🔥 My Personal Journey with Mortal Kombat from the 90s Till Today 🔥

I’ve been hesitant to write this article for a long time… but today I decided to share it because it reflects my personal opinion as a true fan of Mortal Kombat, a game I’ve played since the first installment in the early 90s up till now, without missing a single release.

🎮 The Beginning of the Journey

The journey started with Mortal Kombat 1, followed by Mortal Kombat 2, which was a massive leap in graphics, gore, and character variety. Then came Mortal Kombat 3, which introduced combos for the first time and featured Animalities. The Sega version added characters but sacrificed Animalities and Sheeva due to limited data space.

Then we got Trilogy, which brought all the characters together in a mature, almost complete version of the game.

🌐 From 2D to 3D

Mortal Kombat 4 was the first step into 3D. Then we entered the era of Shaolin Monks, which offered an excellent narrative experience, followed by Armageddon, which brought together every character from the first game up to that point and was legendary in every sense.

⚔️ A New Era Begins

After that, we entered a phase with some highs and lows… starting with Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe. The game was toned down in violence since it was rated T instead of M, as we were used to, and the Fatalities were heavily diluted, replaced by “Heroic Brutality.”

The idea was great, but the execution was mediocre. It felt like a standalone experiment rather than a true part of the series.

🔁 Back to Roots – MK9

When Mortal Kombat 9 came out, I felt the series had regained its vitality. The graphics improved, the story was brilliantly cinematic, the X-Ray system was terrifying, and the Challenge Tower made the gameplay incredibly fun. This was also the first taste of Guest Characters, which added a lighthearted touch from time to time.

🔥 Mortal Kombat X – Peak Maturity

This was one of the strongest entries, delivering a dark story, a new generation of characters, and terrifying graphics. But… this was when Guest Characters started becoming more prominent, and I began feeling like the focus was shifting away from the original characters we loved.

🧨 Mortal Kombat 11 – The Beginning of the Explosion

The combat system was excellent and balanced, but characters like Rambo and Terminator made it feel more like a crossover game than a true Mortal Kombat experience. More effort was being put into guest characters than into fan-favorites like Smoke or Ermac, who either returned late or were pushed to DLC.

It became clear: Guest Characters = marketing over meaningful additions.

💥 Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition – The Cinematic Invasion

The latest installment aimed to rebuild the series’ universe, and it delivered graphically. But… the Kombat Pack changed everything! Look who they added:

• Homelander (The Boys)
• Peacemaker (DC)
• Omni-Man (Invincible)
• Terminator T-1000
• Ghostface
• Conan

With all due respect to these characters… but is this still Mortal Kombat? Or Marvel Ultimate Alliance?

🧠 My Honest Opinion as a Longtime Fan

Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition is an excellent game in terms of gameplay and graphics… but the excessive focus on guest characters has overshadowed the original characters that should always remain front and center.

⚔️ The Clear Negative Impact:

1. Diluting the Game’s Deep Lore
Mortal Kombat 1 was trying to build a new timeline with a fresh balance… then suddenly Omni-Man shows up, slicing people in half, or Homelander stands face-to-face with Baraka!

🤯 There’s no logical explanation—just shock value for hype.
The result?
A complete breakdown in narrative flow.
2. Ignoring Mortal Kombat’s Legacy
Where are the classic characters we grew up loving?
Fans have been waiting for their return… but the developers chose to add characters from Prime Video instead of reviving their own!

📌 This makes longtime fans feel unheard—like the series is being sold out for guest appearances.

3. Playing with Fans’ Emotions for Marketing
Peacemaker voiced by John Cena? Cool idea, but the goal wasn’t story or challenge—it was marketing to DC and The Boys fans.

🎯 Clever marketing, but at the cost of the core experience.
4. Disrupted Combat Balance
Characters like Homelander and Omni-Man have completely superhuman abilities…
How do they compare to Kung Lao or Sonya Blade?
The result? Either artificial balancing that strips them of authenticity or uneven gameplay.

🎭 Guest Characters = A Publicity Stunt?

The truth?
You might enjoy guest characters if you love violence and fantasy—slaughtering people as Omni-Man can be fun. But is this the Mortal Kombat we grew up with?

The series began as a clash between realms, good and evil, Earthrealm and Outworld—it had a clear identity.
Now? It feels like:
“Which celebrity will show up next?”

🧠 My honest take as a fan:

Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition is excellent in gameplay, animation, and details…
But the overuse of guest characters has stripped it of its original soul.

Want Omni-Man? Make a standalone game.

Want Joker? Keep him as a minor guest, not a replacement for main characters.

Want to please fans? Bring back their favorite characters before adding evil Superman.

🔚 Finally:

Guest characters aren’t always bad, but overusing them has shattered Mortal Kombat’s identity.

What started as an epic battle between realms… now feels like a “celebrity guest party” with no idea who’s next.

If you’re a true fan…

Do you see guest characters as an addition? Or a betrayal of your favorite game’s identity? 🩸💭