Of all the fighting game franchises, none have the badass, blood-soaked reputation of Mortal Kombat. Mortal Kombat has been around for over 30 years and has remained one of the most successful gaming franchises with eleven main entries in the series.
The developers of Mortal Kombat also created the Injustice games. As a result, there are Easter eggs and references to the franchise within its sister offerings, from familiar quotes to small touches left in the background that even the most die-hard fans can easily miss.
Shinnok's Amulet
The fights in Injustice games are so fast-paced that sometimes it's hard to stop and appreciate the many details in the background of every stage. For example, in the museum section of the Metropolis stage, there is a display holding a famous relic from Mortal Kombat lore.
It is none other than Shinnok's amulet, a mystical artifact used by both Shinnok himself and his loyal servant, Quan Chi. Ironically enough, the amulet was used in a similar fashion as an Easter egg in the 2021 Mortal Kombat movie.
June Moone Works For NetherRealm
In the Injustice universe, it's revealed that June Moone, the woman possessed by Enchantress, is a graphic designer. Her ending after beating Brainiac shows her working on a graphics tablet, deg the logo for NetherRealm Studios.
For those unaware, NetherRealm Studios are the team behind both Mortal Kombat and Injustice games that broke away from Midway Games after they closed.
Toasty Pizza
Fans will recall a certain Easter egg that appears in several Mortal Kombat games when a certain move is performed. One of the developers named Dan Forden would appear and yell the word, "Toasty!" It became an inside joke that would appear again and again, even in Mortal Kombat 11.
In Injustice 2, whenever one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles would eat pizza, they would take it from a box that has a warning on the side: "Warning: Toasty!" That's not the only reference; Michelangelo also says the words, "Get over here." when he grabs a slice, which is a nod to Scorpion's famous line from Mortal Kombat.
LK-4D4
One reference that's easy to miss is in the Injustice 2 campaign when Catwoman brings the evil Cyborg to the Batcave. When Brother Eye detects Cyborg, it immediately engages security measures that Selina deactivates by saying, "Defense system override. Authorization LK-4D4."
Hardcore fans of Mortal Kombat will recognize LK-4D4 as the designation given to Cyrax when he was converted into a Cyber Lin Kuei.
Bullet With A Name
The Injustice games feature a unique mechanic called "clashes," which usually give the characters a quick bit of banter before they wager their energy. One clash between Deadshot and Kuai Liang, aka the more heroic Sub-Zero leads to the line, "Got a bullet with your name on it." And Sub-Zero responds with, "You're no Erron Black."
This is a reference to one of the best X-Ray attacks from Mortal Kombat X in which Erron Black fires a bullet that always has the opponent's name scratched into it. It's also a bit of an inside joke because of how similar both Erron Black and Deadshot are in of gameplay.
Joker References Raiden
Another bit of clash banter references Mortal Kombat in a humorous way. The Joker asks Black Adam, "Have you met the other lightning guy?" Which leads to an annoyed response from Black Ada: "The one with the straw hat? Yes..." Obviously, this is a reference to cosplay favorite, Lord Raiden the Thunder God.
On one hand, it's a cool nod to another lightning-based character. On the other, it's funny because the Joker is voiced by Richard Epcar, who has also been the voice of Raiden since Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.
Enchantress Stealing Shang Tsung's Line
That 1995 Mortal Kombat movie left quite the impact on the games. Thanks to Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa's now-iconic performance as Shang Tsung, even the games have used the line, "Your soul is mine!" It's now Shang Tsung's signature catchphrase that was even used in the 2021 movie.
So fans cheered when Enchantress uses her power to remove the opponent's soul then absorb it to regain health. As she does, she says Shang Tsung's phrase, "Your soul is mine." Though it might not have the same impact as Shang Tsung, it's a well-placed reference.
Harley Quinn Is As Savage As Shao Kahn
Enchantress isn't the only one homaging Mortal Kombat villains. Harley Quinn, who is no stranger to breaking the fourth wall, borrows a line from Emperor Shao Kahn. Sometimes when she wins the first round of a match, Harley will insult her enemy by saying, "You suck!"
Shao Kahn would do the same but he would do it throughout the fight, intentionally enraging the player. Shao Kahn is one of the most powerful Mortal Kombat villains both in of lore and boss fights, so that insult just makes the fights even more intense and fun.
Finish Him!
Even those who have never played Mortal Kombat know about the best fatalities and the words that are yelled before them: "Finish him!" There is a very subtle reference to this line in the Gotham City stage of Injustice 2.
Through interactive attacks, the Monarch Theater gradually takes more damage and letters on the marquee fall off. After enough time, whatever is left of The Final Wish 2 and Hidden Crimes ends up spelling the words, "Finish him."
Mortal Kombat Guest Characters
There's no better way to reference the Mortal Kombat games than by actually featuring characters from that universe. In Injustice: Gods Among Us, Scorpion appeared as DLC with a new look designed by Jim Lee himself.
Then, in Injustice 2, both Sub-Zero and Raiden appeared as guest characters with so many different lines and even special moves that reference Mortal Kombat games of the past. In Mortal Kombat 11, the reverse happened with the Joker appearing and making several references to the Injustice games.
