Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero

"Thousands of years ago, the Earth was devastated by a battle between the gods. It was a war between good and evil. A war that would decide the fate of the world, and plunged it into centuries of darkness. Now the world is in danger of being fought once again. Only one mortal can stop it." —Opening Narration of the game.

"I am mortal. I am a thief and assassin. I am a Lin Kuei warrior. I am Sub-Zero."

Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero is a Beat'Em Up Spin-Off of the Mortal Kombat Fighting Game series, developed by Midway Games and released in 1997 for USA and in 1998 for Europe. Canonically, the events of this game are set before those of the first game. (And, by proxy, Mortal Kombat 9)

As the name implies, it features Sub-Zero in his quest to stop Quan Chi, who wants to retrieve an amulet which would revive Shinnok. It also introduced (and retconned) several characters who would later appear in Fighting Game installments such as the aforementioned Sub-Zero, Quan Chi, and Shinnok as well as Sub-Zero's rival Scorpion, Sub-Zero's clan Lin Kuei, and the demonnesses Sareena, Kia and Jataaka. Other characters which are featured in the game are Physical Gods Raiden and Fujin.

This game explained a lot of the backstory in the Mortal Kombat universe, such as the Scorpion/Sub-Zero rivalry, the events which led to Mortal Kombat 4 onward, and how Sub-Zero started on the path to becoming Noob Saibot.

Spin-Off-wise, it's followed by Mortal Kombat Special Forces and Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks.

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The game provides examples of:

• Amazon Brigade: Quan Chi's bodyguard assassins.
• Ascended Extra: Sareena.
• Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Sub-Zero defeats not one but FOUR elemental gods in the Temple. Your fight with Shinnok counts as well, if you decide to stay after grabbing the amulet.
• Early-Bird Cameo: For all the Mortal Kombat 4 characters present in the game and Sareena.
• Easy Mode Mockery: On Easy Mode, the game ends after Subbie completes the elemental temples.
• Everything Trying to Kill You
• False Innocence Trick: If Sub-Zero decides to spare Hanzo!Scorpion in the first level, while imprisoned in the Netherrealm, he will meet Shinnok in his prison cell, instead of Wraith!Scorpion. He claims that he's an unjustly imprisoned soul like Sub-Zero and notes that he's playing Raiden's "game" for the time being. His manipulation of Sub-Zero indirectly helps his own escape from the Netherrealm several years later.
• Gaiden Game: Typical MK gameplay applied to a Beat'Em Up.
• Giant Mook: Hulk Monks.
• Guide Dang It:
  • The battle against Fujin, which involves taking cover in a small place.
  • The final battle with Shinnok is even worse, since it involves a combination that must be timed perfectly.
• Insistent Terminology: Quan Chi's use of the word "ninja" to refer to Sub-Zero, a Lin Kuei, specifically done as a form of mockery once he sees it annoys him.
• One-Winged Angel: Shinnok after you take his amulet.
• Nintendo Hard: Earth God and Prison Guard/Warden fight? hope you can use Sub-Zero's Slide move.
• Redemption Equals Death: Sareena, except that was retconned into being a Disney Death.
• RPG Elements: A small inventory. Sub-Zero can carry a determinate amount of items, and if he fills it, he needs to use or drop something in order to take the new item. This includes keys.
• Smashing Hallway Traps of Doom
• Super Drowning Skills: Sub-Zero can't swim, as the water puzzle shows.
• Video Game Caring Potential: If you spare Sareena, she'll have a Heel Face Turn and help Sub-Zero in the battle with Quan Chi.
• Your Princess Is in Another Castle: Huzzah! You've acquired the amulet! ...Only five levels in? Sorry guys, completion doesn't come that quickly.