Since 1992, the best Mortal Kombat game has given us unexpected joys. Best Mortal Kombat games are still flourishing and bloodier than ever, over 30 years after it initially captured the gaming industry. Moreover, it sparked controversy with its horrific, over-the-top brutality. The best combat Kombat games are famed for their massive amounts of blood and gore and a cheekily dark mood. And, of course, the distinctive fatalities, which seem to get more evocatively unpleasant with each new edition.
You may argue that Street Fighter is the most known and iconic fighting game franchise of all time, but we believe Mortal Kombat is. Best Mortal Kombat game has a fascinating backstory. From its humble beginnings as a 2D fighter to its controversial transition to 3D — and victorious return to form. So, in this guide, we will rate the best Mortal Kombat games ever.
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Mortal Kombat 11
Mortal Kombat 11 – Best Mortal Kombat game is the series’ most current edition. It is jam-packed with features like the legendary Classic Towers, Towers of Time, story mode, online multiplayer, and the exploration-based Krypt. Many new fighters join the long-time fighters like Sub-Zero and Kitana with inventive and deceptive talents. Also, the stages’ interactive components ensure that you always know where you are. In addition, the two Kombat packs published earlier this year introduced even more plot aspects and guest characters to dissect. Mortal Kombat 11 – Best Mortal Kombat game relies less on combo attacks than its predecessors, so spacing is extremely important. Instead, it is all about punishing errors and using tiny windows of opportunity to inflict harm in bursts.
Mortal Kombat 11 includes plenty of grisly deaths, as well as the new tactical “Fatal Blows.” When you run out of health during a match, these tactics can assist keep less-experienced players from losing a match before they have a chance to react.
Mortal Kombat II (1993)
Many players consider Mortal Kombat II one of the best Mortal Kombat game ever. This game made significant changes to the Fatality-fueled gameplay. Mortal Kombat II is still the best Mortal Kombat game in the Mortal Kombat series. And it sets the bar for the others. It is lighthearted without being childish, and it is serious without being depressing. The cast of characters is incredibly diverse. Kitana has her Razor fans, Kung Lao has his Oddjob hat, Mileena has her Sais and Tarkatan teeth.
In addition, Kung Lao has his groyne punch, and Johnny Cage Reptiles have the ability to blend into the background. Liu Kang has the ability to hurl fireballs into the air. Jax is able to combine wrestling and MMA skills. Scorpion and Sub-Zero, who appear to be glorified palette swaps on the exterior, play in a completely different way.
The story, the graphics, and the controls were all simply amazing. So many of Mortal Kombat II’s visuals have become classics. Consider the stage with the groaning trees, the Living Forest. Remember the skeletons dangling from the ceiling hooks in the Acid Pool? And you shuddered every time Shao Kahn’s deep, menacing voice taunted you. “You feeble-minded, pitiful knuckleheads,” says the narrator.
Mortal Kombat X
Mortal Kombat X ushered in a new era for the Mortal Kombat franchise. The over-the-top gameplay of the franchise finally receive the attention it deserved. This game further demonstrated that NetherRealm Studios was more than capable of carrying on the heritage of the renowned game. The new characters, particularly Cassie Cage and Erron Black, felt like completely fleshed-out combatants who compelled you to change up your primary character.
Mortal Kombat X also benefited from the current game distribution structure, with valuable DLC characters. And flourishes like new costumes arriving consistently after the game’s initial release. Mortal Kombat XL, the definitive version of the game, was later published and includes all of the DLC. Although the story mode was not as well-told as our third-placed game, the fighting reached a level of intricacy that the series had not seen before.
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is unquestionably better than Mortal Kombat 3. When released in 1995, it was strangely devoid of Kitana and Scorpion, as well as a lack of game types. Midway released Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 as a single “upgrade” just six months later. To round out the package, there was a 2v2 vs mode and a tournament option. The move sets of the characters were also increased and adjusted, and the way combos functioned was greatly improved.
Following the debut of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Midway launched Mortal Kombat Trilogy. This game added new characters and stages to the game. However, in motion, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 always felt better, thus it takes the MK3 war for us.
Mortal Kombat
The prominence of Mortal Kombat is reflected in its position on this list. After all, it was the first installment. All of the other games would be impossible to play without it. Mortal Kombat is still playable today, decades after its first release. But you will note that it lacks several essential features which developers add over time. Specifically, combos, but also the roster, which, while high-quality, was lacking in quantity.
Mortal Kombat changed the way we thought about fighting games, without a doubt. In 1992, it was bold, audacious, and disturbing in its approach to violence, with animated globs of blood gushing from the fighters. Mortal Kombat was, without a doubt, a game that had a huge influence. It is also considered as best mortal kombat game. It is still relevant today, however it is not as exciting as the others in the series.
