Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Mortal Kombat on?
- Mortal Kombat was released on Arcade, DOS, Amiga, Sega Master System/Mark III, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega CD, Game Boy, Sega Game Gear, Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
- When did Mortal Kombat release?
- Mortal Kombat was first released on August 2, 1992.
About Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat is a side-scrolling fighting game. Fighting is set as one-on-one combat, allowing each player to perform a variety of punches, kicks, and special moves in order to defeat their opponent. When the opponent faces their second round loss, the winner can perform a finishing move called a "Fatality" on the loser. The Fatality is a move unique to each fighter that graphically kills the loser in a blood-soaked finale.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Arcade, DOS, Amiga, Sega Master System/Mark III, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega CD, Game Boy, Sega Game Gear, Super Nintendo Entertainment System
- Developer
- Midway Games
- Publisher
- Midway Games
- Game modes
- Single player, Multiplayer
- Themes
- Action
- Series
- Mortal Kombat
Details via IGDB.
Reception
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Master SystemDetails ↓ | 1993 | $13 | $33 | — | 2 reviews | Low (look-alike) |
| Sega GenesisDetails ↓ | 1993 | $11 | $25 | $254 | 8 reviews | Low |
| Sega CDDetails ↓ | 1994 | $26 | $45 | $120 | 4 reviews | Low |
The cheapest way to own it loose is the Sega Genesis version ($11).
Also released on: Arcade · DOS · Amiga · Sega Master System/Mark III · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · Game Boy · Sega Game Gear · Super Nintendo Entertainment System. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Prices are per version and are not interchangeable, and neither are the reviews: conversions in this era were often built by a different studio than the original, so a score earned on one machine says nothing about how another plays.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Master System · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-28
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a month
- Complete: about 2 times a month
- Sealed: about once a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-28.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $39 in Oct 2009, $16.63 five years ago, and $13.37 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | $10.50 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $35 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $40 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $3.99 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $8.39 | $44 |
| Jan 2015 | $25 | $25 |
| Jan 2016 | $12.92 | $19.99 |
| Jan 2017 | $5.76 | $60 |
| Jan 2018 | $12.93 | $22 |
| Jan 2019 | $9.32 | $19.40 |
| Jan 2020 | $11.96 | $23 |
| Jan 2021 | $12.36 | $19.91 |
| Jan 2022 | $18.06 | $37 |
| Jan 2023 | $23 | $29 |
| Jan 2024 | $12.51 | $30 |
| Jan 2025 | $12.43 | $30 |
| Jan 2026 | $13.42 | $40 |
| Oct 2026 | $13.37 | $33 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Known board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe / PAL | 13 September 1993 | MK-29021-50 | 171-5507 · MPR-15757 |
- Region
- EU
- Released
- 1993
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Master System version
The 8-bit Mortal Kombat, based on the Game Gear version, and a top-seller in the UK in its day.
Mortal Kombat on the Master System was developed by Probe Software and published by Arena Entertainment, released in Europe on 13 September 1993. It is a port based on the Game Gear version and came out only in PAL territories, on the same day as the other home versions.
In the United Kingdom it was the top-selling Master System game from May to August 1994. Mean Machines Sega, previewing it, said its story line was exactly the same as the other versions.
How it was made
Developed by Probe Software and published by Arena Entertainment.
What the press said at the time
| Sega Master Force Issue 3 | October 1993 | MAT 94% |
| Sega Master Force Issue 5 | November 1993 | 92% |
“It was to be expected, but having said this, no other MS game plays as well.”
“If you've seen poor MS games in the past, prepare yourself: Mortal Kombat will totally blow you away with its stunning graphics and arcade feel. This proves, once again, that the MS is capable of handling great titles.”
“It’s possible the most violent and addictive game ever to reach the Master System and includes some amazing digitised animation. Brilliant.”
In the sales charts
In 2 sales charts, November 1993; highest position #1.
