Top Games For Mortal Kombat Fans To Play Now

Mortal Kombat is one of the few video game franchises that has stood the test of time. This cult-classic series has garnered loyal fans for generations. In fact, the first-ever Mortal Kombat game is celebrating its 30th anniversary in October of this year.

Since hitting arcades in 1992, the franchise has spawned numerous sequels and spin-off games alongside both live-action and animated films. There have also been several TV shows, comics, novels, and even a collectible card game. Furthermore, Mortal Kombat tournaments have also been a fixture in the gaming community since the late 90s. 

A lot of us grew up on the different versions of Mortal Kombat, so it is only natural to look for similar games we can try. If you feel the same, check out our guide on the 10 must play games for fans of Mortal Kombat.

1. Street Fighter V

The Street Fighter franchise is arguably just as popular as the Mortal Kombat series. This classic series has also dominated the fighting game scene for decades now. Developed and published by Capcom, Street Fighter has created some of the most iconic video game characters in history. Most early 2000s gamers are probably familiar with Ryu, Chun-Li, and Vega.

Street Fighter V is the seventh installment in the main series and was released for Windows and PlayStation 4 in 2016. It follows the standard, side-scrolling gameplay system that Street Fighter and other classic fighting games are known for. The game also features 3D characters and background design but is set in a 2D arena.

There were originally 16 characters when Street Fighter V was first released, with four of these being new additions in the series. Each season of the game introduces six new characters for a total of 46 as of Season Five. The plot is set between the events of Street Fighter III and Street Fighter IV, starting with Charlie Nash waking up in a tomb. He then embarks on a journey to defeat M. Bison while running into others along the way.

The game was positively received by critics and players. IGN and GamesTM both gave it 8 out of 10 ratings. Street Fighter V has since sold more than 5.2 million as of 2021. 

2. Tekken 7

Tekken is yet another in a long line of successful fighting game franchises in video game history. Since the first Tekken was released in arcades and for the PlayStation in 1994, the series has gone on to become a household name. With more than 30 years of dominance in the gaming scene, it’s no surprise that its loyal fans brought a lot of hype for the release of Tekken 7.

This Bandai Namco Entertainment production is the seventh installment in the main Tekken series. The plot is set after the events of the previous game, Tekken 6, with the war between the G Corporation and Mishima Zaibatsu continuing to take its toll on the world. Jin Kazama is missing, so Nina Williams leads the Zaibatsu in his absence. As a result, the United Nations intelligence group is tasked to locate Jin.

Tekken 7 features the classic one-on-one battles in a 3D arena. Each character has their own unique movements and attacks, but with the same basic controls. New features were also added like Rage Art, which is a unique move for each character that can be used during Rage mode. It shows a cinematic sequence that ends with a lot of damage.

Power Crush and Screw hits are also new attacking mechanics. Due to its popularity, the game was the top seller in its first two weeks of release and it has already sold more than seven million copies as of March 2021.

3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

This 2018 fighting game was developed by Bandai Namco and Sora Ltd. and was published by Nintendo for the Switch. Ultimate is the latest installment in the series and follows the classic gameplay that fans have come to love. Even the earlier games in the series like Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee are still popular among fans and pros alike, a testament to how good this franchise is.

Ultimate can have up to eight players in a game. It features famous Nintendo characters as well as other popular icons from other developers like Sega, Capcom, Konami, and Mojang Studios. Additional characters were also added after its release. As of 2021, Kazuya Mishima from the Tekken series is the newest addition.

The objective in Ultimate is to knock your opponents out of the fighting arena. Each player has a percentage meter that increases as they take more damage, making them easier to defeat. There are three ways to win a match. Either you beat the enemies within a time limit, play with a set number of lives, or just knock an opponent’s health to zero. 

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate received heavily positive reviews and even won several awards. It won Best Fighting Game at the Game Critics Awards in 2018 and The Game Awards 2019. As of 2021, the game has sold more than 24.77 million copies.

4. Killer Instinct

Killer Instinct was released in 2013 for the Xbox One. This is a reboot of the classic franchise from 1994 that was published by Nintendo, Midway, and Microsoft Studios. It was developed for arcade machines, the Super NES, and Game Boy. The original game was followed by a sequel called Killer Instinct 2 for arcades. The same sequel was also released for the Nintendo 64 but was renamed Killer Instinct Gold.

The game revolves around one-on-one combat that focuses on combo-based mechanics. It is very similar to Mortal Kombat and Tekken in this aspect. There are also several variations of combos such as Openers, Linkers, Enders, and others. Enders are a particularly important element to learn because they are a sequence of attacks that can only be used to finish off your opponent.

The series storyline was also rebooted but has retained a few details. Season One included story-based campaigns for each playable character. In Season Two, a Rivals Story Mode was introduced to the game.

