After four years of waiting, fans can finally get their hands on the next entry in the Mortal Kombat franchise, with Mortal Kombat 1 having now officially entered its early access period. As fans have come to expect, this latest Mortal Kombat entry brings back a good handful of classic modes, along with a few new experimental ones. Players can expect to find a full-length story mode, both local and online Versus modes, and a smaller but still entertaining Tower mode. However, that's not all.

Along with everything just mentioned, Mortal Kombat 1 adds a brand-new mode to the franchise called Invasion. Only playable in single-player, Mortal Kombat 1's Invasion mode is the latest in a long line of experimental side modes in the franchise, but it might just be the best so far, combining Mortal Kombat 1's excellent fighting mechanics with board game and RPG elements to create a compelling mode that adds a surprising amount of content to the game.

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Explaining Mortal Kombat 1's Invasion Mode

Available as soon as players boot up Mortal Kombat 1 for the first time, the new Invasion mode begins with a brief introductory cutscene, setting the stage for the mode's ongoing story. During the cutscene, Fire God Liu Kang explains that his new universe is suffering from constant multiversal invasions, with villains from across all timelines trying to disturb the peace. Though it's little more than an explanation to justify all the encounters players will face during the mode, it's a fun one that makes complete sense in the context of Mortal Kombat 1's wider story.

After the cutscene, players are prompted to choose a Kombatant and an accompanying Kameo Fighter, though they can swap both once in the game. Mortal Kombat 1's Invasion mode essentially sees players move around a Mario Party-like game board, based on a location from Mortal Kombat 1's story mode. The first scenario players will encounter is Johnny Cage's mansion, and they'll be tasked with moving around the board while completing challenges on each space they move to. These challenges range from standard three-round fights with regular opponents to fights with various modifiers to Test Your Might challenges and more.

As players complete challenges, they'll earn cosmetic rewards for Mortal Kombat 1's entire roster, though they'll receive rewards for their chosen character more frequently. These cosmetics include announcer voices, color palettes, pieces of cosmetic gear, taunts, and finishers. Players will also start to unlock Talismans and skill points. Talismans grant players special boons in combat, such as a shield against hits, or an extra projectile. These Talismans can be refilled and upgraded at the Armory, which players will eventually find on the board. Skill points function exactly how players would imagine, letting players increase their fighter's health, strength, and other stats.

While Mortal Kombat 1's starting Invasion board will give players quite a few hours of extra content, NetherRealm isn't leaving it there. Mortal Kombat 1's Invasion mode will apparently receive updates every six weeks or so, with each new season bringing with it a new board and theme, which also ties in with Mortal Kombat 1's Ranked mode. The current theme revolves around Hanzo Hasashi, the original Scorpion, who is taking his quest for revenge across the multiverse. Each new season brings with it unique rewards based on the rank that players receive when the season ends. As far as extra modes go, Mortal Kombat 1's Invasion may just be the best the series has ever had.

Mortal Kombat 1 is available now for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.

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