Note: Inputs vary by version and platform; below are representative signature moves and tips (use in-game move lists for exact inputs).

Mortal Kombat (MK1) — Select highlights:

Mortal Kombat II — Highlights:

Mortal Kombat 3 / UMK3 — Highlights:

Mortal Kombat 4 — Highlights:

For competitive play, learn: pokes, spacing, punishers (fast normals), anti-air, block strings, and safe special move usage.

When the original Mortal Kombat hit PC (mostly via DOS), it was a cultural earthquake. While the Sega Genesis version was famous for its blood code, the PC version offered something the consoles couldn’t: Accuracy.

The DOS version of MK1 was arguably the closest you could get to the arcade cabinet at the time. It utilized digitized sprites—real actors filmed and turned into game characters—which gave the game a gritty, realistic look that the cartoonish Street Fighter II didn't have.

Why the PC version mattered:

When Mortal Kombat landed in arcades, it shocked the world with digitized actors (not sprites) and the infamous "Fatality." But for PC gamers, the wait was excruciating. Finally, in 1993, Acclaim Entertainment ported the game to DOS.

The Mortal Kombat 1 PC game was a revelation and a frustration.