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The Mortal Kombat series is nearly as old as the fighting game genre itself, and its appeal has spread way, way beyond its humble roots in the arcade. Mortal Kombat 1 is, like many recent Mortal Kombat games, available on multiple consoles – and the fighting game community has adopted a kind of standardized code to make it easier to understand inputs on multiple controller setups.
Though controller face buttons may be different, the motions players make to do inputs remain the same on every console. The buttons' names may be different, but the location of inputs and D-pad movements are exactly the same. This guide introduces players to the universal code for Mortal Kombat 1 inputs, no matter the console, and explains how to understand what it says to do when written down. It may feel confusing at first, but in time, it becomes second nature.
Breaking Down MK1 Controls & Input Terminology
The table below lists the default controls for Mortal Kombat 1 on all consoles, and the corresponding number (or letter) for each input in the universal Mortal Kombat input code. Any player can read these inputs and understand what the controls mean and how to perform them, even if their console controller buttons' names aren't the same as another player's.
When written down, the universal code uses the labels on the far left, so be sure to learn which inputs translate to your console's controller. Not only is this code used in Mortal Kombat 1 guides across GameZXC, but it's also a standard across the fighting game and Mortal Kombat community, and understanding it is a huge step to getting better at Mortal Kombat1.
Universal Input Label | PC | PlayStation 5 | Xbox Series X|S | Nintendo Switch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | J | Square | X | Y |
2 | I | Triangle | Y | X |
3 | K | X/Cross | A | B |
4 | L | Circle | B | A |
(U)p (D)own (B)ack (F)front (J)ump | W S A D WA, WD | D-pad Up D-pad Down D-pad Left D-pad Right D-pad Up/Left, D-pad Up/Right | ||
Grab | Spacebar | L1 | LB | L |
Block/Empower | O | R2 | RT | ZR |
Kameo | ; | R1 | RB | R |
Step-By-Step Guide To Reading Inputs & Kombos
Inputs Next To Each Other
All characters can perform a low kick, and the input is the same on all consoles: B4. Because the B and the 4 are right next to each other, that means to perform both inputs at the same time.
The B means to move back, and the 4 corresponds with the Xbox's B button, the Switch's A button, and the PlayStation's Circle button. So, to perform a low kick,
- Xbox players press back and B
- Switch players press back and A
- PlayStation players press back and Circle
Inputs Separated by Commas
In this example, let's look at a Raiden combo – F4,3,4.
The comma in between each means to press the inputs in sequence, rather than at the same time. But because F and 4 are right next to each other, the player knows to press Forward and their corresponding 4 input at the same time before moving on to the rest of the combo.
3 corresponds with the Xbox's A, the Switch's B, and the PS5's X/Cross. So, to perform the F4,3,4 combo as Raiden,
- Xbox players press forward and B, then A, then B
- Switch players press forward and A, then B, then A
- PlayStation players press forward and Circle, then X, then Circle
Sometimes, inputs listed online will not use commas, so this example may instead be written out as F434. Because of the way Mortal Kombat 1 recognizes inputs for moves, pressing these inputs in sequence should still work, but commas can make combinations and timings simpler to understand.
Mortal Kombat 1 is available for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.