The new installment of the world-famous Mortal Kombat series was officially released on PC and consoles on September 19, 2023. Players can already explore the new gameplay, combat system, and reunite with classic characters returning from the earlier parts of the series.

However, if you're new to Mortal Kombat, you might face challenges in learning and understanding the game. In this guide, you will learn where to start with Mortal Kombat 1 and which characters are suitable for beginners.

Best Characters for Beginners

Sub-Zero

Sub-Zero is one of the most recognizable characters in the series, along with his former enemy Scorpion, who have become brothers in the new MK installment.

It's no surprise that both beginners and experienced fighters love this character. Sub-Zero fits well in any Kameo squad and can face any opponent in single combat. His main advantage is his freezing attacks, which immobilize the opponent, allowing you to spam them with a series of powerful attacks.

Scorpion

Scorpion wields the power of Inferno, the opposite of Sub-Zero. His trump card is his fire chains, which pull the enemy toward him, immobilizing them and delivering a powerful blow. Scorpion strikes a perfect balance between strength and speed. His combos are straightforward, and his attacks are powerful—what more could you want for an optimal start?

Johnny Cage

Johnny Cage is not only a strong but also a humorous character who will delight you with interesting dialogues and jokes.

Cage is a typical hero of Hollywood action movies and martial arts films. He can stun opponents, his combos are unblockable, and his strikes deal significant HP damage. You'll definitely enjoy playing him.  

Reptile

Reptile has several forms – reptilian and human. He is an experienced ninja who can transform into a lizard and use poisonous slime attacks. Thanks to the fairly overpowered invisibility skill, you can catch the enemy off guard and launch a surprise attack.

His damage output is slightly lower than that of the previous characters, but his essence lies in agility and clever tactics. He's ideal as a support character in Kameo fights.  

Kung Lao

Kung Lao is a master of martial arts, delivering devastating airborne strikes. He attacks rapidly up close, allowing you to spam the opponent, and possesses a special move – a hat with blades capable of slicing opponents in half.

His difficulty level is slightly higher, but he's still suitable for beginners to learn. 

Baraka

Baraka is a natural killing machine and a true tank. His main advantage is blades growing directly from his hands, allowing him to perform powerful ranged attacks. Approaching this character and delivering a quick attack is much more challenging. You can simply spam the enemy with blade strikes, not giving them a chance to react. In one of Baraka's combos, he delivers ten precise strikes, which can almost completely annihilate the opponent.

Some of Baraka's attacks are so powerful that they launch the enemy into the air and interrupt their moves. In general, he's a very convenient and versatile fighter.

About Kameo Fights

Kameo Fights is another new mechanic. You choose the main hero who will actively participate in combat and a support character – the second hero who appears on the battlefield only to perform a move and provide backup. You can summon reinforcements in the form of a second character only after accumulating enough energy.

Kameo heroes should be well-balanced. Remember that the second hero is a support character. Therefore, they should compensate for something lacking in the main fighter, such as mobility or attack. For example, for mobility, you can choose Kung Lao, and for attack, Baraka. It's better to pick a more powerful character as the main hero and a more agile and mobile one as the support.

Combos and Fatalities

In Mortal Kombat 1, all characters differ in two main characteristics: ease of performing combos and the distance required to perform a Fatality – a deadly strike. Some characters can perform combos with just a couple of button presses, while others require 4-5 consecutive button presses, which is more challenging and requires attention. Fatalities can be performed at different distances: one character can do it up close to the opponent, while another can do it at medium or long range.

From this, we can conclude that a character with simple combos is optimal for beginners, and it's better to perform Fatalities at a long range to avoid accidental damage from the opponent.

One notable feature of Mortal Kombat is that there aren't too many blatantly overpowered characters in the game, and there is no imbalance of power. Yes, you can choose Sub-Zero with a convenient freezing move, but against Scorpion with Inferno power, that skill won't be as effective. Characters differ only in the moves they use, and when fighting against each other, they have equal strengths. You don't necessarily need to study guides – just learn the combo buttons and confidently enter battle.  

About the New Invasion Mode

The same cannot be said for the new mode - Invasion Mode. Here, there is a special mechanic – the power of elements and elements, which each character possesses. Each element has advantages and disadvantages compared to other elements, so sometimes, you'll have to switch your active hero.

The mode is similar to a board game. You explore the location, engage in battles with enemies, solve puzzles, and receive special rewards. One of its features is stronger enemies, so you'll need to gain experience, a talisman system that gives the hero passive abilities, and elements. The location will change every 6 weeks.

We've provided more details about the Invasion Mode and Johnny Cage's Mansion in a separate guide.

You'll quickly get the hang of Mortal Kombat 1 if you go through the tutorial and a couple of missions in story mode. Choose your characters based not only on attack stats but also on personal preference – with any character, if you learn their moves and combos, you can emerge victorious.