Two brutal gaming franchises nearly collided, as a Mortal Kombat and Twisted Metal crossover nearly came to fruition in the past. Both beloved franchises specialize in grotesque kills and memorable characters, though Mortal Kombat deals in martial arts while Twisted Metal features frantic vehicle combat. While the Twisted Metal franchise has sadly stalled out in recent years, Mortal Kombat fights on with Mortal Kombat 11 selling 12 million copies globally since its launch in 2019.
The Mortal Kombat franchise has built an impressive roster of memorable characters over its nearly 30-year history. Characters such as Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Raiden have been a part of the series since its very first installment, and they have remained staples of each title's roster up to its most recent entry. However, in addition to these franchise's favorites, the Mortal Kombat series has also begun including guest characters in its recent releases. 2011's Mortal Kombat featured Freddy Krueger, the slasher villain of Nightmare on Elm Street fame, alongside God of War protagonist Kratos. Mortal Kombat X upped the ante by including several more horror movie guests such as Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, the Predator, and an Alien Xenomorph. The series' most recent installment, MK11, pushed the envelope even further with a myriad of guest characters such as the Joker, the Terminator, Robocop, and John Rambo.
According to series co-creator Ed Boon, the Mortal Kombat franchise has repeatedly come close to including Twisted Metal's malicious mascot Sweet Tooth. Like Mortal Kombat, Twisted Metal games typically allow players to choose from a wide variety of uniquely violent drivers and their customized vehicles. Sweet Tooth, a bloodthirsty clown who smashes foes using an ice cream truck, is easily the franchise's most recognizable character. In his tweet, Ed Boon reveals that he once met with Twisted Metal creator David Jaffe to discuss a potential arcade version of the demolition derby series, while also revealing that Sweet Tooth was nearly added to Mortal Kombat as a guest fighter on more than one occasion.
While a new Twisted Metal installment has not been released since back in 2012, it appears that the destructive derby experience may be ready for a revival. A live-action Twisted Metal television series, starring The Falcon and the Winter Soldier star Anthony Mackie, has recently been announced by Sony. Multiple rumors also suggest that a new Twisted Metal game is being developed alongside the series, which should act as a dramatic reemergence for the manic franchise.
There is quite a bit of overlap between Mortal Kombat and Twisted Metal, with both franchises focusing on competitive gameplay involving over-the-top violence and a cast of colorful killers. While Mortal Kombat has transitioned into the modern age more easily than Twisted Metal, it seems that the car combat series may be experiencing a revival. While attempted crossovers between the two series have failed in the past, perhaps the reemergence of Twisted Metal could finally allow Sweet Tooth to compete in merciless Mortal Kombat.
Source: Ed Boon/Twitter