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Deception improved upon all that the Deadly Alliance did. After the aforementioned Deadly Alliance of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi completes their purpose of conquering Earthrealm, the two sorcerers turn on each other. But Onaga, the dragon king, poses a greater threat. Not only can you battle this monster foe in Deception, but the substantially extended Konquest mode. Whether you like it or not, this mode provided gamers with valuable insight into Onaga’s rise to power. While Midway could have chosen a more fascinating character to base a protracted, story-based campaign on the Konquest mode proved to be an enjoyable play for gamers.
Deception may not have been one of the best Mortal Kombat games, but it did a lot of interesting things. Despite the fact that the 3D-era MK games are not very well-regarded, Deception came the closest to capturing MK’s enchantment inside 3D venues.
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
You would think the Midway crew would call it quits after two disastrous spin-offs in Mythologies. The mythologies are Sub Zero and Special Forces. Thankfully, the Mortal Kombat crew decided that the third time is the charm and created Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, the franchise’s first solid spin-off game. As you fight for the fate of the world, you can select between playing as Liu Kang or Kung Lao. You can play each character with its own set of moves. Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is a spin-off done well in the Mortal Kombat universe, featuring entertaining 3D co-op brawler action, an ever-rising Fatality meter, and a who is who of Mortal Kombat characters to engage with and fight.
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Midway began to think more about the plot when the Mortal Kombat franchise began to focus on home consoles rather than arcades. With a stunning reveal that two of the series’ most wicked villains, Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, have joined forces, Deadly Alliance began off a new trilogy of 3D fighters. There is a lot to admire about Deadly Alliance, which implements numerous fighting techniques and has a well-balanced roster. Furthermore, aficionados of the series’ 3D era will remember Deadly Alliance as the game that set the franchise on the right track, but with a limited number of fatalities and the Konquest mode functioning as a character tutorial, it is not the strongest game in the trilogy.
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Players had a lot to look forward to in what was meant to be the ultimate climax of Mortal Kombat’s first decade and a half. Not only did Armageddon include every single Mortal Kombat character available at the time, but it also allowed you to design your own fighters to join the roster. Unfortunately, by the time Armageddon arrived, the then-standard 3D combat had become boring. And many of the characters from the time felt uninspired, unmemorable, or derivative. Furthermore, the large roster came at a cost: instead of three separate fighting styles, the characters only had two, which took away one of the coolest aspects of Deadly Alliance and Deception.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
You may not realize that based on how the new Mortal Kombat trilogy’s DLC has played out, but the Mortal Kombat series was not always full of crossovers from other universes. Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe took place at an odd juncture in the Mortal Kombat franchise; the series had practically ended thanks to Armageddon’s cataclysmic events, yet the crew returned to battle in Teen-rated, Fatality-lite kombat with the likes of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. The 3D fighting was not the greatest the series had seen, the merging of the two realms creates an odd narrative premise, and the Teen rating made this feel like a weak excuse to bring the franchise back.
Mortal Kombat 4
Midway capped off their blockbuster trilogy with the most lackluster fourth installment it could have, despite the tremendous success and constant growth of the previous three Mortal Kombat titles. The graphics have aged significantly worse than any of its predecessors, despite being the first game in the series to have 3D graphics. That could be forgiven if the gameplay was as amazing as it was in Mortal Kombat II or III, but the unresponsive controls and uninspired new characters made this the series’ low point.
Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat 3 is Earth’s realm’s greatest nightmare come true from a narrative standpoint. Shao Kahn takes over Earth’s realm and suffocates it with his deceased wife Sindel. The world must be saved by the warriors under Raiden’s protection. Despite the seriousness of the plot, the franchise’s third installment is riddled with corniness—too much inner meta-humor and not enough depth. The Fatalities are fantastical in nature and rely on Warner Bros. physics. There is also a brand-new Run Button, which turns every encounter into a whirlwind of combos. This retains the core elements of its predecessors, but there are just too many extra diversions piled on top of them.
Mortal Kombat 2
This game was, without a doubt, the pinnacle of the original Mortal Kombat series. It was a quantum leap forward from the first game. Of course, the sequel introduced new characters and locations, such as the iconic Dead Pool stage, but the real value came from gameplay improvements that made the game more rewarding.
It could be argued that MK 2 is Mortal Kombat’s most enduring legacy game, with fans and even Ed Boon speculating that the game still has secrets to be discovered. Mortal Kombat 2 may not have stood up as well as Street Fighter Alpha or Third Strike as a fighting game, but it did introduce fighting games to a whole new audience, and that is something that cannot be measured.
Conclusion
At the conclusion of this essay on the Best Mortal Kombat Game Ever, we must admit that it is difficult to imagine that the franchise is approaching its third decade. But, since its inception as a modest coin-operated arcade cabinet in 1992, this iconic series of head-to-head combat games has crammed in a long and star-studded catalog of titles. I hope you like this list of the Best Mortal Kombat Games of All Time.
