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Mortal Kombat

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Mortal Kombat is a massive American media franchise. It is centered on a series of fighting video games.

Mortal Kombat II arcade cabinet
Mortal Kombat II arcade cabinet

The series began in 1992 with a game by Midway Games. It has grown into the best-selling fighting game franchise in the world. Over 100 million copies have been sold globally. The franchise includes action-adventure games, comic books, and card games. It also features films and an animated TV series. This success makes it one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.

Players interact with the games through specific mechanical controls. The original arcade versions used a joystick and five buttons. These buttons allowed for high punches, low punches, high kicks, and low kicks. There was also a button used to block. In Mortal Kombat 3, a sixth button was added for running. Later games changed how characters moved and fought. Mortal Kombat 4 was the first to use 3D computer graphics. This allowed characters to move in three dimensions. In 2011, the series returned to a 2D fighting plane. However, the characters were still rendered using 3D models. In that version, the four attack buttons corresponded to specific limbs. These were the front punch, back punch, front kick, and back kick.

Fighting styles vary significantly between different titles and characters. In some games, characters possess three distinct fighting styles. These usually include two unarmed styles and one weapon style. Most of these styles are based on real martial arts. Some are fictitious and designed for specific characters. For example, the character Goro has styles designed for his four arms. In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, styles were reduced to a maximum of two. This change happened because there were so many playable characters. Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe also changed these systems. It gave characters a wider variety of special moves instead of multiple styles.

Kung lao Fatality
Kung lao Fatality

The series is famous for its brutal finishing moves. The most notable are called Fatalities. These are moves that allow a victor to kill a defeated opponent. Other variations include Animalities, where a winner transforms into an animal. There are also Brutalities, which involve hitting an opponent into pieces with long combos. Some games feature Stage Fatalities, which use the environment to kill. For instance, a player might knock an opponent into a bed of spikes. Mortal Kombat: Deception added the Hara-Kiri. This allows a loser to perform a suicidal move. There are also non-violent moves like Friendships and Babalities. Friendships show kindness, while Babalities turn the opponent into a baby.

The high level of graphic violence caused significant social controversy. These debates surrounding the games led to a major change in the industry. They helped create the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). The ESRB is the system used to rate video games.

Ed Boon by Gage Skidmore
Ed Boon by Gage Skidmore

This ensures players know the content of a game before playing. The development of the series also saw major corporate shifts. Following the bankruptcy of Midway Games, the team was acquired by Warner Bros. Entertainment. The developers re-established themselves as NetherRealm Studios.

The story takes place in a fictional universe of many realms.

John Tobias
John Tobias

These realms were created by the Elder Gods. The Elder Gods are an ancient and powerful group of beings. Six specific realms are described in the game manuals. Earthrealm is the home of heroes like Liu Kang and Sonya Blade. Netherrealm is a fiery place filled with demons. Outworld is a realm of constant strife ruled by Emperor Shao Kahn. Seido is the Realm of Order. The Realm of Chaos is a place of constant turmoil. Finally, Edenia is a beautiful realm known for artistic expression.

The plot involves tournaments to decide the fate of these realms. The Elder Gods decreed that one realm could only conquer another through combat. This is done through ten consecutive martial arts tournaments called Mortal Kombat. In the first game, Earthrealm warriors fought to prevent an Outworld takeover. Liu Kang eventually became the champion. The stories often involve cycles of conquest and defense. For example, Shao Kahn attempted to merge Edenia with his empire. In the 2011 reboot, the character Raiden tries to change the timeline. He uses visions of the future to prevent a catastrophe called Armageddon. This shows how the series uses complex cause-and-effect to drive its narratives.

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🖼️ Images & Media (5)
File:Mortal Kombat II arcade cabinet.jpg
Mortal Kombat II arcade cabinet.jpg
File:Kung lao Fatality.png
Kung lao Fatality.png
File:DragonCon 2012 - Thursday Night 01.jpg
DragonCon 2012 - Thursday Night 01.jpg
File:Ed Boon by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Ed Boon by Gage Skidmore.jpg
File:John Tobias.jpg
John Tobias.jpg
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