Mortal Kombat is an Americanmedia franchise centered on a series offightingvideo games originally developed byMidway Games in 1992.
The originalMortal Kombat arcade game spawneda franchise consisting ofaction-adventure games, a comic book series, a card game, films, an animated TV series, and a live-action tour.Mortal Kombat has become the best-selling fighting game franchise worldwide with over 100 million copies and one of thehighest-grossing media franchises of all time.
The series has a reputation for high levels of graphic violence, including, most notably, itsfatalities, which are finishing moves that kill defeated opponents instead of knocking them out.Controversies surroundingMortal Kombat, in part, led to the creation of theEntertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) video game rating system. Early games in the series were noted for their realisticdigitizedsprites and an extensive use ofpalette swapping to create new characters. Following Midway's bankruptcy, theMortal Kombat development team was acquired byWarner Bros. Entertainment and re-established asNetherRealm Studios.
The original three games and their updates,Mortal Kombat (1992),Mortal Kombat II (1993),Mortal Kombat 3 (1995),Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), andMortal Kombat Trilogy (1996), are2Dfighting games. Thearcade cabinet versions of the first two used ajoystick and five buttons: high punch, low punch, high kick, low kick, and block;Mortal Kombat 3 and its updates added a sixth "run" button.[1] Characters in the earlyMortal Kombat games play virtually identically to one another, with the only major differences being their special moves.[2] Through the 1990s, the developer and publisherMidway Games kept their single-styled fighting moves with four attack buttons for a different array of punches, kicks and blocks.Mortal Kombat 4 was the first Mortal Kombat game in which the characters could move in three dimensions and the first to use3D computer graphics. FromDeadly Alliance toMortal Kombat: Deception, characters had three fighting styles per character: two unarmed styles, and one weapon style.[3] While most of the styles used in the series are based on realmartial arts, some are fictitious.[4]Goro's fighting styles, for example, are designed to take advantage of the fact that he has four arms. ForArmageddon, fighting styles were reduced to a maximum of two per character (generally one hand-to-hand combat style and one weapon style) due to the sheer number of playable characters.[5]Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe dropped multiple fighting styles for most characters in favor of giving each character a wider variety of special moves[6][7] 2011'sMortal Kombat returned to a single 2D fighting plane, although characters are rendered in3D;[8] unlike previousMortal Kombat games, each of the controller's four attack buttons corresponds to one of the character's limbs, the buttons thus becoming front punch, back punch, front kick and back kick ("front" indicates the limb that is closer to the opponent, and "back" indicates the limb that is farther away from the opponent).
Mortal Kombat: Deception andMortal Kombat: Armageddon feature "Konquest", afree-roamingaction-adventure mode. Both games include distinctminigame modes such as "Chess Kombat", an action-strategy game. Two other bonus minigames, "Puzzle Kombat" inspired byPuzzle Fighter and "Motor Kombat" inspired byMario Kart, feature super deformed versions ofMortal Kombat characters.[1] The games contain variousunlockable content and hiddencheats.[9]
I think [Mortal Kombat] represents the difference in philosophy. [....] So inStreet Fighter when you're playing it's the moment to moment gameplay that should be the best, whether you win or lose doesn't really matter. Whereas inMortal Kombat the fighting and playing is just a pathway to get to the result – it's theFatality you want to see and you almost want to skip the fighting bit and get to the Fatality because that is the result.[11]
One of the most notable features of theMortal Kombat series is its brutal and gruesome finishing moves, known as "Fatalities". The basic Fatalities are finishing moves that allow the victorious characters to end a match by murdering their defeated, defenseless opponent.[12] Usually Fatalities are exclusive to each character, the exception beingMortal Kombat: Armageddon, which instead features Kreate-A-Fatality, a feature that allows players to perform their own Fatalities by conducting a series of violent moves chosen from a pool that is common to all characters.[1][13]
Other finishing moves in the variousMortal Kombat games include Animalities (introduced inMortal Kombat 3), in which the victor turns into an animal to violently finish off the opponent;[14] Brutality (introduced inUltimate Mortal Kombat 3) which consists of bashing the opponent into pieces with a longcombo of hits; and Stage Fatalities/Death Traps (introduced in the originalMortal Kombat Pit Stage where the victor can uppercut their opponent off of the platform into a bed of spikes below, later made more difficult inMortal Kombat II by requiring a character-specific button sequence) utilizing parts of certain stages to execute a lethal finishing move (such as a pool of acid).Mortal Kombat: Deception added theHara-Kiri, a move that allows the loser to perform a suicidal finishing move, giving way to a potential race between both players to see if the winner can finish off their opponent before they can kill themselves.[12][15]
There are two non-violent finishing moves in the series, which were introduced inMortal Kombat II as a satire tocontroversies surroundingMortal Kombat:[12]Friendship moves, which result in a display of friendship towards the enemy instead of slaughter,[16] and Babalities, which turn the opponent into a baby.[16][14]
| Mortal Kombat story chronology | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original continuity | ||||||||
| Crossover continuity | ||||||||
| Reboot continuity | ||||||||
| Second reboot continuity | ||||||||
| Shaolin Monks continuity | ||||||||
| Onslaught continuity | ||||||||
The series takes place in afictional universe consisting of numerous realms which, according to in-game backstories, were created by the Elder Gods, an ancient, ethereal pantheon of almighty, eternal preternatural beings. TheMortal Kombat: Deception manual described six of the realms as: "Earthrealm, home to such legendary heroes asLiu Kang,Kung Lao,Sonya Blade,Johnny Cage, andJax, and under the protection of the Thunder GodRaiden; Netherrealm, the fiery depths of which are inhospitable to all but the most vile, a realm of demons and shadowy warriors such asQuan Chi andNoob Saibot; Outworld, a realm of constant strife which EmperorShao Kahn claims as his own; Seido, the Realm of Order, whose inhabitants prize structure and order above all else; the Realm of Chaos, whose inhabitants do not abide by any rules whatsoever, and where constant turmoil and change are worshiped; and Edenia, which is known for its beauty, artistic expression, and the longevity of its inhabitants."[17][18] The Elder Gods decreed that the denizens of one realm could only conquer another realm by defeating the defending realm's greatest warriors in ten consecutive martial arts tournaments, called Mortal Kombat.
