Is there a primer for people who never played the original game? Believe it or not back + low kick isn't really all that an intuitive way to do a foot sweep. What about the kill moves? Any suggestions about how to map the keys to a keyboard?

I own the three games on GOG for years, but I'm still noob. There's even no manual included in the GOG release.

Press F10 to map keys for 1 and 2. MK3 automatically brings you to menu where you can select controls to map. Also, MK1 when you press F10 there is a cheat. Hold shift and type DIP at F10 screen. Number 5 switch is free play so turn that on. MK2 at copyright screen type AICULEDSSUL, then at Akklaim screen hit F9 for cheat menu. If screen disappears too fast you can go into GOG folder for MK2 and in dosboxMortalKombat2.conf change cycles from auto to 40000 and then save. Now click into game and screen for code should be slower. Kill moves don’t seem to bad. Google MK2 PC moves for them.

Awesome, didn't know that!

convention
JP - jump-punch
JK - jump kick
1 - low punch
2 - high punch
3 - low kick
4 - high kick
B - block
R - run
right arrow means forward

inscriptions
e.up - move available only when opponent is in the air (either jumping or has been hit into the air)
air - move can be done only in the air (while jumping)
a.air - move available both on ground and in the air
any - finisher can be performed from any distance
cls - closeup distance
swp - sweep distance (length of a leg)
o.swp - just slightly farther than swp (out of sweep)
hlf/mid - exactly half of the screen (middle distance)
far - approximately 2/3rds of screen width
scr - FULL screen width

stage fatalities can only be done on maps with pits
"The Pit" map itself does not require any sequence and a simple uppercut will do fatality
others require a sequence being dialed, followed by an upeprcut
animality is only done after Mercy (special hotkey required, don't remember what)

notation
←+2 - press two buttons simultaneously
4... - tap button rapidly
[←→] - optionally press either of these buttons
hold 2 →→* means keep holding 2, then briefly press the sequence, then release the being-held button

missing distance data means it was lost
question mark ? means data is unknown or not confirmed

notice data has been restored from legacy notes, partially from photos, and therefore, is not 100% correct (particularly, some finisher distance data is controversial)

notice 4 characters from the roster can be switched to their legacy variants (such as Kano MK1); special hotkey must be used while in the roster screen