Summary
Mortal Kombat 1’s release is almost here, and its success is essentially guaranteed. A top performer on the chart of the most pre-ordered titles for PS5, NetherRealm Studios' latest foray into its iconic, gore-filled series has the potential to be the biggest yet. Having made the bold decision to reboot the timeline with the advent of Liu Kang’s new world,Mortal Kombat 1has one of the freshest premises fans could ask for, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t also honoring the past.
Continuing a trend with the recent announcement ofnotable kombatants fromMortal Kombathistory,Mortal Kombat 1seems to be focused on doing justice to forgotten parts of the franchise as much as moving forward. Bringing back fighters like Havik and Li Mei with new designs, many older fans have been shocked by the respect to past titles on display. WithMortal Kombat 1pulling from other titles more than ever, the entire franchise as a whole has been put into perspective.Mortal Kombathas had a long history spanning several decades, but some releases have fared far better than others.
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S Tier
Widely considered the best of the entire franchise, these games are content-rich experiences that have rewarded players for years following their releases. Classic video games by all measures,Mortal Kombatwould never be the same without them.
Mortal Kombat 9(2011) -A landmark moment for the series, this hard reboot erased the past mistakes of the 3D era in favor of bringing the gameplay back to its roots. A polished product through everything its visuals to combo potential, 2011’sMortal Kombatis the peak of the franchise for most fans despite being over a decade old. A solid cinematic story mode, hundreds of bonus tower challenges, introduction of functional online,uniqueMortal Kombatguest characters, and even features like its tag mode madeMortal Kombat 9a true love letter to fans.
Mortal Kombat: Deception(2004) -An improvement on everythingDeadly Allianceestablished before it,Deceptionis still praised as the peak of the series’ controversial 3D era. Featuring the most memorable Konquest mode, the side content ofDeceptionwas practically enough to split into a spin-off. Between features like its bold roster that took interesting risks, and the replayability of modes like Puzzle Kombat and Chess Kombat,Mortal Kombat Deceptionis still seen as the most completeMortal Kombatpackage ever released for many.
Mortal Kombat 3(1995) -Initially a massive disappointment upon its release,Mortal Kombat 3was panned for having the audacity to exclude Scorpion of all characters. Held back by its lacking roster, everything would change whenUltimate Mortal Kombat 3came around. Adding several more fighters than just Scorpion and improving the feeling of gameplay, Ultimate is still heralded as the peak ofMortal Kombat’s original 2D era.Mortal Kombat Trilogywould go on to further update the title with playable bosses and more mechanical changes, but this game is usually considered far less competitively viable than the perfection ofUltimate.
A Tier
Favorites of many gamers, theseMortal Kombattitles are satisfying fighting game experiences that fans still enjoy thoroughly to this day. This tier showcases some of NetherRealm’s strongest efforts over the years which have become heavy hitters in competitive circles.
Mortal Kombat X(2015) -The follow-up to 2011’s classic reboot, this was likely the darkest entry the franchise has ever seen in terms of both tone and visual presentation. Famous for its experimental roster that includedhorror-themedMortal Kombatguest charactersand the fast-paced gameplay it brought to the table,Mortal Kombat Xstands the test of time for those who enjoy its tone. The addition of rollback netcode helped to make its online experience smoother than ever before, but its standard soundtrack and story left more to be desired.
Mortal Kombat 11(2019) -Released just a few years ago, the most recent title of the series is often compared toMortal Kombat 2in terms of gameplay. Beautifully rendered and extremely violent,Mortal Kombat 11provides a wealth of content across its base game and DLC additions alike. While the less combo-centric style of its fighting isn’t the favorite of every fan, this title has still established itself through undeniable massive financial success.
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks(2005) -The most well-received of all theMortal Kombatspin-offs,Shaolin Monksbrought co-op to the beat ‘em up formula that the side games before had experimented with. The other spin-offs of the series may be seen as missteps of the past, but the story of Liu Kang and Kung Lao has separated itself fromSpecial Forces. Considered a solid entry despite its differences with the mainline titles,Shaolin Monksis a funMKadventure gamethat anyMortal Kombatfan should try out at some point.
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B Tier
The middle of the road consists of games that are still somewhat worth playing for those interested inMortal Kombat’s history. These games may not be perfect, but they’re still building blocks of the IP.
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon(2006) -Theend ofMortal Kombat’s original timeline,Armageddonis mostly known for its ambitious roster that featured every single character who had ever appeared in anyMortal Kombatgame thus far. Compromising quality for the sake of quantity, the gameplay ofArmageddontook a step back from its predecessors in order to accommodate its huge cast. Many fans still struggle to forgive this game’s exclusion of the typical Fatality mechanic, but the last Konquest mode and ability to create a custom character dampens that loss.
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance(2002) -The debut of the series on PS2,Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliancebrought a new 3D fighting engine to the series that would remain for years. Edgier and more detailed in a wayMortal Kombatwas unfamiliar with, the fifth mainline entry played a major role in forming the identity of the modern franchise. A shake-up that saw Liu Kang fall to the titular team of Quan Chi and Shang Tsung, this game was a vast improvement over the blunders ofMortal Kombat 4.
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero(1997) -Aspin-off prequel to the firstMortal Kombatgame, this beat em’ up title has never been very warmly received by fans due to its departure from the core formula. Similar enough to the 2D era games of its time, this entry is at least worth trying for dedicated fans of the series.
Mortal Kombat 2(1993) -The follow-up to the original that started it all,Mortal Kombat 2improved everything about what came before. This sequel would set several core aspects of the series’ identity in motion, and its cultural influence cannot be overstated. Lacking the combos that some players enjoy about other titles, it is a rather divisive entry among fans.
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C Tier
The worst of the franchise, these games were limited by different factors that have made them less worth checking out for most players. Mostly consisting of relatively decent attempts for their time, the appreciation some hold for the bottom tier of titles is a testament tothe dedication ofMortal Kombat’s fans.
Mortal Kombat(1992) -The original game that started it all,Mortal Kombatbrought a new level of violence to arcades that sparked controversy the industry had never seen. The first title in the series is more notable for its shocking nature than the quality of its gameplay, which contributed to the creation of the ESRB that rates games today.
Mortal Kombat 4(1997) -The series’ final game in arcades, the fourth mainline outing introduced Quan Chi and Shinnok alongside severalless memorableMortal Kombatkombatants. Considered the worst mainline game by many fans, the updatedMortal Kombat Goldlater helped to improve its quality in the long run. Still unimpressive by gameplay standards when compared to what came before and after,Mortal Kombat 4is only worth checking out for diehard fans.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe(2008) -A crossover that blended Warner Bros. properties, this game compromised the spirit of the franchise due to its T rating. As fun as it was to see fighters like Scorpion face off against iconic DC characters, the lack of proper violence and Fatalities made this aMortal Kombatexperience unlikely to return.
Mortal Kombat: Special Forces(2000) -This beat em’ up spin-off centered on Jax is the biggest departure from the spirit ofMortal Kombat,and the lowest point in the franchise for many fans. Suffering from poor quality in essentially every area,Special Forceshas even appeared in several lists of the worst video games ever made. This game acts as a reminder of just how farMortal Kombathas come in the last 20 years.
Mortal Kombat 1will be released on July 03, 2025 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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