Mortal Kombat revolutionized fighting games since its inception in 1992.
The newest Mortal Kombat is Mortal Kombat 11. MK11 was released on April 23, 2019, and features the character Scorpion on the cover.
Mortal Kombat has put out games dating back to the arcade days. The classic 2D fighter was one of the first to put blood, guts, and violent fighting style to the big screen. Of course, this was met with backlash, but MK stuck to its roots and created a fighting dynasty.
In this list, we will go through all of the main series games and how each one had console/arcade and media impact.
Mortal Kombat
Release Date: 1992
Cover Character: Mortal Kombat Dragon
Original Platform: Arcade
Published by Midway in 1992, Mortal Kombat focuses on the Shaolin monk named Liu Kang to save the Earthrealm from the evil Shang Tsung. Both fighters enter a fighting tournament called “Mortal Kombat” to settle their differences.
Initially made for the arcade, Mortal Kombat featured a Joy Stick and buttons that kick high/low kick and punch. The game’s blocking system also established itself differently from other games, with the ability to counter devastating damage.
The ” juggling ” system also found in this version is the “juggling” system, which has separated Mortal Kombat from other games. Juggling can keep a player in the air for multi-hit combos—fatalities, where players can dismantle their opponents once they are finished also introduced.
Mortal Kombat II
Release Date: 1993
Cover Character: Lui Kang & Kung Lao
Original Platform: Arcade
The second game, Mortal Kombat II, improved the gameplay mechanics and added more fatalities per character. Introduced in this series were characters who are now the main staple in every game:
- Kitana
- Mileena
- Kung Lao
- Shao Kahn
- Noob Saibot
Mid-air mechanics, roundhouse kicks that would send players across the screen, and the gameplay speed faster than the original.
Another notable feature in MK2 is the fatality options. Instead of being brutal and full of gore in the fatalities, Midway added Babalities (turning the player into a baby), Friendships (the two players would dance or give a gift to each other), and stage-specific fatalities.
Mortal Kombat 3
Release Date: 1995
Cover Character: Mortal Kombat Dragon
Original Platform: Arcade
The third installment, Mortal Kombat 3, strays away from the tournament-style storyline, and instead, the characters fight against Shao Kahn.
One new feature of the game was the ability to run. Accompanied by a run meter, this allowed players to run toward players to complete combos.
Along with the run button, “chain combos” were introduced to the game, prefixed inputs that allowed players to unleash big-time combos.
Kombat code, the ability to enter inputs, unlock characters, and alter the game, was featured in Mortal Kombat 3. Another interesting feature is the ability to uppercut an opponent through the “ceiling” and ultimately into another level!
Mortal Kombat 4
Release Date: 1997
Cover Character: Goro
Original Platform: Arcade
Mortal Kombat 4 is the first game to use 3D graphics. This was something new to the 2D fighter that would go away later in the franchises.
New to the series were objects and weapons players could pick up mid-fight. Players were able to pick up, drop, and use the weapons on opponents.
MK4 also added a “Maximum Damage” cap to combo moves, which was also new to the franchise. Players rattling off ridiculous combos would have them broken if the combo cap got too high. Babilities and Friendship fatalities were removed from this game.
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Release Date: 2002
Cover Character: Mortal Kombat Dragon
Original Platform: PS2, Game Cube & Xbox
The first Mortal Kombat game was made primarily for the console. No arcade releases. The fifth game in the franchise, deadly alliance fighting styles are something the MK series hasn’t seen.
Players are equipped with two fighting styles and a weapon style. Fighters can switch to each style with a button push, which allows them to combine different fighting styles throughout the match.
The “Krypt” is also introduced into this game. The Krypt allows players to buy extras by earning coins through gameplay. The more time spent playing, the more coins the player could earn.
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Release Date: 2004
Cover Character: Mortal Kombat Dragon
Original Platform: PS2, Game Cube, Xbox
Midway’s 6th installment is Deception. Featuring 26 playable characters, Mortal Kombat takes an extra step by introducing an online mode.
Featuring a story mode (called Konquest mode), it was poorly received because of the poor voice acting. Nonetheless, it was fun to play and follow the MK story.
For the gameplay, new features such as “instant-death traps” are introduced, which, when stepped on, will instantly kill the player. The combo-breaker, which appears in later franchises, is introduced to stop players from stringing together devastating combos.
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Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Release Date: 2006
Cover Character: Mortal Kombat Dragon
Original Platform: PS2, Xbox
Armageddon is the 7th installment of the Mortal Kombat franchise. Originally released on PlayStation 2 and Xbox, Armageddon is the final chapter in the Mortal Kombat storyline.
The 7th installment featured every character from previous installments. Instead of basic fatalities or level fatalities, players had their own set of fatalities which would require multiple deadly hits.
Another mode that we haven’t seen is the kreate-a-fighter mode, allowing players to customize their combatant. The game was well-received by the general public.
Mortal Kombat VS DC Universe
Release Date: 2008
Cover Character: Scorpion, Batman
Original Platform: PS3, Xbox 360
The final game published by Midway games by Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was a mash-up between the original Mortal Kombat characters and many superheroes!
The story mode featured the two forces battling against each other, led by Raiden and Superman. Made by Unreal Engine 3, the first Mortal Kombat made strictly for the seventh generation console.
To keep the kid-friendly rating for DC, many fatalities were stripped. The blood and gore that was a Mortal Kombat staple were removed to appease the kid-friendly rating.
Mortal Kombat (MK9)
Release Date: 2011
Cover Character: Scorpion, Sub-zero
Original Platform: PS3, Xbox 360
Developed by NetherRealm Studios, and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Mortal Kombat (MK9) is the first MK game not released by Midway games.
Distancing itself from the 3D combat, MK9 gets back to its 2D fighting style. Each button on the controller represents each arm and leg. A new super meter is introduced, an intricate piece of the game. It’s divided into three levels:
- First level can use special attacks
- Second level can be used to break combos
- Third level can be used as “X-Ray” attacks to deal big damage
Online mode has a new feature, “king of the hill,” where players fight to remain at the top. Each win adds to the win streak. Opponents wait in line, spectating the fight until it’s their turn to try to overthrow the champion.
Mortal Kombat X
Release Date: 2015
Cover Character: Scorpion
Original Platform: PS4, Xbox One
The second game developed by NetherRealm Studios, Mortal Kombat X, is the most recent (to date) Mortal Kombat released.
This game was PACKED full of modes, extras, and achievements. The traditional story mode took place 25 years after the previous Mortal Kombat installment. An upgraded segment of the game was soon released after called Mortal Kombat XL, which featured all downloadable characters and content.
New features in this game were additions to the fatality. If a player quit during an online game, his head would explode, and “QUITALITY” would appear on the screen. Faction fatalities were also part of this game. Factions are “clans” or “teams” that your player would join. There are four factions, and each faction had its fatality support.
Mortal Kombat 11
Release Date: 2019
Cover Character: Scorpion
Original Platform: PS4, Xbox One
Who Is Scorpion In Mortal Kombat?
Scorpion is one of the original characters in Mortal Kombat. Scorpion possesses demon-like qualities from the underworld and summons opponents with his trademark spears.
Are Freddy Krueger & Jason Voorhees In Mortal Kombat?
Yes. They are featured as downloadable characters in Mortal Kombat X or come standard in Mortal Kombat XL.
Who Were The Original Characters In Mortal Kombat?
The original characters in Mortal Kombat were Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Raiden, Kano, and Johnny Cage.