Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat is a series of fighting video games created by Ed Boon and John Tobias in 1992. The series was originally developed and produced by Midway Games as an arcade game, and was later launched for home systems Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1993 by Acclaim Entertainment. Over the following years, the Mortal Kombat series has continued releasing new games for newer home systems such as the Nintendo64, Nintendo Gamecube, Xbox 360, Playstation 2, and Playstation 3. There has been some ethical controversies over the graphic and violent nature of the gameplay, but the Mortal Kombat series has still maintained fans for over two decades and has also inspired the production of comic books, animated shows, and live-action films.
Contents
History of Mortal Kombat
There are nine main Arcade-style iterations in the Mortal Kombat Franchise[1].
1. Mortal Kombat I.
General Release Date: October 8th, 1992
Number of Selectable, Default, Players: 7
-- Johnny Cage
-- Kano
-- Sub-Zero
-- Sonya Blade
-- Raiden
-- Liu Kang
-- Scorpion
Genre: Versus Fighting
Mode(s) of playing the Game: Up to 2
^ 1-Player (Human) versus Computer-controlled Opponent
^ 1-Player (Human) versus another, but different, Player (Human)
Number of Boss-Characters that participant has to defeat to conquer, or Win, the entire Game: 2
~~ Sub-Boss (or Boss number 1) --> Goro
~~ Final, or Head-Honcho, Boss (or Boss #2) --> Shang Tsung
Publisher: Midway
2. Mortal Kombat II.
General Release Date: 1993 (doesn't list Month number and Day number)
Number of Selectable, Default, Players: 12
-- Johnny Cage
-- Sub-Zero
-- Raiden
-- Liu Kang
-- Scorpion
-- Shang Tsung
-- Reptile
-- Kung Lao
-- Kitana
-- Jax Briggs
-- Mileena
-- Baraka
Genre: Versus Fighting
Mode(s) of playing the Game: Up to 2
^ 1-Player (Human) versus Computer-controlled Opponent
^ 1-Player (Human) versus another, but different, Player (Human)
Publisher: Midway
Number of Boss-Characters that participant has to defeat to conquer, or Win, the entire Game: 2, for sure (not sure if Jade, Smoke, Noob Saibot are Sub-Bosses or not!)
~~ Sub-Boss (or Boss number 1) --> Kintauro
~~ Final, or Head-Honcho, Boss (or Boss #2) --> Shao Kahn
3. Mortal Kombat 3
General Release Date: 1995 (doesn't list Month number and Day number)
Number of Selectable, Default, Players: 14
-- Sub-Zero
-- Liu Kang
-- Shang Tsung
-- Kung Lao
-- Jax Briggs
-- Cyrax
-- Sector
-- NightWolf
-- Sheeva
-- Sindel
-- Kano
-- Kabal
-- Sonya
-- Striker
Genre: Versus Fighting
Mode(s) of playing the Game: Up to 2
^ 1-Player (Human) versus Computer-controlled Opponent
^ 1-Player (Human) versus another, but different, Player (Human)
Publisher: Midway
Number of Boss-Characters that participant has to defeat to conquer, or Win, the entire Game: 2
~~ Sub-Boss (or Boss number 1) --> Motaro
~~ Final, or Head-Honcho, Boss (or Boss #2) --> Shao Kahn
4. Mortal Kombat 4
General Release Date: 1997 (doesn't list Month number and Day number)
Number of Selectable, Default, Players: 15
-- Johnny Cage
-- Kai
-- Sub-Zero
-- Sonya Blade
-- Raiden
-- Liu Kang
-- Scorpion
-- Jax Briggs
-- Reiko
-- Jarek
-- Tanya
-- Fujin
-- Quan Chi
-- Shinnok
-- Goro
Genre: Versus Fighting
Mode(s) of playing the Game: Up to 2
^ 1-Player (Human) versus Computer-controlled Opponent
^ 1-Player (Human) versus another, but different, Player (Human)
Number of Boss-Characters that participant has to defeat to conquer, or Win, the entire Game: 1
~~ Final, or Head-Honcho, Boss --> Shinook
Publisher: Midway Games
--> Important Note: This particular Mortal Kombat game was the last of Mortal Kombat games to be released as an Arcade Game. After Mortal Kombat 4, all future Mortal Kombat games would be released exclusively as Console-game System games only.
