When the very first Mortal Kombat launched in 1992 – first exclusively on arcade cabinets; a year later on consoles – the world wasn't ready. Then developed by Midway Games, its use of digitized live actors marked a new direction for video games at the time, and while the likes of Pit-Fighter had already used the technology in the fighting game space, Mortal Kombat's wanton, over-blown violence shook up the status quo so vigorously that it was discussed in the UK's parliament and the US senate.
Ed Boon, the co-creator of the Mortal Kombat dynasty, can't quite believe it's now approaching its 30th anniversary, but is still wowed by the warm reception each game receives whenever it pokes its head above ground. Mortal Kombat 1 – a reboot of the long-standing series, and the fourth mainline game from Boon's NetherRealm Studios – is the latest to do so, and it's the prettiest, most sophisticated, and, crucially, most violent MK game of the lot.