Show all 2 placings
- #1 in the Our Price Master System chart — Sega Pro, Issue 25, November 1993
- #1 in the HMV Master System chart — Sega Pro, Issue 25, November 1993
Sales charts as printed in the magazines of the time.
Also on other platforms
Arcade · Amiga · Game Boy · Game Gear · Genesis · Super NES · Sega CD
| Arcade | Midway |
How the other versions reviewed
| Arcade | AllGame | 4/5 |
| Super NES | AllGame | 3.5/5 |
| Arcade | Computer and Video Games | 72% |
| Amiga | Computer and Video Games | 93% |
| Super NES | Electronic Games | 96% |
| Super NES | Electronic Gaming Monthly | 7.25/10 |
| Super NES | Famitsu | 8/10, 6/10, 8/10, 8/10 |
| Game Boy | Famitsu | 5/10, 4/10, 5/10, 3/10 |
| Game Gear | Famitsu | 6/10, 6/10, 6/10, 4/10 |
| Super NES | GamesMaster | 81% |
| Arcade | Sinclair User | 69% |
| Super NES | GameRankings | 83.33% (3 reviews) |
These are the other versions’ scores, not this one’s. Ports of this era were frequently built by different studios, so they do not transfer.
Before you buy
Only a European cart exists. Loose, it sits about at the middle for a European-only game. Check that the manual is present for a complete copy.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $14 | $30 | $258 |
| Japanese release | $49 | $130 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a day
- Complete: about once a day
- Sealed: about once a month
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-29.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $0.83 in Oct 2007, $10.99 five years ago, and $11.02 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $1.32 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $2.87 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $2.70 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $2.83 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $1.71 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $2.54 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $5.62 | $9.50 |
| Jan 2015 | $5.97 | $12.00 |
| Jan 2016 | $6.14 | $10.99 |
| Jan 2017 | $7.51 | $11.98 |
| Jan 2018 | $6.99 | $11.63 |
| Jan 2019 | $5.81 | $12.93 |
| Jan 2020 | $4.66 | $12.41 |
| Jan 2021 | $8.99 | $14.99 |
| Jan 2022 | $6.48 | $19.99 |
| Jan 2023 | $10.00 | $22 |
| Jan 2024 | $9.50 | $20 |
| Jan 2025 | $8.00 | $18.23 |
| Jan 2026 | $14.93 | $20 |
| Oct 2026 | $11.02 | $25 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Barcode | Known board |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | 13 September 1993 | 734549001081 | 670115 REV 3 · MORTAL KOMBAT VER 1.00 S220, MORTAL KOMBAT S215 VER 1.00 |
| Europe / PAL | 13 September 1993 | — | 670115 REV 3 · MORTAL KOMBAT VER 1.00 S220, MORTAL KOMBAT S215 VER 1.00 |
| Japan | 27 May 1994 | — | — |
- Region
- NA+EU+JP
- Released
- 1993
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Genesis version
The Genesis Mortal Kombat is the gory one, and it is cheap to own among US carts.
On the Genesis, Mortal Kombat was developed by Probe Software and published by Acclaim and Arena Entertainment. It launched on 13 September 1993 in North America and Europe on the same day as the other home versions, a date called Mortal Monday, and reached Japan on 27 May 1994. The Super NES version had more arcade-accurate graphics and audio but replaced the blood with sweat and cut most of the Fatalities, while the Genesis version could have blood and uncensored Fatalities via the cheat code ABACABB.
In the United States it was the top-selling Genesis game of 1993, and the Genesis version was the best-selling console game overall that year.
What the press said at the time
| Game Informer Issue 12 | September/October 1993 | 9.2, 8.75, 9.25 |
| MegaTech Issue 31 | July 1994 | 90% |
| Sega Pro Issue 36 | September 1994 | 93% |
| Electronic Games | 92% | |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 8.25/10 | |
| Famitsu | 8/10, 7/10, 7/10, 7/10 | |
| GamesMaster | 81% | |
| GameRankings (aggregate) | 84.17% (3 reviews) |
“the Sega version delivers as promised with a nifty code for all the ') blood. The graphics, music and control (with the six button) are perfect.”