5. Mortal Kombat: 5 (also known as Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance)
General Release Date: November 20, 2002
Number of Selectable, Default, Players: 12
-- Johnny Cage
-- Sub-Zero
-- Scorpion
-- Shang Tsung
-- Kung Lao
-- Bo' Rai Cho
-- Quan Chi
-- Li Mei
-- Sonya Blade
-- Kenshi
-- Mavado
-- Kano
Genre: Versus Fighting
Mode(s) of playing the Game: Single Player or Multi-Player (the latter in-person or online, see below)
^ 1-Player (Human) versus Computer-controlled Opponent
^ 1-Player (Human) versus another, but different, Player (Human)
Publisher: Midway
Number of Boss-Characters that participant has to defeat to conquer, or Win, the entire Game: 2, for sure (not sure if Jade, Smoke, Noob Saibot are Sub-Bosses or not!)
~~ Sub-Boss (or Boss number 1) --> Molach
~~ Final, or Head-Honcho, Boss (or Boss #2) --> Shang Tsung/Quan Chi (note: these two End Bosses are randomly selected, however they both are technically thee Head Boss! In other words one scenaro is Molach to Shang Tsung and the other scenario possibility is Molach to Quan Chi)
6. Mortal Kombat 6 (also known as Mortal Kombat: Deception)
General Release Date: October 4, 2004
Number of Selectable, Default, Players: 12
-- Sub-Zero
-- Kobra
-- Scorpion
-- Mileena
-- Baraka
-- Kabal
-- Ermac
-- NightWolf
-- Bo' Rai Cho
-- Ashrah
-- Dairou
-- Darrius
Genre: Versus Fighting
Mode(s) of playing the Game: Up to 2 plus online game play (this was the first Mortal Kombat game to feature online gameplay!)
^ 1-Player (Human) versus Computer-controlled Opponent
^ 1-Player (Human) versus another, but different, Player (Human)
Publisher: Midway
Number of Boss-Characters that participant has to defeat to conquer, or Win, the entire Game: 2
~~ Sub-Boss (or Boss #1) --> Noob-Smoke
~~ Final, or Head-Honcho, Boss (or Boss #2) --> Onaga, The Dragon King
7. Mortal Kombat 7 (also known as Mortal Kombat: Armageddon)
General Release Date: October 11th, 2006
Number of Selectable, Default, Players: 54 (note: in terms of Default characters, from what I recall -- the other 14 you have to "unlock", if I recall correctly. Admittedly don't remember which were default which you have to unlock or buy. I, will to the best of my ability below list the Default characters from memory!).
