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With the release of Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection, several of the series’ secrets are about to be unearthed all over again. Be it a secret character, a hidden fatality, or a random mini-game. The original Mortal Kombat games were full of content that wasn’t always obvious. Of course, in 2025, these secrets are all well-known. But with the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection release, each of these secrets is likely to be discoverable all over again for a new generation of Mortal Kombat fans. Below, we’ll go over the best ones that you’ll be able to unlock in the compilation, as they’re an important part of each game’s identity. The Escapist recaps Developed by Midway, Mortal Kombat came out in 1992 for arcades, becoming a smash hit, before arriving on many home consoles of the era later that year. A new Mortal Kombat movie, Mortal Kombat 2, arrives on the big screen on May 8, 2026. Secrets are well-known in the Mortal Kombat games, which can reveal hidden fighters, levels, mini-games, and more. The latest title in the series, Mortal Kombat 1, came out in 2024 to an average reception, mostly due to a strange story and an over-engineered ‘Kameo’ system. Play as Human Smoke in UMK3 After his cryptic appearances in Mortal Kombat II, followed by a difficult method to fight him, Smoke became playable not once, but twice in 1995’s Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Human Smoke was rumored for months after the game’s release, wondering if he would appear as hints like in Mortal Kombat II. But eventually, players found a way to unlock him. First, select Smoke on the fighter select screen, then press A + B + C + X + Y + Z on a six-button Genesis controller before a match starts. If done correctly, the robot will change into a human, with the same moves but noticeably faster to control. It’s a great conclusion to a character who first appeared in Mortal Kombat II, and a fantastic secret to unlock. Of course, he can be unlocked instantly in Mortal Kombat: The Legacy Kollection! Fight Reptile in Mortal Kombat Soon after the original Mortal Kombat’s 1992 release, both for arcades and home consoles, rumors were flying about what was hidden in the game. From the ability to play as bosses Goro and Shang Tsung, to a blood code in some restricted ports, it was hard to tell which rumors were true or false. However, one featuring a green ninja became its biggest secret. In what’s one of the most difficult tasks, you have to first go to The Pit stage, ensuring silhouettes are flying past the moon. You must then win a match there without losing health, no blocks, followed by performing a fatality. Only then, you face Reptile at the bottom of the stage, with powerful attacks, ultra-fast movement, and more. It’s a challenging fight, and you don’t even get to unlock the green ninja after you defeat him. Instead, you earn 10,000 points, and every match afterwards is much harder to win. Nevertheless, it’s a fun secret in the first game, and Reptile became a regular fighter in his own right in subsequent Mortal Kombat games. Uncover Pong in Mortal Kombat II Yes, away from the gore, fatalities, special moves, and more, you can go back to where it all began in 1974 by playing classic Pong in 1993’s Mortal Kombat II. However, before the Legacy Kollection’s release, the method to unlock the game would be a no-win for the player, as you had to play as one character 250 times to play Pong. Once you do, the game suddenly appears, letting you play it until you decide otherwise, or with another player. There’s not much else to say – it’s Pong. But if you wanted to play it again, the method would be a long task. Fortunately, the Legacy Kollection will let you play Pong straight away, if that’s something you want to do. Blood Code in Mortal Kombat for Sega Genesis It seems strange in 2025, but some home console ports of 1992’s Mortal Kombat completely omitted blood, replacing it with what looked like water. On the SNES port, Nintendo flat-out banned blood from appearing, but in the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive version, you can input a code that brings the gore back. Press A, B, A, C, A, B, B on the ‘Code of Honor’ screen to switch blood on. Or, at the ‘Game Start’ screen, press D, Up, B, B, A, F, D – this will bring up a Cheat Menu where you can enable blood there, too. Once switched on, every punch, kick, special attack, and fatality will reveal the red substance in all its gory glory. Play Galaga in Mortal Kombat 3 Midway seemingly wasn’t done bringing back another classic game to another Mortal Kombat entry. In both Mortal Kombat 3 and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, you can play Galaga by either playing 100 fights straight, entering 642-468 on the Kombat Kode screen, or, in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, choosing it from Shao Khan’s treasure after beating the game. After being greeted with an ominous message that you’re about to be brought to another realm, you’re suddenly playing Galaga. Here, enemies are all over the place, requiring you or an additional player to wipe them out before it’s game over. Ultimately, it’s a fun treat, and you get a Kombat Kode once the game ends. Ask The Escapist
