As we wave goodbye to the era of Mortal Kombat 1, our beloved Mortal Kombat franchise finds itself in a bit of a pickle about its next moves post-2023 reboot. But fear not, warriors! Digital Eclipse, the heroes of nostalgic gaming compilations behind gems like Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection, is here to save the day with the upcoming Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection! This bad boy is set to drop on all major platforms this September, and boy, is it gonna be a knockout!
The Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection boasts a jaw-dropping lineup of over 20 games, and unlike its predecessor, the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection, this compilation is dishing out more than just retro arcade favorites from the ’90s. We’re talking home versions of the legendary Mortal Kombat games that birthed our beloved franchise, including handheld hits on the Game Gear and Game Boy Advance! Even the funky Sega 32X port of Mortal Kombat II makes an appearance. Digital Eclipse has truly poured their hearts into this, aiming to celebrate and pass the torch of these classics to a modern audience.
“The ’90s were magical!” says Stephen Frost, the big cheese over at Digital Eclipse, reminiscing about the glorious days of arcades and the fabulous 16-bit console movement. “There are tons of folks who casually enjoyed Mortal Kombat. Creating something that resonates with that crowd is super exciting!”
You can expect a captivating interactive narrative that traces the history of the included games, much like what we saw in the iconic Atari 50. Sure, the OG sprite-based Mortal Kombat arcade games are the backbone of this collection, but it also throws in some title bangers like 1996’s Mortal Kombat Trilogy and the first forays into 3D with Mortal Kombat 4 and Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. By the way, emulating Mortal Kombat 4’s tricky Zeus arcade hardware was no small feat, and now we get a proper home version — how cool is that?
Dan Amrich, the wizard content editor at Digital Eclipse, spills the beans: “There’s never been a legit home version of the Mortal Kombat 4 arcade. Past ports for PlayStation and N64 just don’t cut it! We’re reviving the original code for the first time, and it’s like a dream come true. It’s crucial for telling Mortal Kombat’s story — if you can’t play it, how can you appreciate it?”
To spice up the narrative even further, the Legacy Kollection is stuffed with special goodies, including an interactive documentary, behind-the-scenes photos, and loads of concept art. You’ll hear interviews from the iconic Ed Boon, John Tobias, and other legends from Midway Games who made this franchise possible. It’s like a behind-the-curtain pass to a magical world that made Mortal Kombat legendary!
“If it was just blood and guts, it would’ve been a flash in the pan,” Amrich puts it straight. Mortal Kombat built a rich tapestry that went beyond just shock value — each character came with a backstory deeper than your weird uncle’s conspiracy theories! Take Scorpion and Sub-Zero, for instance; their bitter feud has solid roots. Each game leaves us hanging on the edge, clamoring for what happens next!”
Frost and Amrich are hardcore fans themselves. Amrich loves Katana with her snazzy color scheme and deadly fans, while Frost can’t resist the allure of Scorpion and Liu Kang, recalling the sheer joy of landing Liu Kang’s Fatality for the first time — a moment etched in gaming history! With the Legacy Kollection, these legends are excited to share these experiences with both die-hard fans and newbies alike, complete with online multiplayer for those epic showdowns.
The digital brawl is set to begin on September 30, with Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection launching on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. And for those still living in the stone age, a physical version drops on December 12. So gear up and get ready — preorders are open now for you eager beavers out there!
