6. Mortal Kombat

1992’s Mortal Kombat shocked the whole gaming world with its unprecedented brutality. Never before had people been able to punch their opponents’ heads off or tear their spines from their squirming torsos. What made the game even more wince-inducing to outraged prudes was that the violence was unleashed on 2D sprites that were, basically, digitized human beings. Such realism! Such horror!

Needless to say, the game was an instant hit (though not with the parents), and gamers worldwide crammed the arcades for the blood and the gore. “Fatality!”, “Come here!”, and "Finish him/her!" entered the gaming lexicon (where it stays to this day), and soon the names “Scorpion,” “Sub-Zero,” and “Goro” were as recognizable as “Mario.”

Fans of classic arcade games will be happy to know that the Mortal Kombat Kollection, which includes the first three games in the series, is now purchasable through Steam and GOG.