Summary
Mortal Kombathas introduced a bevy of fighters over its long history. The series has come a long way from the roster featured in the original game, and now there have been dozens upon dozens of playable characters throughoutMK’s many games.Mortal Kombat 1isn’t the deepest roster fans have ever seen, but it does take care to focus on previousMKalumni instead of new creations. Between old favorites and fighters brought out of obscurity, there’s a little something for fans of every type to enjoy inMortal Kombat 1’s roster.
Instead of creating new Kombatants or using more recently introduced ones,MK1opted to bring3D eraMKfightersout of obscurity. This means that a lot of the characters heavily featured inMortal Kombat XandMortal Kombat 11didn’t make the cut, including some who fans were not overly fond of. Most notably, the Kombat Kids are missing, children ofMK’s most iconic fighters who received a considerable amount of attention in the last two games.MK1doesn’t completely forget these younger fighters, however, giving them a brief moment of attention that’s sure to give some fans a laugh.
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MK’s Kombat Kid’s Explained
MK’s Kombat Kids got their start inMKX, when NetherRealm decided to follow upMK9with a significant jump forward in time. In the twenty years betweenMK9andMKX,Johnny Cageand Sonya Blade create a Special Forces team that consists of their daughter, Jax’s daughter, Kenshi’s son, and the younger cousin of Kung Lao. They are Cassie Cage, Jacqui Briggs, Takeda Takahashi, and Kung Jin respectively, and while they offer some unique fighters compared to more established names, how they were handled inMKXandMK11did not resonate with a large sect of fans.
Mortal Kombathas always balanced fantastical and grounded elements, with Elder Gods like Raiden sharing the same screen as common cops like Stryker. With the Kombat Kids, however,MKsidelined some of its more dynamic fighters for ones who were rather one-note. Cassie and Jacqui largely relied on firearms and hand-to-hand combat, and Kung Jin had a simple bow and arrow. Takeda stood out the most with his bladed whips, and this likely is the reason whyTakeda features inMK1’s Kombat Pack 1, but in the end, the Kombat Kids were new characters getting in the way of more established names.
How MK1 Handles the Kombat Kids
The Kombat Kids are all absent fromMK1’s main roster, which for some detractors is good enough on its own. NetherRealm didn’t stop there, however, and took a moment inMK1’s final actto acknowledge the vitriol behind these new creations. As players make their way through a gauntlet of unique character fusions, a cutscene shows all four Kombat Kids confront the fighter players chose. Before they get a chance to take them on, Titan Kitana steps in and quickly dispatches all of them in gruesome fashion. It’s a tongue-in-cheek moment for in-the-know fans, and shows just how much NetherRealm listens to feedback.
Mortal Kombat 1is filled to the brim with twists and turns, and the brief appearance of the Kombat Kids is just one of them.MK1makes frequent reference toclassicMKlore, all while weaving a story that stands apart from previous narratives. Just as Fire God Liu Kang has crafted a new era, NetherRealm seem to have crafted a new era for the franchise built on the back of a compelling story and innovative gameplay mechanics. It’s unclear if futureMKprojects will have room for the Kombat Kids amidst so much experimentation, but with DLC, anything is possible.
Mortal Kombat 1is available now for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
