Mortal Kombat
Video game series and multimedia franchise / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Mortal Kombat is an American media franchise centered on a series of fighting video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992.
Mortal Kombat | |
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Genre(s) | Fighting Action-adventure |
Developer(s) | |
Publisher(s) |
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Creator(s) | |
Platform(s) | List
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First release | Mortal Kombat October 8, 1992; 31 years ago |
Latest release | Mortal Kombat 1 September 19, 2023 |
The original Mortal Kombat arcade game spawned a franchise consisting of action-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 and one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.
The series has a reputation for high levels of graphic violence, including, most notably, its fatalities, which are finishing moves that kill defeated opponents instead of knocking them out. Controversies surrounding Mortal Kombat, in part, led to the creation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) video game rating system. Early games in the series were noted for their realistic digitized sprites and an extensive use of palette swapping to create new characters. Following Midway's bankruptcy, the Mortal Kombat development team was acquired by Warner Bros. Entertainment and re-established as NetherRealm Studios.
The original three games and their updates, Mortal Kombat (1992), Mortal Kombat II (1993), Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), and Mortal Kombat Trilogy (1996), are 2D fighting games. The arcade cabinet versions of the first two used a joystick 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 early Mortal Kombat games play virtually identically to one another, with the only major differences being their special moves.[2] Through the 1990s, the developer and publisher Midway 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 use 3D computer graphics. From Deadly Alliance to Mortal 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 real martial arts, some are fictitious.[4] Goro's fighting styles, for example, are designed to take advantage of the fact that he has four arms. For Armageddon, 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's Mortal Kombat returned to a single 2D fighting plane, although characters are rendered in 3D;[8] unlike previous Mortal 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 and Mortal Kombat: Armageddon feature "Konquest", a free-roaming action-adventure mode. Both games include distinct minigame modes such as "Chess Kombat", an action-strategy game. Two other bonus minigames, "Puzzle Kombat" inspired by Puzzle Fighter and "Motor Kombat" inspired by Mario Kart, feature super deformed versions of Mortal Kombat characters.[1] The games contain various unlockable content and hidden cheats.[9]
Finishing moves
I think [Mortal Kombat] represents the difference in philosophy. [....] So in Street 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 in Mortal Kombat the fighting and playing is just a pathway to get to the result – it's the Fatality you want to see and you almost want to skip the fighting bit and get to the Fatality because that is the result.[11]
—Street Fighter producer Yoshinori Ono
One of the most notable features of the Mortal 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 being Mortal 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 various Mortal Kombat games include Animalities (introduced in Mortal Kombat 3), in which the victor turns into an animal to violently finish off the opponent;[14] Brutality (introduced in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3) which consists of bashing the opponent into pieces with a long combo of hits; and Stage Fatalities/Death Traps (introduced in the original Mortal Kombat Pit Stage where the victor can uppercut their opponent off of the platform into a bed of spikes below, later made more difficult in Mortal 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 the Hara-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 in Mortal Kombat II as a satire to controversies surrounding Mortal 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]
The series takes place in a fictional universe consisting of numerous realms which, according to in-game backstories, were created by an ancient, eternal, and ethereal pantheon of preternatural divine beings known as the Elder Gods. The Mortal Kombat: Deception manual described six of the realms as: "Earthrealm, home to such legendary heroes as Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, and Jax Briggs, and under the protection of the Thunder God Raiden; Netherrealm, the fiery depths of which are inhospitable to all but the most vile, a realm of demons and shadowy warriors such as Quan Chi and Noob Saibot; Outworld, a realm of constant strife which Emperor Shao 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.
The first Mortal Kombat game takes place in Earthrealm (Earth) where seven different warriors with their own reasons for entering 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] In Mortal 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 of Mortal 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.
