MORTAL KOMBAT

MORTAL KOMBAT is a fighting game set in a fantasy universe. Gamers play as combatants from different realms, battling against each other in a martial arts tournament to establish supremacy. The game was classified '18' for strong bloody violence.

The BBFC's Guidelines at '15' state 'Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain and injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable'. MORTAL KOMBAT, however, is characterised by moments of very strong violence. These occur at the end of bouts when the winning fighter finishes off opponents using a signature 'fatality' move. For example, at the moment of victory, one of the game's fighters rips his opponent's leg off and then bludgeons him to death with it, continuing the beating until the victim's head is removed. All of this is accompanied by large blood spurts. With the level of gore involved and the focus on the infliction of pain and injury, the game was most appropriately classified at '18'.

MORTAL KOMBAT also features some sexualisation of the female characters.