Mortal Kombat (2011 video game)
A soft reboot retelling the first three Mortal Kombat tournaments.
**Mortal Kombat (2011 video game)**
Mortal Kombat, also referred to as Mortal Kombat 9, is a fighting game released in 2011. It was created by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. As the ninth main entry in the series, it functions as a soft reboot. The game launched for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in April 2011, with a PlayStation Vita version following in May 2012. An expanded edition, titled Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition, came out for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in February 2012 and for Windows in July 2013.
The story begins during the events of *Mortal Kombat: Armageddon* but then rewrites the timeline of the earliest games: the first three installments, along with *Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3* and *Mortal Kombat Trilogy*. The plot follows Raiden, Earth’s divine protector, who tries to alter the disastrous outcome of Armageddon by sending a message to his past self as he is about to be killed by Shao Kahn. Although characters and stages are rendered in 3D, the gameplay returns to a 2D-style fighting plane, with the camera fixed perpendicular to the action—a style often called 2.5D.
The game received very positive reviews and won several awards for fighting game of the year. It sold one million copies in its first month. Because of its extreme violence, it was banned in Australia (until an R18 rating was introduced, allowing release in May 2013) and in South Korea, and it was reportedly indexed in Germany. A sequel, *Mortal Kombat X*, arrived in 2015.
**Gameplay**
Combat is one-on-one and uses a 2.5D plane at 60 frames per second. Characters are modeled in 3D, which adds depth to projectiles and attacks. Unlike earlier games, four controller buttons each correspond to a specific limb. A new "super meter" fills as players perform special moves, are blocked, or take hits. It has three levels: the first lets you enhance a special attack; the second allows you to interrupt a combo; the third unlocks an "X-ray move," which shows a slow-motion internal view of bones and organs breaking.
Extra modes include a story mode where you control multiple characters, a Fatality training mode, the Challenge Tower, tag team fighting, and online play. The Challenge Tower offers 300 tasks of varying difficulty, rewarding in-game currency. Players can spend currency to skip tough challenges and return later.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Mortal Kombat
- Developer
- NetherRealm StudiosMicrosoft Windows version ported by High Voltage Software
- Publisher
- Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
- Director
- Ed Boon
- Producer
- Hans P. Lo · Adam Urbano · Hector Sanchez
- Designer
- Paulo Garcia · John Edwards
- Artist
- Steve Beran · Pav Kovacic
- Writer
- John Vogel · Brian Chard · Dominic Cianciolo
- Composer
- Dean Grinsfelder · Todd Haberman · Cris Velasco · Sascha Dikiciyan
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 3
- Platforms
- PlayStation 3 · Xbox 360 · PlayStation Vita · Windows
- Genre
- Fighting
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The plot begins during the events of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, where Raiden, facing defeat by Shao Kahn, sends a mental message to his past self. This message alters the timeline, causing Raiden to guide events differently across the first three tournaments. The story retcons Armageddon's ending so that Shao Kahn, not Taven, defeats Blaze.
Gameplay uses a 2.5D fighting plane with three-dimensional character models. A new super meter charges through actions like performing special moves or being hit, enabling enhanced attacks, combo breaks, and X-ray moves that show internal bone and organ damage. Features include a story mode, Challenge Tower with 300 challenges, tag-team fighting, and online modes such as King of the Hill.
The game received very positive reviews and won several fighting game of the year awards. It sold one million copies in its first month. Due to violent content, it was banned in Australia and South Korea, and indexed in Germany; the Australian ban was later lifted after the introduction of an R18 classification.
Reader's Guide
Mortal Kombat (2011) revitalized the franchise by returning to 2D-style combat after several 3D entries, earning critical acclaim and commercial success. Its soft reboot narrative allowed new players to experience the series' foundational story while introducing gameplay innovations like the super meter and X-ray moves. The game's violent content led to bans in multiple countries, highlighting ongoing debates about video game ratings. Its success paved the way for a sequel, Mortal Kombat X, released in 2015. The Komplete Edition expanded the game's availability to Microsoft Windows in 2013.
Did You Know?
- The game was banned in Australia due to lack of an appropriate ratings category, later lifted with the introduction of an R18 classification.
- The super meter can be charged to three levels, enabling enhanced special attacks, combo interruption, and X-ray moves.
- The Challenge Tower includes 300 specific challenges, including Test Your Might, Test Your Sight, Test Your Strike, and Test Your Luck.
- A PlayStation 3-exclusive 3D display mode does not require 3D glasses.
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