ThefirstMortal Kombat game takes place in Earthrealm (Earth) where seven different warriors with their own reasons for entering join the tournament with the prize being the continued freedom of their realm under threat of a takeover by Outworld. Among the established warriors were Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade. With the help of the thunder god Raiden, the Earthrealm warriors were victorious, and Liu Kang became the new champion of Mortal Kombat.[19] InMortal Kombat II, unable to deal with his minion Shang Tsung's failure, Outworld Emperor Shao Kahn lures the Earthrealm warriors to Outworld for a do-over, winner-take-all tournament, where Liu Kang eventually defeats Shao Kahn. By the time ofMortal Kombat 3, Shao Kahn merged Edenia with his empire and revived its former queen Sindel in Earthrealm, combining it with Outworld as well. He attempts to invade Earthrealm, but is ultimately defeated by Liu Kang once more. After the Kahn's defeat, Edenia was freed from his grasp and returned to a peaceful realm, ruled by Princess Kitana. The following game,Mortal Kombat 4, features the fallen elder god Shinnok attempting to conquer the realms and kill Raiden. He is defeated by Liu Kang.
InMortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, the evil sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung join forces to conquer the realms, killing series protagonist Liu Kang in the process. ByMortal Kombat: Deception, after several fights, the sorcerers emerge victorious, having killed most of Earthrealm's warriors until Raiden steps forth to oppose them. The Dragon King Onaga, former ruler of Outworld, returned to merge all realms back together, but was eventually defeated by the game's protagonist, Shujinko.[20]
InMortal Kombat: Armageddon, the titular catastrophe begins. Centuries before the firstMortal Kombat, Queen Delia foretold the realms would be destroyed because the power of all of the realms' warriors would rise to such greatness that it would overwhelm and destabilize the realms, triggering a destructive chain of events. King Argus had his sons, Taven and Daegon, put into incubation so one day they can be awakened to save the realms from Armageddon by defeating a firespawn known asBlaze. In the end, Shao Kahn is the one who defeats Blaze and wins the war, causing Armageddon.[21]
The crossoverMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe does not share continuity with the other games. After the simultaneous defeats of both Shao Kahn and the alien warlordDarkseid in theDC Universe causes both villains to fuse into the entity "Dark Kahn", both theMortal Kombat and DC Universes begin to merge. This brings the warriors and heroes into conflicts after suffering bouts of uncontrollable rage. The heroes and villains of both universes repeatedly battle each other, believing each other to be responsible for the catastrophe, until only Raiden andSuperman remain. The two confront Dark Kahn and team up to defeat their common foe. After Dark Kahn's defeat, the two realms defuse, with Shao Kahn and Darkseid trapped in each other's universes to face eternal imprisonment.
In the 2011Mortal Kombat soft reboot, the battle ofArmageddon culminated in only two survivors: Shao Kahn and Raiden. On the verge of death by the former's hand, the latter sent visions to his past self in a last-ditch attempt to prevent this outcome. Upon receiving the visions, the past Raiden attempts to alter the timeline to avertArmageddon amidst the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament, during the original game. His attempts to alter history mean that events play out differently to the original series. While he succeeds in preventing Shao Kahn's victory with help from the Elder Gods, he accidentally kills Liu Kang in self-defense and loses most of his allies to Queen Sindel, leaving Earthrealm vulnerable to Shinnok and Quan Chi's machinations.
Mortal Kombat X sees Shinnok and Quan Chi enacting their plan, leading an army of undead revenants of those that were killed in Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm. A team of warriors led by Raiden, Johnny Cage, Kenshi Takahashi, and Sonya Blade oppose them, and in the ensuing battle, Shinnok is imprisoned within his amulet and various warriors are resurrected and freed from his control, though Quan Chi escapes. Twenty-five years later, the sorcerer resurfaces alongside the insectoid D'Vorah to facilitate Shinnok's return. A vengeful Scorpion kills Quan Chi but fails to stop him from freeing Shinnok. To combat him, Cassie Cage, daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, leads a team composed of the next generation of Earthrealm's heroes in defeating him. With Shinnok and Quan Chi defeated, Liu Kang and Kitana's revenants assume control of the Netherrealm while Raiden taps into Shinnok's amulet.
