The Mortal Kombat franchise of game has been around for 32 years. This is a legitimate honor for any gaming series. While its history has not always been bright, this staple of the fighting genre has been able to stand the test of time. As such, a brief history of the series championing violence and gore is needed. There are 25 games in the Mortal Kombat franchise. Here is a list of each game from the greatest down to the worst (Special Forces).
Mortal Kombat
Seven fighters are called to a mysterious island to fight in the 10th Mortal Kombat tournament run by Shang Tsung. If the forces of evil win this competition, the Earth will be conquered by Outworld. Originally a game based on the movie Bloodsport until the deal fell through. Ed Boon was encouraged to make a similar game with a Jean-Claude Van Damme-styled character. Mortal Kombat was born. Gamers can also thank Mortal Kombat’s violent content as one of the reasons the ESRB was created.
Mortal Kombat II
Defeated, Shang Tsung grovels at the feet of his master, Shoa Khan. Tsung reminds Khan that an invitation to the Mortal Kombat tournament is binding. Earth Realm will be forced to fight. Khan restores Tsung’s youth and sends an invitation for one more Kombat.
Mortak Kombat II introduces six new playable characters, more fatalities, and a new type of finisher: Babalities. Not looking forward to seeing your foes explode into pools of blood and bone? Babalities, true to their name, transformed your opponent into a crying baby.
Mortal Kombat 3
Shao Khan believes in having a Plan B. Tired of two consecutive losses of Mortal Kombat, Khan revives his wife, Sindel, in Earthrealm. This allows Khan to cross into Earthrealm making it part of Outworld. Raiden and Earthrealm’s fighters must once again fight to save the earth from this threat.
Mortal Kombat 3 introduced long-rumored Animalities. Players would first give “mercy” to their enemy and win the third round a second time. These fatalities would see fighters transforming into dragons, cheetahs, and other creatures mauling the opposition. Friendships could be performed if a player won without blocking. Rather than killing, gamers could be nice to their opponent.
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat 3 received an update with Ultimate. This newer version brought back characters left out of 3. Most notable was Scorpion, one of the most popular characters of the franchise, who was shockingly left out of the base game. Joining him is Kitana, Jade, Smoke, and Reptile.
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
While Ultimate was an update to the arcade, Trilogy was an update to the console games. The trilogy features Rain and Noob Saibot as playable characters for the first time. This marks the first time players could choose Kintaro, Goro, Motaro, and Shoa Khan as well.
Trilogy features characters only playable depending on which you choose. Those who purchased the PSX, Saturn, or PC could unlock a male ninja named Chameleon. Nintendo 64 gamers were able to unlock a female ninja called Khameleon. Each character’s move set depended on the color of the character at the time.
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
Set in time before the original Mortal Kombat, the elder Sub-Zero receives a task from Quan Chi to search for and find an amulet. Mythologies serves as a prequel to Mortal Kombat 4 as characters from the game are introduced. Mythologies is the first attempt to take Mortal Kombat from the fighting genre to an action-adventure style game. Filled with flawed fighting mechanics and horrible platforming, Mythologies is considered one of the worst Mortal Kombat games ever. The worst is yet to come.
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat leaps to 3D. Despite this jump, 4 is described as being a 3D game with a 2D playstyle. The first version of this game to enter arcades had no final boss and no endings for any character. The third revision of the arcade game featured two fatalities per characters, Meat as a secret character, and new costumes for existing characters. In 1997, Mortal Kombat 4 was ported to the Nintendo 64 and later to the Playstation. Goro was added as a mini-boss marking the character’s return to the series since the original MK.
Mortal Kombat Gold
Gold is an update to Mortal Kombat 4. This title appeared exclusively on the Sega Dreamcast as a launch title. Gold is considered to be worse quality than 4 due to multiple glitches and lengthy loading times (even during battles). The most notable thing about Gold was Eurocom’s mistakenly sending information about a scrapped character named Belokk. Despite being scrapped, players spread rumors of how one might unlock the character.