“Mortal Kombat is easily the best beat 'em up on the Megadrive so far.”
“Although the graphics don't quite live up to those on the SNES, the great game play and better control combined with the special Mode A option make the Genesis cart a winner.”
“With some of the best 16-bit graphics around, Mortal Kombat scores huge here. Most the combatants are fairly simple to control with their basic moves; more challenging with their special moves.”
Undated scores are from the review table in the game's Wikipedia article, limited to reviews of the Genesis version.
In the sales charts
In 2 sales charts, November 1993; highest position #1.
Show all 2 placings
- #1 in the Our Price Mega Drive chart — Sega Pro, Issue 25, November 1993
- #1 in the HMV Mega Drive chart — Sega Pro, Issue 25, November 1993
Sales charts as printed in the magazines of the time.
How the Sega Genesis version differs
Mean Machines noted the Genesis cartridge is a 16-meg game, smaller than the 24-meg Street Fighter II, and that it does not carry all of the coin-op's speech.
Also on other platforms
Master System · Arcade · Amiga · Game Boy · Game Gear · Super NES · Sega CD
How the other versions reviewed
| Arcade | AllGame | 4/5 |
| Super NES | AllGame | 3.5/5 |
| Arcade | Computer and Video Games | 72% |
| Amiga | Computer and Video Games | 93% |
| Super NES | Electronic Games | 96% |
| Super NES | Electronic Gaming Monthly | 7.25/10 |
| Super NES | Famitsu | 8/10, 6/10, 8/10, 8/10 |
| Game Boy | Famitsu | 5/10, 4/10, 5/10, 3/10 |
| Game Gear | Famitsu | 6/10, 6/10, 6/10, 4/10 |
| Super NES | GamesMaster | 81% |
| Arcade | Sinclair User | 69% |
| Super NES | GameRankings | 83.33% (3 reviews) |
These are the other versions’ scores, not this one’s. Ports of this era were frequently built by different studios, so they do not transfer.
Worth knowing
- ABACABB. The blood code is a nod to the 1981 album Abacab by the English rock band Genesis, who share a name with the North American console.
Before you buy
Among US carts it sits below the middle. The European cart usually costs more than the US one, and the Japanese cart usually costs much more and has a different shape that needs an adapter or two plastic tabs removed from a Western console's slot. Sega Retro lists it as using the six-button pad, the Activator and XBAND.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega CD · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-11-02
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $38 | $134 | $244 |
| Japanese release | $21 | $75 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a week
- Complete: about 2 times a week
- Sealed: about 3 times a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-11-02.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $3.71 in Apr 2008, $22 five years ago, and $26 as of Nov 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2009 | $3.84 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $4.80 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $2.63 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $3.85 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $3.99 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $7.95 | $14.00 |
| Jan 2015 | $9.75 | $14.25 |
| Jan 2016 | $10.00 | $19.99 |
| Jan 2017 | $12.50 | $19.49 |
| Jan 2018 | $15.49 | $19.25 |
| Jan 2019 | $11.96 | $29 |
| Jan 2020 | $19.46 | $31 |
| Jan 2021 | $26 | $40 |
| Jan 2022 | $42 | $54 |
| Jan 2023 | $29 | $46 |
| Jan 2024 | $20 | $44 |
| Jan 2025 | $18.45 | $40 |
| Jan 2026 | $21 | $45 |
| Nov 2026 | $26 | $45 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Nov 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Barcode | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | April 1994 | T-81025 | 734549003016 | — |
| Europe / PAL | July 1994 | T-81025-50 | — | — |
| Japan | 3 June 1994 | T-81014 | 4992713020337 | ¥6,800 |
- Region
- NA+EU+JP
- Released
- 1994
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega CD version
The Sega CD Mortal Kombat opens with the Mortal Monday commercial and topped the Sega CD sales chart in June 1994.
