Mortal Kombat
“Finish him!” Two words that stopped the whole arcade cold.
Coming soon to UsuArcade
Votes to bring it to the arcade: 0
In the meantime, head into the arcade and play the cabinets that are already there
- Year
- 1992
- Manufacturer
- Midway
- Players
- 2 players at once
- Genres
- Fighting games
- Decade
- '90s arcade games
Mortal Kombat hit arcades with something nobody had seen: fighters who looked like real people, blood on every hit and finishing moves that pulled everyone over to the cabinet. When the game called out “Finish him!”, you could feel the whole room lean in.
It's not in our arcade yet, but it's on the UsuArcade wish list, and your votes can move it up.
History
Midway released it in 1992, created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. Instead of hand-drawn sprites, the characters were made by filming real actors and digitizing their moves, which gave it a look unlike any other fighter of the time.
Its violence caused a huge uproar in the U.S. and was one of the reasons the video game industry set up its own age rating system. If anything, the controversy made it even bigger, and the series is still going today.
How to play
Pick from seven fighters, including Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, Raiden, Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Kano, and fight best two out of three. Unlike most fighting games, there's a dedicated block button, plus high and low punches and kicks. The crouching uppercut is one of the most feared moves in the game.
Each character has special moves, like Scorpion's spear or Sub-Zero's freeze. Win the final round, do the right input at the right distance and you pull off their Fatality. In single-player, the four-armed giant Goro and the sorcerer Shang Tsung are waiting for you at the end.
Fun facts
- The fighters are digitized real actors.
- It had a button dedicated just to blocking.
- There's a secret character, Reptile, who shows up only if certain conditions are met.
In the arcade
Mortal Kombat is on the wish list: coming soon to UsuArcade. Vote with the “I Want to Play It” button to move it up the line of games to add.
In the meantime, if you want a one-on-one fight, you can challenge a friend in Street Fighter II right now, and if you dig Midway's digitized style, NBA Jam is on the floor for some two-on-two action, all with spectators, chat and arcade high scores.
Once Mortal Kombat lands in the arcade, you'll be able to play it online two-player, each on your own phone or PC, in the same game.
FAQ
Can I play Mortal Kombat on UsuArcade?
Not yet. It's on the wish list and you can vote with “I Want to Play It.” Meanwhile, try Street Fighter II in the arcade.
What year did Mortal Kombat come out?
The arcade game came out in 1992 from Midway.
How many players is Mortal Kombat?
Two players at once, head-to-head, or one player against the CPU.
What is a Fatality?
A finishing move you can perform after winning the final round, using each character's secret input when the game says “Finish him!” or “Finish her!”
