This year marks the 30th anniversary of the influential fighting game franchise Mortal Kombat. Since 1992, Mortal Kombat has changed and evolved; however, at its core, it’s still the same series we love and enjoy.
Some of the things that have changed include the gameplay, the game modes, and the characters, especially the characters. Mortal Kombat has started to include plenty of guest characters in their recent games, a practice that started with Mortal Kombat in 2011 (not counting Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe).
Since then, characters such as Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street and Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th film series have made their way into MK games. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the franchise, here are the 5 best Mortal Kombat guest characters.
Mortal Kombat Guest Characters Ranked
- Kratos
- Predator
- Leatherface
- Spawn
- Joker
1. Kratos
The first guest character to make his way into Mortal Kombat was Kratos from the God of War franchise. A character exclusive to the PlayStation versions of Mortal Kombat (2011), the god-killing Kratos would bump heads with MK’s finest.
Sometimes, with Mortal Kombat guest characters, a few of them seem like they don’t belong. Although they are a ton of fun, it is kind of jarring to see them in the game. With Kratos, he fits like a glove.
Coming from an ultra-violent fantasy franchise, Kratos is right at home in Mortal Kombat, a franchise that could be described in the same way. He’s equipped with Greek mythological items, he’s ready to put the skills he learned during the God of War series to good use, and he’s ready to kill our favorite Mortal Kombat characters.
Fun fact: Kratos is the only guest character to have their own stage, the Chamber of the Flame.
2. Predator
In Mortal Kombat X, the franchise focused on bringing in guest characters from horror film franchises; one of these characters was Predator. This deadly alien hunter makes his way into the Mortal Kombat world to do just that, hunt. His skills make him dangerous, but his weapons take him to the next level.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxbfKJebu0E
And, unfortunately, for the Mortal Kombat characters, he brings his whole bag of tricks to the game. He has his trusty shoulder cannon that shoots projectiles to keep enemies in check. Another weapon in his arsenal is the ability to turn invisible; it doesn’t turn the Predator fully invisible. You can still see his outline; however, it does buff the Predator’s blocking.
His most ridiculous move is his self-destruct ability, which should be pretty self-explanatory. Although it takes a long time to activate, and it damages the Predator (he is self-destructing after all), it does good damage to your opponent, and it springs them up in the air, allowing for more combos.
3. Leatherface
Characters having weapons is not a new thing in Mortal Kombat. Kitana has her fans, Mileena has her sai, and Scorpion has his trusty spear. However, Leatherface outdoes them all; the horror character from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre films was a DLC character for Mortal Kombat X.
While other characters have trained years to use their weapons, Leatherface just swings his chainsaw recklessly, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. He doesn’t move with any grace or elegance, he’s just a wild man.
Besides his chainsaw, he also has his hammer; which he will not hesitate to bonk you over the head with. Leatherface is unpredictable and ruthless, and that’s why he’s one of the best Mortal Kombat guest characters.
4. Spawn
Fans have been asking for this comic book character to appear in a Mortal Kombat game for a long time, and they finally got their wish in Mortal Kombat 11. Spawn is a superhero created by Todd McFarlane. After dying and going to hell, he made a deal with the devil to come back to life; thus Spawn was created.
With his life back, he ruthlessly fights against criminals. Spawn has a pretty metal story, one that meshes well with Mortal Kombat. So, it’s clear why fans wanted him in the game, and it was well worth the wait.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbB8mHE4Y50
Not only is he voiced by the incredible Keith David (who originally voiced the character in the 90’s animated series), but they nailed his costumes and his personality. And when talking about Spawn, you can’t forget his weapons, guns, and neoplasm; both of which are available to use in the game. Overall, he’s just a fun character to play, and a highlight of Mortal Kombat 11.
5. The Joker
Another comic book character that made his way to Mortal Kombat 11 is The Joker. Interestingly enough, this isn’t his first time in an MK game. The Joker made his debut in the video game, Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe. He’s also a playable character in the Injustice fighting game series, a series that’s also developed by Netherrealm Studios.
Those games are rated T, however, so The Joker was toned down a bit. That’s not the case in MK11, where he can be as gory as can be. Not to say that The Joker must be ultra-violent and gory to be any good; it’s just an interesting change of pace from The Joker we’ve seen in the other fighting games.
Always ready for a fight, The Joker has plenty of jokes at his disposal; including but not limited to guns, boxing gloves, and a hostage. That’s right, one of his special moves is pulling a hostage out of thin air.
Another great thing about The Joker being in Mortal Kombat is the fact that DC Comics let one of their characters be in an M-rated game. This opens up the door for other characters to make their way into MK, characters such as Bane or Deathstroke.
The Joker is Batman’s best villain, and he’s one of the best Mortal Kombat guest characters.