He wasn't originally there. People forget that. When the first Mortal Kombat took over arcades in '92, the roster was lean, mean, and mostly inspired by 80s action flicks. But then 1993 rolled around. Midway released the sequel, and suddenly, we had this guy in a tuxedo-style vest with a wide-brimmed hat that could literally slice a man in half. Mortal Kombat 2 Kung Lao didn't just add a new face to the character select screen; he introduced a high-risk, high-reward playstyle that rewarded players for being creative rather than just button-mashing.
Honestly, the transition from the first game to the second was jarring for a lot of people. You went from a relatively grounded martial arts tournament to an Outworld nightmare. Kung Lao was the perfect bridge for that. He was a Shaolin monk, just like Liu Kang, but he carried this heavy burden of being the descendant of the Great Kung Lao, the guy who actually lost the tournament to Goro 500 years prior. That bit of lore mattered. It made him feel like he had a chip on his shoulder, which translated perfectly into how he played: aggressive, fast, and slightly unpredictable.
The Razor's Edge: Mastering the Hat Toss
The hat. It’s the thing everyone remembers. In Mortal Kombat 2, the "Ground Hat" was a revolution in projectile mechanics. Most games back then had projectiles that just went straight. Ryu's Hadouken? Straight line. Scorpion's Spear? Straight line. But Kung Lao's hat was different because you could actually control its trajectory.
You’d throw it, and depending on your inputs, you could make it curve up or down. This was a nightmare for opponents who thought they could just jump over a zoning tool. If you were playing against a skilled Kung Lao in a smoke-filled arcade in 1994, you weren't just fighting a character; you were playing a game of "where is that blade going to be in three seconds?"
It wasn't just about the damage, either. It was about the psychological pressure. Because the hat was a physical object on the screen with a variable path, it forced opponents to stay grounded. Once they were scared to jump, that’s when the real Kung Lao players would go to work. They’d get in close with that rapid-fire kick or the teleport.
The teleport was another piece of the puzzle. While Raiden had a teleport too, Kung Lao’s felt more offensive. You could pop up right behind someone and immediately go into a throw or a sweep. It created a "vortex" style of gameplay before that term was even widely used in the fighting game community.
Fatalities That Defined an Era
We have to talk about the gore. It’s Mortal Kombat, after all. Kung Lao’s primary Fatality—the hat decapitation—is arguably one of the most iconic images from the 16-bit era. It was simple, brutal, and incredibly satisfying to pull off. You’d stand at just the right distance, sweep distance usually, and input Forward, Forward, Forward, Low Kick.
The animation of the head sliding off the shoulders while the body stayed upright for a second? Absolute gold.
But he also had the "Body Slice." This one was a bit more technical to trigger but just as visually striking. He’d use the hat to saw the opponent in half vertically. It showed the level of "edginess" Midway was going for in the sequel. They weren't just trying to repeat the success of the first game; they were trying to outdo the controversy.
Interestingly, there was a lot of playground rumor-mongering back in the day about a "secret" third Fatality for Kung Lao. There wasn't one, obviously, but the fact that people were convinced there was more to find speaks to how much he captured the imagination of the player base. He felt like a character with secrets. Even his Friendship move—where he just pulls a rabbit out of his hat—was a brilliant bit of tonal whiplash. One second he’s a killing machine, the next he’s a mediocre magician. It gave him personality.
The Technical Reality: Frame Data and Matchups
If you look at the high-level competitive scene for MK2 today—and yes, people still play this game competitively on Fightcade and at tournaments like Combo Breaker—Kung Lao is generally considered top-tier, but not "broken" in the way Jax or Mileena can be.
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His recovery times are the main thing you have to watch out for. If you whiff a hat toss at close range, you are going to get punished. Hard. Most of his moves have a specific "sweet spot" where they are safe, but if you're off by just a few frames, you're opening yourself up to a full combo from someone like Sub-Zero or Kitana.
- The Dive Kick: This was his best tool for closing the gap. In Mortal Kombat 2, the air-to-ground game was very different from modern fighters. Kung Lao’s dive kick (Down + High Kick in the air) allowed him to change his aerial momentum instantly.
- The Whirlwind Spin: This move (Up, Up, Low Kick) was his primary anti-air. It’s legendary. It sucked opponents in and sent them flying. However, it also left him completely vulnerable if he missed.
- The Shield: You couldn't just spam the spin. If the opponent blocked it, you were stuck in a recovery animation that felt like it lasted a lifetime.
Expert players realized early on that Kung Lao was a "punish" character. You waited for the opponent to make a mistake, used the teleport or the dive kick to get in, and then used his high-damage basic attacks to chip away at their health. His roundhouse kick was particularly nasty, having one of the better hitboxes in the game.
Why He Still Matters in 2026
It’s easy to look back at 1993 and think it’s just nostalgia. It’s not. Kung Lao represents a shift in how fighting game characters were designed. He wasn't a clone. He didn't play like Liu Kang or Johnny Cage. He required a different part of your brain to operate.
He also set the stage for the "weapon-based" fighters that would follow. While he didn't hold a sword, his hat functioned as a tethered weapon. You see his DNA in characters from SoulCalibur or even modern Guilty Gear entries. He proved that you could have a projectile-heavy character who was still an absolute beast at close range.
Furthermore, his story arc started here. The Kung Lao we see in Mortal Kombat 1 (the 2023 reboot) is a direct evolution of the arrogant but capable warrior we first met in MK2. That's thirty-plus years of character consistency.
Strategies for Modern Players
If you’re booting up Mortal Kombat 2 on an emulator or a classic collection today, don't play Kung Lao like he’s a modern character. The game is much "stiffer" than you remember.
- Abuse the Teleport against projectiles. If you’re fighting Shang Tsung or Liu Kang, wait for them to start their fireball animation. Teleport immediately. You will catch them every single time.
- Don't over-rely on the Hat. It’s tempting to just chuck it constantly. Don’t. Use it to force a jump, then meet them in the air with a jump-kick followed by a dive-kick.
- Corner Pressure is king. If you get someone in the corner with Kung Lao, his low poke and throw game is oppressive. His throw animation is fast, and it puts the opponent right back in a bad spot.
- Master the "Guided Hat" inputs. Don't just press the buttons. Learn the timing to hold Down or Up to move the hat mid-flight. This is the difference between a rookie and a pro.
Kung Lao in Mortal Kombat 2 remains a masterclass in risk-management gameplay. He’s frustrating to learn but incredibly rewarding to master. He’s the reason many of us still have a soft spot for the sound of a spinning blade and the sight of a razor-rimmed hat flying across a pixelated forest.
Actionable Next Steps for Enthusiasts
- Load up the Arcade Version: Avoid the SNES or Genesis ports if you want the true experience. The arcade version has the correct timing and frame data that made Kung Lao a top-tier threat.
- Practice the "Infinite" (Sorta): While MK2 doesn't have true infinites like UMK3, Kung Lao has some nasty corner loops involving jump kicks and the whirlwind spin that you should practice in training mode.
- Study the Frame Data: Check out community resources like Test Your Might or the MK Secrets archives. Understanding exactly how many frames of disadvantage you have after a blocked spin will change how you play the neutral game.
- Watch competitive VODs: Search for "Mortal Kombat 2 high level play" on YouTube. Pay attention to how they use Kung Lao’s movement to bait out mistakes rather than just attacking blindly.
The depth of this character is honestly surprising for a game that’s over three decades old. Whether you're a veteran or a newcomer, there’s always something new to learn about the monk with the hat.