Mortal Kombat 11 and its expansion, Aftermath, sees the architect of time and Shinnok's mother, Kronika (the Keeper of Time of that specific timeline) working to alter the timeline following her son's defeat and Raiden's tampering with her work. In doing so, she brings past versions of the realm's heroes to the present, aligning herself with some while the rest work to defeat her. After nearly killing Liu Kang a second time, Raiden discovers Kronika has manipulated them into fighting across multiple timelines as she fears their combined power. Despite her interference and attacks by her minions, Raiden gives Liu Kang his power, turning him into a god of fire and thunder so he can defeat Kronika. In the Aftermath expansion, it is revealed that Liu Kang inadvertently destroyed Kronika's crown, the item needed to restart the timeline. Her defeat also revives Shang Tsung, who was absent in the base game due to his imprisonment by Kronika. To recover the crown, Liu Kang sends Shang Tsung and other Earthrealm heroes back in time to obtain it before Kronika, though Shang Tsung manipulates events so that he comes into possession of the crown. At the end, either Liu Kang or Shang Tsung becomes the Keeper of Time, depending on the player's choice (who they want to fight with in the final battle) and the outcome of the battle.
Mortal Kombat 1, the second reboot on the series' timeline, seesLord Liu Kang has created his New Era and strives to maintain peace between all the realms. However, his plans begin to unravel whenShang Tsung andQuan Chi, despite his attempts to have them de-powered and unable to cause trouble, ally withGeneral Shao in order to conquer Earthrealm and Outworld. Investigating the matter, Liu Kang discovers that the Shang Tsung fromMK11: Aftermath is responsible, as Liu Kang's attempts to access the Hourglass' powerresulted in a break where every character inMortal Kombat's universe defeated Kronika and gained control of the Hourglass. In an attempt to stop the sorcerer from taking control of all of the multiple timelines, Liu Kang leads an army of good variations in an assault on Titan Shang Tsung's dimension, where, after an intense battle with all their evil counterparts, Liu Kang and a player-decided champion defeat him and erase his timeline from existence.
Through its iterations, the series has featured scores ofplayer characters, some of them becoming mainstays, such asBaraka,Cassie Cage,Cyrax,Ermac,Fujin,Goro,Jade,Jax,Johnny Cage,Kabal,Kano,Kenshi,Kintaro,Kitana,Kung Lao,Li Mei,Liu Kang,Mileena,Motaro,Nightwolf,Noob Saibot,Quan Chi,Raiden,Rain,Reptile,Scorpion,Sektor,Shang Tsung,Shao Kahn,Sheeva,Shinnok,Sindel,Skarlet,Smoke,Sonya Blade,Stryker,Sub-Zero andTanya. Among them are Earth's humans and cyborgs, good and evil deities, and denizens of Outworld and other realms.
Starting withMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, which featured severalDC Universe heroes and villains, all subsequent games have included guest characters such asFreddy Krueger fromA Nightmare on Elm Street franchise,Kratos from theGod of War franchise (exclusively for PlayStation 3),Jason Voorhees from theFriday the 13th franchise, theXenomorph fromAlien,Leatherface from theTexas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, thetitular character ofPredator, thetitular character of theTerminator franchise, thetitular character ofRoboCop,Spawn of Image Comics,Omni-Man fromImage Comics'sInvincible,John Rambo,Homelander fromThe Boys, and theJoker, who was previously inMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe,Peacemaker (more specifically: thecharacter from theDC Extended Universe andDC Universe), both fromDC Comics, andGhostface from theScream franchise.[citation needed]
Mortal Kombat started development in 1991 with four people:Ed Boon (programming),John Tobias (art and story), John Vogel (graphics), andDan Forden (sound design).[22][23] According toMortal Kombat actors Richard Divizio andDaniel Pesina, the first game began as a ninja-themed project by John Tobias (a young new employee ofMidway Games at the time) and them as well as Carlos Pesina, however their pitch to Tobias' boss Ed Boon was rejected by the management of Midway.[24] Midway was approached to create a video game adaptation of the then-upcoming 1992 filmUniversal Soldier, starringJean-Claude Van Damme,[25] and Tobias imagined a fighting game featuring adigitized version of Van Damme.[26] Intending to make a game "a lot more hard edge, a little bit more serious, a little bit more likeEnter the Dragon orBloodsport" than contemporary cartoonish fighting games,[27] Tobias and Boon decided to continue their project even after the deal to use theBloodsport license fell through.[28] The first ofMortal Kombat characters,[24] Johnny Cage (Daniel Pesina), became "aspoof on the whole Van Damme situation."[25] Divizio credits himself with convincing Tobias to go back to the original idea and trying again.[24]
It was the success ofCapcom'sStreet Fighter II: The World Warrior that convinced Midway Games to let the team produce their own arcade fighting game, the genre chosen by Tobias for his game as to let him use as large digitized sprites as possible,[29] but there was not much influence byStreet Fighter II on the project. According to Tobias, who cited 1984'sKarate Champ as an inspiration,[30] they intentionally worked on making a game different from Capcom's title in every way.[29] Besides the digitized characters that differentiated it from its contemporaries' hand-drawn ones, one stark difference was in the very high amount of blood and violence. Capcom's senior director of communications later comparedStreet Fighter andMortal Kombat by asking if the interviewer preferred the "precision and depth" ofStreet Fighter or the "gore and comedy" ofMortal Kombat and also stated that theStreet Fighter andMortal Kombat rivalry was considered similar to theCoke and Pepsi rivalry in the 1990s.[31]
Mortal Kombat didn't rely on just good looks and gore for its success. Although the intense gore was a great way to attract attention,Mortal Kombat offered another side – an often-overlooked side – that kept people coming back for more: its storyline, including the uniquely different kind of gameplay as far as the fighting system within itself.[32]
