Mortal Kombat
Short Overview
Released in 1992, Mortal Kombat is one of the most influential fighting games in arcade history. Digitized footage of real actors, spectacular special moves, and the infamous Fatality finishers pushed the genre to an entirely new level. The game was a massive hit and laid the foundation for a video game franchise that remains popular to this day.
Basics
- Release1992
- Developer and publisherMidway Games
- DesignersEd Boon (programmer) and John Tobias (artist)
- GenreFighting
- Players1–2 players, simultaneous
- ControlsEight-way joystick and five buttons: high punch, low punch, high kick, low kick, block
- HardwareMidway Y Unit, later versions on Midway T Unit
Playable Fighters
At the end of the tournament, two fearsome bosses await:
Objective
Choose a fighter and battle your way through the legendary Mortal Kombat tournament. Each defeated opponent brings tougher challenges, until you finally face Goro and then Shang Tsung. Matches are won best-of-three rounds, where fast reflexes, precise timing, and the use of special attacks decide the victor. You can finish a defeated opponent with a Fatality.
Fun Facts
- The game was designed by Ed Boon and John Tobias, with music by Dan Forden.
- The characters' movements were digitized from real actors, an unusual technique at the time.
- The game introduced the legendary Fatality, which became the series' most iconic trademark.
- The hidden fighter Reptile could be unlocked, by meeting special conditions, in later versions of the game (3.0 and 4.0).
- The game's violent content sparked major controversy, which contributed to the creation of the ESRB video game rating system in the United States.
Why Did It Become Legendary?
Mortal Kombat opened a new era for fighting games. Its cinematic presentation, spectacular battles, iconic characters, and memorable sounds made it one of the most popular cabinets in arcades. The series has remained a defining force in the video game industry for more than three decades.
Who Is It For?
For those who love intense one-on-one battles, spectacular special moves, and classic arcade atmosphere. Mortal Kombat remains one of the most iconic and popular fighting game classics today.