In Mortal 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. By Mortal 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]
In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, the titular catastrophe begins. Centuries before the first Mortal 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 as Blaze. In the end, Shao Kahn is the one who defeats Blaze and wins the war, causing Armageddon.[21]
The crossover Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe does not share continuity with the other games. After the simultaneous defeats of both Shao Kahn and the alien warlord Darkseid in the DC Universe causes both villains to fuse into the entity "Dark Kahn", both the Mortal 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 and Superman 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 2011 Mortal Kombat soft reboot, the battle of Armageddon 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 avert Armageddon 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, 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, sees Lord Liu Kang has created his New Era and strives to maintain peace between all the realms. However, his plans begin to unravel when Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, despite his attempts to have them de-powered and unable to cause trouble, ally with General Shao in order to conquer Earthrealm and Outworld. Investigating the matter, Liu Kang discovers that the Shang Tsung from MK11: Aftermath is responsible, as Liu Kang's attempts to access the Hourglass' power resulted in a break where every character in Mortal 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 of player characters, some of them becoming mainstays, such as Baraka, 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 and Tanya. Among them are Earth's humans and cyborgs, good and evil deities, and denizens of Outworld and other realms.
Starting with Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, which featured several DC Universe heroes and villains, all subsequent games have included guest characters such as Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, Kratos from the God of War franchise (exclusively for PlayStation 3), Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th franchise, the Xenomorph from Alien, Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, the Predator, the Terminator, RoboCop, Spawn and Omni-Man from Image Comics, John Rambo, Homelander from The Boys, and the Joker, who was previously in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, and Peacemaker, both from DC Comics.[citation needed]
Origins
Mortal Kombat started development in 1991 with four people: Ed Boon (programming), John Tobias (art and story), John Vogel (graphics), and Dan Forden (sound design).[22][23] According to Mortal Kombat actors Richard Divizio and Daniel Pesina, the first game began as a ninja-themed project by John Tobias (a young new employee of Midway 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 film Universal Soldier, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme,[25] and Tobias imagined a fighting game featuring a digitized version of Van Damme.[26] Intending to make a game "a lot more hard edge, a little bit more serious, a little bit more like Enter the Dragon or Bloodsport" than contemporary cartoonish fighting games,[27] Tobias and Boon decided to continue their project even after the deal to use the Bloodsport license fell through.[28] The first of Mortal Kombat characters,[24] Johnny Cage (Daniel Pesina), became "a spoof 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 of Capcom's Street 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 by Street Fighter II on the project. According to Tobias, who cited 1984's Karate 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 compared Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat by asking if the interviewer preferred the "precision and depth" of Street Fighter or the "gore and comedy" of Mortal Kombat and also stated that the Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat rivalry was considered similar to the Coke 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 from Chinese mythology and some of the stories and rumored events about the Shaolin monks.[25] Regarding the film Big Trouble in Little China, Tobias wrote that although the film "kind of Americanized my obsession for supernatural kung fu films from China, it was not my biggest influence.[33] My biggest influences came from Tsui Hark films -- Zu Warriors & The Swordsman. We had to get them from bootleggers in Chicago'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 of Mortal 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 first MK film and an advancement to the game's mythological roots."[36]
The title Mortal Kombat was the idea of pinball designer Steve Ritchie,[37] following difficulties trademarking the original title of Mortal Combat.[30] Since then, the series often intentionally misspells various words with the letter "K" in place of "C" for the hard C sound. According to Boon, during the Mortal Kombat games' development they usually spell such words correctly, only making the substitution when one of the developers suggests it.[38]
Graphics
The characters of the original Mortal Kombat and its initial sequels were created using digitized sprites mostly based on filmed actors, as opposed to hand-drawn graphics.[39] Mortal Kombat games were known for their extensive use of palette 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 with polygon models animated using motion capture technology.[41]
Hidden content
