Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero is a story-driven fighting game that casts you in the shoes of Sub-Zero, and chronicles a series of events that occurred prior to Mortal Kombat 1. It is the first Mortal Kombat game to feature side-scrolling gameplay.

Gameplay wise the game takes the Mortal Kombat familiar 2D fighting environment and turns it into a hybrid fighter/platformer game, where you must travel trough hazardous levels running and jumping around as well as fighting your way against both digitized and polygonal enemies. Sub-Zero's interface is the same as in every MK game, with the addition of a "use" and "turn around" buttons and additions such as an inventory, and a slight RPG twist in which you get exp. for defeating opponents, which translates into new techniques and moves to execute in the game.