John Tobias said that his inspirations for the game's story and characters came fromChinese mythology and some of the stories and rumored events about theShaolin monks.[25] Regarding the filmBig Trouble in Little China, Tobias wrote that although the film "kind of Americanized my obsession for supernaturalkung fu films from China, it was not my biggest influence.[33] My biggest influences came fromTsui Hark films --Zu Warriors &The Swordsman. We had to get them from bootleggers inChicago's Chinatown."[34] In 1995, he said about their general process of designing characters for the series: "First we figure out the type, like she or he and will she/he be big or small. Then we'll get the theme of the characters, like ninja or robot. Then we'll design the costume, and while doing that we create the storyline and how s/he fits into the universe. Then we'll find an actor that kinda resembles our character."[35] Tobias' writing and artistic input on the series ended around 2000[29] following the release ofMortal Kombat 4. In 2012, he said: "I knew exactly what I was going to do with a future story. A few years ago, I [wrote] a sort of sequel to the firstMK film and an advancement to the game's mythological roots."[36]
The titleMortal Kombat was the idea ofpinball designerSteve Ritchie,[37] following difficulties trademarking the original title ofMortal Combat.[30] Since then, the series oftenintentionally misspells various words with the letter "K" in place of "C" for thehard C sound. According to Boon, during theMortal Kombat games' development they usually spell such words correctly, only making the substitution when one of the developers suggests it.[38]
The characters of the originalMortal Kombat and its initial sequels were created using digitizedsprites mostly based on filmed actors, as opposed to hand-drawn graphics.[39]Mortal Kombat games were known for their extensive use ofpalette swapping, which was used for the ninja characters; many of the most popular characters have originated as palette swaps.[40] In the first game, the male ninja fighters were essentially the same character; only the colors of their attire, fighting stance, and special techniques mark a difference.[40] Later games added further ninjas based on the same model, as well as several female ninja color swap characters initially also using just one base model. All of them gradually became very different characters in the following installments of the series. Eventually,Mortal Kombat 4 brought the series into 3D, replacing the digitized fighters of previous games withpolygon models animated usingmotion capture technology.[41]
Most series releases includedsecret characters, secret games, and otherEaster eggs. The original game contained the hidden fighterReptile, who could be fought by players if they fulfilled an exact set of requirements. A counter forERMACS (short forerrormacros) on the game's audits screen was additionally interpreted by players as referring to a second hidden character namedErmac. Midway denied the character's existence in the series before adding him toUltimate Mortal Kombat 3 in response to the player rumors and feedback.[42][43]
Some Easter eggs originated fromin-jokes among the series developers. One example is "Toasty", which was included inMortal Kombat II in the form of an image of sound designerDan Forden that randomly appeared in a lower corner of the screen after a player landed anuppercut.[44] Hidden games ofPong andGalaga were included inMortal Kombat II andMortal Kombat 3, respectively.[45][14]
| Title | Release | Original platform | Ports | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mortal Kombat | 1992 | Arcade | Various | The originalMortal Kombat game. |
| Mortal Kombat II | 1993 | Arcade | Various | Second main game. Sequel toMortal Kombat. |
| Mortal Kombat 3 | 1995 | Arcade | Various | Third main game. Sequel toMortal Kombat II. |
| Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 | 1995 | Arcade | Various | Upgraded version ofMortal Kombat 3. |
| Mortal Kombat Trilogy | 1996 | PS1,N64 | Saturn,Windows,Game.com,R-Zone | Second upgraded version ofMortal Kombat 3. |
| Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero | 1997 | PS1, N64 | N/a | First of four spin-off games. An action-adventure beat 'em up video game starringSub-Zero. Prequel to the firstMortal Kombat. |
| Mortal Kombat 4 | 1997 | Arcade | PS1, N64, Windows,GBC | Fourth main game. Sequel toMortal Kombat 3. First 3D video game. LastMK game to appear in arcades. |
| Mortal Kombat Gold | 1999 | Dreamcast | N/a | Upgraded version ofMortal Kombat 4, made for the Sega Dreamcast only. |
| Mortal Kombat: Special Forces | 2000 | PS1 | N/a | Second of four spin-off games. An action-adventure beat 'em up video game starringJax. Prequel to the firstMortal Kombat. |
| Mortal Kombat Advance | 2001 | GBA | N/a | The Game Boy Advance version ofUltimate Mortal Kombat 3. |
| Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance | 2002 | PS2,Xbox,GCN | GBA | Fifth main game. Sequel toMortal Kombat 4. |
| Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition | 2003 | GBA | N/a | The second GBA version ofMortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. |
| Mortal Kombat: Deception | 2004 | PS2, Xbox, GCN | N/a | Sixth main game. Sequel toMortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. |
| Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks | 2005 | PS2, Xbox | N/a | Third of four spin-off games. An action-adventure beat 'em up video game starringLiu Kang andKung Lao, set in an alternate timeline betweenMortal Kombat andMortal Kombat II. |
| Mortal Kombat: Armageddon | 2006 | PS2, Xbox | Wii (2007) | Seventh main game. Sequel toMortal Kombat: Deception, and the final title of the original main series. |
| Mortal Kombat: Unchained | 2006 | PSP | N/a | The PlayStation Portable version ofDeception. |
| Ultimate Mortal Kombat | 2007 | NDS | N/a | Re-release ofUltimate Mortal Kombat 3 on the Nintendo DS with additional features. |
| Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe | 2008 | PS3,Xbox 360 | N/a | Eighth main game. A non-canonical crossover set in an alternate timeline betweenMortal Kombat II andMortal Kombat 3. |
| Mortal Kombat | 2011 | PS3, Xbox 360 | PS Vita (2012), Windows (2013) | Ninth main game. A reboot story containing plots from the first three games (story mode takes place after the events ofArmageddon). An upgraded version containing all DLCs released asMortal Kombat: Komplete Edition. |
| Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection | 2011 | PS3, Xbox 360 | Windows (2012) | A compilation ofMortal Kombat,Mortal Kombat II, andUltimate Mortal Kombat 3 with online play. |
