How Midway’s Original Mortal Kombat Release Changed the Face of Gaming

In September 1993, Nintendo released Mortal Kombat for the first time; a total departure from the colorful platform titles that the platform was best known for.

Mortal Kombat was colorful alright, but the realism in the new franchise's fight mechanics – a far cry from the cartoonish combat of Street Fighter – was not welcomed by all.

However, as time has passed, the original MK – and the iterations that have followed – have been embraced as some of the best fight games ever released on console, with innovations and details that have since been introduced in other genres too.

So here’s a look at how Mortal Kombat changed the landscape of fight games… and gaming in general.

The Same, But Different

In the early 1990s, the Street Fighter franchise was all the rage.

It had enjoyed success as an arcade game, while taking on a whole new life when released on home consoles like the SNES.

Midway wanted to challenge the supremacy of Street Fighter II with a grittier, harder-hitting style – evidenced by the bloody set pieces and ‘Finish Him!’ vignettes, the like of which had never been seen before.

Even though console tech was still primitive, Midway were able to take basic fight game mechanics and add a cinematic layer; something wholly unique at the time, and which guaranteed a greater sense of immersion in the action on the part of players.

Before long, developers were looking to add extra immersion to all of their genres. Other big titles added mini-games and final bosses, Twisted Metal brought character development and narrative-based storytelling, and the original Tomb Raider offered a glimpse of what open world gaming could be.

Even casino games embraced the ‘bigger is better’ philosophy, with the sheer variety on offer at Casino777 blackjack showcasing traditional gameplay alongside enhanced features (Multi Hand Blackjack), side games (Classic Blackjack Side Bet Suite), movie tie-ins (Vinnie Jones Blackjack), and live action (Live Dealer Blackjack).

In many ways it's thanks to Midway and Mortal Kombat, all those years ago, that video games could take a richer, bolder, and more visceral path... enhancing the gaming experience for all.

Crossover Success

When you look at the raw facts on a timeline, the success of Mortal Kombat is evidence of the fact that game developers should stick to their guns in what they believe in.

In 1993, campaigners wanted Mortal Kombat banned over its perceived ‘ultra violence.’ And yet, within 15 years, the franchise had crossed over into the mainstream with a hugely successful partnership.

So, in little over a decade, Midway Games had gone from being the unruly rebels of console gaming, to working with a big budget, household name, while enabling them to introduce polished narratives and backstories for a character base that had largely been overlooked in that regard.

It created extra depth and interest in the Mortal Kombat universe, which has enabled the franchise to continue successfully into 2025 and, hopefully, beyond.

Not afraid to court controversy over the years, Midway Games have proven with Mortal Kombat that innovative, high concept gaming can stand the test of time… and is not the sole preserve of big money studios and publishing firms.