History VideoGame / MDK

* GainaxEnding: The original releases ended with...[[spoiler:a music video]] of all things. Later releases, such as the {{PS1}} version and even the {{Steam}} rereleases, removed this, [[AWinnerIsYou but left a sense that it was incomplete as a result]].

''MDK'' is a third-person shooter game developed by Creator/ShinyEntertainment and released in 1997 by Playmates Interactive Entertainment in North America and Interplay Entertainment in Europe for the PC, Macintosh, and subsequently PlayStation. It was one of the first PC games to require a Pentium or equivalent processor, and did not initially have a GPU requirement. The game soundtrack, composed by Tommy Tallarico, was also separately released.

* FunWithAcronyms: Applies to [[{{MDK2}} the sequel]] as well, for neither [[Creator/ShinyEntertainment Shiny]] or BioWare have explicitly said what the [=MDK=] in the title stands for, but popular theories/jokes include ''Murder Death Kill''[[hottip:*:a possibility, as it was released four years after ''Film/DemolitionMan'', which featured the phrase extensively]] and, in the spirit of the original game's release date, ''Mother's Day Kisses''.

* TimedMission: There is a certain amount of time you have to complete the level before everyone dies (as represented on a green line gradually turning red around the health counter). You can still complete the leve after time runs out, but it results in Dr. Fluke Hawkins saying you failed. Don't worry, you still go to the next level anyhow.

* TheLancer: Bones.

* OvershadowedByAwesome: MDK was released at almost the exact same time as the original {{Doom}}, which didn't do any favours for it's sales figures.

* FatBastard: Gunter Glut AKA Gunta.

* AWinnerIsYou: Some rereleases of this game removed [[spoiler: the music video at the end]]. So we see [[spoiler:the Minecrawler base being destroyed]], Kurt jumps on the ''MDK'' logo and...the credits roll. Fortunately, ''{{MDK2}}'' gives us something closer to a proper ending in its recap of this game.

* TheCameo: In some places (including at least one secret area), there are some ''VideoGame/EarthwormJim'' heads laying around. Futhermore, if you touch one, a cow will appear and fall on an enemy (or you, if there is none).

* TimedMission: There is a certain amount of time you have to complete the level before everyone dies (as represented on a green line gradually turning red around the health counter). You can still complete the leve after time runs out, but it results in Dr. Fluke Hawkins saying you failed. Don't worry, you still go to the next level anyhow.

* AWinnerIsYou: Some rereleases of this game removed [[spoiler: the music video at the end]]. So we see [[spoiler:the Minecrawler base being destroyed]], Kurt jums on the ''MDK'' logo and...the credits roll. Fortunately, ''{{MDK2}}'' gives us something closer to a proper ending in its recap of this game.

A sequel, ''{{MDK2}}'' was developed by BioWare and released by Interplay for the PC and Dreamcast in 2000, and later for the PlayStation 2 (titled ''MDK 2: Armageddon'') in 2001. An enhanced HD remake of ''MDK2'' was released at the end of July 2012.

** In addition, the title of Kurts original mission in MDK is "Mission: Deliver Kindness".

* FunWithAcronyms: Applies to [[{{MDK2}} the sequel]] as well, for neither [[Creator/ShinyEntertainment Shiny]] or BioWare have explicitly said what the [=MDK=] in the title stands for, but popular theories/jokes include ''Murder Death Kill''[[hottip:*:a possibility, as it was released four years after ''DemolitionMan'', which featured the phrase extensively]] and, in the spirit of the original game's release date, ''Mother's Day Kisses''.

* TheCameo: In some places (including at least one secret area), there are some ''EarthwormJim'' heads laying around. Futhermore, if you touch one, a cow will appear and fall on an enemy (or you, if there is none).

* GainaxEnding: The original releases ended with...[[Spoiler:a music video]] of all things. Later releases, such as the {{PS1}} version and even the {{Steam}} rereleases, removed this, [[AWinnerIsYou but left a sense that it was incomplete as a result]].

A sequel, ''{{MDK2}}'' was developed by BioWare and released by Interplay for the PC and Dreamcast in 2000, and later for the PlayStation 2 (titled ''MDK 2: Armageddon'') in 2001.

* FunWithAcronyms: Applies to [[{{MDK2}} the sequel]] as well, for neither [[Creator/ShinyEntertainment Shiny]] or BioWare have explicitly said what the [=MDK=] in the title stands for, but popular theories/jokes include ''Murder, Death, Kill'' and, in the spirit of the original game's release date, ''Mother's Day Kisses''.

* DoNotCallMePaul: Max is named "Bones" by the doctor, but for unknown reasons, he perfers to be called "Max". The doctor seems to have just gone with calling him "Max" by the time of ''{{MDK2}}''.

* TheCameo: In some places (including at least one secret area), there are some ''EarthwormJim'' heads laying around. Futhermore, if you touch it, a cow will appear and fall on an enemy (or you, if there is none).

* FunWithAcronyms - Applies to [[{{MDK2}} the sequel]] as well, for neither [[Creator/ShinyEntertainment Shiny]] or BioWare have explicitly said what the [=MDK=] in the title stands for, but popular theories/jokes include ''Murder, Death, Kill'' and, in the spirit of the original game's release date, ''Mother's Day Kisses''.

* TheCameo: In some places (including at least one secret area), there are some ''EarthwormJim'' heads laying arount. Futhermore, if you touch it, a cow will appear and fall on an enemy (or you, if there is none).

* TimedMission: There is a certain amount of time you have to complete the leve before everyone dies (as represented on a green line gradually turning red around the health counter). You can still complete the leve after time runs out, but it results in Dr. Fluke Hawkins saying you failed. Don't worry, you still go to the next level anyhow.

* TimedMission: There is a certain amount of timeyou have to complete the leve before everyone dies (as represented on a green line gradually turning red around the health counter). You can still complete the leve after time runs out, but it results in Dr. Fluke Hawkins saying you failed. Don't worry, you still go to the next level anyhow.

* DoNotCallMePaul: Max is named "Bones" by the doctor, but for unknown reasons, he perfers to be called Max. The doctor seems to have just gone with calling him "Max" by the time of ''{{MDK2}}''.