Are you ready for MORTAL KOMBAAAAT? We certainly hope so. And if not, you’d better prepare yourself because a brand new Mortal Kombat game, Mortal Kombat 1, is heading our way on September 19. Mortal Kombat 1 promises to create “a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and fatalities.” But as we look to the franchise’s future, it’s also a good time to relive the past. The latest trailer for Mortal Kombat 1 has a treat for old-school fans of the game. It homages a 1993 TV commercial, known as “Mortal Monday,” that was released to hype Mortal Kombat‘s original console outing. Let’s take a walk down Mortal Kombat memory lane below.
First up is the most recent Mortal Kombat 1 trailer. We must say, yelling/whispering Mortal Kombat over and over again is honestly a very effective mechanism to get you to remember the game is coming soon. Of course, this new version of the nostalgic “Mortal Monday” trailer also features Dave Bautista for some extra star power. Why not? Bautista says of participating in the trailer, “I vividly remember the original Mortal Monday commercial, especially the iconic scream… That’s what started my journey as a fan of Mortal Kombat, which continues to this day 30 years later. I’m very thrilled and honored to be a part of the game’s legacy.” To hear more about how his new Mortal Kombat 1 trailer came to life, you can also check out this behind the scene’s video.
The Mortal Kombat 1‘s trailer description further offers, “It’s In Our Blood. Discover a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe created by Fire God Liu Kang. Mortal Kombat 1 ushers in a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and Fatalities!”
Meanwhile, the original “Mortal Monday” ad really takes us back to the ’90s. They just don’t make campy commercials like they used to. Still, we applaud the Mortal Kombat 1 trailer for trying to recapture the nostalgic magic of this 1993 TV spot. We see at the end that the ad promises Mortal Kombat will release on Genesis, Super NES, Game Gear, and Game Boy. Those are some worthy consoles, for sure. And, of course, the “Mortal Monday” commercial offers the signature “Mortal Kombat” scream, which still gives long-time fans chills.
Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon notes more about this Mortal Kombat walk down memory lane. He notes, “The original Mortal Monday commercial earmarked the beginning of our journey into making games for home gaming system… It’s amazing to pay homage to such a memorable moment in Mortal Kombat history as we get ready to launch our newest game, Mortal Kombat 1.”
It’s 30 years later and we’re still screaming for Mortal Kombat. Mortal Kombat 1 will release on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch on September 19.
Originally published August 29, 2023.