This is the Sega CD version of Mortal Kombat, with Probe Software listed as developer and Arena Entertainment and Acclaim Entertainment as publishers. It came out in North America in April 1994, in Japan on 3 June 1994 and in Europe in July 1994. The disc starts with a video intro of the Mortal Monday commercial.
Video Games magazine, previewing the Genesis game in October 1993, said the Sega CD version was due in January or February 1994 with about three times as much animation, according to the programmers, plus CD-quality sound and music. It shipped later than that.
How it was made
Probe Software is listed as the developer.
What the press said at the time
| MegaTech Issue 32 | August 1994 | 69% |
| Sega Pro Issue 35 | August 1994 | 93% |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 6.25/10 | |
| Famitsu | 8/10, 7/10, 7/10, 7/10 |
“Acclaim took the exact same Genesis game you already own, stuck the commercial at the beginning, and expects you to cough up for it. Well, don't.”
“Graphically, MKCD is a huge improvement over the other home renditions. The digitized graph-”
“basically the same as the cart version with a crappy intro and long pauses between levels and sometimes during the fight itself. The cart version is better and that wasn't particularly good anyway.”
“The Mega-CD version has been well enhanced with extra graphics and sound, making this probably the most arcade-perfect conversion on any console”
Undated scores are from the review table in the game's Wikipedia article, limited to reviews of the Sega CD version.
Also on other platforms
Master System · Arcade · Amiga · Game Boy · Game Gear · Genesis · Super NES
How the other versions reviewed
| Arcade | AllGame | 4/5 |
| Super NES | AllGame | 3.5/5 |
| Arcade | Computer and Video Games | 72% |
| Amiga | Computer and Video Games | 93% |
| Super NES | Electronic Games | 96% |
| Super NES | Electronic Gaming Monthly | 7.25/10 |
| Super NES | Famitsu | 8/10, 6/10, 8/10, 8/10 |
| Game Boy | Famitsu | 5/10, 4/10, 5/10, 3/10 |
| Game Gear | Famitsu | 6/10, 6/10, 6/10, 4/10 |
| Super NES | GamesMaster | 81% |
| Arcade | Sinclair User | 69% |
| Super NES | GameRankings | 83.33% (3 reviews) |
These are the other versions’ scores, not this one’s. Ports of this era were frequently built by different studios, so they do not transfer.
Before you buy
The US disc sits above the middle among North American Sega CD games. The European disc usually costs more than the US one, noticeably so complete, and suits a European Mega-CD. A loose Japanese disc usually costs a little less than a loose US one but a complete Japanese copy costs more, and it needs a Japanese Mega-CD. Some copies of this version do not run on a model 1.1 Sega CD, so ask the seller what unit it was tested on.
Mortal Kombat screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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Latest news mentioning Mortal Kombat
- Ed Boon Wants to Know What Fans Want the Next Mortal Kombat Game to Be CalledSteam News · Nov 6
- Ed Boon Wants to Know What Fans Want the Next Mortal Kombat Game to Be CalledIGN · Nov 6
- Play Pogs In Your Browser With Pokémon, Mortal Kombat, Casper, & More 90s-themed DesignsRetro Dodo · Nov 2
- No one asked but I found Mortal Kombat's best cuddler | UnraveledPolygon · Oct 29
- Unofficial PC Ports of BLACK, Crisis Zone, Forza Motorsport 5, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Burnout 3: Takedown ReleasedDSO Gaming · Oct 20
- The Street Fighter Movie Makes a Mistake Mortal Kombat Already Learned FromIGN · Oct 17
- 'Game First, Then Movie': Ed Boon Responds to Street Fighter vs Mortal Kombat Crossover PitchPush Square · Oct 16
- Mortal Kombat Creator Ed Boon Responds to Street Fighter Cast Saying They Want a Crossover MovieIGN · Oct 15
- The Street Fighter Cast Would Love to Make a Mortal Kombat Crossover MovieIGN · Oct 14
- Andrew Schulz Explains His Viral Mortal Kombat Movie Callout at the Game AwardsIGN · Oct 14