You'd think that after 16 years and a bevy of installments, the Mortal Kombat series would have lost its ability to be shocking. The passage of time has seen the game evolve from now humble-looking digitized origins to the sleek, robust 3D models in 2007's Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. The fatalities, which were once a lightning rod of controversy, have grown along with the series and become a key part of the franchise's appeal. The series has become an institution that's managed to change with the times and keep its fans--and this is no mean feat.
The downside to that kind of longetivity is that 16 years in the public eye makes it pretty hard to deliver a surprise. Of course, after spending some time with MK series creator Ed Boon, gamers GameSpot have seen it's not impossible. The veteran developer dropped more than a few jaws with his announcement of the eighth entry in the series, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. Yep. That's right Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and the MK posse versus Superman, Batman, and familiar faces from the DC universe. And yeah, it's not going to be M-rated. How's that for some curveballs?