| Mortal Kombat X | 2015 | PS4,Xbox One,[46] Windows | Android,iOS | Tenth main game. Sequel to 2011'sMortal Kombat. An upgraded version containing all DLCs released asMortal Kombat XL. |
| Mortal Kombat Mobile | 2015 | Android,iOS,iPadOS | N/a | Mobile version ofMortal Kombat X, thisfree-to-play mobile game has received updates well into the 2020s.[47] |
| Mortal Kombat 11 | 2019 | Nintendo Switch,Google Stadia, PS4, Xbox One,[48] Windows | PS5 (2020),Xbox Series X/S (2020) | Eleventh main game. Sequel toMortal Kombat X. An expansion titledMortal Kombat 11: Aftermath was released in 2020. An upgraded version containing all DLCs released asMortal Kombat 11: Ultimate. |
| Mortal Kombat 1 | 2023 | PS5,Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Windows | N/a | Twelfth main game. The continuation ofMortal Kombat 11 and series' second reboot. An expansion titledMortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns was released in 2024. An upgraded version containing all DLCs released asMortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition in 2025. |
| Mortal Kombat: Onslaught | 2023 | Android, iOS | N/a | Fourth of four spin-off games. An action-adventure beat 'em up role-playing game.[49] Set in an alternate timeline betweenMortal Kombat X andMortal Kombat 11. Shut down and rendered inaccessible in October 2024. |
| Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection | 2025 | Nintendo Switch,Nintendo Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | N/a | A compilation ofMortal Kombat,Mortal Kombat II,Mortal Kombat 3,Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3,Mortal Kombat Trilogy,Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero,Mortal Kombat 4,Mortal Kombat: Special Forces,Mortal Kombat Advance,Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance andMortal Kombat: Tournament Edition. |
The originalMortal Kombat game was released by Midway in arcades during August 1992, and has been ported to several console and home computer systems, with early ports released byAcclaim Entertainment.[50] The sequel,Mortal Kombat II, was released for arcades in 1993, featuring an increased roster and improved graphics and gameplay, then ported to the numerous home systems in 1993–1995, released again by Acclaim.[51]Mortal Kombat 3 followed in 1995 in both arcade and home versions.[52]Mortal Kombat 3 received two updates which expanded the number of characters and other features from the game:Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, released that same year in arcades,[53] andMortal Kombat Trilogy, released for home consoles the following year.[54] The following game,Mortal Kombat 4, was released in 1997, and marked the jump of the series to 3D rendered graphics instead of the digitized 2D graphics used in previous games.Mortal Kombat 4 was ported to thePlayStation,Nintendo 64 andMicrosoft Windows.Mortal Kombat 4 was the lastMortal Kombat game released for arcades. Its updated version titledMortal Kombat Gold was released for theDreamcast in 1999.
At this point that the series started being targeted at consoles only. Also the series' naming scheme changed to favor the use of sub-titles instead of numbered installments, beginning withMortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance in 2002.[55]Deadly Alliance was released initially for theXbox,PlayStation 2 andGameCube.[56][57][58]Deadly Alliance was also the firstMortal Kombat game to feature fully 3D gameplay, where up toMortal Kombat 4 the gameplay had stayed in a 2D plane; this trend would continue for the following two games.
The next sequel was 2004'sMortal Kombat: Deception, released for thePlayStation 2,Xbox, andGameCube.[59][60][61] Its port for thePlayStation Portable,Mortal Kombat: Unchained, was released in 2006.[62]Mortal Kombat: Armageddon was published in 2006 for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and in 2007 for theWii.[63][64][65]
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, a non-canonicalcrossover fighting game between theMortal Kombat franchise andDC Comics, was released in 2008 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.[66][67]
A ninth game in the series, areboot titledMortal Kombat, was developed by the former Midway Games, now known asNetherRealm Studios.[68] It was released for thePlayStation 3 andXbox 360 in 2011, and was ported to thePlayStation Vita in 2012 andMicrosoft Windows in 2013.Downloadable content became a feature of games in the series at this time. Its first sequel,Mortal Kombat X, was released in 2015 onPlayStation 4,Xbox One, andMicrosoft Windows, and marked a return to numbered sequels. This was paired with the firstMortal Kombat game for tablet and smartphones,Mortal Kombat Mobile. A follow-up,Mortal Kombat 11, was released in 2019 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One,Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows. A sequel toMortal Kombat 11,Mortal Kombat 1, released in September 2023.[69]
Besides the fighting games, there are threeaction-adventure titles that work as spin-offs from theMortal Kombat storyline.Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero was released in 1997 for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64;[70][71] its story is focused on the first incarnation character of Sub-Zero and is focused in the timeline before the firstMortal Kombat game. The next action game wasMortal Kombat: Special Forces, released in 2000 for the PlayStation, starring MajorJackson Briggs in his mission to destroy the Black Dragon.[72] Both games werecritically panned (although the reception ofMythologies was more mediocre).Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, developed byMidway Studios Los Angeles, was released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox, starring Liu Kang and Kung Lao and retelling the events ofMortal Kombat II. A similar game entitledMortal Kombat: Fire & Ice, which was to star Scorpion and again Sub-Zero, was canceled when the developers ofShaolin Monks "couldn't do it in time and under budget".[73] On October 18, 2022,Mortal Kombat: Onslaught was announced; it is arole-playing game released in 2023 for Android and iOS. NetherRealm said it would be a cinematic experience and also it will be loyal to its core visceral nature.[74]
An animatedprequel to 1995'sMortal Kombat film, titledMortal Kombat: The Journey Begins, was releaseddirect-to-video in the same year as the live-action film.[75] It also had a Kombat Code for Mortal Kombat 3 shown at the end.
