Welcome back to Today in the Past, where we look back at moments in history that changed the world, one day at a time.
On this day in 1992, the video game Mortal Kombat was first released as a 2D fighting game by Midway Games. It started in arcades before making its way to home consoles, and it would go on to become one of the most influential and controversial games of its era.
Mortal Kombat was not the first fighting game. Street Fighter II had already set the standard a year earlier. But Mortal Kombat did something different. It used digitised actors instead of hand drawn sprites, giving the characters a gritty, realistic look that stood out in arcades. It also pushed the boundaries of violence in video games.
The game introduced a roster of now iconic characters: Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Liu Kang, Raiden, Sonya Blade, Kano, Johnny Cage, and Goro. Each had their own fighting style, special moves, and backstory. The lore was rich, drawing on martial arts films, mythology, and a bit of dark fantasy.
But what really set Mortal Kombat apart was the blood. And the fatalities.
Fatalities were finishing moves that players could perform after winning a match. They were graphic, over the top, and designed to shock. Sub-Zero would rip his opponent's head off with the spine still attached. Scorpion would unmask and burn his opponent to a crisp. These moves were not just violent. They were cultural moments. Kids on playgrounds whispered about them. Magazines printed secret codes. Arcades were packed with people waiting to see what would happen next.
The violence did not go unnoticed. In the United States, politicians and parent groups became concerned about video game violence. Mortal Kombat was a major factor in the creation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board, or ESRB, in 1994. The game was cited in congressional hearings. It was blamed for corrupting youth. It was banned in some countries. And all of that attention only made it more popular.
The home console versions were a big deal too. The Super Nintendo version was censored, with the blood replaced by sweat and the fatalities toned down. The Sega Genesis version kept the blood and the fatalities, but required a secret code to unlock them. This difference became a selling point. Sega's version was seen as the "real" version, and it helped Sega compete with Nintendo in the console wars of the early 1990s.
Mortal Kombat spawned a franchise that is still going strong today. There have been sequels, spin offs, movies, animated series, comic books, and a massive competitive scene. The series has evolved, but the core idea remains the same: two fighters, one winner, and a whole lot of blood.
It is easy to forget how bold it was at the time. A game that pushed boundaries, sparked a national debate, and changed the way the world thought about video games. Love it or hate it, Mortal Kombat left a mark.
That is it for this episode of Today in the Past. Tune in next time for another look back at the moments that shaped our world.
Slán go fóill,
The Fatican.