the game that gave us the video game rating system & birthed a movie adaptation with an iconic AF theme song

I vividly recall my Putt Putt Golf n Games in Buffalo when I first laid eyes on a MK cabinet; literal crowds of older kids crowded around it watching and playing. I was never brave enough to try playing it. Vintage times.

I’m obsessed with Mortal Kombat.

These are all things I remember most from my childhood, Mortal Kombat, Bloodsport, Predator, Big Trouble in Little China, games and movies we played & watched all the time.

Scorpion guy checking in. Always have been, always will be.

A half hour review on the first Mortal Kombat, only Ryan can do it 💪🏻🤘🔥

It's always diabolically funny to me how they gave Sonya a muscular arm but drew a line at abs.

My earliest memories of playing the first mortal kombat game was with my older cousin on his snes

18:40 One thing you have to give the latest MK movie credit for is the fact that it gave a perfectly valid tournament structure.

27:02 actually it’s still kinda controversial, people who work on the newer ones have complaining that they got PTSD from designing the fatalities

What timing! I just finished watching Mortal Kombat II (2026) and wanted to discuss the film, but didn’t think Ryan would make a video on the games lol

Definitely lookin forward to this series. My oldest memory of this is playing with my brother (2 yrs older) who alwayssss kicked my ass playing it lol

I have to agree that deception was my favorite of the 3d games its open world story mode was a blast

I remember playing it every day at my friends house, it was so cool at the time. And yea we much preferred Mortal Kombat to Street Fighter.

You have a real talent for these retrospective type vids. Your voice is announcer level good.

I know you can't cover all the character inspirations, but I think Sonya Blade's inspiration of Cynthia Rothrock deserves a spotlight.  She did a whack of Hong Kong action movies in the 80's and a bunch of not as good American action movies in the early 90's, but she kicks ass and is sexy doing it!

Check out:  "Yes, Madam!", "Ladyreporter (AKA The Blonde Fury)", "Righting Wrongs", and "The Magic Crystal"

Such a classic

I'm down for you making videos on each individual game that'd be awesome especially if they 30+ minutes.  I still watch your horror retrospective playlist

Good video series.  Thanks for putting it together.

Enjoy your fantasy booking on these games, have done that for many a fighting game, from KoF to The King of Iron Fist.

With the first MK though, I'd reckon Reptile is sent in as an assassin in the 2nd round (which would be the pit area) to stop either Liu Kang or Raiden, so Cage having fought the other would make more sense.

MK 9 did a good job in making it clear that Outworld wasn't interested in playing by the rules, adding in so many assassins to pad out the tournament/ take out fighters.