When a video game franchise has been around for as long as Mortal Kombat has been, there comes a time when a fresh start is in order. With Mortal Kombat 1, developer NetherRealm Studios has delivered one of the series' most significant shakeups in its 30-year history. After rebooting the series in 2011 with Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat 1 resets things once again with Fire God Liu Kang's new era. While there are still some threads that connect back to Mortal Kombat 11's Aftermath DLC, many of the characters who make up the MK world are far from how they've been depicted in previous installments.

Mortal Kombat 1 is all about new beginnings, but if the game demonstrates anything, it's that the more things change the more they also stay the same. Throughout MK1's epic campaign, its protagonists and antagonists find themselves repeating history in more ways than one. Some of these references are clear bits of nostalgia, but others are fun nods to MK lore for players who have been around from the very beginning. These references add a touch of familiarity to the feelings of uncertainty that pervade MK1's campaign, giving MK veterans something to feel nostalgic about.

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Shang Tsung's Flesh Pits

In the early part of Mortal Kombat 1's campaign, the protagonists find themselves in the evil Shang Tsung's laboratory. After falling to a Tarkat-afflicted Mileena, they're thrown into the sorcerer's basement, where his grotesque experiments hide from any prying eyes. Upon witnessing the horror of Tsung's true laboratory, Johnny Cage remarks how it reminds him of a film called "The Flesh Pits". While this may sound like a riff on cheesy horror movies, it's actually a reference to the original name for Tsung's laboratory and a classic MK stage. Though the name has changed, the essence of this stage remains very much intact.

The Soulnado

Fire God Liu Kang made a point to weaken some of MK's bad actors in his new era, but the likes of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi would ultimately regain their magical abilities. As part of their plot to take over Outworld, Quan Chi began the construction of soul tornados, referred to as soulnados, to power the Dragon Army. Players see a handful of these soulnados throughout MK1's campaign, but this isn't the first time MK veterans have seen such a thing. Soulnados have appeared on multiple occasions, most notably during the creation of Ermac in MK9.

Ashrah's Impractical Headwear

Mortal Kombat 1 embraces the franchise's 3D era, which saw the introduction of dozens of new fighters. Many of these Kombatants had rather bold designs, with Ashrah making for one of the best examples. Ashrah once donned a rather large, impractical white hat as part of her original design, something MK1 takes a moment to poke fun at. While the campaign's protagonists are gathering disguises to move through Outworld undetected, Ashrah puts on a hat that's a similarly ridiculous shape to her old one. She notes how silly the headgear is, giving in-the-know fans something to laugh about.

Mortal Kombat has always cherished its history, with each game making frequent references to past installments. Mortal Kombat 1 is no exception, as even in this new era, NetherRealm Studios hasn't forgotten its roots. It's difficult to say exactly where Mortal Kombat will go from here, but for now, many fans are just looking forward to what NetherRealm has in store for future DLC. Kombat Pack 1 has already been hyped by MK1's campaign, so now it's just a matter of when that DLC will be released. If story DLC figures into any future plans, fans can likely expect even more classic MK references.

Mortal Kombat 1 is available now on PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.

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