Look, being a fighting game fan is rough. For as much fun as hitting buttons to do combos can be, there’ll always be a point where no one’s having fun. Sometimes, it’s when you’re on your third explanation of how a Roman Cancel works. Sometimes, it’s when you’re playing a little too well, and the other person feels like you’re using tools that they don’t have. Other times, it can simply be the obvious lack of experience in blocking a mix.

It’s a hurdle many fighting games have tried to cross over the years, and a question that will continue to cause debates for years more. Despite all this, the latest game to posit a solution to this problem is Mortal Kombat 1– a game seemingly designed for the “dudes at a party hitting buttons” vibe despite being a competitively fun game.

Kasual Is Good

What makes Mortal Kombat 1 so good for casual play isn’t so much the simplicity. The game actually feels way more complex than its predecessors, with its more Hyper-style air combos and tag-in assists that wreak absolute havoc in online matches. Instead, it’s in how the game presents itself.

Just like previous Mortal Kombat games every character has a one-pager for a movelist- a kind of shorthand “here’s some important moves for every character”, with an additional button to get to the full technical goodness below. It lends itself well to the “Oh just lemme check my moves real quick” that’s bound to happen in any party setting. No one wants to admit they’re just going in and mashing- we all like to think there’s at least some method to it, and NetherRealm Studios is great at supporting that.

There’s also something to be said about the combat design itself. As someone who didn’t like the slower pace of 11, Mortal Kombat 1’s willingness to let you do sick assist-powered juggles is much obliged. The previous entry had a problem of every character feeling ultimately too similar- one non-existent in Mortal Kombat 1, despite having a bunch of Ninjas that used to be palette swaps.

Instead, each character ends up feeling like something out of an anime fighter’s catalogue- with each character having their own internal rules they have to follow, through either different stance moves or resources they need to be able to manage. General Shao has different moves for whether or not he’s holding his hammer, and the ability to charge that hammer for big damage. Meanwhile, Johnny Cage has a Beowulf-style hype meter, making him stronger the more he taunts after combos. These gimmicks are all incredibly fun and make each character feel so much more involved.

That does bring us to the biggest problem Mortal Kombat 1 has, which is learning these characters. Despite being kind enough to give you full access to frame data, the actual teaching process in the game feels a little outdated. Even though you have a roster full of characters sporting their own unique rules, there’s no actual in-game way to learn what they are- early on in the game you’re left just accepting that General Shao sometimes drops his hammer, I guess.

I don’t entirely think this was oversight. Hiding this info feels much more about separating casual and competitive players- by now anyone who wants to learn a character can easily do so via a plethora of online resources, while anyone just having a laugh with the lads won’t have to worry about that overbearing feeling that they need to know what the hell Galactica Phantom or Brynhildr Stance does.

Still, I’m not a fan of games that do offload this learning process elsewhere- considering earlier NetherRealm titles were considered the peak of approachability in their heaven-sent frame data, it’s a shame to see the game with the best roster by far also refuse to teach you how to use any of them.

The Additional Fluff

Of course, like many other WB Games the grip of live services is incredibly strong on Mortal Kombat 1. Just like its predecessor there’s everything from loot chests to battle passes to Character Mastery unlocks, all of which grant you cosmetic upgrades for your character. As someone who’s more than happy to rock default colors I don’t hate it- if it’s what took to greenlight the game, why not, right? I just kind of wish it didn’t co-exist with other dated features, like the game’s decision to lock multiple characters and Kameos behind progress and day-one DLC.

Having a chunk of your Kameos all locked behind the game’s Invasion mode is a nightmare, not just because I can’t lab team setups, but also because Invasion just isn’t fun. It’s yet another attempt to make a Mortal Kombat side game, in the fear that people might get bored of the excessive blood and gore. There’s nothing wrong with single player modes, I just think that Invasion isn’t a particularly interesting one. But hey, at least the Kollector’s here. We’ll always have that.

Closing Thoughts

Ultimately, I do think Mortal Kombat deserves some credit for just how good it accomplishes its goals. In the party-room meta, Mortal Kombat 1 is an excellent game- you can clearly see every component of this bloody adventure and where people are supposed to react, cheer or demand their runback. It’s a step up from 11 in every way, and that’s great.

Everything about the game’s presentation is angled towards making new players feel welcomed- not just in a “you can someday be good” way that many other fighters will have, but instead with a “Check out what sick stuff you can do now” instead.

For the competitive player, it’s a cathartic release for the series- where the previous entry felt like anything cool was reserved for Fatalities and Fatal Blows, Mortal Kombat 1 has generously spread a layer of cool across the whole title. It’s mechanically deep in an incredibly fun way, with all the kinds of fun anime and hyper fighters have been having in recent years while still retaining that NetherRealm charm.

Ultimately though, Mortal Kombat 1’s biggest flaw comes down to what was likely the cost of having all these great features- the Mortal Kombat series has always had the most aggressive push for a Live Service status, and it’s incredibly frustrating to still be inundated with refreshing storefronts, unlockable characters and other things that scream for your time despite not necessarily being about playing the game.

Still, I appreciate how much more focused Mortal Kombat 1 is. No special moves, no gear, just a good time. Most of the game’s flaws are ignorable to an extent- and at least with Invasion mode, you’re not robbed of actual Mortal Kombat gameplay like you were with 11’s Krypt. It’s an all around fun game- as I’m sure the people at your party will attest to.

Game reviewed on PS5. Review code provided by Epicsoft, the game’s publisher in the SEA region

Mortal Kombat 1

Release Date: 2023-09-18

Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox Series X|S

Discover a reborn Mortal Kombat™ Universe created by the Fire God Liu Kang. Mortal Kombat™ 1 ushers in a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and fatalities!