Mortal Kombat

***Mortal Kombat*** is a video game franchise originally developed by Midway Games in 1992. Following Midway's bankruptcy, the Mortal Kombat development team was acquired by Warner Bros. and turned into NetherRealm Studios. Warner Bros.

**Find out more** at Wikipedia; Mortal Kombat Wiki

### Games

The development of the first game was originally based on an idea that Ed Boon and John Tobias had of making a video game based on the movie Universal Soldier and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, but as that idea fell through, a fantasy-horror themed fighting game titled Mortal Kombat was created instead. The original game has spawned many sequels and has spun a media franchise consisting of several action-adventure games, films (animated and live-action with its own sequel), and television series (animated and live-action). Other spin-offs include comic book series, a card game and a live-action tour.

The series has a reputation for high levels of bloody violence, including, most notably, its Fatalities (finishing moves, requiring a sequence of button inputs to perform). The Fatalities, in part, led to the creation of the ESRB video game rating system.

#### Background

The series takes place in a fictional universe consisting of eighteen surviving realms which, according to in-game backstories, were created by 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, and also 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 worshipped; and Edenia, which is known for its beauty, artistic expression, and the longevity of its inhabitants." 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 Mortal Kombat tournaments.

#### Mortal Kombat (1992)

**Released** October 8, 1992

The first Mortal Kombat game takes place in Earthrealm (Earth) where seven different warriors with their own reasons for entering participated in the tournament with the eventual prize being the continued freedom of their realm, threatened with 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. **Find out more** at: Wikipedia; Mortal Kombat Wiki

#### Mortal Kombat II (1993)

**Released** June 25, 1993

In ***Mortal Kombat II***, unable to deal with his minion Shang Tsung's failure, Outworld Emperor Shao Kahn lures the Earthrealm warriors to the Outworld where the Earthrealm warriors eventually defeat Shao Kahn. **Find out more** at: Wikipedia; Mortal Kombat Wiki

#### Mortal Kombat 3 (1995)

By the time of ***Mortal Kombat 3***, Shao Kahn revives Edenia's (now a part of his Outworld domain) former queen Sindel in Earthrealm, combining it with Outworld as well. He then attempts to invade Earthrealm but is ultimately defeated by the Earthrealm warriors again. After Kahn's defeat, Edenia was freed from Kahn's grasp and returned to a peaceful realm, ruled by Princess Kitana. **Find out more** at: Wikipedia; Mortal Kombat Wiki

Mortal Kombat 3 was updated in ***Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3*** (1995) with an altered gameplay system, additional characters like the returning favourites Kitana and Scorpion who were missing from Mortal Kombat 3, and some new features. **Find out more** at: Wikipedia; Mortal Kombat Wiki

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 was itself updated with ***Mortal Kombat Trilogy*** (1996) which added characters and stages from the other three arcade games. Some completely new characters were also introduced. New additions to the game included the "Aggressor" bar, a meter that fills during the course of the match and temporarily makes a player character faster and stronger. It also features a new finishing move called Brutality, a long combination of attacks that ends with the opponent exploding. **Find out more** at: Wikipedia; Mortal Kombat Wiki

#### Mortal Kombat 4 (1997)

The following game, ***Mortal Kombat 4***, features the former elder god Shinnok attempting to conquer the realms and attempting to kill the thunder god Raiden. However, he is also defeated by the Earthrealm warriors. **Find out more** at: Wikipedia; Mortal Kombat Wiki

#### Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero (1997)

**Released** October 1, 1997

***Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero*** is the first Mortal Kombat game to feature side-scrolling gameplay. Mythologies is a prequel set prior to the events of the tournament in the original Mortal Kombat. The storyline centres on the warrior, Sub-Zero. In the story he is asked to find an amulet by the sorcerer Quan Chi. The player controls Sub-Zero in multiple stages as he faces multiple enemies trying to eliminate him. **Find out more** at: Wikipedia; Mortal Kombat Wiki

#### Mortal Kombat & Mortal Kombat II (1998)

**Released** September 10, 1998

A compilation of Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II.

#### Mortal Kombat Gold (1999)

**Released** August 31, 1999

***Mortal Kombat Gold*** is an updated version of 1997's Mortal Kombat 4. Critical reaction was mostly average due to the graphics being inferior to the arcade version, the weapons deemed boring or useless, and game-breaking bugs and glitches. **Find out more** at: Wikipedia; Mortal Kombat Wiki

### Video

#### Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins (1995)

**Released** August 29, 1995 (US) IMDb.com

### Cinema

#### Mortal Kombat (1995)

**Released** October 20, 1995 (UK); August 18, 1995 (US)

#### Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997)

**Released** February 13, 1998 (UK); November 21, 1997 (US)

> *"Destroy all expectations."*
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***Mortal Kombat: Annihilation*** is an American martial arts action film based on the Mortal Kombat series of fighting games, and is the sequel to Mortal Kombat (1995). The storyline was largely an adaptation of Mortal Kombat 3, following a band of warriors as they attempt to save Earth from the evil Shao Kahn. Although the story picks up where the last film left off, only two of the lead actors reprised their roles.

**Find out more** at Wikipedia; Mortal Kombat Wiki

**Plot Summary**

A group of martial arts warriors have only six days to save the Earth from an extra-dimensional invasion before the Elder Lords, the evil Outworlders wreak hell on Earth. Which is led by the mighty Shao Kahn, their gruesome goal is humanity's complete and utter extinction. But Earth's last and only hope is the mighty martial arts warrior Liu Kang and his ferocious friend fighters. They're all that stand between life and...annihilation! IMDb.com

**Notable Cast**

* Robin Shou as Liu Kang
* Talisa Soto as Kitana
* Brian Thompson as Shao Kahn
* Sandra Hess as Sonya Blade
* James Remar as Raiden
* Reiner Schöne as Shinnok
* Keith Cooke as Sub-Zero

**Soundtrack**

**Released** October 28, 1997

Listen to a playlist of tracks from the soundtrack on Spotify.