This is an expanded campaign that follows the Season One storyline depending on the decisions you made previously. All three seasons of Killer Instinct have received generally favorable reviews from critics so far and have gained significant patronage from the gaming community.

5. Injustice 2

Injustice 2 is the sequel to the popular DC Universe fighting video game, Injustice: Gods Among Us, that revived the world’s interest in arcade-type fighting games. This one was published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment in 2017 for the PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, and Xbox One. The Legendary Edition was subsequently released in 2018.

The game features one-on-one combat that includes basic and special attacks, combo-moves, and special abilities with the goal of knocking out your opponent. Each character has traits that provide temporary boosts or abilities. There is also a super meter that allows special moves for your character once it fills up. The environment in the battle arena is also quite interactive as you can perform certain attacks like throwing a car.

The story begins with a flashback of an infant Kal-El and his cousin Kara Zor-El’s escape from Krypton when it was attacked by Brainiac. It then skips to the present day where Batman and Robin try to stop Superman from executing the local inmates in the Arkham Asylum.

There are 28 playable characters in the main campaign for Injustice 2. They also released 10 additional ones which are a combination of DC Universe characters and a few guest fighters from other popular media.

6. Soulcaliber IV

This is one of the older games on our list, but it still holds its own in the world of fighting games. Soulcalibur IV is the sixth installment in the series and is the first one without an arcade version.

The game features four game modes which are Story, Training, Museum, and Arcade. There are 34 fighters you can play within Arcade, with two new ones and three guest characters from the Star Wars Universe. With this addition, fans of the film franchise can now use Yoda, Darth Vader, and The Apprentice when they play.

Soulcalibur IV won the Best Xbox 360 Fighting Game award from IGN in 2008. It was also awarded Best Fighting Game by the Spike TV Video Game Awards. Since its release, the Soulcalibur series has sold more than 13 million copies worldwide.

7. King of Fighters XIV

King of Fighters XIV is the latest installment in the King of Fighters fighting video game series. The franchise started with The King of Fighters 94 that was released for arcade systems and the Neo Geo home consoles. This game is the 14th title in the long-running series and one of the most well-received. 

Unlike the 13th game that used 2D raster imagery, this latest game is rendered entirely in 3D, making for an exciting fighting game. The King of Fighters XIV has fantastic gameplay, an easy-to-use fighting system, and a great mix of interesting characters – both new and old. While the visuals are a bit of a letdown, the rest of the game lives up to expectations, making it a worthy addition to this list. 

8. Dragon Ball FigherZ

Dragon Ball is one of the most popular anime of all time, so it is no surprise that there is no shortage of video games made for it. As such, the Dragon Ball FighterZ was published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for the Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and the Nintendo Switch.

Dragon Ball FighterZ is a 2.5D fighting video game that simulates 2D. Most of the controls are based on the Marvel versus Capcom franchise. This involves forming a team of three characters where you can only use one at a time. You can, however, switch your character at any point in a match.

There are universal moves like melee attacks and dodges that all characters use, but each of them will still have their special moves taken from the Dragon Ball anime. You can play in classic arcade mode or the campaign that follows the game’s storyline where all the characters also play their part.

The game has already sold more than six million copies throughout the world as of 2020. It is also widely known as one of the best Dragon Ball video games of all time.

9. Virtual Fighter 5

Since Sega is one of the most popular video game companies in history, fans are sure to try out every game they release. The Virtua Fighter series is one of the company’s original titles, with the first installment released in 1993 for the Sega Model 1 arcade system.

The Virtua Fighter original game is also known as the first 3D fighting game ever released, and its succeeding titles have always received positive overall reviews. In summary, no Virtua Fighter game has ever bombed in its almost 30 years of existence.

Virtua Fighter 5 was released in Japanese arcades in 2006. It was later re-released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It immediately became an instant classic for teens and children with home consoles. It follows the story of the fictional Fifth World Fighting Tournament with 17 of the world’s best fighters competing against each other.

10. Dead or Alive 6

The sixth installment of the Dead or Alive series was released in March of 2019 for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Microsoft Windows. This is one of the more graphic games on our list, so it may not be suitable for younger audiences. 

Dead or Alive 6 has 31 playable characters with a few downloadable content characters in the works. The storyline follows the events of Dead or Alive 5, with Kasumi of the legendary Mugen Tenshin clan becoming a rogue ninja and living a solitary life in the mountains. It is also often mentioned how the tutorials are simple to follow, which makes the game more enjoyable and convenient for beginners to play.

The game received favorable reviews across the board. It was also nominated for several awards including the Best Fighting Game at the 2018 Game Critics Awards and The Game Awards 2019. The digital version of the game has sold more than two million copies within its first three months of release.