Most series releases included secret characters, secret games, and other Easter eggs. The original game contained the hidden fighter Reptile, who could be fought by players if they fulfilled an exact set of requirements. A counter for ERMACS (short for error macros) on the game's audits screen was additionally interpreted by players as referring to a second hidden character named Ermac. Midway denied the character's existence in the series before adding him to Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 in response to the player rumors and feedback.[42][43]
Some Easter eggs originated from in-jokes among the series developers. One example is "Toasty", which was included in Mortal Kombat II in the form of an image of sound designer Dan Forden that randomly appeared in a lower corner of the screen after a player landed an uppercut.[44] Hidden games of Pong and Galaga were included in Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3, respectively.[45][14]
Title | Release | Original platform | Ports | Notes |
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Mortal Kombat | 1992 | Arcade | Various | The original Mortal Kombat game. |
Mortal Kombat II | 1993 | Arcade | Various | Second main game. Sequel to Mortal Kombat. |
Mortal Kombat 3 | 1995 | Arcade | Various | Third main game. Sequel to Mortal Kombat II. |
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 | 1995 | Arcade | Various | Upgraded version of Mortal Kombat 3. |
Mortal Kombat Trilogy | 1996 | PS1, N64 | Saturn, Windows, Game.com, R-Zone | Second upgraded version of Mortal Kombat 3. |
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero | 1997 | PS1, N64 | — | First of four spin-off games. An action-adventure beat 'em up video game starring Sub-Zero. Prequel to the first Mortal Kombat. |
Mortal Kombat 4 | 1997 | Arcade | PS1, N64, Windows | Fourth main game. Sequel to Mortal Kombat 3. Last MK game to appear in arcades. |
Mortal Kombat Gold | 1999 | Dreamcast | — | Upgraded version of Mortal Kombat 4, made for the Sega Dreamcast only. |
Mortal Kombat: Special Forces | 2000 | PS1 | — | Second of four spin-off games. An action-adventure beat 'em up video game starring Jax. Prequel to the first Mortal Kombat. |
Mortal Kombat Advance | 2001 | GBA | — | The Game Boy Advance version of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. |
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance | 2002 | PS2, Xbox, GCN | GBA | Fifth main game. Sequel to Mortal Kombat 4. |
Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition | 2003 | GBA | — | The second GBA version of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. |
Mortal Kombat: Deception | 2004 | PS2, Xbox, GCN | — | Sixth main game. Sequel to Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. |
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks | 2005 | PS2, Xbox | — | Third of four spin-off games. An action-adventure beat 'em up video game starring Liu Kang and Kung Lao, set in an alternate timeline between Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II. |
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon | 2006 | PS2, Xbox | Wii (2007) | Seventh main game. Sequel to Mortal Kombat: Deception, and the final title of the original main series. |
Mortal Kombat: Unchained | 2006 | PSP | — | The PlayStation Portable version of Deception. |
Ultimate Mortal Kombat | 2007 | NDS | — | Re-release of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 on the Nintendo DS with additional features. |
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe | 2008 | PS3, Xbox 360 | — | Eighth main game. A non-canonical crossover set in an alternate timeline between Mortal Kombat 3 and Mortal Kombat 4. |
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 of Armageddon). An upgraded version containing all DLCs released as Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition. |
Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection | 2011 | PS3, Xbox 360 | Windows (2012) | A compilation of Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II, and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 with online play. |
Mortal Kombat X | 2015 | PS4, Xbox One,[46] Windows | Android, iOS | Tenth main game. Sequel to 2011's Mortal Kombat. An upgraded version containing all DLCs released as Mortal Kombat XL. |
Mortal Kombat Mobile | 2015 | Android, iOS, iPadOS | — | Mobile version of Mortal Kombat X, this free-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 to Mortal Kombat X. An expansion titled Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath was released in 2020. An upgraded version containing all DLCs released as Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate. |
Mortal Kombat: Onslaught | 2022 | Android, iOS | — | Fourth of four spin-off games. An action-adventure beat 'em up role-playing game.[49] Set in an alternate timeline between Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11. |
Mortal Kombat 1 | 2023 | PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Windows | TBA | Twelfth main game. The continuation of Mortal Kombat 11 and series' second reboot. |
Main series
The original Mortal Kombat game was released by Midway in arcades during October 1992, and has been ported to several console and home computer systems, with early ports released by Acclaim 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] and Mortal 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 the PlayStation, Nintendo 64 and Microsoft Windows. Mortal Kombat 4 was the last Mortal Kombat game released for arcades. Its updated version titled Mortal Kombat Gold was released for the Dreamcast 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 with Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance in 2002.[55] Deadly Alliance was released initially for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube.[56][57][58] Deadly Alliance was also the first Mortal Kombat game to feature fully 3D gameplay, where up to Mortal Kombat 4 the gameplay had stayed in a 2D plane; this trend would continue for the following two games.
