UPDATE
What are your favorite memories of this game? Let us know in the comments below!
ORIGINAL STORY
Let’s give you a bit of a history lesson. When Mortal Kombat first came out, it was one of the biggest things in the arcades. Then it came to consoles and became just as big a hit there. It was one of the best fighting game franchises for a time. However, after a while, things got bloated. With terrible sequels, bad spinoffs, and lukewarm crossovers, the game wasn’t the same brutally fun title as it was before. There needed to be a change. There needed to be a reset. There needed to be a reboot. That reboot was Mortal Kombat 9.
In fact, officially, it wasn’t even called Mortal Kombat 9. They dropped the number so that gamers, young and old, would see it as a “fresh start.” But it was the 9th mainline title in the franchise. Furthermore, it was a “reboot” because Shao Khan had finally won in the game’s plot. He had overcome all Kombatants and obtained the power of Armageddon. So the only way to stop him was for Raiden to reverse time and start everything over from scratch, hoping that Shao Khan wouldn’t win.
While some may feel this was a “cop-out,” as they were creating a new timeline, that’s honestly what the series needed. It needed that fresh start so that fans could jump in fresh and be excited about where things went. 12 years later, the game is hailed as one of the best in the entire franchise, and Ed Boon himself was more than happy to talk about the game’s anniversary:
If you scroll through the comments of Ed Boon’s tweet, you’ll see plenty of fans praising the game. They note how the roster was easily one of the series’ best and how the gameplay and plot still hold up. They’re not wrong about those praises, which heavily influenced what would come after.
In fact, much of what this reboot did influence what was to come. For example, this game brought in 3rd party characters to the mix for the main roster. No, the DC Comics crossover doesn’t count. Kratos and Freddy Kreuger appeared in the game, and that kickstarted a long line of crossovers that many anticipate continuing.
What might be the most ironic part of this anniversary is that many are eagerly awaiting more news on the 12th title in the line. We know it’s coming, and hopefully, a trailer and a release date will drop for it soon.