IGN Presents the History of Mortal Kombat

Deep inside every adolescent boy lurks a savage, untamed beast. On the outside he might do his homework, watch after his baby brother after school, and take clarinet lessons, but deep down, he wants blood. Sure, he might not really want act out any gruesome acts of violence, but on some level, he knows it would be wicked cool.

Mortal Kombat held a mirror up to the dark side of youth, and forced America to confront itself. It was as popular as it was controversial, and it changed the face of gaming over night, ushering in video gaming's exploitation era. But what might be most exceptional is the way that it has managed to outlive the fleeting trends it helped to spawn and stayed on top more than fifteen years. Mortal Kombat has left behind it a mighty legacy, and it isn't finished yet.