The next sequel was 2004's Mortal Kombat: Deception, released for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube.[59][60][61] Its port for the PlayStation 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 the Wii.[63][64][65]
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, a non-canonical crossover fighting game between the Mortal Kombat franchise and DC Comics, was released in 2008 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.[66][67]
A ninth game in the series, a reboot titled Mortal Kombat, was developed by the former Midway Games, now known as NetherRealm Studios.[68] It was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011, and was ported to the PlayStation Vita in 2012 and Microsoft 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 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows, and marked a return to numbered sequels. This was paired with the first Mortal 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 to Mortal Kombat 11, Mortal Kombat 1, released in September 2023.[69]
Spin-off games
Besides the fighting games, there are three action-adventure titles that work as spin-offs from the Mortal 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 first Mortal Kombat game. The next action game was Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, released in 2000 for the PlayStation, starring Major Jackson Briggs in his mission to destroy the Black Dragon.[72] Both games were critically panned (although the reception of Mythologies was more mediocre). Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, developed by Midway Studios Los Angeles, was released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox, starring Liu Kang and Kung Lao and telling an alternate version of the events between the first and second Mortal Kombat games. A similar game entitled Mortal Kombat: Fire & Ice, which was to star Scorpion and again Sub-Zero, was canceled when the developers of Shaolin Monks "couldn't do it in time and under budget".[73] On October 18, 2022, Mortal Kombat: Onslaught was announced; it is a role-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]
Films
Animated
An animated prequel to 1995's Mortal Kombat film, titled Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins, was released direct-to-video in the same year as the live-action film.[75]
A series of direct-to-video films titled Mortal Kombat Legends began in 2020 as a co-production between Warner Bros. Animation and either Studio Mir or Digital eMation. The first, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge, was released in April 2020, as the first R-rated Mortal 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]
Live-action
Mortal Kombat was adapted into two major motion pictures, Mortal Kombat (1995) and Mortal Kombat Annihilation (1997), both released by New 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 with Robin Shou, Linden Ashby, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Bridgette Wilson, Talisa Soto and Christopher Lambert starring, and its success launched the Hollywood career of its director, Paul W. S. Anderson.[81] Mortal Kombat Annihilation was directed by John 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, director Kevin Tancharoen released an eight-minute short film titled Mortal Kombat: Rebirth,[83] made as a proof of concept for Tancharoen's pitch of a reboot film franchise to Warner Bros. Pictures.[84] Tancharoen later confirmed that the unofficial short featured the writing of Oren Uziel, who at the time was rumored to be writing the screenplay for a third Mortal 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 an R 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]
A reboot, Mortal Kombat (2021), was released on April 23, 2021 to mixed reviews, grossing over $84 million worldwide from theaters while also releasing simultaneously on the streaming service HBO Max.[92][93] Production restarted on a reboot in 2015 when James Wan joined to produce and director Simon McQuoid joined the following year.[94][95][96] The script was written by Greg Russo and David Callaham with Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Tadanobu Asano, and Hiroyuki Sanada starring.[97] A sequel is in development with McQuoid returning as director and Jeremy Slater set to write the screenplay.[98][99]
