Mortal Kombat 1 marks the latest entry in the blood-soaked fighting series, and it looks to deliver a satisfying fresh dose of ultraviolence for longtime fans. In addition to a new tag-team mechanic that lets you pair a main character with a backup “Kameo” fighter, you can look forward to an epic all-new story, regular seasonal updates that will add new Invasion mode missions, and more.
While Mortal Kombat 1 is fairly well-balanced, particularly by NetherRealm standards, but every fighting game has its winners and losers. While full tier lists will develop eventually and the inevitable meta-changing balance tweaks will come, there are already a few MK1 fighters that seem to stand out from the rest. While this isn’t a definitive list – you’re free to your own favorites – if you want to be competitive, you may want to brush up on these five kombatants…
Kenshi
Kenshi may not be the most recognizable Mortal Kombat character in the world, but he gets a pretty significant glow up in MK1, both in terms of his personality (he’s key to the game’s story mode) and abilities. Kenshi’s various sword attacks are powerful, cover a ton of ground, and can easily be chained into badass combos. But what really sets Kenshi apart is his Sento Spirit ability, which summons a ghostly puppet that can attack independently of Kenshi, even when you’re blocking. Kenshi is a great combination of accessible, straightforward badassery and technical complexity.
- Suggested Kameo Partner: Kano
Mileena
Speaking of glow ups, Mileena gets one as well. While she’s usually played second fiddle to her sister Kitana in the past, she’s the focus this time around, with the moveset to match. Millena may be small, but she’ll run over you like a train. She’s a great rushdown fighter who can really pour on the damage and deliver some great combos. Her ball roll and teleport specials put you behind your opponent, allowing you to keep them off their feet.
- Suggested Kameo Partner: Sektor
Baraka
Baraka has always been a favorite of mine, but he hasn’t always delivered competitively. That definitely changes in Mortal Kombat 1. Baraka can absolutely shred opponents in MK1, applying heavy pressure and keeping opponents off kilter with some great mix ups. Forget about blocking – this guy will just keep coming and chip you to death. If you’re the type who likes to always be pushing forward, this is your guy.
- Suggested Kameo Partner: Cyrax
Li Mei
It’s been a while since Li Mei has made a playable appearance in a Mortal Kombat game, and she’s not the most flashy character, but don’t overlook her. While you may beeline for the Scorpions and Liu Kangs, Li Mei is actually a great beginner option with a very balanced array of abilities. She has a lot of quick, powerful attacks that can be woven easily into combos and she’s one of the best anti-air fighters in the game with multiple specials that can snipe annoying jumpy opponents.
- Suggested Kameo Partner: Scorpion
Johnny Cage
Everybody loves Johnny Cage, but he hasn’t always been a top tier fighter. Thankfully, he’s probably the best he’s ever been in Mortal Kombat 1. There’s nothing particularly subtle about ol’ Johnny in MK1 – he just has very good, powerful attacks that cover a lot of ground and do a lot of damage. He can knock you up in the air, punch you down, and bust your balls while he’s at it. Johnny also has his own unique Hype mechanic – once you fill Johnny’s special star-shaped meter, he can enter the Hype state that allows you to chain multiple specials together. So yeah, Johnny’s got a lot going for him.
- Suggested Kameo Partner: Sonya Blade
So, there you have it – some Mortal Kombat 1 fighters you might want to try out first. Of course, this is just one person’s opinion and the meta will continue to change and evolve. That said, who are some of your favorites?
Mortal Kombat 1 is available now on PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and Switch. You can check out more of Wccftech’s Mortal Kombat 1 guides here.
