The fighting game. That manly-man, beat ‘em up brawler that dominated arcades. Famous names that come to mind might include Namco’s Tekken series, or more likely Capcom’s outrageous Street Fighter games. But today, I’m going to talk about the bloodiest, most violent of them all: Mortal Kombat. Our story begins, at the small, unimportant Midway Games. Although they had some experience, they soon realized there was a market for arcade fighting games. When development started, the team, led by the legendary Ed Boon, decided that, rather than using the exquisite sprite work of games like Fatal Fury, they would innovate on 16 bit software, similar to what would be used for Donkey Kong Country in 1994. The original plan, it seems, was to use famous movie star Jean Claude Van Damme, as he appeared in the R-rated film Bloodsport, but, after he declined to use his likeness in arcades, the plan was changed to incorporate original characters instead. And those original characters were a colorful cast. You had Johnny Cage, the shades-wearing Hollywood actor; the assassin Kano; and some outlandish ones–like the electrifying Raiden, based on the Japanese god of thunder! The game was released in arcades in the year 1992, along with phenomenal advertising focusing on the innovative graphics, culminating in the “So real, it hurts!” campaign. It was so successful that, this being the middle of the console wars, suitors from both Nintendo and Sega came to get exclusive console rights for the game. Bally Midway’s owners, seeing a way to make more money, decided to let both of them get the game–though each company’s mentality and specs would change the final game. At Nintendo, where the demographic was traditionally younger, the fatalities were removed, and the blood replaced with a gray substance dubbed ‘sweat,’ which it was not. Sega, which appealed toward teenagers and 20-somethings, kept the blood, but, as it had less graphic capacity, the music and coloration took a slight hit. But, most importantly, when a civil servant’s son brought home the game one fateful day, his father, appalled by the violence, contacted his superior, Senator Joseph Lieberman, who then started inquiry about violent video games and teens. Both Nintendo and Sega were questioned, and Sega in particular had to bear the brunt of the consequences, but that was part of the allure to buyers. This was something to be shown off on the playground, to tell their friends “My parents let me buy it!” And, just maybe, that was all it took. So now, let’s “Finish this!” and come full circle. Thanks to a streamlined design, and most important of all, its hidden features, such as the hidden character Reptile, Mortal Kombat propelled its way to the top. So, the next time you play the original, or its many ilk, remember that it all started with nothing but a dream and Jean Claude Van Damme.
Rescue, Reviewed by Emily Ke, 12
You’re running in a dark forest, the full moon’s light illuminating spots of the ground through the trees. Fallen leaves crinkle under your feet as you sprint mindlessly. You’re just trying to get anywhere away from your enemies; they’re out to get you. Suddenly, the sounds of a truck echo through the woods, causing a galvanizing feeling of panic to pass through you. Well…I’ve never been this nervous holding a book. Like many gripping accounts from World War II, the characters all had a universal fear looming from one towering figure of antagonism: Nazi Germany. To be honest, it never gets old. As horrible as it was for people to be locked up in concentration camps back then, each story – imagined or true – needs to be retold. In the amazing historical fiction titled Rescue by Jennifer A. Nielsen, I am rooting for Margaret to escape for freedom—but the many challenges she endured really speaks to what humanity means to us all. In this review, I want to share some of it with you. Margaret, also known as Meg, lives in France at the time of the war. She and her father would play a game where one of them creates a code for the other to decode. They would do this every day, until Meg’s father got drafted into the war. Her father’s parting gift was a jar full of tiny paper slips with many codes written on them, each for her to decode. Her father had promised her that by the time she finished the last riddle, he would come back. There was only one slip of paper left, and her father still hadn’t come back for three years. Already, I’m thinking to myself about impossible choices. Even though the reality looks grim, why are we so driven by the small sliver of hope? An injured British pilot shows up to Meg’s family’s farm, and the catalyst begins. Basically, she was told this: Decode the last riddle. If you do, it’ll likely cost you your life. If you succeed, however, you can maybe have eternal freedom. In times of struggle, when it’s so easy to give up, why do we make the illogical choice of bravery and sacrifice? Of course there are those who do give up, but Meg is the symbol of determination for many. When we look at history, we sometimes forget how brave some of these people were. Helping strangers along the way? Even braver. I look at our world