Pit I

The Pit I is an arena in the Mortal Kombat series. The arena debuted in the original Mortal Kombat and later returned in several sequels.

The Pit lies on Shang Tsung's island fortress. Combatants fight on a bridge suspended over a sea of steel spikes, which is the source of death for anyone unlucky enough to be knocked off. Shang Tsung had apparently grown frustrated by the number of people who managed to actually survive the spike-laden floor, and thus employed his loyal bodyguard, Reptile to ensure that none walk away alive as he awaits for them at the bottom.

The Pit reappeared in Mortal Kombat Trilogy, but instead of moving clouds, the sky took on different appearances in all versions. The Nintendo 64 version featured a star-filled, pitch black background, and in the CD versions, the sky was identical to that of the Pit II in Mortal Kombat II. The Pit also reappeared in Mortal Kombat: Deception. Few changes were made since its last appearance, although instead of a bridge, the players fight on a square platform. The bridge from the original game can still be seen in the background, however.

The Pit also appears in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. During the first part of the game, which is very similar to the first Mortal Kombat, the player can go from top of the pit to the bottom without dying, although damage is taken should the character touch the spikes. The first Stage Fatality appeared here, where the victor would uppercut (or in Shaolin Monks, perform a variety of different moves) their opponent off the bridge, who would land on the spikes.

In Mortal Kombat Deception you fight on a huge square shaped area which is surrounded on all sides by rows upon rows of sharp spikes. There are mountains on all sides of this fighting area as well as two bridges to the left and right of The Pit. These bridges are held up by massive pillars with spikes shooting out them. The moon is shining brightly in the background, and paying homage to Mortal Kombat 1, there is the shadow of a witch flying past the moon on her broomstick. Once knocked off the platform in which you start, you fall into a bed of very sharp steel spikes.

The Pit makes a comeback once more in the newest Mortal Kombat game, though it appears to have been fused with the Pit II as it features lanterns on the bridge as well as a second one parallel to it. The spikes this time force the liver out of the opponent.

In all of the games, silhouettes occasionally appear in front of the moon. In Shaolin Monks, the player character will even point them out, and in the original Mortal Kombat, it was necessary for a shadow to be over the moon in order to unlock a battle with Reptile.

The Pit I is the only pit arena where players simply had to uppercut their opponent to perform the Stage Fatality.