Released in 1992, the original Mortal Kombat used digitized actors for its characters, and its bloody Fatality moves drew it into the debate over video game violence in the United States. The game was directly discussed during relevant U.S. Senate hearings in 1993 and 1994.
The original Mortal Kombat is a one-on-one arcade fighting game. At the time, fighting games were gaining attention in arcades, and this title's characters, special moves, and Fatalities left an impression on players. The author of the retrospective article also notes that, compared to other fighting games, its animations appeared somewhat stiff.
The author argues that the live-action footage made the violent scenes in the game more impactful at the time, making Mortal Kombat a title mentioned by parents, politicians, and the media when discussing game content. The establishment of the ESRB rating system by the gaming industry was also linked to the controversies surrounding violent content at the time.
This debate was also reflected in the console ports: the Super Nintendo version removed blood effects, while the Sega Genesis version allowed players to enter a hidden code to unlock them. The author believes that the original game thus established the series' unique image as a fighting game and became a frequently cited example in later discussions about the boundaries of game content.