Mortal Kombat and its arcade sequels remain some of the most famous examples of live-action digitized graphics, and a new documentary featurette details the process that brought a touch of Hollywood cinema to video game development. Watch:
Most of the behind-the-scenes footage and information will be familiar to long time fans, but the Super Splash Wave episode succinctly recaps the major stylistic and technological developments that defined Mortal Kombat in its first three installments.
Posted to YouTube by strafefox, the documentary not only revisits the filming techniques and creative trials faced by Ed Boon and John Tobias, but also puts the development of the games in their greater context with other well known titles using digitzed graphics.
Fans today know AT&T as the corporate owner deciding Mortal Kombat's fate, but the documentary highlights their earliest influence on games, through the creation of Truevision Advanced Raster Graphics Adapter digitization boards, which were used in pioneering Williams and Midway games, such as NARC and Terminator 2.
Modified WTARG software programmed by Warren Davis supported economic development of the first Mortal Kombat, while studio upgrades and advances in software and boards supported significant graphical improvements in the later sequels. All of this and more are outlined in great detail in the full 28 minute video.
[Related Article: Artist Unearths Mortal Kombat Arcade Cabinet Concept Art]
In anticipation of this year's 30th Anniversary of the original Mortal Kombat; Ed Boon recently shared rare behind the scenes footage. Find more lost kontent and artifacts in the 2D Kombat Klassics forum!