Mortal Kombat Special Forces
Remember when we said the worst is yet to come? It’s here. Midway rushed this game out after the exit of John Tobias. Taking place before the first Mortal Kombat, Special Forces has players controlling Jaxon Briggs. His task is to find and take down Black Dragon. Despite taking place before the original MK, Special Forces has Jax sporting the metal arms he never received until MK3.
Mortal Kombat Advance
What happens when Mortal Kombat Trilogy is released on the Gameboy Advance? Nothing good. Electronic Gaming Monthly referred to the game’s AI as being stupid and somehow unfair at the same time. Save your time and play something else.
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Deadly Alliance is considered the game that revitalized the Mortal Kombat franchise. As the title suggests, Deadly Alliance focuses on the alliance between Quan Chi and Shang Tsung. The two hope to revive an ancient army to control Outworld. This was the first MK title to be exclusive to home consoles.
Deadly Alliance features the first “Konquest” mode. This mode expands on the in-game story and acts as a tutorial for every character. Blaze, a character seen in the background of The Pit II in Mortal Kombat II is a playable secret character. This character would advance the story in later games.
Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition
The Gameboy Advance version of Deadly Alliance only featured half of the cast. Tournament Edition features the second half of the original cast. This is considered to be Deadly Alliance Part 2 on the GBA. This generally does not have good reviews.
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Deception takes place shortly after Deadly Alliance. Having defeated the two sorcerers, Raiden watched as Quan Chi and Shang Tsung fought each other. The three are interrupted by Onaga, the Dragon King. Onaga seeks to find all six pieces of the Kamidogu to bind all six realms back into The One Being.
The Kollector’s Edition featured a metal trading card and a bonus disc featuring the history of Mortal Kombat. The Konquest mode focuses on Shujinko, a young man given the ability to mimic the fighting styles of others. Shujinko travels through the various realms until he accidentally resurrects Onaga.
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Third time’s a charm! This action-adventure game is good. Shaolin Monks is a retelling of MK2 and focuses on Kung Lao and Lu Kang seeking to defeat Shang Tsung. This game features a Ko-op mode where two players can fight through the main story, a versus mode, and unlockable characters. A little over a year later, Survival Mode was discovered by players.
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Fighters throughout the six realms have grown exceedingly stronger. Unable to sustain them all at once, a pyramid rises in the wilderness. The Kombatants, drawn to this structure, see flames burning on its roof. The purpose of Blaze has been revealed. Created by the Elder Gods, this being has been tasked with killing as many Kombatants as he can to save the realms from Armageddon.
Armageddon only features two new characters: Taven and Daegon. Konquest mode focuses on the battle with the siblings, leading to Taven ultimately defeating Blaze. That is until Mortal Kombat. This is the only MK game to be featured on the Wii.
Mortal Kombat Unchained
Mortal Kombat Deception on the Playstation Portable. Kitana, Jax, Frost, and Sonya Blade are only featured in this version of the Deception. This game includes all of the characters and stages unlocked. It also includes an Endurance Mode.
Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe
Imagine Marvel vs Capcom but take away everything that made MvC fun and interesting. DC heroes do not perform Fatalities (after all Batman cannot kill) but Heroic Brutalities. Harley Quinn, Doomsday, Kung Lao, and Quan Chi were rumored to be DLC characters featuring extra chapters but that never came to pass.
Mortal Kombat
What do you do with a video game that’s been around for almost 20 years? Hit the reset button and start the story all over again. This takes place in what is technically the ninth game of the franchise. Taven Shao Khan gets ready to strike the final blow against Blaze Raiden. Just as Khan shows Raiden his Gallagher impersonation, a message is sent to the past with the hopes of changing the future.
Mortal Kombat is a retelling of the first three MK games. The 9th installment is thought to be a return to form for the series. Guest fighters make a first appearance (unless you count the DC characters) in the series as Freddy Krueger from The Nightmare on Elm Street appears as DLC. The PS3 version features Kratos from the God of War series.
Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection
Mortal Kombat Arcade Collection was made available on PSN and Xbox Live Arcade in 2011. In 2012, the game was released on Steam. This game is a compilation of the three original Mortal Kombat arcade games. It is a great way to play them outside of emulation.
Mortal Kombat Mobile
Fighting games do not translate well to the mobile market. How do we know? Mortal Kombat Mobile exists. Mortal Kombat tried to transition to the iOS and Android markets. This game is viewed as the only flop of the 2010’s.
Mortal Kombat X
Shinnok, the rogue Elder God, it revealed to have manipulated the events of Mortal Kombat X. Now, he steps forward to claim the realms. X introduces the fan dubbed “Kombat Kids”: Cassie Cage, Jacqui Briggs, Takeda Takahashi, and Kung Jin. Much of the story focuses on the exploits of these four with Cassie defeating Shinnok.
The end cutscene indicated a darker-styled character for Raiden. Players hoped he would be the villain of 11. The Kombat Packs feature four new guest fighters: Xenomorph, Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, and Predator. This is widely considered to be the best Mortal Kombat game.
Mortal Kombat 11
Past and present meet together in Mortal Kombat 11. The Elder Gods are the children of Titans and Shinnok’s mother is not very happy with Raiden. The newest villain, Kronika, has taken the vilest fighters from all points in time to fight against Earthrealm’s heroes. She is not a fan of Raiden’s attempts to change the timeline. Everything that occurred was set in place by Kronika so Shinnok would have ownership of the realms. Now, she needs to destroy those who ruined her plans.
Mortal Kombat 11 features a gear system that affects the way characters look. This is the first MK game where all playable characters speak during their Arcade ending. The only exception is The Terminator, with Cassie Cage acting as the narrator of his ending. The first Kombat Pack featured: Shang Tsung, Nightwolf, The Terminator, Sindel, the Joker, and Spawn.
Mortal Kombat 11 is the source of many controversies. Community backlash occurred concerning the redesigned female characters as well as their outfits. Many were upset at the female’s lack of sex appeal, claiming males were shirtless. In an interview, Ed Boon believed previous games overdid the sexualization of female characters, making them look “unrealistic.” He cited Mortal Kombat (2011) as a prime example. One of Mileena’s costumes is that of bandages which barely cover parts of her body.
Skarlet was the source of another controversy. She was given a “Kold War” outfit which featured Communist-styled symbols. This led to a ban on the game in certain countries. After Russia invaded Ukraine, the outfit was not featured for purchase in the in-game store. That is, until December 2022. An update of the game’s store was released which altered Skarlet’s Kold War skin, replacing the Communist paraphernalia replacing them with MK logos.
Many characters were cut from the final release of Mortal Kombat 11. The one which brought the most ire was that of Mileena. Mileena’s absence left a sour taste in player’s mouths with #WeWantMileena trending on Twitter. Ed Boon joked that she would not return to the game. This move led to staff (including Boon) being harassed online.
Mortal Kombat 11 features its first guest voice actor as Ronda Rousey voices Sonya Blade. This led to some criticism until Mortal Kombat 1. Keith David, the voice actor of Spawn from the HBO cartoon series, returns to voice the character. Bridgitt Wilson, the actress who portrayed Sonya Blade in the 1995 movie, voices Blade if one uses the movie skin.
Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath (DLC)
And Mileena they received. Aftermath takes place with time in a precarious position. The Sands of Time have become unstable with Kronika dead. The only person who can save humanity is…Shang Tsung? Shang Tsung is sent back in time to retrieve Kronika’s helmet, the only thing that keeps the sands stable. Surely the sorcerer who has tried to conquer Earthrealm, Outworld, raise Onaga’s stone warriors to life to conquer all realms, and worked with Kronika only has everyone’s best interests in mind. Right?
Aftermath brought many changes to Mortal Kombat 11. Fujin, Sheeva, and Robocop are available with the purchase of Aftermath. As stated above, Mileena returned to the game in the Aftermath DLC in the Kombat Pack 2 with Rain and John Rambo. Sylvester Stallone voices Rambo while Peter Weller returns to portray Robocop.
