The latest installment in the MK series feels like a reboot in terms of gameplay, living up to its name. However, it still follows the same storyline. In our Mortal Kombat 1 tips and tricks, we’ll show you how the combat system has changed from its predecessor and how you can best send your opponents to the brink.
Table of Contents
1) Play the tutorial
If Mortal Kombat 1 is your first game from Netherrealm Studios (formerly Midway Games), the tutorial is a must. It will teach you the basic moves and mechanics and prepare you well for combat. Not only will you learn how to block correctly, but you’ll also get the chance to perform seven combo trials with each playable character.
As in all good beat ’em ups, you’ll do the most damage with special attacks, while you won’t see any cool animations with standard attacks, nor will you stand a chance against tougher opponents. Before you get into the actual game and play through the action or a few invasions, it would be good to master one or two of your favorite fighter’s combos.
But even if you are familiar with terms like Anti Air and Overhead, you should take a look at the tutorial. Some mechanics work differently than in Mortal Kombat 11. The timing has also changed and the time windows are now a bit smaller.
2) Character Selection & Kameo
Three things stand out about character selection in Mortal Kombat 1:
- We already know each of them from the previous games.
- There is a new feature called Kameo.
- MK avoids the letter C by hook or by crook.
While there are changes to the character designs and one or two names have been adjusted (Shao Kahn became General Shao), Mortal Kombat 1 basically offers the same roster as always. What’s new, however, is that you can now select a so-called Kameo. This will jump to your side in battle at the push of a button and is especially useful when you want to perform an additional overhead or extend your attack chain.
For example, it’s possible to use the Kameo between two combos to create a synergistic effect. Once used, the Kameo has a cooldown before it can be used again. However, you can’t control it. Instead, your companion will automatically fight for a few seconds at a time.
3) Use the Training Mode
Once you’ve chosen a character to play with, Training Mode is a very useful feature, especially for newcomers to the MK universe. Unlike the tutorial, you don’t have to concentrate on memorizing combos but can try out new things according to all the rules of martial arts.
Find your personal play style and improve your skills. If you’re not satisfied with one character, change it and continue with another. The balance is designed so that there’s no wrong choice. Rather, there are fighters that suit you better or worse. It doesn’t hurt to spend a few rounds in training mode with each playable character before you start the campaign and commit.
4) Learn some combos
Combos are the lifeblood of any fighting game. You have to memorize them or write them down on a piece of paper. Unlike the predecessor, they can no longer be displayed during training. In addition, the time windows in which you have to make your entries are tight. If an attack doesn’t work, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you pressed the wrong key. It could also be that you weren’t fast enough.
In the beginning, familiarize yourself with your character’s basic combos until they become second nature. Only after you’ve mastered two or three of the basics should you venture into the more complex combos. Also, try to chain combos together. This will give your opponent no breathing room and increase your chances of a perfect round. If you don’t succeed right away, just remember: practice makes perfect.
5) Fatal blow tips
Let’s talk about a new – old – mechanic of the game. The fatal blow. This works basically the same as in Mortal Kombat 11, except that you don’t do it alone anymore, but as a team with your kameo. It can be used when your health bar drops below 30 percent. Also, your companion must not have been summoned yet.
The fatal blow is an ambush attack that requires nothing more than pressing the Block button and Flip Stance at the same time. This will trigger a cutscene in which your two fighters deliver a brutal beating. As is typical for the series, this is presented to you with a bone camera and lots of blood. Done at the right moment, your opponent is history.
And of course, there are the familiar fatalities. The key combination for the first one is visible for every character at the beginning of the game. You’ll have to unlock the others during the game. When the fatality window opens, all you have to do is make the right entry on your opponent and a diabolically creative killing scene awaits you.
6) Learn to cancel attacks for your special move
As mentioned in our Mortal Kombat 1 tips and tricks, you’ll fight most effectively if you’re able to combine attacks. One effective way to do this is to switch to a special move during a standard move. This means that you cancel the attack you’ve already started and thus string together several combos.
