'Mortal Kombat' Games, Ranked

Release date: Nov. 16, 2008

Platform(s): PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Notable innovations: Free-Fall Kombat, Rage Mode, Heroic Brutalities

The novelty of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was thrilling: We would be able to pit Superman and Batman against Scorpion and Sub-Zero. The possibility seemed worth the price of admission. But then we played it, and it all seemed a little toothless—like both sides compromised too much and gained too little in the process. The Fatalities were toned way down, and the superheroes performed antiseptic ‘Heroic Brutalities.’ And although the developers planned for DLC, it was scrapped after Midway went bankrupt, depriving us of DLC characters like Doomsday and Kung Lao. The best that can be said about this game is that it eventually led to the Injustice franchise, which features the superheroes front and center and has become critically acclaimed in its own right.

Release date: Oct. 15, 1997

Platform(s): Arcade, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Game Boy Color​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Expansions: Mortal Kombat Gold (1999)

Notable innovations: Weapons/Objects, 3D Graphics

For Mortal Kombat 4, the developers swapped out their photorealistic sprites for 3-D rendered characters. They also incorporated weapons and foreign objects into the mayhem. Although it was well-reviewed at the time (and really, all Mortal Kombat games have gotten above-average reviews), it hasn’t aged particularly well. But like many polygon-heavy, blocky games from the late ‘90s, its efforts were key to the franchise’s subsequent successes.

Release date: Oct. 17, 2006

Platform(s): PlayStation 2, Wii, Xbox​​​​​​​

Notable innovations: Kreate-a-Fatality, Kreate-a-Fighter, Motor Kombat

At the time of its release, Armageddon boasted its massive roster, which included every playable character in Mortal Kombat history up until that point. But it came across as more sprawling than epic—the number of characters led to inevitable redundancies between them. This game was solid, but it lacked both the narrative shock of Deadly Alliance and the focused polish of Deception. It also did away with character-specific Fatalities, in favor of a timed-button-press “Kreate-a-Fatality” that quickly got boring.

Release date: Apr. 15, 1995

Platform(s): Arcade, Sega Genesis, Super NES, PlayStation​​​​​​​

Expansions: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), Mortal Kombat Trilogy (1996)

Notable innovations: Animalities, Brutalities, Run Button

Narratively speaking, Mortal Kombat 3 is Earthrealm’s worst nightmare come true. Shao Kahn, via his dead wife Sindel, takes over Earthrealm, and sucks any semblance of life out of it. It’s up to the warriors under Raiden’s protection to save the world. But despite the severity of the plot, there’s a lot of corniness throughout the franchise’s third entry—too much inside meta-humor and not enough substance. The Fatalities are far-fetched and rely on Warner Bros. physics. And there’s a brand-new Run Button that makes every fight a dizzying combo frenzy. Mortal Kombat 3 still has the bones of its superior predecessors, but there are way too many extra distractions stacked on top of them.

Release date: 1992

Platform(s): Arcade, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Game Boy, Game Gear

Notable innovations: Fatalities, Stage Fatalities, Hidden Characters, Test Your Might

Here it is: the video game that started it all. Mortal Kombat takes much of its original inspiration from Enter The Dragon, with its allure of a deadly martial arts tournament where only the strong survive. It’s hard to appreciate, from today’s perspective, how much drama and controversy this game dredged up. But if you weren’t there, you’ll just have to take our word for it; the grown-ups flipped out. This was the end of civilized culture, the downfall of American society, and the harbinger of Judgment Day, all rolled into one. Then they learned about Magic: The Gathering and moved on to the next cause for moral panic.

Release date: Apr. 19, 2011

Platform(s): PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation Vita, Microsoft Windows

Expansions: Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition (2012)

Notable innovations: Super Meter, X-Ray Moves

After the bloat of Armageddon, the Mortal Kombat franchise was in need of a reboot—one that got back to the gory, thrilling basics that hooked us to begin with. The result was Mortal Kombat 9, officially known as Mortal Kombat, which reboots the original timeline and sends us back to Shang Tsung’s island, retelling the original story in the process. It’s both a homage to the franchise’s history and a reimagining of it. Released close to two decades after the first Mortal Kombat, this game is the bridge between two generations of gamers. And its success (and painful-looking X-Ray Moves) led to a third wave of support for the franchise—one that continues today and will culminate with the new movie’s release on April 23.

