▁only ▁Mort al ▁K omb at ▁fighting ▁game ▁that ▁does ▁not ▁feature ▁Sub - Zero ▁in ▁any ▁form . ▁No ob ▁Sa ib ot , ▁the ▁original ▁Sub - Zero , ▁is ▁play able , ▁although ▁his ▁identity ▁was ▁not ▁revealed ▁to ▁players ▁until ▁Mort al ▁K omb at : ▁De ception . ▁ ▁Development ▁Despite ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁Mort al ▁K omb at ▁ 4 , ▁the ▁series ▁had ▁begun ▁to ▁suffer ▁from ▁over ex pos ure ▁by ▁the ▁late ▁' 9 0 s , ▁while ▁sp aw ning ▁mostly ▁failed ▁or ▁medi oc re ▁projects . ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁animated ▁series ▁Mort al ▁K omb at : ▁Def enders ▁of ▁the ▁Real m ▁last ed ▁only ▁one ▁season , ▁and ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁Mort al ▁K omb at : ▁An nih ilation , ▁the ▁sequ el ▁to ▁the ▁successful ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁original , ▁under per formed ▁in ▁the aters . ▁The ▁live - action ▁series ▁Mort al ▁K omb at : ▁Kon quest ▁last ed ▁for ▁only ▁one ▁season ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁despite ▁strong ▁ratings . ▁On ▁the ▁game ▁front , ▁the ▁side - scroll ing ▁Mort al ▁K omb at ▁M yth ologies : ▁Sub - Zero ▁was ▁met ▁with ▁limited ▁interest , ▁as ▁was ▁the ▁Dream cast ▁port ▁of ▁Mort al ▁K omb at ▁ 4 ▁titled ▁Mort al ▁K omb at ▁Gold ; ▁among ▁critics , ▁both ▁games ▁were ▁considered ▁medi oc re ▁at