The return of Mortal Kombat is finally here, and with it brings us the full Mortal Kombat 1 characters list for the 2023 game. A mix of new and returning fighters make up the roster, so before you start practicing any combos for your main character, it’s worth knowing who you can choose.
We can’t wait to play the latest game in the series when the Mortal Kombat 1 release date finally arrives. And, we’re sure that Mortal Kombat 1 will fight its way onto our best fighting games list. But what fighters will be helping the game reach the top spot on our list?
Mortal Kombat 1 characters list
The 30 Mortal Kombat 1 characters are:
- Scorpion
- Sub-Zero
- Liu Kang
- Raiden
- Kung Lao
- Kitana
- Mileena
- Shang Tsung
- Johnny Cage
- Kano
- Jax
- Kenshi
- Smoke
- Rain
- Tanya
- Baraka
- Li Mei
- Geras
- Reptile
- Ashrah
- Havik
- Reiko (leaked)
- Nitara (leaked)
- Sindel (leaked)
- Homelander from The Boys (Kombat Pack DLC)
- Omni-Man from Invincible (Kombat Pack DLC)
- Peacemaker from DC Comics (Kombat Pack DLC)
- Quan Chi (Kombat Pack DLC)
- Ermac (Kombat Pack DLC)
- Takeda (Kombat Pack DLC)
These are the characters we currently know about, thanks to the official announcement trailer for the game, the game’s FAQ, following trailers, and several leaks which were discussed by content creator ‘Dynasty‘. The game will have 24 characters at launch, with six more added as a part of the Kombat Pack. In, fact just three more characters are lest to be revealed in the based roster.
While the 24 officially revealed characters so far are already exciting enough, the leaked characters sound like excellent additions. If these turn out to be true, the Mortal Kombat 1 roster will please many long-time fans since it features many iconic characters that haven’t been included in recent entries. Remember though, these leaks could be incorrect. We’ll have to wait for official confirmation before we get too excited.
Scorpion
The most iconic character in the Mortal Kombat franchise, Scorpion (also known by his human name, Hanzo Hasashi) is a resurrected ninja who is strong, fast, and capable of performing amazing feats while using Hellfire, an element found in abundance in the Netherrealm.
He has appeared in every Mortal Kombat game since the series started, but we’re still happy he returns here.
His affinity with Hellfire makes him a deadly fighter, setting anyone in his path ablaze. Scorpion is also highly agile, being able to dart around the arena and pull enemies towards him.
Sub-Zero
One of the most iconic characters in the Mortal Kombat franchise, Kuai Liang, better known as Sub-Zero, is a dangerous cryomancer that is as deadly as he is fast. He can create various weapons out of pure ice, landing devastating blows against anyone in his way.
This version of Sub-Zero is also the one to end the rivalry between the Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu, working with his long-standing enemy Scorpion. Furthermore, Sub-Zero and Scorpion are also brothers in Mortal Kombat 1, no doubt making for some great story moments.
Liu Kang
Liu Kang is one of the few characters to have made an appearance in every single Mortal Kombat game, but for those unaware of him, Liu Kang has been the protagonist of the series numerous times, usually being seen as a threat by Shang Tsung and his master, Shao Khan.
In this timeline, Fire God Liu Kang is the main character, after successfully resetting the universe in the Mortal Kombat 11 expansion, Aftermath.
Raiden
The eternal God of Thunder and protector of Earthrealm, Raiden should be familiar to anyone who has played Mortal Kombat before, being one of the characters seen in every game in the series. He’s seen as a father figure by Liu Kang and Kung Lao, however, in Mortal Kombat 11 he is corrupted.
This version of Raiden is seemingly hoping to avoid the mistakes of his future self after Kronika removed the old version of Raiden from the original timeline. It’s a bit confusing, but we hope normal Raiden is back.
As the God of Thunder, Raiden makes use of lightning to perform shockingly good attacks. He’s able to conjure bolts of lightning and generate electricity from his hands to overwhelm opponents.
Kung Lao
Instantly recognizable by his razor-sharp hat, Kung Lao is one of Earthrealm’s champions, similar to Liu Kang, however, he’d much rather live a life of peace. Unfortunately, things aren’t as simple as that in the Mortal Kombat universe, and he is on a constant path to prove he is equally as strong as his friend Liu Kang.
Kung Lao is able to dish out fast attacks and at quick considerable range thanks to his iconic razor-rimmed hat.
Kitana
Back from the dead, Princess Kitana was originally murdered after betraying Shao Khan and siding with the Earthrealmers. However, in Mortal Kombat 11, she was brought back thanks to some time-jumping shenanigans and helped Raiden and his friends defeat Kronika. In the end, she worked with Liu Kang to mold a new future, but the Aftermath expansion changed those plans.