In theory, this is even possible after the first attack, but it requires a certain sense of timing. The beginning of your special move input must occur while your character is still in animation. No one is born a master in this discipline, and it will take some practice to get a reliable chain.
If you’re fighting on a high difficulty level, these move cancellations are essential. Only if you don’t give your opponent a break and get yourself into a flow, will you be able to defeat the strong opponents.
7) Mortal Kombat 1 tips for aerial combat
A major change from the previous MK games is aerial attacks. Up to and including Part 11, these were very limited, but with Mortal Kombat 1, many characters have been given extensive attack patterns. This includes unique special attacks. Preferably you don’t let them stand alone, but link them to a launcher.
This means that you launch your opponent into the air with targeted blows, then jump and perform your special move. Again, as described in the previous tip, attacks can be canceled and replaced with special abilities. Many characters have anti-air attacks that allow you to keep your opponent airborne for an extended period of time, preventing them from making a move during your combo.
8) Ranged attacks are useful
It may sound paradoxical in a brawling game, but you’ll fight more efficiently in Mortal Kombat 1 if you don’t let it come to a brawl. Learn the combos for your long-range attacks. From pistol shots to thrown hats to laser beams that shoot out of your eyes, most fighters have attacks that allow you to keep your enemies at a distance.
Take advantage of moments when your opponent is only a few feet away by using ranged attacks and combining them with your other attacks. Especially when facing a character whose animations are faster than yours, this strategy can be the difference between victory and defeat.
9) Learn to defend yourself
At this point, we’d like to refer you back to the Mortal Kombat 1 tutorial. Before you dare to engage in a duel, you must have mastered blocking. Again, timing is important. Learn to read your opponent’s animations in order to block their attacks at the right moment. Combo cancellations are especially important.
Not only do your special moves cause a lot of damage, but so do those of your opponents. You should practice interrupting your opponent’s special abilities. If you cause an enemy combo to fail, you can retaliate by throwing one of your own at them.
You can also use your Kameo to interrupt combos. However, you should think twice before using it for defensive purposes or saving its abilities for an attack. After all, its uses are limited.
10) Play the campaign
Mortal Kombat 1 has a campaign that will give you between six and eight hours of pure action. Even though the game is a reboot, the events of the previous games are relevant. Basically, Liu Kang has become a god and created a new universe. This one is quite peaceful at first, but we wouldn’t be in a Mortal Kombat game if that didn’t change.
The single-player mode in Mortal Kombat 1 is once again superbly directed and tells an interesting story that gets completely twisted towards the end. It’s noticeably more grounded than in MK 11 but still features crazy characters and violent twists. The story of the predecessors is thankfully summarized briefly, and we recommend that you don’t skip the opening cutscene, but watch it in its entirety.
And don’t skip the credits either. Just like in a Marvel movie, there is a short – and in this case funny – sequence at the end. And speaking of funny: Despite all the brutality, Mortal Kombat 1 is not stingy with humor. We highly recommend taking a look at the campaign.
11) Check out the invasion mode
Probably the biggest innovation in Mortal Kombat 1 is the fact that, in addition to the Story Mode, there is now an Invasion Mode. Here you move around a kind of overworld and take part in different challenges. One of them is called Test Your Might.
What’s special about this mode is that you’ll unlock items like artwork and cosmetics, as well as new Fatalities. In addition, Invasion will allow you to become more familiar with the game’s mechanics while improving your skills for the campaign.
Make your battles more exciting with PLITCH!
After a four-year hiatus, NetherRealm Studios has finally returned to its usual high quality. With our Mortal Kombat 1 tips and tricks, you’ll be well prepared for the reboot, whether you’re new to MK or an old hand. Thanks to PLITCH’s Mortal Kombat 1 cheats, you can customize your single-player fights to your liking.
Replenish your Health, Super Energy, or Kameo, or decide which moves your opponents can and can’t perform. Whether you want Godmode or a frozen round-timer, our trainer offers you a wide range of settings.
Check out this video to see our Mortal Kombat 1 cheats in-game and this blog to learn more about PLITCH!
Happy Gaming!
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