Mortal Kombat 1's Kameo Fighters vs Super Smash Bros Ultimate's Spirits: Who Reigns Supreme?

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has reigned supreme as the top fighting game for almost five years, boasting critical and commercial success. With nearly 100 unique playable fighters and over 100 stages from the franchise's history, it truly lives up to its name as the ultimate culmination of the series. However, Mortal Kombat 1 is set to challenge its dominance with a September release date and an alternate universe created by Fire God Liu Kang. The franchise's latest entry looks to improve upon the already successful formula, offering the most fluid and satisfying gameplay yet. Despite this, there is one new feature in Mortal Kombat 1 that may not rival Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's most underrated aspect.

Mortal Kombat 1's Kameos Might Not Have the Same Star Power as Smash Ultimate's Spirits

In Mortal Kombat 1, players have the option to select a secondary set of characters called Kameo fighters, who can be used during a fight to perform a special move. These fighters are available after the player has chosen their primary playable character and are presented with a second roster of Kameo fighters to select from. During the match, players can activate their Kameo fighter's special move by pressing a button and holding down a specific direction. The special move executed by the Kameo fighter is determined by the direction held by the player. This feature adds a layer of variety to gameplay and allows for the creation of unique combos.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Spirits offer players a chance to collect over 1500 unique character boosts and bonuses, similar to Mortal Kombat 1's Kameo fighters. While their gameplay impact may not be groundbreaking, the real draw of these Spirits is the fan service they provide, featuring characters from across the history of the video game industry. Nintendo characters take center stage, but Super Smash Bros. Ultimate also pays homage to other influential publishers and franchises such as Tekken, Cuphead, Minecraft, and Tetris with their own unique Spirits.

The Kameo fighters in Mortal Kombat 1 are expected to offer a more immersive gameplay experience, but they may not have the same level of star power as the Spirits in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The launch of Mortal Kombat 1 is expected to have 16 Kameo fighters, all originating from past entries in the series. While this is a great tribute to the franchise's 30-year history, it may not match the expansive celebration of the video game industry that Smash Ultimate offers.

Mortal Kombat 1 will be released on September 19, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.