Release date: Oct. 4, 2004

Platform(s): PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube

Notable innovations: Death Traps, Combo Breaker, Chess Kombat, Puzzle Kombat, Online Play

Out of the loose “trilogy” of Mortal Kombat games that came out around this time—Deadly Alliance, Deception, and Armageddon—Deception is arguably the most complete, balanced, and comprehensive of the three. It brought back many of the fan favorite characters who had been absent in the prior game. It increased the number of Fatalities. It laid some fun Death Traps in the midst of levels, allowing you to end a fight early. But in terms of raw impact and “wow” factor, it didn’t manage what some of the other games accomplished. It is an incredible game, with deep gameplay and a distinct feel, but it had the advantage of working off a brilliant template. More on that later.

Release date: Apr. 13, 2015

Platform(s): PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows

Expansions: Mortal Kombat XL (2016)

Notable innovations: Stamina Meter, Brutality Finishers, Faction Kills

Sometimes, with consecutive games in a franchise, you can barely discern the difference between them. There are some extra modes and some new characters, but the developers are clearly working off the same blueprint to create the latest entry. But the contrast between Mortal Kombat (2011) and Mortal Kombat X (2015) is cross-generational and self-evident. This is cinematic Mortal Kombat, with mood lighting, glistening surfaces, and wet gore. There is a fully fleshed-out, online Faction mode, which rewards participation, adds tons of replay value, and uploads additional Easter Eggs and surprises with every update. At the time of its release, multiple players noted that Mortal Kombat X toned down the sexualized depictions of women and tuned up the underlying fight systems. This was a bid and a plea to be taken seriously. The fans heard and embraced that desire, loudly and clearly.

Release date: Nov. 16, 2002

Platform(s): GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Boy Advance​​​​​​​

Notable innovations: Individualized Fighting Styles, The Krypt, Konquest Mode

It’s hard to undersell the way this game opens, with Quan Chi and Shang Tsung snapping Liu Kang’s neck and possessing his soul. The champion of Earthrealm is dead. And it creates a feeling of excitement, like when Ned lost his head in Game of Thrones. The writers tore up the rulebook, and from here on out, ANYTHING could happen. The result is the best Mortal Kombat game in a decade and an infusion of creativity into a franchise that was becoming too self-referential. Every fighter had three fighting styles (one with weapons), which they could transition between at will. There was a nice spread between the classic fighters and the new ones—like Kenshi the blind swordsman—which made us excited for the franchise’s future. Deception would go on to refine and perfect Deadly Alliance’s mechanics. But the jolt of pure joy and adrenaline that came from playing Deadly Alliance is impossible to ignore.

Release date: Apr. 23, 2019

Platform(s): PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, 

Expansions: Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath (2020), Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate Edition (2020)

Notable innovations: Fatal Blow, Krushing Blow, Flawless Block, Tutorial Mode With Frame Data

If Mortal Kombat X is a statement of purpose, demanding to be taken seriously by gamers, then Mortal Kombat 11 is the follow-through of that intent. Put aside, for a moment, the phenomenal graphics and sound, the outsized character selection, and the updated Fatalities (which now freeze-frame on the moment of impact to highlight every trickle of slimy guts).

Let’s just focus on Mortal Kombat 11’s tutorial mode, which is a testament to instructive, raw practicality. It just lays the frame data out there, for all to see. It teaches you, in a very comprehensive, real-world manner, how to win and improve. So many games rely on the fan community as a crutch; it’s up to the hivemind to decipher what the developers made, and novice players are screwed from the very start. But Mortal Kombat 11 wants to be a competitive game, played at competitive tournaments. And it lets us know that in the best way—by taking steps to properly educate the next generation of players.

Release date: June 25, 1993

Platform(s): Arcade, Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, Game Gear

Notable innovations: Babalities, Friendships

Mortal Kombat II remains the greatest game in the Mortal Kombat franchise, and the standard by which the others are measured. It’s funny without being silly, and serious without being morose. The characters have a wonderful variety to them. Kung Lao has his Oddjob hat, Mileena has her Sais and Tarkatan teeth, Kitana has her Razor fans, and Johnny Cage has his groin punch. Reptile can turn invisible. Liu Kang can throw fireballs midair. Jax has wrestling and MMA moves that he can combo. Even Scorpion and Sub-Zero, who are glorified palette-swaps on the outside, play entirely differently.

There was a lot riding on this game. The original Mortal Kombat got by on shock value and serviceable gameplay mechanics, but it was Mortal Kombat II that gave the franchise a future. Everything was simply better: the story, the visuals, the controls. And so many visuals in Mortal Kombat II have become iconic. Picture the Living Forest stage, with its moaning trees. Remember the Acid Pool, with the skeletons hanging from the overhead hooks. And shudder at Shao Kahn’s deep, badass voice, which taunted you incessantly. “You weak, pathetic fools.” We did everything we could to prove him wrong.