Mortal Kombat 2 Plus Mame [work] (2026)

Mortal Kombat II: The Arcade Perfection – Complete MAME Guide

Secrets and Fatalities in the Plus Version

Because the timer is disabled, you can practice the notoriously difficult Fatalities from the original. Here are three to try immediately (facing right):

1. Liu Kang's Arcade Drop (Scream): Hold Low Kick + Block + Run (if mapped). Note: The "Plus" hack fixes the input window for this.
2. Shao Kahn's Wrath Hammer: (As Shao Kahn) → → ← High Punch. He pulls a giant hammer from the sky.
3. Kintaro's Shokan Roast: (As Kintaro) → ↓ → Low Punch (Close). He breathes fire until the opponent is a skeleton.

To play as Smoke (the hidden green ninja):

• Highlight Reptile (the green palette swap) on the character select screen.
• Hold START and press Up, Up, Up, High Punch. Smoke appears.

Controls Setup

MK2 uses a 5-button layout:

• High Punch (HP)
• Low Punch (LP)
• High Kick (HK)
• Low Kick (LK)
• Block (usually a dedicated button, though MK2 arcade had block separate from Run? Wait – correction: MK2 arcade has Block and Run as separate buttons? Let's clarify.)

Actually: Mortal Kombat II arcade had:

• 5 buttons: HP, LP, HK, LK, Block.
  Run is performed by pressing HP + HK + Block or using a "Run" button if mapped. Many players prefer mapping a 6th button to "Run" for easier combos.

Suggested MAME mapping: | Action | Keyboard | Xbox/PS Controller | |----------------|----------|--------------------| | High Punch (HP) | U | Y / Triangle | | Low Punch (LP) | J | A / Cross | | High Kick (HK) | I | B / Circle | | Low Kick (LK) | K | X / Square | | Block | Space | RB / R1 | | Run (macro) | R | LB / L1 | | Coin | 3 | Select | | Start | 1 | Start |

Set this in MAME's Tab menu > Input (this Machine).

How to Set Up Mortal Kombat 2 Plus on MAME

Setting this up requires a specific combination of emulator version and ROM files. Standard MAME ROM sets change every year; a ROM that works on MAME 0.78 (MAME32) will not work on MAME 0.270. mortal kombat 2 plus mame

Revisiting the Pit: A Deep Dive into “Mortal Kombat 2 Plus” on MAME

For over two decades, the arcade fighting game community has revered Mortal Kombat II as the gold standard of the franchise. Released by Midway in 1993, it perfected the formula of its predecessor, introducing iconic characters like Kitana, Mileena, and Baraka, while polishing the "dial-a-combo" system and delivering gut-wrenching Fatalities.

But for the hardcore emulation enthusiast and the ROM-hunting purist, the standard MKII ROM set isn't always enough. Enter Mortal Kombat 2 Plus (MK2 Plus)—a legendary, fan-modified hack of the original arcade game. When combined with MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator), this hack transforms a classic into a fresh, chaotic, and brutally difficult experience.

This article explores the history, features, and technical setup of Mortal Kombat 2 Plus within MAME, and why this specific combination has become a cult favorite among retro gamers. Mortal Kombat II: The Arcade Perfection – Complete

The game boots but shows a white screen or garbage pixels

• Solution: You are missing the graphics ROM (CHD or T-Unit graphics data). Mortal Kombat 2 does not use CHD files, but some hacked graphics need a specific parent. Ensure mk2.zip is not corrupted.

6. Alternatives to MAME for MK2

If you want to play MK2 without MAME complexity:

• Official PC ports: Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection (Steam/Origin – delisted but still obtainable).
• Consoles: MK2 included in Midway Arcade Treasures (PS2, Xbox, GC), Mortal Kombat Kollection (PS3/360), or Mortal Kombat 11 as bonus (different version).
• Fightcade: Uses MAME backend but adds netplay. Requires ROMs but easier for online matches.

For “Plus” hacks, MAME remains the only viable option.