Mortal Kombat. Like Capcom's Street Fighter II, it contributed to the fighting game boom back in the early 90's. Developed by Midway Studios and created by the duo of Ed Boon and John Tobias, the brawler differentiated itself from the competition by allowing players to "Finish off" their opponents and perform a gruesome "Fatality" once the contest was over. This proved to be a controversial gaming mechanic that partly led to the creation of the ESRB, and the overwhelming popularity it received from fans spawned several sequels in the years to come. MK had its ripe beginnings in arcades, but eventually also made the transition to consoles, where its influence would spread further for years to come. Following their last and somewhat disappointing title Mortal Kombat Vs DC Universe, Midway Games eventually filed for bankruptcy, and all seemed lost for the MK series. Fortunately, a glorifying rebirth would follow when Warner Bros. picked up the rights to the series, and with the formation of NetherWorld Studios, a new Mortal Kombat was released this year, signaling the beginning of a new era for the series. It proved to be immensely popular after its release this year, and it proves without a shadow of a doubt the MK still lives and prevails in the continually evolving world of fighting games.
Technically this shouldn't even be in the list, but given the fact that I loved the series and the first movie in 1995 is arguably the best video game movie adaptation to this day, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to include this song. The song may have been created for the film, but it represents the game's legacy as a whole. Perfect for the nostalgia.
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