She’s a deadly opponent, performing agile acrobatic moves with her pair of steel fans that can be used both as a projectile and as a melee weapon. If you want to defeat Kitana, you’ll have to be even quicker than she is.
Mileena
A genetic experiment created by Shang Tsung, Mileena was adopted by Shao Khan and became a ruthless assassin. She has been an antagonist for most of the series, constantly jealous of her “sister” Kitana, typically showing a sadistic side of herself.
While she was somewhat missing in Mortal Kombat 11, aside from being a DLC character post-launch, she is seemingly back in the story for Mortal Kombat 1.
Mileena is a ferocious fighter, making use of her Tarkatan DNA to deadly effect, rivaling the brute force of Shokan himself. Pair with this her great speed, and she’s a force to be reckoned with in the arena.
Shang Tsung
An Earthrealm soul-stealing sorcerer, Shang Tsung is a major antagonist for the series, his abilities are almost unmatched. His allegiance with Shao Khan allows him to move between the realms unnoticed by the Elder Gods.
In the Aftermath expansion for Mortal Kombat 11, Shang Tsung was unvictorious in beating Liu Kang to create his own timeline, which would’ve been a lot more apocalyptic than the one we see in the Mortal Kombat 1 trailer. However, he is seemingly back with another plan in motion.
Johnny Cage
Action movie star Johnny Cage returns in Mortal Kombat 1. Despite his silly nature, immature behavior, and overall ego, Johnny Cage has become one of Earthrealm’s greatest defenders alongside the likes of Raiden and Liu Kang as the series went on.
However, it remains to be seen whether the new version of Johnny Cage matches that of his old self in the original timeline, as a younger Johnny was much more cocky and brash than his older self.
Kenshi
One of the most badass characters in the fighting series, and that’s saying something, Kenshi is a swordsman with psychokinetic abilities, with a hatred for Shang Tsung after the evil sorcerer tricked him into wielding a powerful sword. Kenshi should be a vital component to stopping Shang Tsung during the story, and we can’t wait to fight with him once again.
As an expert swordsman, Kenshi is a swift and strong character at close range. Pair that with his affinity for telekinesis, which allows him to push and pull enemies around, and Kenshi is certainly a fighter you want to avoid in a fight.
Smoke
A good friend of Kuai Liang, and a member of the Lin Kuei, Smoke is an incredibly talented assassin that excels at close-range combat thanks to his superb speed and combos. In the first two timelines, he is turned into an unwilling villain, forced to serve antagonists against his friends.
It remains to be seen whether this version of Smoke will stay friends with his Lin Kuei clan, or if his fate is sealed to serve others.
Rain
Starting off as a trick invention by Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon, Rain was originally a Demi-God as the son of Argus. He is an Edenian Prince, using a variety of water-related magic that can control opponents at range, and deal great amounts of damage.
From the Lin Kuei trailer of the game, it seems that Liu Kang sends members of the Lin Kuei, or Smoke himself to discover some of Rain’s secrets, however, it’s currently unclear whether this is to do with Rain himself or the Edenians.
Tanya
In the first few timelines, Tanya has been a cunning and deceiving Edenian that serves as an antagonist, usually siding with the villainous Mileena. In MK1, it seems like she is still fulfilling this role, albeit in a position of higher authority to protect “the Empress”, Mileena.
Her fighting style is extremely agile and fast-paced, with a staff capable of being used like a whip or a blunt-force weapon.
Baraka
Baraka, a general of the Tarkatan Horde, is a ferocious and dangerous character who is loyal to Mileena and the Outworld Empire in previous games. In the MK1 timeline, Tarkat is a virus rather than a species, which debilitates and turns people into monsters, with Baraka once being a respected merchant.
His appearance in Mortal Kombat 1 is much more feisty, appearing to be much faster with a range of combos that can be devastating if you’re caught on the receiving end of them.
Li Mei
Li Mei was originally an Outworld citizen, being betrayed by Shang Tsung in an attempt to save her enslaved village from the evil sorcerer. In the second timeline, she was attempting to find sanctuary for her fellow villagers in Earthrealm. Now, she seems to be siding with Liu Kang in his mission to keep the timeline sacred.
Her abilities in Mortal Kombat 1 retain her magic seen in previous timelines, but her spells have a more firework look to them, with little particles flying off enemies.
Geras
Debuting in the last Mortal Kombat game, Geras returns as a protector of the Hourglass, an artifact that is used to change and bend time at the Keeper of Time’s will. He is an artificial construct, who was loyal to Kronika, the antagonist of MK11, and seems to now be friendly with Liu Kang following his victory.
Geras is shown to have great skill, capable of using time to his advantage during fights. He has a mixture of control combos, as well as devastatingly strong attacks that will make him a powerful combatant in MK1.
