NetherRealm just launched Injustice 2 a few hours ago, and here we are bringing back our battles in the shoes of DC’s all powerful superheroes. But we don’t want to forget where the franchise was also inspired — Mortal Kombat.
I bring to you my list of worst to best main Mortal Kombat titles (excluding spin-offs).
Mortal Kombat 4
I have to be honest, Mortal Kombat 4 is still probably the worst installment to-date. The forgettable new characters and more of like rip-offs from the original roster. An example of that is Reiko being an inferior version of Shao Kahn. Even if this was the first 3D Mortal Kombat title, visually it looked horrendous compared to Namco’s Tekken 3 which also launched in the same year on Arcade.
Mortal Kombat Armageddon
Second to the worst mainline Mortal Kombat in the franchise. It lacked what the essence of the series. With numerous characters in place, Midway didn’t manage to make every character distinct from each other. Even if you can make your own custom fighter, it felt like it was just a façade to hide its flaws as players can create their own fatality finishers. It’s a good addition, yes, but it wasn’t enough to simplify the lacking personality of each characters.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Now, I love DC characters – that’s why I love Injustice: Gods Among Us. However, MKvDC was rated “T” for Teen instead of its usual Mature rating. Midway pulled the game back from removing the core parts of what Mortal Kombat made itself popular = the gore and violence. It’s not particularly the worst in the main lineup, but it did stray away from its direction.
Mortal Kombat 3
The pacing of Mortal Kombat 3 changed when the ability to run was added in the game. Non-aggressive players had a lot of difficulty especially when you’re getting rushed by a veteran player. Even if it was a nice add-on and change of pace for veteran players, casual gamers didn’t find it fun. Another setback was the fact that Kitana was removed from the main roster and that Sub-Zero wasn’t wearing his iconic mask, and Scorpion was nowhere to be found.
Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance
After Mortal Kombat 4’s utter failure, Midway tried to polish Deadly Alliance and prove that the franchise still exists even if the likes of Namco’s Tekken is present. Deadly Alliance showed that there’s more to the franchise than meets the eye.
Mortal Kombat
The original Mortal Kombat started the franchise. And without it, there wouldn’t be games like Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat Deception. Even if this installment is placed in the middle of my list, I still find the game attractive than Armaggedon, vs. DC Universe, 3, and 4. It’s not entirely bad to be placed on 4th.
Mortal Kombat Deception
This is installment when Mortal Kombat has innovated the series by adding destructible environments and deadly traps. Mortal Kombat Deception also had a lot of add-ons that will make you busy like its single-player story mode, Mortal Kombat Chess, and the Puzzle Fighter. It lasted for me for a couple of months, and I had certainly fun with it.
Mortal Kombat 2
One of the best titles ever. Midway continued how awesome the first Mortal Kombat was. The character moves are easy to grasp, and the ability to craft your own combo style before the franchise had their own combo system. It’s still considered to be the highpoint of the franchise.
Mortal Kombat (2011)
The life of Mortal Kombat was taken when Armageddon launched but NetherRealms learned from Midway’s mistakes. In MK9, they went back to the roots of what Mortal Kombat was. The roster comprised of all first three Mortal Kombat installments than adding new ones. The narrative was well-written. MK9 did a lot of things right in the franchise.
Mortal Kombat X
Hands down to NetherRealms. The latest title in the main lineup of Mortal Kombat games is the best one I’ve ever played. Visually improved – making it the first ever next-generation Mortal Kombat that featured a lot of gore and enjoyable fatalities. Mortal Kombat X’s narrative is also spot-on and intriguing. The game is also easy for newcomers to learn the mechanics and moves. NetherRealm brought everything to the table with Mortal Kombat X and it was a success!
