Best Mortal Kombat Games, Ranked

With Mortal Kombat 1 arriving in September and ushering in a fresh (sort of) start for the franchise, now is a fun time to look at every video game that led to this moment. The initial Mortal Kombat was a landmark moment for gaming, one that pushed the limitations of gaming hardware at the time with photorealistic warriors that differed from the more cartoonish visuals of battling games of the period. Non-stop violent and gruesomely ingenious, Mortal Kombat would continue to evolve throughout the years and race towards the bleeding edge of interactive entertainment. As you’ll see on our best Mortal Kombat games list listed below, that development frequently led to new peaks. Needless to state, we’re anticipating seeing what NetherRealm does with Mortal Kombat 1.

There have actually been spin-offs and motion pictures, Saturday early morning animations, and live-action series over the decades, but nothing beats the core series of games that inform one overarching story across several timelines and Mortal Kombat competitions. We’re focusing on the core series of Mortal Kombat games, which indicates that spin-offs like Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero and Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks aren’t consisted of on this list.

11. Mortal Kombat 4 (1997 )
Mortal Kombat’s first dive into the realm of three-dimensional brawling is quickly the lowest point in the history of the franchise, even if Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero was released the very same year. Ugly to look at in 1997 and harder on the eyes in 2023 than an X-Ray attack, Mortal Kombat 4 was even more horrible to play.

10. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006 )
Larger than Michael Bay’s demolition spending plan on a movie set, Mortal Kombat Armageddon was expected to be the last chapter in the fighting game’s legend that was too huge for its own excellent. Favoring amount over quality, Armageddon’s gigantic lineup implied that cuts had to be made to squeeze every warrior onto a single disc. Individual fighting styles dropped from 3 to 2, there were fewer special deaths, and the Konquest storyline paled in comparison to the superb tale of Shujinko in Deception.

Armageddon was impressively enthusiastic and ended with a shocking cliffhanger that would lead the way for Mortal Kombat’s best era, and it still had space for a couple of intriguing concepts. The Create-A-Fighter mode offered gamers the alternative to produce a custom-made character from a broad choice of body parts, costumes, weapons, and special relocations, and to take things a bloody step forward, the Create-A-Fatality option permitted the development of custom-made finishers. Players could produce their very own custom-made casualties by stringing together different attacks and transitioning into their gory finisher.

9. Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (2008 )
The “yes this really taken place” of the Mortal Kombat series, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was an interesting elevator pitch that got here in between Armageddon and the renewal of the series in Mortal Kombat 9. DC’s mightiest heroes taking on Mortal Kombat’s most dangerous warriors in the mom of all multiversal melees, the end result was rather a watered-down crossover that barely had any teeth thanks to a lower age score. The fight was typical at best, the story made really little sense, and the trademark gore had actually basically been neutered. NetherRealm would discover its DC Comics groove in the Injustice series, while Mortal Kombat prepared itself for a spectacular rebirth.

It may not have been as over-the-top when it came to violence, but Mortal Kombat Vs DC Universe still presented a few fascinating gameplay mechanics to the series. Klose Kombat permitted gamers to take part in close-quarters combat sequences with distinct attacks and combos, Freefall Kombat gave players the possibility to carry out aerial attacks and attempt to position themselves advantageously prior to landing after they ‘d been knocked off a phase, and Kombo Challenges acted as extensive tutorials for each character.

The other big addition here was the Story Mode, as the narrative expanded the crossover between universes and helped establish the formula that would be utilized for the popular stories that would be informed in future Mortal Kombat and Injustice games.

8. Mortal Kombat (1992 )
The initial Mortal Kombat that laid the foundation for the franchise, Mortal Kombat today is a charming tip of simply how far the series has actually come because those golden game days. The battle was stiffer than Street Fighter and the low kick attack might be spammed for inexpensive success, however everything else about the video game made it a must-play experience at the time, even if your parents forbid it. Digitized actors spilling whole blood banks worth of physical crimson fluids, a final employer battle with Goro that could devour a whole federal reserve of quarters, and those glorious deaths made Mortal Kombat an immediate hit at the time and an all-time classic.

7. Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002 )
Mortal Kombat’s preliminary pivot to 3D brawling may have been a letdown, however Deadly Alliance made up for that very first effort with a spectacular refresh of the series. While not every concept managed to stick the landing, there was still a lot to enjoy about Deadly Alliance. Its roster is among the most healthy in Mortal Kombat history, every character had a trio of special combating styles, and the 3D gameplay mechanics contribute to the experience. Include a story that opens with the stunning death of Liu Kang, the excellent Konquest mode making its first appearance here, and fatalities that looked gorier than ever on new consoles at the time, and Mortal Kombat was back on track.

6. Mortal Kombat (2011 )
Battling games had remained in a precarious position throughout the 2000s, but after Capcom assisted reanimate the category with Street Fighter IV, it was only a matter of time up until Mortal Kombat tossed its razor-sharp hat into the ring. 2011’s Mortal Kombat (frequently described as Mortal Kombat 9) is a renewal that went back to its roots. Not just a narrative retelling of the initial Mortal Kombat video games that gathers the seeds planted by Armageddon, this Mortal Kombat likewise went back to fundamentals with its gameplay.

Other excellent gameplay systems used in the reincarnation of Mortal Kombat consisted of Tag Team Battles in which players could strategically change their partners in and out of battle, an enhanced combination system that could be used to perform longer and more detailed combos, and boosted unique relocations in which more powerful signature attacks could be carried out. Difficulty Towers were another significant addition, as this system of special gameplay scenarios rewarded players with unlockable material. And who could forget the introduction of those devastating X-Ray attacks that supplied a gruesome front-row seat to all the carnage that was being inflicted on bodies?