A series of direct-to-video films titledMortal Kombat Legends began in 2020 as a co-production betweenWarner Bros. Animation and eitherStudio Mir orDigital eMation. The first,Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge, was released in April 2020, as the firstR-ratedMortal Kombat film.[76] The second film,Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, was released in August 2021.[77] The third film,Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind, was released on October 11, 2022.[78] A fourth film,Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match, was released on October 17, 2023.[79]
Mortal Kombat was adapted into two major motion pictures,Mortal Kombat (1995) andMortal Kombat Annihilation (1997), both released byNew Line Cinema. The first film was released on August 18, 1995, grossing $23 million on its first weekend.[80] Despite mixed reviews from critics,Mortal Kombat became a financial success, grossing approximately $70 million in the U.S. and over $122 million worldwide; the film gained a cult following amongst fans of the video game series withRobin Shou,Linden Ashby,Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa,Bridgette Wilson,Talisa Soto andChristopher Lambert starring, and its success launched the Hollywood career of its director,Paul W. S. Anderson.[81]Mortal Kombat Annihilation was directed byJohn R. Leonetti with Shou and Soto as the only two returning from the first film. The film received a poor reception by critics, grossing $36 million in the U.S. and $51 million worldwide.[82]
In 2010, directorKevin Tancharoen released an eight-minute short film titledMortal Kombat: Rebirth,[83] made as a proof of concept for Tancharoen's pitch of a reboot film franchise toWarner Bros. Pictures.[84] Tancharoen later confirmed that the unofficial short featured the writing ofOren Uziel, who at the time was rumored to be writing the screenplay for a thirdMortal Kombat film.[85] In September 2011, New Line and Warner Bros. announced that Tancharoen had signed on to direct a new feature-length film from a screenplay written by Uziel,[86] with the intention of aiming for anR rating.[87] Shooting was expected to begin in March 2012 with a budget of well under $100 million (projected at between $40–50 million[88]) and a release date of 2013,[89][90] but was ultimately delayed due to budget constraints. Tancharoen quit the production in October 2013.[91]
Areboot,Mortal Kombat (2021), was released on April 23, 2021, to mixed reviews, grossing over $84 million worldwide from theaters while also releasing simultaneously on thestreaming serviceHBO Max.[92][93] Production restarted on a reboot in 2015 whenJames Wan joined to produce and directorSimon McQuoid joined the following year.[94][95][96] The script was written by Greg Russo andDavid Callaham withLewis Tan,Jessica McNamee,Josh Lawson,Tadanobu Asano, andHiroyuki Sanada starring.[97] A sequel,Mortal Kombat II, is in development with McQuoid returning as director and with a screenplay written byJeremy Slater.[98][99]
* Cole Young is a film-exclusive character who has not appeared in any of the games.
Midway published official one-shot issues based onMortal Kombat andMortal Kombat II, which were written and illustrated by Tobias and set prior to the storylines of both games. From 1994 to 1995,Malibu Comics published a licensed series consisting of two six-issue miniseries in addition to one-shot specials and miniseries dedicated to specific characters. Specialtie-in issues were packaged with the PC release ofMortal Kombat 4 and forMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, respectively.[100] AMortal Kombat X series byDC Comics, set before the game's events, ran from January to September 2015 with three miniseries of twelve issues that were released weekly in 36 chapter installments.
A novel titledMortal Kombat was written byJeff Rovin and published in 1995, and featured an original plot that preceded the events of the first game.[101]Novelizations of bothMortal Kombat feature films were written by Martin Delrio and Jerome Preisler, respectively.
Mortal Kombat: The Album, a techno album based on the first game, was created forVirgin America byLords of Acid membersPraga Khan and Oliver Adams asThe Immortals in 1994.[102] Its iconic theme "Techno Syndrome", incorporating the "Mortal Kombat!" yell first shown in theMortal Kombat commercial for home systems, was released in 1993 as a single and was used as a theme music for theMortal Kombat film series. Each film had their own soundtracks (including the hit and award-winning compilation albumMortal Kombat: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), as had the second video game (Mortal Kombat II: Music from the Arcade Game Soundtrack). The 2011 video game saw the release ofMortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors, a new soundtrack album featuring electronic music by various artists.
An animated series titledMortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm was released in 1996. It ran for one season and received negative reviews.
In 1998,Mortal Kombat: Conquest was released. It lasted one season.[75] In 2010,Warner Premiere ordered a web series inspired by theRebirth short, titledMortal Kombat: Legacy and also directed by Kevin Tancharoen.[103] The series' first season was released for free onYouTube starting in April 2011, promoted byMachinima.com,[104] and the second season arrived in 2013.[105]
In 2014,Blue Ribbon Content had been developing a live-action series that was to tie in withMortal Kombat X for a planned 2016 release, titledMortal Kombat: Generations. The series, however, was not released.[106][107]
A stage show titledMortal Kombat: Live Tour was launched at the end of 1995, expanded to 1996, and featuredMortal Kombat characters in a theatrical display on stage.
