Who composed the original Mortal Kombat video game’s music?

Dan Forden composed the original Mortal Kombat video game’s music.

Forden worked as a composer and sound designer for Midway, the company behind the arcade series. His work contributed to the atmosphere of Mortal Kombat and helped establish the audio identity that accompanied its digitized fighters and tournament presentation.

Forden is especially associated with the shouted phrase “Toasty!”, which became a recurring audio and visual easter egg in the series. The phrase was connected to sound designer Richard Divizio, who portrayed Kano, and appeared during certain gameplay moments.

The Immortals’ techno track “Techno Syndrome,” often recognized for the “Mortal Kombat!” vocal, is a separate musical work rather than the original arcade game’s complete score. That distinction prevents the composer from being confused with the later recording group.