Mortal Kombat

Mortal Kombat uses a side-view 2D fighting format with three-round matches. Players control each fighter with directional inputs plus punch and kick buttons to perform strikes, throws, blocks, and specials. Every character has unique move properties and a finishing technique that can be triggered after a victory. Progress is made by clearing the arcade ladder, defeating successive opponents, and reaching the final boss encounters.

Liu Kang

A Shaolin monk and the series' central hero, known for fast martial arts and projectile attacks.

Raiden

The thunder god who protects Earthrealm, using lightning and teleportation.

Kano

A ruthless mercenary and Black Dragon member focused on dirty close-range combat.

Sonya Blade

A Special Forces officer with agile grapples and ring-based attacks.

Johnny Cage

A Hollywood action star whose style mixes flashy kicks and pressure moves.

Goro

A four-armed Shokan champion and one of the game's most famous bosses.

Learn your character's safe attacks first, then build around a reliable special move. Stay disciplined with spacing, because reckless jumps and strings are easy for the CPU to punish. Use sweep attacks and jump-ins to break the opponent's rhythm, and keep blocking ready against fast retaliations. Against bosses, play patiently and look for openings after their bigger whiffs.

Secret fight conditions

Certain hidden fights and Easter eggs can be triggered only under specific arcade conditions.

Tips and tricks

• Practice the timing of each special move until it becomes muscle memory.
• Use blocks and sweeps to control the tempo instead of rushing every exchange.
• Pick one main character and learn their punish options before chasing advanced combos.