The Ultimate Mortal Kombat Game Tier List - Unveiling the Ultimate Fighters!

Highlights

Mortal Kombat 1 has the potential to be the biggest installment yet, with a fresh premise and a focus on honoring the past of the franchise.

Mortal Kombat 9, Deception, and Mortal Kombat 3 are widely acclaimed as the top entries in the series, offering immersive content and timeless gameplay.

Mortal Kombat X, Mortal Kombat 11, and Shaolin Monks have garnered a strong following among fans, delivering enjoyable fighting game experiences and establishing themselves as formidable contenders in the competitive scene.

The release of Mortal Kombat 1 is approaching, and its success is practically guaranteed. As one of the top pre-ordered titles for PS5, NetherRealm Studios' latest addition to its iconic, gore-filled series has the potential to surpass all previous installments. By daringly rebooting the storyline with Liu Kang's new world, Mortal Kombat 1 offers fans an exciting and fresh premise while still paying homage to its past.

Continuing its trend of reintroducing beloved characters from the history of Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat 1 is dedicated to honoring forgotten aspects of the franchise while simultaneously pushing forward. The inclusion of redesigned fighters like Havik and Li Mei has pleasantly surprised longtime fans, showcasing a genuine respect for the legacy of past titles. With Mortal Kombat 1 drawing inspiration from various entries in the series more than ever before, it allows for a comprehensive perspective on the entire franchise. Despite its extensive history spanning decades, not all Mortal Kombat releases have achieved the same level of success.

S Tier

Considered by many as the pinnacle of the entire franchise, these games provide a plethora of content that has kept players engaged long after their release. Seen as classic video games by every definition, Mortal Kombat would not be the same without their influence.

Mortal Kombat 9 (2011) - A landmark moment in the series, this hard reboot effectively rectified the mistakes made during the 3D era and brought the gameplay back to its original essence. With polished visuals and an abundance of combo potential, Mortal Kombat 9 from 2011 remains the high point of the franchise for most fans, despite its age of over a decade. Additionally, the inclusion of a compelling cinematic story mode, numerous challenging bonus tower levels, the introduction of functional online play, the incorporation of unique Mortal Kombat guest characters, and even features like its tag mode all contributed to making Mortal Kombat 9 a genuine homage to its dedicated fan base.

Mortal Kombat: Deception (2004) - Building upon the foundation set by Deadly Alliance, Deception is widely regarded as the finest installment of the series during its controversial 3D era. Its standout feature, the Konquest mode, offered a side content experience that was so captivating, it could have easily been its own standalone game. With a daring roster that took bold risks and the endless replayability of modes like Puzzle Kombat and Chess Kombat, Mortal Kombat Deception is still hailed as the ultimate Mortal Kombat package by many fans.

Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) - Initially met with disappointment upon its release, Mortal Kombat 3 was heavily criticized for the surprising absence of fan-favorite character, Scorpion. However, everything changed with the arrival of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Introducing a wider array of fighters and enhancing the gameplay mechanics, Ultimate is widely revered as the pinnacle of Mortal Kombat's original 2D era. While Mortal Kombat Trilogy further updated the game with playable bosses and additional mechanical changes, it is often regarded as less competitive compared to the flawlessness achieved by Ultimate.

A Tier

These Mortal Kombat titles have become favorites among gamers for their satisfying fighting game experiences, which fans still thoroughly enjoy to this day. This tier highlights NetherRealm's strongest efforts over the years, establishing these games as heavy hitters in competitive circles.

Mortal Kombat X (2015) - Serving as a follow-up to the classic reboot in 2011, this entry stands out as one of the darkest in terms of tone and visual presentation. It gained popularity for its experimental roster, featuring horror-themed Mortal Kombat guest characters, and its fast-paced gameplay. Mortal Kombat X has stood the test of time for those who appreciate its tone. The addition of rollback netcode has greatly improved the online experience, while the standard soundtrack and story could use some improvement.

Mortal Kombat 11 (2019) - Released just a few years ago, the latest installment in the series is often compared to Mortal Kombat 2 in terms of gameplay. With stunning graphics and intense violence, Mortal Kombat 11 offers a plethora of content in both its base game and DLC additions. While not every fan appreciates its less combo-focused fighting style, this title has undeniably achieved tremendous financial success.

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005) - Among all the spin-offs, Shaolin Monks is hailed as the most well-received for introducing co-op to the beat 'em up format that previous side games had experimented with. While other spin-offs may be regarded as missteps from the past, the story of Liu Kang and Kung Lao in Shaolin Monks distinguishes itself from Special Forces. Despite its differences from the mainline titles, this game is considered a solid entry and offers a fun MK adventure that every Mortal Kombat fan should experience.

B Tier

The middle ground offers games in the Mortal Kombat series that are still somewhat enjoyable for those interested in its history. While these games may not be flawless, they serve as important building blocks for the franchise.

Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006) marked the end of Mortal Kombat's original storyline. It is best known for its extensive roster, which included every character from previous Mortal Kombat games up to that point. In its pursuit of quantity, the gameplay of Armageddon took a step back compared to its predecessors. Despite disappointment over the exclusion of the typical Fatality mechanic, the game redeemed itself with its last Konquest mode and the option to create a custom character.

Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002) marked the series' debut on the PS2, introducing a new 3D fighting engine that would endure for years. Pushing boundaries with a darker and more intricate aesthetic, this fifth installment played a significant role in shaping the modern identity of the franchise. With Liu Kang's downfall and the rise of the formidable duo, Quan Chi and Shang Tsung, this game stood as a marked improvement over the shortcomings of Mortal Kombat 4.

Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero (1997) served as a spin-off prequel to the original Mortal Kombat game. While it diverged from the series' core formula, this beat 'em up title has faced mixed reception from fans. However, loyal enthusiasts of the series may find it worthwhile to give this entry a try, as it retains some of the essence of the 2D era games of its time.

C Tier

These games, widely considered the weakest in the entire franchise, faced various limitations that significantly diminished their appeal to the majority of players. Despite being relatively decent for their respective eras, the admiration shown towards the lower-ranking titles serves as a true testament to the unwavering devotion of Mortal Kombat's fan base.

Mortal Kombat (1992) - The game that started it all, Mortal Kombat, revolutionized arcades with its unprecedented levels of violence, generating controversy like never before seen in the gaming industry. While the gameplay quality may not have been exceptional, its shocking nature played a significant role in the establishment of the ESRB, the game rating system used today.

Mortal Kombat 4 (1997) - As the final arcade installment of the series, Mortal Kombat 4 introduced Quan Chi and Shinnok, alongside a few forgettable Mortal Kombat characters. Regarded as the weakest mainline game by many fans, its quality was eventually enhanced through the updated version, Mortal Kombat Gold. While it remains less impressive in terms of gameplay compared to its predecessors and successors, diehard fans may still find value in exploring Mortal Kombat 4.

The 2008 crossover game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, which brought together characters from Warner Bros. properties, faced criticism for compromising the essence of the franchise with its T rating. Despite the excitement of seeing Scorpion and iconic DC characters in combat, the absence of explicit violence and Fatalities made it unlikely for this Mortal Kombat experience to be repeated.

Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, released in 2000 as a beat 'em up spin-off centered on Jax, stands out as the biggest deviation from the core of the Mortal Kombat series and is widely regarded as the franchise's lowest point by many fans. With its poor quality across various aspects, Special Forces made appearances on numerous lists of the worst video games ever created. This game serves as a reminder of how much Mortal Kombat has evolved in the past two decades.

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