As video game franchises go, few have a more compelling history than Mortal Kombat. Emerging from a ragtag team of an arcade developer, the blood-soaked fighter quickly became a phenomenon that rivaled one of its main inspirations, Street Fighter, before becoming embroiled in a controversy that reached the US Senate. Digital Eclipse, a studio that has emerged as a preeminent compilation team, delivers an incredible collection of early-era Mortal Kombat titles along with a documentary that properly examines the series’ rise and its impact.
Throwing sickles and ripping spikes in classic MK games never gets elderly, and is made even better by faithful emulation and a variety of quality-of-life options. Features like difficulty options, Fatality training modes, unlimited time to perform Fatality, on-screen move lists, screen filters and various secret unlocks make this the best official way to enjoy these games today.
The main characters are various versions of the arcade, handheld and console games Mortal Kombat 1, 2 and 3 (and my childhood favorite, Mortal Kombat Trilogy on PS1), but going into it I was more intrigued by the deep cuts. I was content to relive the first game in the series I ever owned, Mortal Kombat on the Game Gear, or check out the scarce Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 on WaveNet, but mostly I couldn’t wait to dive into the black sheep of the series.
Mortal Kombat 4, Mythologies: Sub-Zero, and Special Forces are all known for being arduous, clunky, and often downright bad, and as a result, have largely been lost in time. Legacy Kollection finally brings them to you, so you can see for yourself if they’re as bad as their reputation suggests. In my experience, they’re largely that bad, but with the scroll feature I really enjoyed being able to progress through the brutally arduous and poorly controlled Mythologies. Mortal Kombat 4 is also a nice addition to the 3D Mortal Kombat games, especially with the increased rendering mode, but I would like to have some additional historical context on where the series came from. Unfortunately, apart from the Game Boy Advance version, the Deadly Alliance trilogy is missing.
Unfortunately, as of this writing, online functionality is as needy as someone who has just been burned by Scorpion’s Fatality. At launch, you can only play online via quick matches, which means there are no private lobbies or the ability to play with friends. Digital Eclipse has outlined these features in its post-launch roadmap, but for fighting game compilations, the online bundle is incomplete at launch. Digital Eclipse praises restoring netcode for the best possible experience, but I couldn’t connect with a colleague even though we entered matchmaking with the widest settings possible at the same time.
For many, the main attraction is the ability to play the 23 games included in this collection, but I always look forward to Digital Eclipse’s interactive documentaries. As I looked through the multitude of videos, including interviews, commentary, and archival footage, I was blown away. Watching series co-creators Ed Boon and John Tobias, as well as other key figures such as John Vogel, Dan Forden, Eugene Jarvis and more, create and develop the original game in the newfangled era is fascinating and compelling.
Being able to watch real-time behind-the-scenes footage of Boon preparing Scorpion’s iconic spear attack or Tobias’ original sketches is a real treat. Mortal Kombat is a series with a wealthy history that permeates pop culture in countless ways, and Digital Eclipse and NetherRealm Studios have captured the origins of this phenomenon in an exemplary manner.
The level of care that Digital Eclipse takes in creating its compilations is unparalleled. While the online bundle is incomplete at launch, each game performs exceptionally well and offers plenty of options to tailor classic experiences to your liking. Getting excellent versions of these games in one cohesive package is great, but the real draw is the in-depth interactive documentary and all the fun relics it contains. Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is not only the best way to play these games in 2025, but also the best way to peek behind the curtain and witness the creation of a newfangled icon.
