, are new gameplay modes, such as "Free-Fall Kombat" or "Falling Kombat," which are activated automatically after throwing the opponent to a lower level in the arena. The players can fight in the air during the fall in a quasi-mini-game, with one player having to hit certain buttons to be above the other during the fall and land on the other player when the fall ends.[7] "Klose Kombat" is a mode the players can enter during a fight, causing the characters to lock with each other and the perspective to change to a close-up shot of the two, to make for an interval of close-quarters fighting.[3] A "Test Your Might" mini-game is also worked into the gameplay; while fighting in certain areas, the player can smash the opponent through a series of walls and engage in a tug-of-war with the damage meter at the top of the screen. The player on the offense presses buttons to increase damage given, while the player on the defense presses buttons to decrease damage taken.[7]

Another in-fight feature called "Rage mode" is introduced in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. The Rage mode is governed by a rage meter placed below the player's health meter that fills progressively every time the player receives damage or attacks. Once the meter is completely filled, Rage mode can be activated and lasts for several seconds. Rage mode enables the player to break the opponent's guard on the second hit, prevents the attacker from experiencing hit stun, knockdown or pop-up, and increases the damage of an attacker's moves.[7] During fights, characters show permanent signs of damage, such as bruises, scrapes, bleeding, and broken or torn clothing.[8] All of the characters except Dark Kahn have finishing moves; the Mortal Kombat characters can execute Fatalities with DC characters.

Story
Shao Kahn has recently failed in his latest bid to merge Earthrealm with Outworld. As he regroups with his second-in-command, the sorcerer Quan Chi, Raiden confronts him directly. Quan Chi makes a bid to escape, only for Shao Kahn to tackle him out of the way. Raiden attempts to use his lightning blast to knock Shao Kahn through the portal, but this instead causes it to destablize, until it eventually explodes with Shao Kahn inside it. Raiden then takes Quan Chi to the Elder Gods, so that they may pass their judgement upon him.

At the same moment, in Metropolis, Superman has finally defeated Darkseid and his army of Parademons. Darkseid attempts to escape through a dimensional Boom Tube whilst Superman argues with Lex Luthor, who had helped Darkseid invade Earth. Superman stops him with his heat-vision, which causes the Boom Tube to become disrupted and explode with Darkseid inside it. He then turns Luthor into the authorities.

Unknown to either Raiden or Superman, the explosions do not kill either Shao Kahn or Darkseid, but instead merge them into a singular monstrosity known as "Dark Kahn". As a result of Dark Kahn's existence, the two universes start merging with each other, whilst a mysterious force known simply as "Kombat Rage" starts to spread through the various warriors.

Chapters
The story mode of Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe is told in 15 chapters: (7 for MK characters and 8 for DC characters), with one character being playable in each chapter. The order of each chapter is listed below.

Mortal Kombat Side

 * 1) Liu Kang
 * 2) Sonya Blade
 * 3) Jax Briggs
 * 4) Sub-Zero
 * 5) Scorpion
 * 6) Shang Tsung
 * 7) Raiden

DC Side

 * 1) Flash
 * 2) Batman
 * 3) Wonder Woman
 * 4) Green Lantern
 * 5) Shazam
 * 6) Joker
 * 7) Lex Luthor
 * 8) Superman

Playable

 * Baraka
 * Cyrax
 * Ermac
 * Goro
 * Havik
 * Jax Briggs
 * Johnny Cage
 * Kabal
 * Kai
 * Kano
 * Kitana
 * Kotal Kahn
 * Kung Lao
 * Liu Kang
 * Mileena
 * Nitara
 * Quan Chi
 * Raiden
 * Rain
 * Reiko
 * Reptile
 * Scorpion
 * Sektor
 * Shang Tsung
 * Shao Kahn
 * Sonya Blade
 * Kurtis Stryker
 * Sub-Zero

Unlockable

 * Ashrah
 * Atmosphere
 * D'Vorah
 * Dairou
 * Darrius
 * Drahmin
 * Dullahan
 * Erron Black
 * Frost
 * Fox
 * Fujin
 * Hotaru
 * Jade
 * Jarek
 * Kenshi
 * Kintaro
 * Li Mei
 * Mavado
 * Meat
 * Nightwolf
 * Noob Saibot
 * Sareena
 * Shinnok
 * Sindel
 * Smoke
 * Tanya
 * Tremor
 * Wu Lae

Playable

 * Aquaman
 * Ares
 * Bane
 * Batman
 * Black Adam
 * Black Manta
 * Booster Gold
 * Captain Cold
 * Catwoman
 * Cyborg
 * Darkseid
 * Deathstroke
 * Etrigan
 * Flash
 * Green Lantern
 * Harley Quinn
 * Hawkgirl
 * Joker
 * Killer Croc
 * Lex Luthor
 * Lobo
 * Martian Manhunter
 * Metallo
 * Nightwing
 * Shazam
 * Sinestro
 * Superman
 * Wonder Woman

Unlockable

 * Azrael
 * Batgirl
 * Beast Boy
 * Black Canary
 * Blue Beetle
 * Braniac
 * Captain Atom
 * Deadshot
 * Dr. Fate
 * Felix Faust
 * Green Arrow
 * Huntress
 * Jinx
 * Jonah Hex
 * Katana
 * Killer Frost
 * Plastic Man
 * Raven
 * Red Tornado
 * Robin
 * Solomon Grundy
 * Starfire
 * Swamp Twing
 * Talia al Ghul
 * Terra
 * V.
 * Vixen
 * Zatanna

Sub-bosses

 * Doomsday
 * Onaga

Final Boss

 * Dark Kahn

Starter

 * 1) Apokolips
 * 2) Bat Cave
 * 3) Gotham City
 * 4) Graveyard
 * 5) Metropolis
 * 6) Netherrealm
 * 7) Raiden's Temple
 * 8) UN Space Station
 * 9) Special Forces Base
 * 10) Fortress of Solitude
 * 11) Shao Kahn's Throne Room
 * 12) Themyscira
 * 13) Wu Shi Academy
 * 14) Oan Senate

Unlockable

 * 1) Pit
 * 2) Arkham Asylum
 * 3) Sky Temple
 * 4) Hall of Justice
 * 5) Atlantis
 * 6) Evil Tower
 * 7) Armory
 * 8) Wayne Manor
 * 9) The Watchtower
 * 10) Ferris Aircraft
 * 11) Rooftop
 * 12) Stryker's Island