What it is
Mortal Kombat is NetherRealm Studios’ 2011 reboot of the long-running fighting series, released in the UK on Thursday, 21 April 2011. Often called Mortal Kombat 9 or MK9, it returns to side-on fighting after the series’ earlier experiments with three-dimensional movement, while keeping the cinematic violence, fatalities and supernatural cast intact.
It remains one of the more complete fighting games of its era, with a substantial story campaign, a large challenge mode, local tag battles and plenty of unlockable material. The important modern caveat is that its online multiplayer is no longer available, so the game is now primarily an offline and local multiplayer experience.
- UK release
- 21 April 2011
- Platforms
- Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and PC via Komplete Edition
- Developer
- NetherRealm Studios
- Publisher
- Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, now WB Games
- UK price
- No current official price; UK Kollector’s Edition launched at £49.99
- PEGI
- 18 — Extreme Violence, Strong Language
- Genre
- Fighting
- Perspective
- Side-on 2D fighting
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 3
- Online mode
- No — online multiplayer servers are no longer available; offline and local multiplayer remain
Story and setting
The story opens during the events of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, with Raiden facing defeat at the hands of Shao Kahn. In a final attempt to alter history, the thunder god sends a warning to his past self. The game then revisits the events of the first three Mortal Kombat games, but not as a straight remake: Raiden’s knowledge changes key events and creates a new timeline.
That structure gives the campaign a useful balance between familiarity and surprise. Players move between characters including Raiden, Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, Scorpion and Sub-Zero as the conflict between Earthrealm and Outworld develops. It is melodramatic and frequently silly, but the chapter-based presentation was unusually ambitious for a fighting game in 2011.
How it plays
Combat takes place on a two-dimensional plane, using detailed 3D character models and arenas. Each fighter has normal attacks, special moves, combos, juggling techniques and two fatalities, while a three-part meter powers enhanced special moves, tag assists and the brutal X-ray attacks. X-rays pause the action for close-up shots of bones breaking and organs being damaged before the fight resumes.
Alongside the story and traditional Arcade Ladder, the launch game includes a 300-stage Challenge Tower, practice and fatality training, local one-on-one matches, four-player tag battles and Test Your Might-style challenges. The original online package included ranked and player matches plus King of the Hill, where spectators watched and queued to fight the winner. Those features were part of the launch version, but they cannot be used today.
DLC and later editions
Post-launch downloadable content added four playable fighters: Skarlet, Kenshi, Rain and Freddy Krueger. The Klassic Skins Pack and Klassic Fatalities also brought selected retro costumes and finishing moves back into the game. Kratos was a playable character exclusive to the PlayStation 3 version, with his own moves, fatalities and arena, so he is not present in the Xbox release.
Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition later bundled the original game with all four downloadable fighters, 15 Klassic Skins and three Klassic Fatalities. It was released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2012, followed by a PC version in 2013. It is a complete content package rather than a separate story expansion, and there was no additional campaign comparable with later Mortal Kombat expansions.
Platforms, editions and UK price
The original game launched on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with a PlayStation Vita version following in 2012. The PC release was Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition, developed with High Voltage Software. The Xbox 360 version is backward compatible on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S; on Series X, a physical disc can be used, while Series S requires a digital entitlement.
The Xbox 360 Store and Xbox 360 Marketplace were retired on 29 July 2024. Warner Bros. Games says previously purchased digital copies and compatible discs remain playable, but there is no current official UK price to quote from the available listing. At launch, the UK Kollector’s Edition was priced at £49.99 and included the game, a Scorpion and Sub-Zero figurine, a 110-page art book and exclusive digital extras. There is no current pre-order listing. The Xbox version carries a PEGI 18 rating for extreme violence and strong language.
Reception and what to expect today
Mortal Kombat was well received for restoring the series’ focused 2D combat and offering far more single-player content than most fighting games of its period. GameSpot awarded it 8.5 out of 10, while the Xbox 360 version has a Metacritic score of 86. The main reservations were its uneven story writing, occasionally awkward animation and punishing boss encounters, rather than a lack of content.
As of 1 October 2026, the biggest limitation is the loss of online play. Warner Bros. Games confirms that online multiplayer on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 is no longer available, although the Story mode and other offline options remain accessible. For a solo player, a local multiplayer group or anyone interested in the series’ modern reboot, it is still a strong package. For online competition, it is no longer a viable choice.
Not yet confirmed
- No native PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch or current-generation remaster of the 2011 game has been announced by WB Games.
- Current inclusion in Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus is not confirmed by the official listings.
- Warner Bros. Games has not announced any return of the original game’s online multiplayer.
Mortal Kombat: your questions
Is Mortal Kombat 2011 the same game as Mortal Kombat 9?
Yes. Its official title is Mortal Kombat, but it is commonly called Mortal Kombat 9 or MK9 because it is the ninth main instalment and a soft reboot of the series.
Does Mortal Kombat 2011 still have online multiplayer?
No. Warner Bros. Games has confirmed that online multiplayer on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 is no longer available. Story mode, Arcade Ladder, Challenge Tower and local multiplayer still work.
What is included in Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition?
It includes the base game, Skarlet, Kenshi, Rain and Freddy Krueger, along with 15 Klassic Skins and three Klassic Fatalities. The European release should not be assumed to include the film and soundtrack download codes supplied with the North American edition.
Can you play Mortal Kombat 2011 on Xbox Series X or Series S?
Yes, through backward compatibility. Series X can use a compatible Xbox 360 disc or digital ownership, while Series S requires a digital copy already attached to the account.
Is Mortal Kombat 2011 on Game Pass or PS Plus in the UK?
There is no confirmed current Game Pass or PS Plus inclusion. Availability depends on an existing digital licence or a physical copy, particularly now that the Xbox 360 marketplace has closed.
