This fighting game homage from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show is surprisingly detailed, and was clearly made by faithful Mortal Kombat fans

We have seen various homages to preventing video games in popular culture reveals and media over the past 30 years, however whereas nearly all of them depend on probably the most extensively recognizable references, the Mortal Kombat sequence featured within the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles present (2012-2017) deserves some particular recognition for its many delicate particulars.

It is one factor to have your popular culture character shout “HADOKEN!” or know that Sub-Zero freezes individuals, however the writers of TNMT transcend the apparent and even make enjoyable of those that cheaply reference the decrease hanging fruit with out exhibiting additional familiarity.

We go to the opening scene within the seventh episode of the present’s fourth season: The Enviornment of Carnage. The episode opens en media res because the turtles are practising their strikes in actual time through a combat simulator. Leonardo finishes off Tiger Claw (a tiger character with a watch patch) with an uppercut whereas yelling out “SHORYUKEN,” and even will get a background change akin to Tremendous assault finishes in Road Fighter.

Whereas this seems to be an terrible lot like when Ryu nailed Sagat with the Shoryuken that gave him his iconic chest scar, nearly every part else in regards to the scene screams “Mortal Kombat.” The life bars are nearly actual replicas from these of MK1, Shredder sits centered within the background a la Shang Tsung in his throne room from MK1, and some different references we’ll get to makes it apparent that this is not a Road Fighter scene.

As Leo passes an incoming Michelangelo whereas leaving the battlefield, Mikey notes that they are doing the “completely fallacious recreation for Shoryukens, bro.” Probably the most party-adept of the 4 then takes on a foe of his personal, taking him out with just a few hits that trigger the oh-so recognizable “FINISH HIM” to look on display screen.

Mikey then pays homage to one of the vital obscure Mortal Kombat Fatalities within the franchise as he recreates Kabal’s Mortal Kombat 3 balloon ender. Although distinctive for certain, this kill transfer was thought-about pretty goofy and is much from the very first thing most MK followers consider after they consider Fatalities.

Even the slight motion earlier than the ending transfer straight echoes how characters in Mortal Kombat transfer earlier than going into last sequences.

I used to be watching the ninja turtles and located this Mortal Kombat reference 🤣 it is actually good pic.twitter.com/OVGTGvtVXg

— Nayakkaratakkatahar (@Kunuuksaayuka_) March 5, 2021

As famous by a person named “MamaMiaNotter” within the ensuing thread, the voice actor who each narrates and performs Shredder within the present, Kevin M. Richardson, additionally voiced Goro within the 1995 stay motion Mortal Kombat movie. This sequence is presently obtainable on Hulu for individuals who want to watch the total episode and extra.