-- Johnny Cage
-- Kano
-- Sub-Zero
-- Sonya Blade
-- Raiden
-- Liu Kang
-- Scorpion
-- Ashrah
-- Baraka
-- Darrius
-- Dairou
-- Ermac
-- Frost
-- Fujin
-- Havik
-- Hotaru
-- Hsu Hao
-- Jarek
-- Jax Briggs
-- Johnny Cage
-- Kabal
-- Kai
-- Kano
-- Kenshi
-- Kintaro
-- Kira
-- Kitana
-- Kobra
-- Kung Lao
-- Li Mei
-- Liu Kang
-- Mavado
-- Mileena
-- Mokap
-- Molach
-- Motaro
-- NightWolf
-- Nitara
-- Noob
-- Onaga
-- Quan Chi
-- Raiden
-- Rain
-- Reiko
-- Reptile
-- Scorpion
-- Sektor
-- Shang Tsung
-- Shao Kahn
-- Sheeva
-- Shinnok
-- Shujinko
-- Sindel
-- Smoke
-- Sonya
-- Stryker
-- Sub-Zero
-- Tanya
Genre: Versus Fighting
Mode(s) of playing the Game: 1 to 8 players plus online game play
^ 1-Player (Human) versus Computer-controlled Opponent
^ 1-Player (Human) versus another, but different, Player (Human)
Number of Boss-Characters that participant has to defeat to conquer, or Win, the entire Game: 1
~~ Final, or Head-Honcho, Boss (or Boss #1 of 1) --> Blaze
Publisher: Midway
8. Mortal Kombat 8 (also known as Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe)
General Release Date: November 16, 2008
Number of Selectable, Default, Players: 15 (for Story-Mode: 7 for Mortal Kombat Story and 8 for DC Universe Story) / 23 (for Arcade-versus/non-story mode[?] 11 for Mortal Kombat characters, 11 for DC Universe characters, and 1 for Original characters). First, I will list the characters in Story Mode ---
^Mortal Kombat Story^ ^DC Comics Story^
--------------------- -------------------
Chapter 1: Liu Kang Chapter 1: The Flash
Chapter 2: Sub-Zero Chapter 2: Batman
Chapter 3: Raiden Chapter 3: Wonder Woman
Chapter 4: Liu Kang Chapter 4: Green Lantern
Chapter 5: Scorpion Chapter 5: Captain Marvel
Chapter 6: Shang Tsung Chapter 6: The Joker
Chapter 7: Reptile Chapter 7: Lex Luthor
Chapter 8: Superman
Now, for the Arcade-versus/non-story mode, Default, Characters (characters demarcating ^Mortal Kombat^-ones, ^DC Comics^-ones, and ^Original characters^-ones will be separated by dashes!)---
____________________
Sub-Zero
Scorpion
Sonya Blade
Shang Tsung
Liu Kang
Kitana
Jax Briggs
Kano
Raiden
Baraka
Shao Kahn
- - - - - - - - -
Batman
The Flash
Catwoman
Captain Marvel
Green Lantern
Wonder Woman
Lex Luthor
The Joker
Superman
Deathstroke
Darkseid
- - - - - - - - -
Dark Kahn
____________________
Genre: Versus Fighting
Mode(s) of playing the Game: presumbably (it doesn't technically or actually say) Up to 2 Players plus online game play
^ 1-Player (Human) versus Computer-controlled Opponent
^ 1-Player (Human) versus another, but different, Player (Human)
Publisher: presumbably (it doesn't technically or actually say), Midway Games
Number of Boss-Character[s] that participant has to defeat to conquer, or Win, the entire Game: unknown and/or n/a
9. Mortal Kombat 9 (also known as Mortal Kombat; also known as number 2 as Mortal Kombat-2011)
General Release Date: April 19th, 2011
Number of Selectable, Default, Players (Arcade-Mode [or Tournament-ladder mode]): 25 and Number of Selectable, Default, Players (Story Mode): 16.
^Arcade Mode^
----------------
-- Scorpion
-- Liu Kang
-- Kung Lao
-- Sub-Zero
-- Sindel
-- Ermac
-- Reptile
-- Kitana
-- Johnny Cage
-- Jade
-- Mileena
-- Nightwolf
-- Cyrax
-- Noob Saibot
-- Smoke
-- Sektor
-- Sonya Blade
-- Jax Briggs
-- Kano
-- Kurtis Stryker
-- Shang Tsung
-- Baraka
-- Kabal
-- Raiden
-- Sheeva
^Story Mode^
---------------
Chapter's 1-5: Mortal Kombat I. ---
1. Johnny Cage
2. Sonya Blade
3. Scorpion
4. Cyrax (as a Human)
5. Liu Kang
Chapter's 6-11: Mortal Kombat II. ---
1. Jax Briggs
2. Smoke
3. Sub-Zero
4. Kitana
5. Jade
6. Kung Lao
Chapter's 12-16: Mortal Kombat 3 ---
1. Kurtis Stryker
2. Kabal
3. Cyber Sub-Zero
4. Nightwolf
5. Raiden
Genre: Versus Fighting
Mode(s) of playing the Game: 1-8 Players (online play) and 1-4 Players (offline play)
Publisher: WB Games Chicago
Number of Boss-Characters that participant has to defeat to conquer, or Win, the entire Game: 2
~~ Sub-Boss (or Boss number 1) --> unknown
~~ Final, or Head-Honcho, Boss (or Boss #2) --> unknown
Fatalities
After a player is drained from their health, they will appear in a dazed state where the other player can perform a fatality. A fatality is when a character performs a special move, as in Sub-Zero's "spine rip" fatality, where he rips the spine out of the other character. Each character has his or her own special fatality that results in a gruesome action.