Reptile
Reptile is back and for once he doesn’t look bad. While his redesign will definitely raise some eyebrows, Reptile looks a lot better than he has in a while and he can now freely transform in and out becoming a giant lizard. He also has a number of new attacks including a dive and a large projectile.
Reptile will undoubtedly be a fan favorite and its great to see him round out what is one of the strongest launch rosters for a Mortal Kombat 1 game in a while. His last appearance was in Mortal Kombat X and he looked drastically different back then.
Ashrah
Ashrah hasn’t been seen in an extremely long time, making her last appearance in Armageddon back in 2007. Here she looks better than ever and the Edenian demon has a whole suite of new moves, abilities, and attacks. Plus with a rebooted timeline there is a lot more NetherRealm can do with her.
Her reveal trailer showcased a lot of varied attacks and combos using her sword that looks to completely overwhelm her opponents. As such, she will be a force to be reckoned with.
Havik
Another fan-favorite, Havik returns in his beloved body-mutilating form. The menace that he is can rampage at his opponents, tearing his arm off, clawing into them over and over again, and chomping at their faces.
Havik will likely be a popular character in Mortal Kombat 1. He was last playable in Armageddon, like Ashrah, but has been seen as a cameo. However, here he is radically redesigned and in our opinion looking better than he ever has.
Homelander – Kombat Pack
Homelander, the iconic villain of The Boys TV show is going to be the first DLC fighter in Mortal Kombat 1. While we’re yet to see any gameplay of him in action, we can expect to see his superpowers represented in game. From laser beams to flight and incredible strength, Homelander is known for his overwhelming force and brutality. All in all, he’s a perfect fit for Mortal Kombat 1.
Omni-Man – Kombat Pack
Keeping this theme up, Omni-Man is the twisted hero turned villain of the Invincible TV show. Boasting similar powers and philosophy to Homelander, it will be interesting to see how Omni-Man differs in terms of playstyle.
Nevertheless, fans are stoked about this crossover as, like Homelander, he’s a perfect match for the brutality of the Mortal Kombat universe.
Peacemaker – Kombat Pack
Peacemaker, from the titular TV show and comics by DC, is another announced crossover character in the Mortal Kombat 1 Kombat Pack. This violent vigilante loves peace and America so much that he’s up to do just about anything for it.
His skills with firearms and hand-to-hand combat will no doubt make him a fun addition the roster, let alone the inherent irony and entertaining personality of the character.
Quan Chi – Kombat Pack
Quan Chi is a necromancer and brutal dark sorcerer that hasn’t been seen as a playable character since Mortal Kombat (2011). Fans of this fighter have had to wait a very, very long time for his return, but Mortal Kombat 1 will do just that.
While he’s likely to retain his brutal melee and ranged magic from previous iterations, Mortal Kombat 1 could see a spin on his playstyle given how long its been since his last appearance.
Ermac – Kombat Pack
Ermac is a ninja adept at telekinesis. Like Quan Chi, he hasn’t been seen properly since Mortal Kombat (2011), making him a great pick for the Kombat Pack DLC roster.
In previous games, Ermac has been an incredibly agile character that can teleport and hover, meanwhile catapulting enemies across the arena. However, he too could see some big changes to his kit with his latest appearance all these years later.
Takeda – Kombat Pack
Takeda is Kenshi’s son and a member of both the Shirai Ryu and the Special Forces. Having made his first playable appearance in Mortal Kombat X and again in 11, it’s not been quite as long since Takeda’s last entry.
Nevertheless, he’s a lightning-quick fighter that can chain punches and kicks together with rapid lethality. As an apprentice of the one and only Scorpion, Takeda is also adept with blade whips and swords can be used to weave combos together and disrupt opponents.
The roster of fighters is separate from the Mortal Kombat 1 Kameo Fighters mechanic, which are characters that are selected separately and will offer assistance during fights.
These DLC characters include not only iconic MK characters, but also crossover characters that are almost too good to be true, such as Homelander.
These characters will feature brand-new moves and skills for you to learn the ins and outs of as you take them into the arena. It’s a great way to keep the meta fresh with new match-ups and fighters that will keep players on their toes.
These DLC fighters will, however, have a staggered launch. Right now, we know that Homelander will be available Spring 2024, so it’s expected the remaining characters will be released on a regular cadence afterwards.
If you want to make sure you’re battling with these characters the first chance you get, you can get your Mortal Kombat 1 pre-orders in via the following retailers:
That’s everything we know about the Mortal Kombat 1 characters so far. We’re just excited to get back into the tournament, take on some of our favorite returning fighters, and perform some fatalities too, but you should find out if Mortal Kombat 1 features rollback netcode and if there’s Mortal Kombat 1 crossplay too.