Mortal Kombat 1
Mortal Kombat hits the reset button. Again. Lui Kang has taken Kronika’s place as Titan and Keeper of Time. Everything seems well in the realms until an old face returns to throw the realms into chaos. This force works to help Shang Tsung and Quan Chi raise the stone army of the Dragon King to life. Yes, this is the plot of Deadly Alliance with a new coat of paint. Only this time Lui Kang does not die.
This leads to an epic battle between the Mortal Kombat Multiverse where the true evil is revealed as Shang Tsung. Again. Lui Kang defeats Shang Tsung. Again. But it gave us seasonal invasions that grew old after the second one.
Many characters not seen in almost 20 years join the franchise again. Ashrah, Nitara, Li Mei, Reiko, and Havik return as playable characters. Motaro, Sareena, Khameleon. Darrius, Mavado, and Shujinko return as Kameo characters. Jean-Claude Van Damme, the inspiration for Johnny Cage, makes his first appearance in the game as a skin for Cage. Van Damme also provides new voice recordings when the skin is equipped.
Mortal Kombat 1 is not free from any controversy. Mortal Kombat 11 was thought to have poor voice acting with Ronda Rousey playing Sonya Blade. While advertising for MK1 Megan Fox was advertised as the voice actress of Nitara. Negative comments were left on the official trailer speaking of the lifelessness Fox brought to Nitara. Littlehopeleft commented: Her range of emotions is amazing. She goes from “meh” to “Whatever” in no time.”
Another issue revolved around the DLC character Homelander. Antony Starr, the actor for the Amazon series The Boys, was not voicing his character. At first, speculation was either a scheduling issue that kept Starr from the role or Warner Bros. refused to pay his asking price. When asked if he was voicing Homelander in MK1, Starr told a fan that he did a voice in Call of Duty and to play that. Netherrealm was silent about the situation.
This speaks of another problem fans had with MK1. After the game’s release, players complained about various bugs. How did Netherrealm respond to these issues? Radio silence. This led many players to believe the developers lacked concern for the game’s performance but were more concerned about profits.
Microtransactions have also drawn a negative reaction from fans of the series. While most game versions have been praised for graphical quality, the Nintendo Switch version has generally been panned.
Where Does Mortal Kombat Go From Here?
Where does the franchise go from here? Well, if a cut scene at the end of MK1 is any indication, it may revolve around Titan Havik. Or not. MKX indicated Raiden would play the role of the villain. While dressed in a darker color scheme and holding the still-living head of Shinnok, the elder god let the realms know he would have a stronger hand when protecting Earthrealm.
This led fans to speculate Raiden would be closer to his Deception counterpart. A Raiden whose morals and deeds were as dark as his clothing. Instead, this ending meant nothing as this scene was replayed in MK11 as a segway to introduce players to Kronika. Titan Havik may be nothing more than a red herring until Shao Khan, Onaga, Blaze, or some other danger is revealed.
Netherrealm needs to avoid a problem found in most of their older games: Repeating the same villains over again. Shang Tsung is the final fight in Mortal Kombat, Deadly Alliance, and Mortal Kombat 11. Shao Khan is the final boss in Mortal Kombat 2, MK3, and MK9. Shinnok is used in MK4 and MKX. That leaves Kronika, Onaga, and Blaze.
A villain like Onaga might be a breath of fresh air in the grand scheme. His boss fight in Deception, while highly gimmicked, was something different. In the new timeline, Shao Khan and Reiko seek to find Onaga, release him from his prison, and “tame him.” Why not go through that story with Onaga destroying his would-be rescuers? Let him seek to restore the One Being since all the realms have been in chaos since the first Mortal Kombat. The story almost writes itself.
The last thing Mortal Kombat needs is another reset. This is nothing more than cheap storytelling used to show that Netherrealm developers have lost the ability to properly connect stories from game to game. There is a wealth of lore and characters which could be used to create new stories. Orderrealm or Chaosrealm could be used to create new stories and villains. If Mortal Kombat wants to remain relevant in the coming years, it has to be willing to lean into the new.
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