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This iconic fighting game still possesses its share of secrets and the capacity to surprise, more than 30 years after its original launch in arcades. A new collection spanning the brand's formative years, comprising a quartet of arcade releases, multiple console adaptations, and derivative games, transcends simply a faithfully reproduced series of classics including less celebrated releases — it additionally serves as a detailed chronicle about the creation of the legendary series.

Being a long-time enthusiast of the series who has paid close attention its creation and evolution, there was much to discover for me to understand and value about the series.

What Defines the Historical Compilation

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection similar to other retro collections from the creators at Digital Eclipse, part documentary, portion interactive museum. The collection includes simulated releases of the pioneering arcade Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat 2, Mortal Kombat 3, and Mortal Kombat 4, along with home system and portable adaptations of some of those games. The anthology additionally contains the brand's experiments at derivative games, like action-oriented titles Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero and Mortal Kombat: Special Forces — two of the franchise's worst entries.

The Legacy Kollection is therefore not a highlight reel anthology, but an exploration into the franchise's initial era, when developer Midway and franchise originators the creative duo behind the series were determining how to make a fighting game, digitized from footage of live performers, through experimentation. Observing the archival material — that features archival footage, new interviews, and scans of old flyers, graphic novels, and even company memos — it's remarkable to see how Mortal Kombat went from simple starts to a global sensation. It's truly remarkable to observe several young game developers, developing without clear direction or oversight, channel their pop-culture interests into creating a legendary video game series.

Educational Component

The educational segment of Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection charts the rise of the fighting series and the developers' professional journeys at the no-longer-operating Midway. It subsequently demonstrates how the very same individuals addressed how to routinely one-up themselves, facing no small amount of demand to replicate their achievements. It's a fascinating time capsule constructed using video recordings and analog photographs and pencil sketches, which showcase the DIY nature of the franchise's production method and how word of mouth helped circulate its mysteries and undisclosed elements of the series in its peak period in gaming halls. Delivered in easily digestible portions, it's thoroughly enjoyable collection of mini-documentaries that spans games, comics, films and even the silly live-action tour. It also includes some never-implemented techniques and digital fighter representations among its archived development assets.

Interactive Gaming

Interspersed along the five-part documentary's timeline are opportunities to engage with the original releases. During specific moments, audience members can jump into a game of Mortal Kombat or a home system version to rediscover its combat system and graphics, simulated with remarkable precision on contemporary systems.

I dedicated most of my time playing the arcade classics, especially Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat 2, and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Numerous titles here remain enjoyable, notably with direct competitive sessions. Yet competing with the aforementioned game's AI-controlled opponents is a reminder of how crude and unbalanced the development approached in early Mortal Kombat games. CPU-controlled opponents clearly employ dishonest tactics or are alternatively incredibly stupid. Lacking someone to play against — internet multiplayer exists in numerous anthology releases, but somewhat limited in options — you'll be missing out.

Display Features

The two dozen available combat games in the anthology, a blend of coin-op, home system, and portable titles, are faithfully recreated, though I've observed a few small quirks — mostly input lag and intermittent errors, notably within Mortal Kombat 4. Even though the releases are largely presented as-is, developer Digital Eclipse has incorporated various clever convenience enhancements and graphical adjustment settings. As an illustration, you can choose to reveal combatant-unique actions on-screen and select to activate infinite time to perform a Fatality. There are also options for accessing hidden fighters, eliminating the need to execute complicated methods to access them.

Graphically, the titles can be experienced with numerous filters and visual treatments. Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection includes remarkably accurate filters that mimic the traditional television screens of coin-op establishments or domestic TVs, or the monochrome green display of a Nintendo handheld. A particularly nice touch is the choice to enable coin-op-inspired frames framing the gameplay, with the specific combat game you're playing precisely and gently mirroring against the faux black plastic borders. It's remarkably visually appealing.

Extra Content

There are plenty of appreciated elements beyond the historical footage and recreated vintage titles, containing a soundtrack mode that enables players to reexperience the music from multiple Mortal Kombat games absent the noise of combatants violently defeating each other. Additionally included are character profiles that feature histories and multiple story elements displayed via the demo sequences of coin-op titles and conclusions.

Historical Preservation

A particularly notable inclusion for committed franchise followers is the opportunity to play a piece of "lost media" in the form of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Wavenet Edition. This specific release, a somewhat revised iteration of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, was an initial venture by the company at direct online competitive gaming in gaming halls. The online-enabled release of the game is virtually identical to UMK3, but included the option to challenge online opponents and featured various slight bug fixes and balance. Yet this online edition failed to achieve popularity, in part