Characters
- Goro: The boss and playable character. He is part of the half-human, half-dragon race called the Shokan and has four-arms.
- Johnny Cage: A playable character. He real name is John Carlton and is a film actor who enters the tournament.
- Kano: A playable character. The leader of the Black Dragon criminal empire.
- Liu Kang: A playable character. A Shaolin monk who enters the tournament to save his world.
- Raiden: A playable character. The thunder god and protector of Earthrealm.
- Reptile: A hidden boss. He is a Raptor and serves Shao Kahn.
- Scorpion: A playable character. He is a dead warrior who enters the tournament to kill Sub-Zero.
- Shang Tsung: A playable character. He is a sorcerer and a shapeshifter who absorbs the souls of the dead.
- Sonya Blade: A playable character. She is an officer of the United States Special Forces.
- Sub-Zero: A playable character. He is an assassin with the ability to control ice.
Ethical Implications of the Game
Upon the release of Mortal Kombat, the game was controversially critiqued by many parents and public officials to the games graphics of gore and violence. Such violence includes ripping the heart or spine out the opponent's body, or setting an opponent on fire. The game is rated M for Mature, however children and teenagers can easily obtain access to the game. Thus, they can be exposed to the high levels of gore and violence present in the game. Mortal Kombat was taken to court and the result was for the game industry to create a rating system for games. The result was the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), which created a rating system from early childhood (eC) to adult only (AO)[2].
Films
On August 18, 1995, New Line Cinema released a film adaption of the video game titled, Mortal Kombat. The film follows Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade as they fight through the tournament in hope to defeat Shang Tsung and save the world. The film was based on the first Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II. The second film in the series was released on Novemeber 21, 1997 titled, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. The film follows Liu Kang and other allies to stop the evil emperor, Shao Kahn, from opening the portal from Outworld to the Earthrealm. The film was based on Mortal Kombat 3.
TV Series
Mortal Kombat: Konquest (also released as Mortal Kombat: Conquest) is an American martial arts television series that aired for one season from 1998 to 1999, and was based on the popular Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The program was filmed at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida.
Storyline
"In each of us there burns a soul of a warrior. In every generation a few are chosen to prove it. Centuries ago, in a time of darkness and fury, that fate befell three strangers. A monk, Kung Lao; an exiled guard, Siro; and a thief, Taja, who have to defend our realm from the forces of Outworld. By fighting for their lives, by fighting for their honor and by fighting for their realm...in a tournament called Mortal Kombat."
Many centuries ago, Earth was an enchanting and desirable planet. Powerful and rich with natural resources, the vicious megalomaniac Shao Kahn wanted Earth as part of his growing collection of conquered realms known as Outworld. To protect Earth, Mortal Kombat, a tournament in which the fate of the planet is decided in battles between competitors from Earthrealm and Outworld, was created. Five hundred years in the past, the monk warrior Kung Lao defeated Shao Kahn's sorcerer, Shang Tsung. When Kung Lao spared his life, Kahn imprisoned Tsung in the cobalt mines. Kung Lao now had to train the next generation of warriors, who would give their lives to save Earth. Kung Lao creates a partnership and friendship with two warriors: Siro, a former bodyguard, and Taja, an ex-thief. In the mysterious city of Zhuzin, Kung Lao and his new friends are guided and watched over by the thunder god Raiden. The three now battle various evils of both Outworld and Earthrealm, including an imprisoned Tsung, who swore eternal revenge on Kung Lao for his humiliating defeat, and the sultry and seductive Vorpax, who is also imprisoned in the mines and has an agenda of her own.
