Each October 8th We celebrate the anniversary of Mortal Kombat, and it is not for less: it is the touchstone of the Fatality saga and it is the living history of the video game. Time has taken its toll on the original arcade, of course, but that tournament filled with colorful ninjas and martial arts movie clichés continues to arouse the fascination of veterans and new generations of fighting game fans.
The bad news is that during the celebration of the 30th anniversary we ran out of great news in the field of video games. Neither announcements of a new installment nor that conveniently restored compilation that fans ask for like water in May. The good news is that its creators, Ed Boon y John Tobiasthey kept the passion alive by offering lots of comments, secrets and curiosities to the fans during these last days.
In iGamesNews we continue a little more the celebration of the anniversary of Mortal Kombat bringing together in one place the best anecdotes offered by their own creators over the last few days. From the origin of the mythical dragon logo to unpublished versions of the original arcade game.
Why doesn’t the sky go dark when Liu Kang executes his Fatality?
Something I (and others) always wondered about – the screen doesn’t darken for Liu Kang’s Fatality in MK1. Was this a conscious choice to set him apart from the other characters and reflect the purity of his motivations? @therealsaibot @noobde pic.twitter.com/BHeGbA1yhA
— youtube.com/tabmok99 (@tabmok99) July 27, 2020
It wasn’t a bug, it was intentional! When executing the lethal finishing sequence in the first Mortal Kombat a special effect darkened the screen as each fighter annihilated their opponent with one exception: Liu Kang. According to Ed Boon, this was because it was designed to reflect that Liu was pure at heart. Surely no one noticed.
Ed Boon and John Tobias still keep their original arcade furniture at home
@therealsaibot sets up his MK1 cabinet for the first time in 10+ years! #MortalKombat #mk30 pic.twitter.com/RNOwxLMW8g
— Johnny Tobias (@youngsaibot) October 11, 2022
The arrival of the first Mortal Kombat it was a lethal blow in the arcades, but there were at least two machines that didn’t go very far: John Tobias has his at home and just turned it on after ten years for the 30th anniversary. Boon too he keeps it in his basement along with three others.
What movies was Mortal Kombat inspired by?
One of the peculiarities of Mortal kombat it’s that he capriciously borrows ideas from Hollywood blockbusters and integrates them into a grand martial arts tournament.
Ed Boon was recently asked about these films and he gave a wide variety of answers, including Enter the Dragon. Bloodsport o Terminator. We tie you up:
- That Liu Kan is based on the character of Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon is an absolute no-brainer.
Photogram of the film Kickboxer
- Bloodsport It is one of the films that most inspired the saga and has its replica in the intensity of the fighting.
- A curiosity: the characters of Raiden and Shang Tsung are shameless copies of villains in Blow in little China.
- The assassin Kano and with his bionic eye are based on the Terminator de Arnold Schwarzenegger.
¿Mortal Kombat en Atari 2600?
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary someone imagined what a demake of the first Mortal Kombat in the legendary Atari 2600. A concept that did not go unnoticed by its creators, who they were enthusiastic about the idea. However, it is not a completely original idea.
The truth is that there was already a first Mortal Kombat for Atari which, coincidences of life, was much more like Pitfall o Mortal Kombat Sub Zero than a traditional fighting game. Which will go first in the timeline?
What is the worst domestic conversion of the saga?
Almost all domestic conversions of Mortal Kombat and its sequels have been impeccable and knew how to adapt to each machine and each company. On the Mega Drive, with a hack, you could unlock the blood and even on the Game Boy and Game Gear the result was amazing. However, there was one exception to the rule:
Released in December 2001 on Game Boy Advance, about to be the tenth anniversary of the saga, Mortal Kombat Advance attempted to reunite the saga’s arcade legacy. Unfortunately, Virtucraft (responsible for the development) were not very inspired in the face of the final result. Boon himself stated it as the worst game of the whole saga.
The iconic dragon symbol almost ended up discarded and in the trash
The symbol of Mortal Kombat is one of the most recognizable icons of the video game industry. Its origin, by the way, stems from a very tacky statue of a Chinese dragon that guarded the desk of a Midway manager.
Side Note: I almost tossed the dragon icon sketch aside when I was at home working on it at my drafting table and my sister mistook the dragon for a seahorse ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/d1omW1as1A
— John Tobias (@therealsaibot) September 22, 2022
That icon fit wonderfully with the project. The really funny thing is that John Tobias, the creator of it, was about to throw it away when his little sister mistook it for a seahorse. Fortunately, he thought twice.
The lost version of Mortal Kombat that was only played in Chicago arcades
Lots of great stuff in that video. Most amazing to me is that @noobde has footage of Times Square Arcade during MK1’s first full week test.
Total time machine! The players in that clip are some of the very first of all of you! https://t.co/e0FiQCSIku
— John Tobias (@therealsaibot) August 23, 2022
Before there were betas or online demos, the testing areas for new video games were arcades. During the development of Mortal Kombat original several versions were developed and one of them was tested in the arcades of Chicago with only six fighters.
In the absence of a Mortal Kombat 12: two MK 11 Extra Balls
In Mortal Kombat 11 there are still secrets that no one has discovered. Or, at least according to Ed Boon, still They have not surfaced on the internet.
On the other hand, the rumors surrounding the arrival of Ash Williams from Evil Dead were not entirely unfounded.
That’s a long story that I will try to get the OK to share with you all one day. For now, all I can say is….
Ash Williams? What are you talking about? He’s not in MK.
tsu— Ed Boon (@noobde) October 11, 2022
It is a long story that I would like to be able to tell one day. For now, all I can say is…. Ash Williams? Who are you talking about? He is not in MK.
Unfortunately, none of those involved can yet speak about what happened for legal reasons. The good news is that Bruce Campbell is terrible at keeping secrets.so we hope to find out sooner from Sam Raimi’s fetish actor than from Boon.
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