Mortal Kombat (sometimes also referred to as Mortal Kombat 9) is a 2.5D fighting game with 3D graphics and the ninth main installment in the Mortal Kombat series. It is a reboot of the franchise and was developed by NetherRealm Studios (formerly known as Midway Studios) and published exclusively by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems in April 2011, and a PlayStation Vita port was released in May 2012. An expanded version of the game, titled Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition, was released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in February 2012 and for Microsoft Windows in July 2013.
Although set directly after Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, the game focuses on the earliest period in the Mortal Kombat series, the trilogy of Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3. The storyline involves the divine protector of Earth, Raiden, attempting to change the aftermath of the events of Armageddon by contacting his past self as he faces defeat at the hands of the evil emperor of Outworld, Shao Kahn. The gameplay bears closer resemblance to that of the earliest titles in the series, with fights taking place in a two-dimensional plane but with characters and levels rendered in three.
Upon release, Mortal Kombat received very positive reviews and won several awards for fighting game of the year. It was also a commercial success, selling more than two million copies in the first month alone. Due to its extremely violent content, the game was banned in Australia and South Korea and indexed in Germany; the Australian ban was later lifted and the game was released there in May 2013.