Review: Mortal Kombat 1 is another outstanding 2023 fighter
30 years ago, the fighting game genre was at its peak.
1993 saw the home console releases of Street Fighter II Turbo and the first Mortal Kombat, while arcades were getting their successors Super Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat II. When people talk about the rivalry between Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, 1993 is the exact year they tend to refer to.
It’s perhaps fitting, then, that exactly three decades later both series have returned with a vengeance. Just months ago, Capcom released arguably the best Street Fighter game to date. Now, with Mortal Kombat 1, we believe NetherRealm has accomplished the same thing with its own series.
At its core, Mortal Kombat 1 isn’t enormously different from its predecessor, Mortal Kombat 11. The basic combat mechanics are similar, so anyone familiar with any of the past couple of entries should feel immediately at home with the controls and general feel here.
There are obviously some tweaks to freshen things up a bit and ensure it’s not a complete replica of the last game, but for the most part it’s business as usual. None of this was particularly broken anyway, so we’re happy that NetherRealm has chosen not to mess around too much with what was already a winning formula.
“None of this was particularly broken anyway, so we’re happy that NetherRealm has chosen not to mess around too much with what was already a winning formula.”
One exception to this is the introduction of the Kameos system, in which players can choose a secondary character to stand off screen. By hitting the RB / R1 button either on its own or with Left or Right, you can call on your Kameo to jump in and perform one of three special moves.
It’s not the most original idea in the world, as anyone who’s ever played a
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