15 Video Game Franchises That Tried Something Wildly Different (And Failed)

Since first launching in 1992, Mortal Kombat has become one of the most successful fighting game franchises in history. Its success has spawned multiple sequels, reboots, spin-offs, TV series, and movies. With the IP seeping into various mediums and becoming a part of 90s pop culture, it was inevitable that not every venture would be successful.

Perhaps the biggest example of this is Mortal Kombat: Special Forces. Released in 2000, Special Forces is a third person action adventure game, a radical departure from the series' fighting game origins. It focuses on US Army Major Jax Briggs, a playable character from the games, as he pursues another series regular, the criminal Kano. 

Jax uses a variety of weapons, explosives, and even his fists as he takes on waves of enemies, making his way through linear levels. The game's rocky development journey led to several aspects, such as Sonia Blade being a playable character, being cut. A discounted price at launch did not help the poor reception the game received.

Clunky controls, repetitive level design and combat, and technical issues helped to ensure that Special Forces is considered among the worst Mortal Kombat games ever. Other spin-offs did follow, but the failure of this one definitely stung Midway. When Mortal Kombat did eventually try its hand at third person action again with 2005's Shaolin Monks, Midway had clearly learned some valuable lessons, as that title proved to be far more successful.