The first fully 3D polygonal Mortal Kombat. Fatalities remain the headline draw, weapons add an interesting twist, but stiff animation and a slightly thin roster explain the lukewarm reception. A historical curiosity rather than a must-have, sitting in the shadow of Tekken.
Your verdict
Category
Fighting2 players16+
Description
Fourth chapter of the Mortal Kombat fighting saga and the first fully 3D polygonal entry. Published by Midway, released in 1998 in Europe and North America. Fifteen fighters including Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Shinnok, signature bloody fatalities, 3D arenas, and arcade, versus, and tournament modes.
The first fully 3D entry in Midway's saga, ported to N64 in 1998 with a media-specific trait: where the PlayStation version leans on CD cutscenes, the cartridge removes load times and preserves fight fluidity at the cost of the video sequences. This cartridge-versus-disc technical trade-off is precisely what sets the N64 run apart in the eyes of series fans attentive to porting differences.
A questionable morality
The tournament is won on skill, but its trademark remains the finishing blow: once your opponent is beaten, the game politely invites you to dispatch them in the most spectacular and bloody way possible. You perform these finishers with the care of a craftsman, turning the kill into a compulsory figure you drill to land like any other combo.
Is Mortal Kombat 4 still worth playing in 2026?
The first fully polygonal 3D Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat 4 brings the gory fighting saga into the new generation, with pickable weapons, three dimensional arenas and the over the top fatalities that built its reputation. The era's stiff 3D has aged and the depth stays behind the versus heavyweights, but the raw pleasure of the bouts and the Midway identity remain. For a licence fan, a retro versus fan or someone curious about the series' 3D transition, the title keeps a violent energy and a period character.