This is the Mortal Kombat that proved that battling video games can tell great stories, which standard would just increase with the release of each subsequent follow up.

5. Mortal Kombat X (2015 )
MK9 admittedly had a few rough spots, however Mortal Kombat X smoothed them over with more polished gameplay and much more impressively ultra-violent graphics. It’s a textbook sequel that raises the stakes and enhances on the structure of the game that came prior to it, however Mortal Kombat X sticks out from the pack with its dazzling storytelling and among its finest rosters yet, an emphasize reel of next-generation heroes and villains who hold the fate of all their realms in their hands. From the ice-cold Erron Black to the saucy Cassie Cage and the downright troubling D’Vorah, Mortal Kombat X moved the series into a greater equipment.

Among the more cutting-edge functions introduced in this Mortal Kombat was the Variation system. Each character had three unique variations that offered different relocations, abilities, and playstyles, allowing for more flexibility, and interactive environments provided useful aspects that cunning gamers might utilize in battle. With online video gaming a major part of its design, Mortal Kombat X likewise updated its difficulty towers with more dynamic objectives that changed routinely. Faction War presented a meta-game where players lined up with among 5 factions– Lin Kuei, White Lotus, Special Forces, Brotherhood of Shadow, or Black Dragon– and made points by finishing numerous in-game activities in this friendly competition between groups.

4. Mortal Kombat II (1993 )
If the initial Mortal Kombat was a controversial video game, then Mortal Kombat 2 was just asking for difficulty. Slicker and quicker than the first game, Mortal Kombat 2 called up its ability to shed digital blood and introduced some of the most remarkable casualties of the series to fans. On top of that, the game also satirized worried moms and dads with its excessive friendship finishers, broadened its roster, and had some of the most iconic art instructions in the franchise. Look past the flashy special moves and unhinged bloodletting, though, and you’ll find a video game that had progressed to not just stand toe-to-toe with a few of its greatest competitors however put them on notice with a killer combination of design and compound.

3. Mortal Kombat: Deception (2004 )
Lethal Alliance was an outstanding restart to Mortal Kombat’s 3D aspirations, but Mortal Kombat: Deception took that structure and developed a wonderful palace of enhanced gameplay, fun modes, and originalities that had a considerable influence on the flow of matches. After Shang Tsung and Quan Chi inevitably turned on each other, Onaga was awakened, and Raiden seemingly compromised himself, Deception became the best Mortal Kombat of the 3D era. The gameplay was rock-solid, the brand-new deathtraps in stages made each battle unpredictable when dealing with a cunning opponent, and Konquest mode expanded to become an enjoyable adventure that was almost on par with Shaolin Monks, sealing the tradition of this extraordinary follow up.

One of the other brand-new features presented in this Mortal Kombat was Hara-Kiri, as a beat gamer could deny their triumphant opponent of the opportunity to do a casualty by performing an unique ending up carry on themselves. Another big first for this Mortal Kombat was the introduction of online play on consoles, as players might finally link to the internet and battle versus challengers from worldwide.

2. Mortal Kombat 3 (1995 )
Mortal Kombat 3 strikes that sweet spot for timeless gameplay and interesting brand-new systems, blending fresh ideas with the trademark violence of the series. You could now close the space by charging at your challenger, remembering long strings of combos allowed you to melt through a challenger’s health bar, and you might pour salt in the injuries of your opponents with Brutalities, Mercies, and Animalities. Sure, the video game may have lacked a few essential faces in its lineup, however Midway’s Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 more than made up for that slip with an expanded cast that capped off the early 2D era of the series in grand style.

1. Mortal Kombat 11 (2019 )
We do not understand yet how Mortal Kombat 1 will shape up, however we do know that it has a high bar to clear thanks to Mortal Kombat 11. A love letter to the entire franchise, Mortal Kombat 11 has all of it. After Mortal Kombat 9 and X set the stage for an enthusiastic conclusion to not one however two timelines of Mortal Kombat games spread out throughout years, Mortal Kombat 11 takes that ball and scores an objective for the ages.

In this trip, custom character variations considerably expanded on the system presented in Mortal Kombat X. Each character had multiple custom variations that players could create and personalize with various relocations, capabilities, and cosmetic options, allowing for much more flexibility. Krushing Blows, effective cinematic attacks triggered by specific conditions throughout a match, were included, Fatal Blows were special comeback relocations that could be performed when a gamer’s health dropped below a particular threshold, and the Flawless Block mechanic opened up counter-attack chances when attacks were completely parried.

The introduction of defensive and offending meters added new tactical layers to the game. The protective meter allowed for numerous maneuvers such as rolls, breakaways, and amplified variations of unique relocations, while the offensive meter allowed strategies like amplifying special relocations for extra damage or extending combinations.

It constructed on Mortal Kombat tradition and left no stone unturned, pushed the series to new heights in the fighting video game neighborhood with its robust choice of modes, and delivered not only its best gameplay mechanics however likewise the most flexible in the entire series with its broadened alternative fight and equipment systems.

Mortal Kombat 11 is a celebration of the franchise, and one that’s made all the much better with the Aftermath expansion that saw the return of star Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa’s wonderfully devilish Shang Tsung, ripped straight from the cult-classic 1995 motion picture. With post-launch assistance that permitted you to see if Rambo, Robocop, therefore a lot more guest stars might handle the similarity Scorpion and Johnny Cage, Mortal Kombat 11 was proof that NetherRealm had actually conserved the very best for last.