From its coin-op origins in the arcade to inspiring blockbuster big screen adaptations and a triple A video game reboot: Mortal Kombat is officially celebrating its 30th Anniversary! To mark the momentous occasion, NetherRealm Studios has squeezed three decades into a single pulse pounding, spine ripping retrospective. Watch:
Mortal Kombat has come a long way since seven fighters worked their way up the stone face of the first game's battleplan. The trailer captures not just the humble beginnings, but the massive sprawling franchise that has unfolded across eleven core fighting game installments, and several multimedia adaptations!
The voice (and face) of series co-creator Ed Boon brings us into the action, speaking from the past with prescience for the sustained pop culture success of the franchise, originally unleashed upon the world on October 8, 1992.
The entire video is a testament to the phenomenon sparked by that arcade release, beginning with archival footage of the original game, before taking us through multiple iterations from the Defenders of the Realm animated series, beloved live-action feature film, more recent 2021 reboot, and Mortal Kombat 11 in just the opening 11 seconds!
We're treated to nostalgic but forward thinking spotlights of klassic characters from the first game and beyond, paying homage to the legacy of the entire series with MKII, MK3, Mortal Kombat (2011), and Mortal Kombat X all well recognized.
The nature of the anniversary places emphasis on where we started and where we are now, leaving the middle years of the franchise a little under represented for die hard fans, but look hard enough and you might see them too.
Liu Kang's bicycle kick passes through Armageddon, his fly kick lands in Shaolin Monks, Johnny Cage nails a split punch in MK4, and Raiden even does a flying dive through black sheep entries Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe and Injustice 2!
[Related Article: Speculation: Ed Boon Addresses Multiple Projects in Fan AMA]
The action packed trip through memory lane is really just about celebrating the past thirty years, but the trailer does end with some of the products currently available, including Mortal%20Kombat%20Legacy webseries now streaming to HBO Max, Mortal Kombat: Battle of the Realms, the game that started it all, and the three most recent installments.
To play the arcade original you need only seek out the 30th Anniversary Arcade1Up Cabinet, while MK2011 was added to Xbox backwards compatibility in the last year. Ed Boon ruled out any game announcements with the anniversary focus.
What are your fondest memories from the first game and subsequent thirty years? Share your moments in the comments below and go deeper into nostalgia in the 2D Kombat Klassics forum! Live in the now by visiting the Mortal Kombat 11 forum, or look ahead to what's next in the Future MK Speculation forum!