Mortal Kombat: Federation of Martial Arts technically, this was Mortal Kombat's first "web series," although it was more of an online gambling game with fake money. Mortal Kombat's first popular web series would come a decade later and be calledMortal Kombat: Legacy.
BradyGames produced the collectible card gameMortal Kombat Kard Game in 1995.[108]The Duelist called the game a "worse clone" ofMagic: the Gathering.[109]Score Entertainment's 2005 collectible card gameEpic Battles also used some of theMortal Kombat characters.
| Game | GameRankings | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|
| Mortal Kombat | (GEN) 84.17%[110] (SNES) 83.33%[111] (SCD) 60.00%[112] (GB) 42.17%[113] | – |
| Mortal Kombat II | (SNES) 85.87%[114] (GEN) 85.62%[115] (PS3) 68.40%[116] (GB) 64.50%[117] (SAT) 57.50%[118] | (PS3) 72[119] |
| Mortal Kombat 3 | (SNES) 80.23%[120] (GEN) 76.67%[121] (PS1) 70.33%[122] | – |
| Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero | (PS1) 53.20%[123] (N64) 44.84%[124] | – |
| Mortal Kombat 4 | (N64) 76.07%[125] (PS1) 75.75%[126] (PC) 72.14%[127] (DC) 54.97%[128] (GBC) 46.00%[129] | – |
| Mortal Kombat: Special Forces | (PS1) 40.23%[130] | (PS1) 28[131] |
| Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance | (GBA) 84.63%[132] (Xbox) 82.68%[133] (PS2) 81.99%[134] (GC) 81.82%[135] | (GBA) 81[136] (Xbox) 81[137] (GC) 81[138] (PS2) 79[139] |
| Mortal Kombat: Deception | (PS2) 82.00%[140] (Xbox) 81.31%[141] (GC) 77.43%[142] (PSP) 70.88%[143] | (PS2) 81[144] (Xbox) 81[145] (GC) 77[146] (PSP) 70[147] |
| Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks | (Xbox) 80.64%[148] (PS2) 78.70%[149] | (Xbox) 78[150] (PS2) 77[151] |
| Mortal Kombat: Armageddon | (Xbox) 77.39%[152] (PS2) 75.33%[153] (Wii) 72.49%[154] | (Xbox) 77[155] (PS2) 75[156] (Wii) 71[157] |
| Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe | (PS3) 77.87%[158] (X360) 74.55%[159] | (PS3) 76[160] (X360) 72[161] |
| Mortal Kombat | (Vita) 87.31%[162] (PS3) 86.09%[163] (X360) 85.67%[164] | (X360) 86[165] (Vita) 85[165] (PS3) 84[166] |
| Mortal Kombat X | (XONE) 85.97%[167] (PS4) 84.18%[168] (PC) 75.20%[169] | (XONE) 86[170] (PS4) 83[171] (PC) 76[172] |
| Mortal Kombat 11 | - | (PS4) 82[173] (XONE) 86[174] (PC) 82[175] (NS) 78[176] |
| Mortal Kombat 1 | ||
| Mortal Kombat: Onslaught |
Mortal Kombat has been one of the most successful fighting game franchises in video game history, previously only trailingBandai Namco'sTekken, Capcom'sStreet Fighter, andNintendo'sSuper Smash Bros. As of 2021, it has surpassed the competitor fighting game franchises in worldwide lifetime series sales. It generated more than $4 billion by the late 1990s[177] and $5 billion in total revenue by 2000.[178] A particularly successful game wasMortal Kombat II, which had unprecedented opening week sales figures never seen before in the video game industry, for the first time beating the box office numbers of summer hit films.[179] TheMortal Kombat games, however, have not been localized in Japan after the Super Famicom release ofMortal Kombat II, due to content guidelines against depictions of blood, gore and dismemberment (Tobias blaming their "very americanized" character design[180]).
