The original Mortal Kombat game:
The original Mortal Kombat was released in 1992 and became a cultural phenomenon, spawning a hugely popular franchise. Developed by Midway Games and featuring digitized sprites and live-action footage, Mortal Kombat brought a new level of graphic violence and gore to fighting games.
Players selected from one of eight initial playable characters - Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, Raiden, Sonya Blade, Kano, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and Goro. Each fighter had unique special moves and fighting styles. What set Mortal Kombat apart from other fighters was its inclusion of finishing moves called "Fatalities." Performing secret button combinations at the end of a match would trigger gruesome death animations for the defeated opponent.
The graphic violence in Mortal Kombat caused widespread controversy. Many criticized it for glorifying violence and influencing youth in a negative way. However, it also drew praise for its cinematic presentation and innovations in fighting game mechanics. The Fatalities added a sense of spectacle and encouraged experimentation.
Beyond the gameplay, Mortal Kombat told an engaging story through its iconic characters and environments. Players fought across diverse stages inspired by real world locations and mythology. This helped immerse players in the game's dark fantasy world of warring clans and supernatural powers. Characters like Sub-Zero and Scorpion became fan favorites due to their rivalry and backstories.
The arcade release of Mortal Kombat was a huge commercial success, becoming one of the most popular arcade games of the early 1990s. Its popularity grew even more with home console ports on the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. However, the home versions had to tone down the violence to comply with content ratings. This included removing Fatalities and blood from the SNES version.
Over 30 years later, Mortal Kombat remains one of the most influential fighting game franchises. It helped establish many conventions still used in the genre today like secret finishing moves and story-driven single player modes. The original also retains a devoted fan following to this day. Its innovative blend of cinematic presentation and brutal gameplay laid the foundation for the multi-billion dollar franchise it became. While other fighters have surpassed it technologically, few have matched Mortal Kombat's impact in popularizing the fighting game genre worldwide.