Mortal Kombat 3 Walkthrought

We’re continuing our MK3 route on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive — classic Mortal Kombat 3 most of us just call MK3. This isn’t a review or a sightseeing tour: it’s a practical path up the tower, arena by arena, calling out traps and reliable tactics for specific matchups. No rush — step by step, like we’re sharing one console and passing the pad between fights.

Towers and pacing your run

Start with the Warrior tower — fair curve, no early brick wall. Novice is only a warm-up, Master already demands sharp reactions, Champion is dessert. On the VS screen you can enter Kombat Kodes — not cheating, a training tool. Disable throws, toggle Dark Kombat, or set Infinite Run to drill dial-a-combos. For a clean clear keep codes off, but they’re clutch when you need to lab particular matchups.

Early fights and arenas: when to press, when to play safe

Subway is the perfect launchpad. Low ceiling messes with deep jump arcs — skip the big cross-up. Run the classic rhythm: max-range jump kick, land into instant sweep. If they block, do it again. Yep, MK3’s AI bites. Corner them — toss over with a throw, then back to the jump-kick tempo. Land a clean uppercut and you can smash through to The Street. Use the transition: outside you’ve got room to sprint and close if they like to backhop.

On The Street, lining your back with the door is a great spacing cue for the “jump-kick → sweep” loop. Don’t overplay it: if they start reading jumps, change gears — tiny step back, brief fake, then sudden run-in clinch into throw. Simple, but it holds even on Master.

The Bank breaks rhythm with those columns — think in half-screens. Pressure less with long strings, more with approach–block–punish. See Sub-Zero’s slide? Low block, immediate uppercut. Hear Sindel’s scream? Step back and whiff-punish with a short dial string; no greed: two or three hits, then bail. Keep the run meter around half — enough to chase a taunt or a whiff without burning your whole bar.

Rooftop rewards careful entries. Hold mid-range and meet jump-ins with a kick. If you tag clean and feel the usual hitstop, tack on a sweep. On Finish Him don’t forget the Stage Fatality transition: an uppercut can send them to Bell Tower. And under those bells, pre-plan the ender — the multi-level drop looks great, but hold center on Finish or you’ll whiff and miss the bonus.

Mid-tower: notable matchups and their quirks

Kabal. Best plan — don’t fidget. Spin on block is punishable by uppercut or a short string. See the “buzzsaw” dash? Plant, block high, take a modest punish. Max-range jump-kick → sweep is extra safe on him.

Sektor. Teleport uppercut is telegraphed by the crouch dip: as soon as he twitches down, block, then snap an uppercut punish. Don’t overrespect missiles — step back and run under. In the corner, skip long combos — he pops out mid-string with teleport. Keep it short to secure knockdowns.

Cyrax. The Net is the stop sign. Don’t be the first to jump at long range; wait for a wasted net. After the whiff he’s stuck forever — dash in, throw, then delay a heartbeat so his panic mash eats a sweep.

Sheeva. Stomp is a gift. Watch the shadow, step forward at the last moment and she lands behind — turn and uppercut. If she likes to hop in neutral, time a meeting jump kick. No combo greed, just bank the knockdown.

Stryker. Gun and grenades force block but don’t delete your health. Don’t try to crawl under bullets — block, then burst in the instant he draws. Up close he’s flimsy — chain throws and short strings, don’t let him breathe.

Sub-Zero (unmasked). Always expect slide. Love pressing after blocks? You’ll eat it. Solution: hold low block, punish with an uppercut or a quick two-hit into backstep. Don’t jump at him when he’s planted and “waiting” — he’ll freeze you between hits.

Sindel. Scream is bait. Let it rip, step back, then take your turn. In the corner, far jump-kick checks her clean, but avoid long dial-a-combos: on Sega the AI “wakes up” with a high poke mid-chain.

Transitions, finishers, and small secrets

Memorize the sweet spots for transitions. Subway — a mid-screen uppercut dumps you to The Street. Rooftop — into Bell Tower. Bell Tower — for the multi-floor Stage Fatality, walk them closer to center and don’t rush: on Finish Him, a kick or uppercut does the job, but a tiny sidestep can wreck the spectacle. On The Pit 3, play from center; near the edge the opponent can “slip” off-script and you lose tempo.

Going for an Animality? Remember Mercy. In the final round after Finish Him, hold Run, tap Down a few times and release — mid distance, not cornered. It’s mandatory; otherwise Animality won’t trigger. Friendship and Babality are still on the table — sometimes it’s smarter to keep your nerves and end with a simple finisher than chase conditions.

Hunting MK3 secrets? Watch the Kombat Kodes on the VS screen. You’ll find toggles like No Blocking, Psycho Kombat, and Random Select — perfect for training and for speeding up a tower when the goal is to reach the bosses and drill specific patterns.

Top of the tower: Motaro and Shao Kahn

Motaro is the real wall. Projectiles make him smile — he reflects and punishes. So play honest mid-range. Core loop: hover a step away, bait the rush, block, then uppercut on whiff. Don’t spam jumps — his anti-air reaches the moon. His teleport has a tell — a little “hang”; once he vanishes, expect the pop next to you and smack him instantly with a kick or uppercut. Don’t try to convert; just take the hit. Favorite pattern: fake step in — block — punish — back off. Repeat to win, never extend beyond three hits.

Shao Kahn in MK3 looks terrifying, but discipline wins. Shoulder is always punishable on block with an uppercut. Hammer? Stay calm: block, step in, short string. Any taunt is a free jump-kick entry, but mind spacing: too close and he’ll grab or knee you. Best plan — herd him to the corner and run pressure with “run — jab — micro-pause — throw.” He hates the micro-pause: he twitches, opens up, and you harvest safe damage. If he starts reading your jump, switch the entry: empty jump into instant sweep. After every whiff, don’t get greedy — one punish, step back, wait for the next shoulder. That’s how the boss crumbles without drama.

On the Champion tower both run faster, but the rules hold: vs Motaro — no zoning, only baited rushes and clean uppercuts; vs Shao Kahn — block shoulder, punish, throw pressure and micro-pauses. And don’t forget the finish: a well-chosen arena and a Stage Fatality aren’t just for show — they can lock the win and leave no comeback window.