Mortal Kombat what’s worth playing?

[Arthxas3]

I played MK9 with my friends and still I had much fun even thou I don’t like 2d fighting games. And I think about trying older titles of MK series. So my question is simple just like the title. Which games in the series are worth playing and which are not?

 

[Aziamuth]

If, for whatever reason, you want to play Mortal Kombat, I'd only recommend UMK3

 

[petran79]

if you played 9, definitely play mk1-3 as it retells the story of those games

 

[TheMinuMaster]

If you enjoyed MK9, you'll have a lot of fun with Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks.

 

[Tortuga]

Deception is easily best 3d MK and worth playing
MK 11 and 12 are pure trash and not worth playing

 

[SoThankful]

My fav is MK4, but it probably didn't age well. I think MK Trilogy would be perfect to try out, which is like a mix of the games before that.

 

[Clippy]

For the classic games I'd recommend Mortal Kombat II if you want to start off with something slower, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 if you want something speedier with combos and running, and Mortal Kombat Trilogy if you want to have every single character that appeared in the series up to that point (including playable bosses) and the gameplay of UMK3 that's sped up even further. This one can get pretty hectic.

The original MK is alright for what it is, especially if you like old Hong Kong martial arts cinema since it draws quite a bit of inspiration from those but the game has aged and its gameplay is clearly inferior to what came later.

Let me warn you though - the AI in these old games can be brutal and will occasionally cheat.

 

[Tonberry]

I’d like to pop in as a super new fan that I really really like MK1, so I’d recommend it if only as someone who recently found a new game they surprisingly enjoyed a ton. At least on a big sale.

It’s evidently a super controversial game for fans of the series but I’ve been having an extremely good time with it, and it has made me curious in exploring earlier entries.

 

[χKai]

Fuckin' none of it, really.

If you insist, then..

Mortal Kombat Mythology, I guess; I got nothin'.

 

[Kamako]

I had great fun playing Deadly Alliance, Deception and X.
Deception has a kickass arcade mode + Kombat Chess + Konquest, which is this awesome single player story mode where you play as this dude called Shujinko and it chronicles his life from a youngster to a badass old man and you get to visit all the different MK realms and....trust me, it's just sick xD
Of those Deadly Alliance, Deception and X, X is definitely the tightest mechanically. Has the best Krypt too.

 

[X y b e r - S k u ll]

Never been a super big fan of MK (I hate 2D fighters with block buttons and I was never a big fan of the aesthetics and art styles, especially from the newer ones), but I think 9 and X are genuinely really fun. The only classic one I've played was UMK3 and while it's fun to play with friends and whatnot, fuck playing arcade mode or any kind of single player mode in that. The AI literally reads your inputs.

 

[RanmyakuIchi's icon RanmyakuIchi RanmyakuIchi]

MK 1-3 are classics. UMK3 is the gold standard for competitive play in the classic series and still has a scene to this day, and is just crazy fun.

MKII meanwhile is just peak classic MK vibes in the art, music, and presentation. I have a massive soft spot for it having grown up with it, and it's the first one I think when I picture MK

Shaolin Monks is awesome if you want something more Beat-Em-Up Action Adventurey. Super fun if you like classic God of War styled games, and great for Co-op play too.

MK9 and X are awesome for the more modern games. MK9 is just one massive love letter to fans, with every character from MK 1-3 returning and super fun and rewarding (if a bit busted sometimes) gameplay.

X meanwhile is probably the deepest game in the series from a gameplay perspective. Super fast, freeform, and deep, it's probably the most celebrated MK by the FGC and still beloved.

There are other good games in the series too, but these would be my top recommendations as a fan.

 

[TruxtonTatsujin TruxtonTatsujin]

I like the ps2 era ones the most. Got a 2.5D thing going on and has lots of single player stuff. Plus has a really good spin off game with Shaolin Monks. From MK9 onwards I kind of lost interest in the series. The arcade/digitized era stuff is fun to mess around with but are far from my favourite fighters.

 

[Felipe]

The 1st one which i played in the 90's after it arrived here.

 

[MrYesterday]

X's story isn't something I enjoy, but arcade mode is pretty damn good. It also has a versus mode where you can fight the CPU, unlike MK9 where you could only challenge other players.

Oh and btw, the first Injustice game is pretty much MK9 with a dc skin, so it's also very fun.

The Krypt is awesome in that one too.

The jumpscares, though...

 

[Xarr]

Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance is my favorite MK game but I would say MK4 and everything after it is worth a play. I liked the early MK games but they are kind of dated as far as fighting games go.

 

[DjQuick2008]

i like MK11 ultimate its funny with terminator in it and rambo. also shaolin monks is good has that God of war vibe.

 

[Xarr]

Never been a super big fan of MK (I hate 2D fighters with block buttons and I was never a big fan of the aesthetics and art styles, especially from the newer ones), but I think 9 and X are genuinely really fun. The only classic one I've played was UMK3 and while it's fun to play with friends and whatnot, fuck playing arcade mode or any kind of single player mode in that. The AI literally reads your inputs.

Yeah they didn't turn the arcade difficulty down when they ported most of the 90s arcade games to home consoles, Mortal Kombat Trilogy was just as difficult on very easy as it was on every other difficulty.

 

[TheSoulWalker TheSoulWalker]

2, UMK3, Deception, 9, and X are the only Mortal Kombat Games worth playing.

 

[diet_orange]

Definitely Shaolin Monks, can't recommended it enough! MK Deadly Alliance is a good single player experience too that kind of eases you in to the finer points of playing the game

I also have a ton of nostalgia for the Genesis Port of MK 1 even though it's very far from perfect

 

[TruxtonTatsujin TruxtonTatsujin]

Definitely Shaolin Monks, can't recommended it enough! MK Deadly Alliance is a good single player experience too that kind of eases you in to the finer points of playing the game

I also have a ton of nostalgia for the Genesis Port of MK 1 even though it's very far from perfect

Genesis ports of 1 and 2 are the best simply for the Matt Furniss music. It truly is the best sounding versions of these games.

 

[Lena CE]

UMK3 is the best classic MK by far and very fun to just do some arcade runs thru from time to time. The 3D era is noteworthy for having a lot of content on them, particularly Deception and Armageddon. Shaolin Monks is a really fun beat-em-up especially with a friend and then MK9 and MKX are the best of the modern era tho MK1 is still decent imo

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's icon TamagotchiTamaHero24 TamagotchiTamaHero24]

I mean it when I say, X is STILL godly. Its gameplay is so incredibly fun.