Highlights
- Mortal Kombat 1 has an impressive main roster with 23 fighters, satisfying both long-time fans and newcomers.
- The game celebrates the franchise's 30-year history with a blend of old and new characters.
- The DLC for Mortal Kombat 1 will likely follow the pattern of adding three classic franchise characters and three guest characters, with potential choices ranging from Judge Dredd to Pyramid Head.
Mortal Kombat 1 has just hit early access for all those who pre-ordered the Premium and Kollector's Edition of the game, and that means players can feast their eyes on the title's impressive roster first-hand now. With 23 fighters available right out of the gate, Mortal Kombat 1's roster strikes the perfect balance of expansive, but not overwhelming. There are more than enough characters there for long-time fans to really get their money's worth, but there aren't so many that newcomers would be put off trying them all.
From fan-favorite staples like Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, and Johnny Cage to some lesser-known Kombatants making their triumphant comeback like Ashrah, Havik, and Reiko, Mortal Kombat 1's roster is the perfect blend of old and new, and it does a great job of celebrating the franchise's 30-year history. But Mortal Kombat 1 isn't stopping there. Just like the last few MK entries, Mortal Kombat 1 is adding a wealth of new characters with its DLC, and while Kombat Pack 1's contents have already been confirmed, there are still plenty of potential additions that would fit right at home in Mortal Kombat 1.
Franchise Characters That Should Be in Mortal Kombat 1's DLC
Mortal Kombat 1's first DLC pack is set to bring three classic franchise characters to the roster, those being Quan Chi, Ermac, and Takeda. It seems like a safe bet to assume that any subsequent Mortal Kombat 1 DLC—if it happens—will follow this same pattern, bringing three classic MK characters to the roster alongside three guest characters. If that's the case, then there are plenty of classic Kombatants that deserve a spot on the list.
One of the most requested characters for Mortal Kombat 1 that missed out this time is Jade, Kitana's loyal bodyguard and a character that's received a lot of love and attention over the last few years. Jax and Sonya are also two staple characters that surprisingly didn't make the cut as main roster characters, though they do appear in the game as Kameo Fighters. Kabal is another common character that isn't present in Mortal Kombat 1's base game roster and is a good potential pick for future DLC.
Guest Characters That Should Be in Mortal Kombat 1's DLC
But while getting classic franchise characters in Mortal Kombat DLC is fun, it isn't nearly as exciting as getting a selection of guest characters, and Mortal Kombat 1 is kicking things off strong with its first round of DLC guest fighters. With Homelander, Peacemaker, and Omni-Man all set to appear, it seems as though Mortal Kombat 1 going for a comic book theme with its guest fighters this time around, as opposed to Mortal Kombat X's horror theme and Mortal Kombat 11's action movie focus. If that's the case, then there are countless excellent characters that deserve to make the cut. Judge Dredd would suit Mortal Kombat's style perfectly, as would Kick-Ass, and just about any of The Watchmen.
It's also been rumored that Mortal Kombat 1's DLC will feature some guest fighters that come from other video game franchises, with Doom's Doomslayer rumored to appear in Mortal Kombat 1's second Kombat Pack. Silent Hill's Pyramid Head would also make a great choice for Mortal Kombat's DLC, as would someone like Leon Kennedy or Chris Redfield from Resident Evil. Of course, just because MKX and MK11 used horror and action characters doesn't mean MK1 couldn't also, and long-rumored characters like Pennywise, John Wick, or Ash Williams would all fit Mortal Kombat 1's roster nicely.
Mortal Kombat 1 is available now for PC, PlayStation 5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
