Uploaded November 2022 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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This is a playthrough using Motaro in a prototype version of Mortal Kombat 3 for the SNES. Read on below for more information...

Motaro is the penultimate boss of the game. In this prototype version of MK3, he is a non-selectable/unplayable character.

===== MOTARO UNDER HUMAN CONTROL =====

In this prototype version of the game, if you use unofficial methods to select Motaro as a player character, he is glitched for the most part under human control. You cannot perform any of his proper Normals here, and he does NOT have any special moves, or at least ones that cannot be accessed by the player. This is because the developers have not yet programmed him to have proper human controls unlike in the final version of the game, where he is playable there.

Here under human control, he acts almost exactly like his unplayable self in the Arcade version of the game. However the good thing here is that the majority of what the player can do with him does not glitch or freeze the game. Throwing with him will freeze the game, and Down + [Block] and releasing [Block] will glitch game in different ways (the "staple" SNES MK2/3 roulette glitch effects). His Running animation hasn't been properly done. He does retain the CPU Motaro "weight", meaning that he cannot be swept over or knocked down by a Roundhouse (Back + HK) by the opponent.

Interestingly however, there are some CPU-embedded control when the player controls Motaro, as shown by him using the Teleport at 3:03 when Sindel tries to jump kick him; and at 3:06 he does the horse jump.

===== ADDITIONAL INFORMATION =====

---- In a versus game, if Motaro is selected, the VS screen is automatically bypassed just like in the final version of the game. This may suggest that he was already planned to be a playable character.

---- In gameplay, he is always locked to The Balcony background/stage unless facing Shao Kahn.

---- If you beat the game with him, he has an "ending", but it's messed up and glitched. You can see this in the video.

===== ABOUT THE PROTOTYPE =====

This is a an earlier prototype of the game, dated July 13th 1995, 7:24pm. It is clearly unfinished, as it has a lot of differences to the final version of the game. These differences are:

---- Smoke is already unlocked from the start.
---- Pressing/holding the Select button depletes the other side's lifebar!
---- The copyright screen has the build date & time.
---- The game often lags/slowdown in matches when there is a lot of things going on. And especially against Motaro.
---- In a 1-player game, during a match, if the other player presses Start to join in, it uses the MK2 style new challenger message.
---- On the lifebar, the Run meter is coloured yellow.
---- When switching on the game, it uses the Sculptured Software animated logo from MK2. This was changed to a Midway logo in the final.
---- Wrong music and Motaro's voice used in the Shao Kahn defeated scene.
---- Some text fonts in different places, such as "[name] WINS".
---- The cheat codes to bring up the hidden option screens from the final game does not work.
---- On the Choose Your Destiny battle routes, the first match does not correspond to the image of the opponent.
---- In a 1-player game, lesser number of matches for routes. In the Master route you get 3 normal characters before facing Motaro and Shao Kahn; in the Warrior route you get 1 normal character before the two bosses; and in Novice mode your 1st match is against Shao Kahn.
---- Shao Kahn's fireball cannot be ducked!
---- Some cheat features already enabled for 2-player matches.
---- Destiny/route screen automatically progresses into a fight. In the final version, on this screen you had to press Start to progress.
---- On the Pit 3 background/stage, it has the two lanterns from the Arcade version. They are actually animated to float in the SNES prototype. These were removed in the final version.
---- When Tournament Mode is accessed (the 16 character battle), you can select Shao Kahn's icon on the panels of the character select screen. However this ISN'T him, instead it's just acts as a Random select for a normal character.
---- Tournament Mode is incomplete, as it crashes the game once the first character is defeated.
---- Some minor differences in text spelling in Kano, Kabal, Sektor, and Sub-Zero's intros.
---- If you beat the opponent twice in a row with perfects, it results in the Double Flawless message, instead of just Flawless Victory.
---- In the cast screen, it does not show the names of the characters and actors/actresses.
---- Some Fatalities are reported to be glitchy.
---- Once you beat the game, it will start over again at the Choose Your Destiny screen, but your character will be Kano.

===== CHAPTERS =====

00:00 - Title, Menu, Character Select, Route
00:30 - Regular fights
03:48 - vs. Motaro
04:59 - vs. Shao Kahn
07:00 - "Ending" (glitched)
07:22 - Cast
08:08 - Staff credits