Mortal Kombat

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Mortal Kombat

System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Mega CD, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear
Publisher: Acclaim, Arena
Developer: Midway
Genre: Action
ESRB VRC OFLC

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Mortal Kombat (モータルコンバット; Sega CD モータルコンバット完全版) is a 1992 arcade fighting game by Midway. At the time, it was a revolutionary fighting game developed by Midway. It utilises digitized graphics and has a high amount of violence to stand out from the crowd.

Gameplay

When using the 6 button controller all characters have punches and kicks that can either be aimed high or low, and a block button. The three button controller reduces the amount of available moves. Combinations of buttons can be used to perform special moves such as projectiles, throws, and other special attacks.

After a set number of matches players can play a minigame called "Test Your Might" and break objects by rapidly tapping buttons to raise a stamina bar, then pressing block to launch the attack. At the end of a match, players can use a finishing move which kills their opponent in various ways. By default violent finishing moves are censored and blood is disabled. By entering a special code blood will be enabled and some finishing moves will be more graphic.

Ports

Mega Drive Version

The Mega Drive version was a mini-success story for Sega. This is because the Super Nintendo version, at the time in direct competition with Sega's console, opted for strict censorship, removing blood, toning down fatalities and creating a far less "violent" product. The Mega Drive version was considerably more faithful to the arcade original, and was the preferred choice at the time by consumers.

The Mega Drive version is censored by default, but the full gore can be unlocked with the code . This combo is a nod to the Abacab album by the band Genesis, who share the same name as the console in North America.

There is a unique Easter egg in the Mega Drive version, in which the president of Probe Software, Fergus McGoven, sometimes flies in front of the moon on the "The Pit" stage. The music was also re-arranged slightly.

Sega's success with the Mega Drive version of the game prompted Nintendo to change their somewhat strict policies put forward in the late 1980s, and the SNES version of the sequel, Mortal Kombat II features red blood. Sega's Videogame Rating Council was also criticised for rating the Mega Drive version of the game a MA-13, implying that the game's content in its non-censored state was suitable for 13-year-olds. Mortal Kombat and other games such as Night Trap would inspire the creation of the ESRB, which would cover all game consoles in North America and remains in place to this day.

Mega CD Version

The Mega CD version was rated MA-17 in North America and was therefore subject to less critisism. In fact, there is actually a code to turn the gore down in the Mega CD port - .

As well as a CD audio soundtrack (which is essentially a recording of the arcade version), the game contains a grainy version of the famous "Mortal Monday" TV commercial. Some tracks play in the wrong stages, though there are some bonus remixes that can be heard if the game is played on a regular CD player.

The Mega CD version is otherwise identical to the Mega Drive version, though load times can mean that Shang Tsung is open to attack while transforming.

Master System Version

Predictably the Master System version is toned down for the weaker hardware, and is censored until a cheat code is inputted. Kano and Reptile have been omitted from this verison, presumably to save space. Like all Master System games post 1991, this version was not released in North America.

Game Gear Version

The Game Gear version is almost identical to the Master System port, but suffers from a smaller screen size.