You remember the first time you reached the end of the original Mortal Kombat arcade cabinet. You'd beaten Scorpion, frozen Sub-Zero, and finally, the screen flashed. Out stepped a literal monster. Not a ninja, not a monk, but a massive, half-dragon beast with twice the limbs of any other fighter. Goro changed the game. Honestly, those 4 armed Mortal Kombat characters are more than just a visual gimmick; they are the physical embodiment of the series' "boss energy."
Most players just call them Shokan, but it's deeper than that. You’ve got different sub-races, political backstabbings, and a legitimate lore reason why some look like tigers and others look like traditional bodybuilders. When you're staring down four massive fists, the strategy changes. You can't just block low and hope for the best.
The Shokan Bloodline: More Than Just Goro
It all started in 1992. John Tobias and Ed Boon needed a sub-boss that felt impossible to beat. They used stop-motion animation for Goro, which gave him this eerie, jittery movement that digitized actors couldn't replicate. It worked. People spent literal rolls of quarters trying to figure out how to jump over a guy who could grab you with two hands and punch you with the other two.
The Shokan are an ancient race from Outworld. They aren't just "monsters"; they are a proud, warrior-aristocracy. Goro is a Prince. He had been the reigning champion of the Mortal Kombat tournament for 500 years before Liu Kang showed up and ruined his streak. Imagine that. Five centuries of undefeated dominance.
Dragon-Fangs vs. Tiger-Maulers
Not every 4 armed Mortal Kombat fighter is the same. There are actually two distinct lineages within the Shokan race. You have the Draco lineage, which is what Goro and Sheeva belong to. They are the "royalty," usually depicted with more human-like skin tones and a regal (if murderous) bearing.
Then you have the Tigrar class. Kintaro is the poster child for this group. He’s got the stripes, the fangs, and a much more feral attitude. When Kintaro replaced Goro in Mortal Kombat II, fans were divided. Some loved the tiger-man aesthetic, while others felt it was a bit too "Saturday morning cartoon." Regardless, he was statistically harder to beat than Goro. His grab-and-stomp move is still one of the most frustrating things in fighting game history.
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Why Sheeva Changed the Meta
For a long time, the extra-limb club was a "boys only" section of the roster. That changed with Mortal Kombat 3. Sheeva was introduced as Sindel's bodyguard, and she brought a completely different flavor to the Shokan playstyle.
She wasn't just a slow, hulking brute. She was agile. She had that "Tele-Stomp" that would track you anywhere on the screen. Honestly, if you played Sheeva in the 90s, your friends probably hated you. It was a cheap move, but it was effective. In the modern era, specifically Mortal Kombat 11, Sheeva became a high-tier threat. Professionals like Dragon used her to manipulate screen space in ways that Goro never could.
The Mechanics of Fighting with Four Arms
Think about the physics. From a game design perspective, adding two extra limbs is a nightmare. How do you animate a "grab" that feels fair? In the early games, the 4 armed Mortal Kombat characters simply ignored the rules of physics. They had "armor" before armor was a formal mechanic. You would hit them, and they just wouldn't flinch.
In the newer titles, the developers at NetherRealms had to get creative. They started using the extra arms for specific functions:
- Two arms to hold the opponent's shoulders while the other two pummel the ribs.
- Multi-tasking projectiles (Goro firing a fireball while blocking with his lower set).
- Complex grappling maneuvers that are impossible for human-shaped characters.
It creates a visual clutter that is actually a tactical advantage. Your brain is wired to track two hands. When four are moving, you lose track of the start-up frames for overheads and lows. It’s a sensory overload.
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The Forgotten Four-Armed Fighters
Everyone talks about the big three, but the lore goes deeper. There’s Kollector from Mortal Kombat 11. Now, technically, Kollector isn't a Shokan. He’s a Naknadan. He actually has six arms if you count the ones holding his backpack, but he primarily uses four for combat.
He represents a different side of Outworld. He’s not a noble warrior; he’s a debt collector. He uses his extra hands to stow items, throw vials of acid, and wield multiple weapons simultaneously. It’s a complete departure from the "brute force" archetype of Goro.
Then you have the fusions. In the weird, wild days of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, you could basically see every variation of these creatures. But nothing beats the sheer intimidation of the original designs. Even in the 2021 movie, Goro was the CGI centerpiece. Even though he lost to Cole Young (a controversial choice, to say the least), his presence on screen was the highlight of the second act.
How to Beat a Shokan (The Pro Strategy)
If you're playing against a 4 armed Mortal Kombat character online today, you need a plan. You can't out-muscle them.
- Respect the Range. Characters like Goro have massive hitboxes. Their "pokes" reach further than your actual combos. You have to play the "footsies" game more carefully than usual.
- Punish the Whiff. Because they are large, their recovery frames are often garbage. If Goro misses a stomp or Kintaro misses a fire breath, they are open for a full-sequence punish.
- Low Profile. Many of their high-damage grabs are "high" or "mid" hits. Crouching without blocking can sometimes let you slip right under a grab that would otherwise take 30% of your health bar.
The Cultural Impact of the Multi-Limbed Menace
It’s weirdly hard to find other fighting games that pulled this off. Street Fighter has weirdos, but nobody as iconic as the Shokan. Tekken has robots and bears, but nothing that captures that specific "sub-boss" dread.
The 4 armed Mortal Kombat archetype is a staple of the "Monster Fighter" sub-genre. It’s the ultimate power fantasy. Who wouldn't want two extra arms to finish a job? It represents the "More is More" philosophy of the 90s that somehow survived into the modern era of gaming without becoming a joke.
Moving Forward with the Shokan
If you're looking to master these characters or just stop getting bodied by them in MK1 or MK11, start by studying the "frame data" of their grabs. Most players panic when they see the extra arms and start jumping. That is exactly what a Shokan player wants. They want you in the air so they can swat you down.
Stay grounded. Use fast projectiles. And for the love of the Elder Gods, watch out for the stomp.
Next Steps for Players:
- Practice the "neutral" game: Go into training mode and set the AI Goro or Sheeva to "Random Hidden." Learn to react to the animation of their lower arms, which usually telegraphs their low-hitting sweeps.
- Study the hitbox: Use the "Show Hitboxes" feature in modern MK games to see exactly where Goro’s reach ends. You’ll find there’s a sweet spot just outside his fist range where you can bait out a heavy attack.
- Explore the Lore: Check out the Mortal Kombat comics by DC. They give Goro a much more tragic and nuanced backstory than the games ever did, explaining his fall from grace and his eventual "retirement" from the throne.