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Category:
Mortal Kombat 1
Lists

Mortal Kombat 1 Character Tier List

This might be the strongest Raiden has ever been.
Image of Shane Foley
Shane Foley
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Published: Sep 20, 2023 09:55 am

Since any character in Mortal Kombat 1 can get a cameo that synergizes with them, it makes ranking characters in the game even more difficult. Each character is so close to one another in terms of skill that it's going to be tough to claim anyone is in F tier. That doesn't mean there aren't any stand out ballers in this roster, though.

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S Tier

  • Kenshi
  • Raiden
  • Baraka
  • Johnny Cage
  • Milena

It's hard to argue with this top 5 considering one of the best Mortal Kombat players ever, SonicFox, made a tweet saying these are the best in the game. It doesn't take a pro player to realize that Kenshi might be the best in game thanks to a very potent combo game. Raiden is looking better than ever, and even Johnny Cage gets a better neutral game here since he can use a cameo with a projectile.

A Tier

  • Liu Keng
  • Kun Lao
  • Scorpion
  • Ashrah
  • Smoke

Most characters in Mortal Kombat 1 have a strong combo game, but what sets these characters apart is their neutral tools. Ashrah, for instance, has a lot of mobility to get her around the stage. Liu Keng has a lot more Fire-based projectiles than before. Many players think Smoke can rival for that S tier position thanks to his ability to go invisible and punish aggro players for some big damage.

Related: Mortal Kombat 1 Gameplay Reveal – Fatalities, Story Details, Characters, and more!

B Tier

  • Havik
  • Shang Tsung
  • Kitana
  • Li Mei
  • Nitara
  • Rain
  • Sindel
  • Tanya

All these characters have strong combo games, they just lack the tools that the characters above them have. Havik is a perfect example, since he has an unblockable setup, but may struggle to get into position against certain fighters. The closest here to S tier is probably Shang Tsung, thanks to his unique toolkit.

C Tier

  • Sub Zero
  • Reptile
  • Geras

Mortal Kombat veterans are probably used to seeing Sub Zero much higher on these lists. The Ice lord actually was overpowered in the beta for Mortal Kombat 1, causing him to get nerfed heavily. Sub Zero fans might want to wait for the character to get buffed eventually. He shares the bottom tier with Reptile, who simply lacks options, and Geras who can run out of meter very quickly.

Want more Mortal Kombat guides? Pro Game Guides has you covered with Who is the Mortal Kombat 1 final boss?

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Image of Shane Foley
Shane Foley
Shane Foley is both a huge gamer and a Contributing Writer at Pro Game Guides. He's been gaming ever since the Nintendo 64 came out, and he knows everything there is to know about Pokémon, Fire Emblem, Zelda, and several other Nintendo franchises.