now. Do we have what it takes to be brave? If our comfortable lives were turned upside down suddenly, would we fight for freedom again and save each other? I think about this often when I read historical fiction, the fun what-ifs. The plot twists in this book seriously deserve a gold medal. I think Nielsen’s portrayal of humans – sometimes the people that you trust the most end up betraying you – made me accept the good and the bad parts of being human. It hurts, like war itself, but that is something we cannot run away from. It might be practical to be selfish, but in the end, what makes us unreasonable is also the thing that makes us chase for what’s worth fighting for. When you’re ready to escape for that something, join me in reading Rescue. Who knows, you might even rescue yourself? 🙂 Rescue by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Scholastic Press, 2022. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
Auggie & Me, Reviewed by Elaine Elizabeth Jinto, 13
Friendships can be hard to keep up with. There are lots of times when we feel it would be easier to not be friends with someone, and lots of people test your loyalty everyday. This idea has been explored in a unique way by R.J Palacio in her book Auggie & Me. Palacio’s first book, Wonder, tell us the story of August Pullman- a boy with facial deformities going to school for the first time. The book has been written from various perspectives as August navigates through fifth grade, coping with studies, activities, bullies, and making new friends. Touching people’s lives in different ways! It is a warm, comfortable, and happy book, something that anyone would love. Auggie & Me is Palacio’s next book, and it is not a sequel! This turned out to be a little disappointing, as I was hoping to know what happens to Auggie, the Pullmans, and all his friends and enemies when Auggie enters sixth grade. Auggie & Me is a companion book; it does not continue where Wonder left off but just broadens Auggie’s world, from the perspective of three very different people in three different chapters. Auggie’s archenemy, Julian, in “The Julian Chapter” Auggie’s childhood friend Chris who left North River Heights before the happenings in Wonder, in “Pluto” Charlotte, the only girl to be chosen as Auggie’s welcome buddy in the first book, in “Shingaling” Surprisingly, this book does not tell us much about Auggie, rather about the troubles faced by these three kids. Troubles at school, at home, in the park, and mostly the trouble with their friends. It does, however, give us a different perspective to Auggie’s life too. “The Julian Chapter” Julian was the biggest bully in Wonder, and none of the readers like him. He is the one who started the Plague game to bully Auggie; he was the one who called Auggie freak; and he was responsible for leaving mean notes in Auggie’s and his best friend Jacks’ locker. If you Google this apparently very mean kid, you can even find posters like the one given alongside. But is Julian really bad? There must be a reason for him to act like that, and that is what is explored in The Julian Chapter. One reason I like this part of the book is that Palacio has not given up on any of her characters. She has explored circumstances even from a bully’s point of view. But I won’t tell you anymore. Julian has his own difficult story to tell! “Pluto” Christopher Angus Blake is Auggie’s childhood friend, who left the neighborhood before the events in Wonder take place. He knows Auggie is different, but he has always been his friend. However, Chris finds it hard to keep up with the friendship and thinks of letting go. In “Pluto,” we can see snippets of Auggie’s life before he starts 5th grade in Wonder, and also Chris working hard to save relationships with his friends. Lots of people are testing Pluto’s loyalty, and he isn’t sure how far it will stretch! P.S: It would be interesting for you to find out why it is called Pluto. “Shingaling” Charlotte Cody is a nice girl. She never was mean to Auggie; she always waved high whenever she saw him. She was totally nice. But, Charlotte, unlike Summer and Jack, did not go further than that. She did not want whispers about her and Auggie; she did not want anyone to think she was actually friends with him. But we never knew from the first book, that there is a lot going on in Charlotte’s world during 5th grade. Old friends and new, mean girls, the mystery of Gordy Johnson, and of course the big dance performance in Carnegie Hall that year. While learning to do the Shingaling, Charlotte makes new acquaintances and good relationships with Ximena, Summer and Maya. There is of course a lot to enjoy in the third and last book, and I would recommend it to you wholeheartedly. Auggie & Me is a beautiful book, and I give it 5 stars. I feel like anyone in middle school right now should try it, because it gives you new perspectives. But to understand and to enjoy the book fully, you will have to read Wonder first. P.S: There is also a movie which I will reviewing later on. Auggie & Me by R. J. Palacio. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2015. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
