Genre: Action
Perspective: Side view
Visual: 2D scrolling
Gameplay: Fighting
Interface: Direct control
Setting: Fantasy
Narrative: Martial arts
Published by: Midway Games
Developed by: Midway Manufacturing Company
Released: 1992
Five hundred years ago, the ancient and respected Shaolin battle tournament, held every fifty years, was interrupted by the appearance of an old and evil sorcerer named Shang Tsung. The villain was accompanied by Goro, a warrior of the Shokan half-human-half-dragon race. Knowing that if the Outworld champion wins the tournament ten times in a row, and the Earthrealm plunges into darkness, Shang exposes Goro to the tournament, who kills the previous champion, the great Kung Lao. And for the past 500 years, Goro has been the champion of the Shaolin tournament.
To tip the scales in favor of people in the last tenth tournament, Raiden, the god of thunder and protector of the Earth Kingdom, sends seven fighters to the arena on the mysterious island of Shang Tsung: Shaolin warrior Liu Kang, special forces operative Sonya Blade, mercenary thug Kano, actor Johnny Cage, the ice-wielding warrior from the Lin Kuei clan Sub-Zero, his eternal rival Scorpion, and himself.
Mortal Kombat is a one-on-one fighting game. To defeat the enemy, you can perform many punches and kicks, as well as special techniques. When you defeat an enemy for two rounds, you can finish him off by performing a special move, the so-called "Fatality".