Mortal Kombat games have sold more than 6 million units by 1994[181] and 26 million by 2007,[22] and the figure has exceeded 30 million by 2012.[182] As of 2022, the franchise had sold about 79 million units.[183] By 2025, it has surpassed over 100 million copies.[184]
The 2008 edition ofGuinness World Records Gamer's Edition awarded theMortal Kombat series with seven world records, including "most successful fighting game series".[185] The franchise holds ten world records in the 2011Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition, including the "largest promotional campaign for a fighting video game" (Mortal Kombat 3), "highest grossing film based on a beat ‘em up video game" (Mortal Kombat 1996), and "most successful video game spin-off soundtrack album" (Mortal Kombat: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).[186]
Numerous publications described it as one of the most important and also most violent series in the history of video games; in 2011, the staff ofGameSpy wrote "its place in fighting game history is undeniable".[187] In 2009,GameTrailers rankedMortal Kombat as the ninth top fighting game franchise[188] as well as the seventh bloodiest series of all time.[189] In 2012,Complex rankedMortal Kombat as 37th best video game franchise overall, commenting on its "legendary status in video game history".[190]Mortal Kombat as a series was also ranked as the goriest video game ever byCraveOnline in 2009 and byG4tv.com in 2011.[191][192]
According toIGN, during the 1990s "waves of imitators began to flood the market, filling arcades with a sea of blood from games likeTime Killers,Survival Arts, andGuardians of the Hood.Mortal Kombat had ushered in an era ofexploitation games, both on consoles and in arcades, all engaging in a battle to see who can cram the most blood and guts onto a low-res screen."[1] NotableMortal Kombatclones, featuring violent finishing moves and/or digitized sprites, includedBio F.R.E.A.K.S.,BloodStorm,Cardinal Syn,Catfight,Eternal Champions,Kasumi Ninja,Killer Instinct,Mace: The Dark Age,Primal Rage,Street Fighter: The Movie,Tattoo Assassins,Thrill Kill,Ultra Vortek,Way of the Warrior, and Midway's ownWar Gods.[193][194] John Tobias commented: "Some of the copycat products back then kind of came and went because, on the surface level, the violence will attract some attention, but if there's not much to the product behind it, you're not going to last very long."[30]
In a 2009 poll byGamePro, 21% of voters choseMortal Kombat as their favorite fighting game series, ranking it third afterStreet Fighter andTekken.[195] In 2012, Capcom'sStreet Fighter producer Yoshinori Ono said he is getting a lot of requests forStreet Fighter vs. Mortal Kombat and understands why people want it, "but it's easier said than done. HavingChun Li getting her spine ripped out, orRyu's head bouncing off the floor...it doesn't necessarily match."[196] In 2014, martial artistFrankie Edgar opinedMortal Kombat has been far superior toStreet Fighter.[197]
The series and its characters are also referenced in the various other works ofpopular culture, such as in the title ofPowerglove's debut albumMetal Kombat for the Mortal Man and theWorkaholics episode "Model Kombat". According toComplex in 2012, "Years ago,Mortal Kombat became a phenomenon far outside gaming circles alone. Its name has become recognizable enough to be name dropped on sitcoms (Malcolm in the Middle andMarried... with Children), found in movies (Christian Slater playsMortal Kombat 4 inVery Bad Things), and used as part of cultural studies (seeJustine Cassell andHenry Jenkins' bookFrom Barbie to Mortal Kombat: Gender and Computer Games)."[27] It was also featured in the filmThe Doom Generation. The name "Mortal Kombat" was even given to a dangerous illegal recreational drug that was introduced and caused multiple fatalities in early 2014.[198]
In 2012, Tobias said: "If you look at any other pop culture phenomenon—like if you look at theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, for instance—it became popular at the time right around whenMortal Kombat became popular, and it had its highs and lows, and here they are once again talking about a major motion picture. That's because of its place in pop culture. It's always there for someone to pick up, polish off, blow the dust off of it, and re-release it. AndMortal Kombat will always be that way. It'll be around 50 years from now."[30]
Popular music artists, particularly in the rap and hip-hop genres, have made numerous references to Mortal Kombat and its characters in their songs. In Wale and Rihanna's hit 2013 song called "Bad (Remix)," for example, Wale says "you try and play Sub-Zero, I be Scorpion, pshh get over here today" in reference to Scorpion's iconic "get over here!" catchphrase.[199] In Nicki Minaj's song "Miami" from her 2018 album called "Queen," she refers to herself as a made-up guest character in the line "Mortal Kombat, ninja Nicki, who ya pick is?"[200]
Mortal Kombat crossover content, mainly from earlier games of the series, was also included in the second season of the sixth chapter of theonlinebattle royale gameFortnite Battle Royale, which runs on a version of theUnreal Engine that also powers NetherRealm'sMortal Kombat games. At the beginning of this season, cosmetics based on the character Sub-Zero were available to unlock on the highest levels of the season'sbattle pass[201] and his abilities could be obtainable as floor loot during a match.[202] Midway through the season, three stages from the first two games in the series were added to the game's map to visit (The Living Forest, The Pit and The Dead Pool),[203] with the opportunity to battle Scorpion as a boss and collect his abilities to use in battle during a match.[204] At the same time, cosmetics for Scorpion, Kitana and Raiden, as well as someemotes based on the series, were released for purchase in the in-game shop.[205] The series' trademark graphic violence was omitted in the crossover to maintain the upbeat visual style, audience accessibility and Teen ESRB rating ofBattle Royale.
Fighting games have been a popular genre among tournaments since the late 1990s.Mortal Kombat has its place in some of the world's biggest fighting game tournaments includingEvo andCombo Breaker, as well as many local and online tournaments around the world. Since the 2011Mortal Kombat game was released, the game has been one of the most popular games at these events. Between 2014 and 2017, the game was mostly absent from the tournament scene, due to NetherRealm Studios being focused on theirInjustice series as their top priority;[206]Mortal Kombat games returned to Combo Breaker in 2018.[207]
The series was subject of a majorvideo game controversy[208] and several court cases, largely related to itsextremely violent content, especially in relation to the original game which paved a way for the introduction of the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) game rating system in 1994 as well as theAustralian Classification Board.[28][209][210][211][212] Various games in the series, as well as advertisements for them, have been censored or banned in a number of countries. According to SuperData Research CEO Joost van Dreunen, "Because of the obvious rift between gamers on the one hand and adult society on the other,Mortal Kombat set the tone for what constitutedgamer culture."[213]
InGermany, everyMortal Kombat game was banned for ten years from its release until 2015.Mortal Kombat (2011) is also banned inSouth Korea, and was banned inAustralia until February 2013.Mortal Kombat 11 is banned inIndonesia,Japan,China andUkraine.[214][215]
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