Characters | Films | ||
---|---|---|---|
Mortal Kombat | Mortal Kombat Annihilation |
Mortal Kombat | |
1995 | 1997 | 2021 | |
Raiden | Christopher Lambert | James Remar | Tadanobu Asano |
Liu Kang | Robin Shou | Ludi Lin | |
Johnny Cage | Linden Ashby | Chris Conrad | |
Shang Tsung | Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa | Chin Han | |
Sonya Blade | Bridgette Wilson | Sandra Hess | Jessica McNamee |
Kitana | Talisa Soto | ||
Kano | Trevor Goddard | Josh Lawson | |
Scorpion | Chris Casamassa (Ed Boon Voice) | J. J. Perry (Ed Boon Voice) | Hiroyuki Sanada |
Sub-Zero I/Noob Saibot | François Petit | J. J. Perry | Joe Taslim |
Reptile | Keith Cooke (Frank Welker Voice) | CGI | |
Goro | Tom Woodruff, Jr. (Kevin Michael Richardson Voice) | CGI (Angus Sampson Voice) | |
Jax | Gregory McKinney | Lynn Red Williams | Mehcad Brooks |
Shao Kahn | CGI (Frank Welker Voice) | Brian Thompson | |
Shinnok | Reiner Schöne | ||
Sindel | Musetta Vander | ||
Jade | Irina Pantaeva | ||
Motaro | Deron McBee | ||
Sheeva | Marjean Holden | ||
Sub-Zero II | Keith Cooke | ||
Nightwolf | Litefoot | ||
Ermac | John Medlen | ||
Cyrax | J. J. Perry | ||
Rain | Tyrone Wiggins | ||
Baraka | Dennis Keiffer | ||
Smoke | Ridley Tsui | ||
Mileena | Dana Hee | Sisi Stringer | |
Cole Young* | Lewis Tan | ||
Kung Lao | Max Huang | ||
Kabal | Daniel Nelson (Damon Herriman Voice) | ||
Reiko | Nathan Jones | ||
Nitara | Mel Jarnson |
* Cole Young is a film-exclusive character who has not appeared in any of the games.
Print media
Comics
Midway published official one-shot issues based on Mortal Kombat and Mortal 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. Special tie-in issues were packaged with the PC release of Mortal Kombat 4 and for Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, respectively.[100] A Mortal Kombat X series by DC 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.
Novels
A novel titled Mortal Kombat was written by Jeff Rovin and published in 1995, and featured an original plot that preceded the events of the first game.[101] Novelizations of both Mortal Kombat feature films were written by Martin Delrio and Jerome Preisler, respectively.
Music
Mortal Kombat: The Album, a techno album based on the first game, was created for Virgin America by Lords of Acid members Praga Khan and Oliver Adams as The Immortals in 1994.[102] Its iconic theme "Techno Syndrome", incorporating the "Mortal Kombat!" yell first shown in the Mortal Kombat commercial for home systems, was released in 1993 as a single and was used as a theme music for the Mortal Kombat film series. Each film had their own soundtracks (including the hit and award-winning compilation album Mortal 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 of Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors, a new soundtrack album featuring electronic music by various artists.
Television
Animated
An animated series titled Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm was released in 1996. It ran for one season and received negative reviews.
Live-action
In 1998, Mortal Kombat: Conquest was released. It lasted one season.[75] In 2010, Warner Premiere ordered a web series inspired by the Rebirth short, titled Mortal Kombat: Legacy and also directed by Kevin Tancharoen.[103] The series' first season was released for free on YouTube starting in April 2011, promoted by Machinima.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 with Mortal Kombat X for a planned 2016 release, titled Mortal Kombat: Generations. The series, however, was not released.[106][107]
Stage show
A stage show titled Mortal Kombat: Live Tour was launched at the end of 1995, expanded to 1996, and featured Mortal Kombat characters in a theatrical display on stage.
Collectible card games
BradyGames produced the collectible card game Mortal Kombat Kard Game in 1995.[108] The Duelist called the game a "worse clone" of Magic: the Gathering.[109] Score Entertainment's 2005 collectible card game Epic Battles also used some of the Mortal Kombat characters.