Scorpion has become one of the most recognizable video game characters of all time, and while a part of this is due to his unique weaponry and signature one-liners, it's primarily down to his design. Since he's literally an undead ninja who is able to pop in and out of hell at will, it makes sense that he would have a menacing and spooky look to him, but NetherRealm went the extra mile on a few occasions to really make him stand out from the rest of the cast in terms of appearance.

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Sometimes, these designs are simply the original costumes that are automatically given to the rope-wielding warrior, but others need to be unlocked through certain means. Not all Scorpion designs have landed, though, with some being downright despised by the fans, but these are the ones that, in stark contrast, are seen as the very best fits for the character.

Updated November 4, 2023, by Ewan Lewis: With the release of Mortal Kombat 1 and the new skins that have been added in the new timeline, some opinions on the very best Scorpion costumes have changed. The brighter design scheme of the modern games have tinkered with the character's look slightly, and while many fans have grown to like these versions of the demonic undead warrior, there are a handful of costumes that are really on a whole different level in the visual department.

7 Mortal Kombat 1

Original Costume

Standout Features:

• Exposed Hair
• Lack Of Rustic Armor
• Colored Eyes

Considering that the game is set in a brand new timeline, each of the characters in Mortal Kombat 1 has quite different personalities and costumes to go with this. Scorpion's look is actually very unique and looks a lot more casual and far less demonic than his previous gear. Not only is his hair and face much more exposed now, but he also no longer has the clear white eyes that were always a signature part of the character's appearance.

There might not be anything that truly stands out for this costume that makes it amazing, but the attempt at making a more grounded and realistic Scorpion was still done extremely well, and it's a nice change of pace from what fans were so accustomed to for so many years.

6 Mortal Kombat X

Kold War Costume

Standout Features:

• Fiery Gas Mask
• Arms Wrapped With Chains
• Sleeveless Fur-Collar Jacket

How To Unlock:

• Free Downloadable Content

There ended up being a plethora of additional costumes in Mortal Kombat X that players could purchase for their characters, but by far one of the most creative and unique was the Kold War skin for Scorpion. The more realistic edge to the costume from the fiery gas mask and fur-collar sleeveless jacket almost makes Scorpion look like a figure of an urban myth who's turned up to ruin everyone's day.

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The design of the mask is absolutely top-notch, but another feature that really adds to the overall flavor of the costume is the chains that are wrapped multiple times around Scorpion's arms, which at least tries to explain where he pulls it out from in battle. It's a massive departure from the ninja aesthetic, which can seem a little jarring at first, but the creativity on show here really makes the Kold War skin something special.

5 Injustice: Gods Among Us

Original Costume

Standout Features:

• Sharp Dagger-Like Blade Handles
• Rugged Chest Plate
• Pale Skin

Any time a character outside the DC universe was added to the Injustice games, they would need to be slightly remodeled in order to fit the superhero aesthetic, such was the case with Sub-Zero. When Scorpion was introduced to the world of Injustice, though, he almost looks like a completely different person, and, if anything, he looks even scarier than he did in his owns series.

The dark hood, which hides the top of Scorpion's face, means that only his glowing white eyes and golden mask can be seen, which is a striking and pretty creepy visual. His armor also has a much more rugged design, which does give him the look of a terrifying supervillain, but by far the most noticeable part of the outfit is the curved handles of his blades that pop out from behind him, almost looking like spiky shoulder pads. It's an incredible look, and while the mask and arm braces maybe could have had some extra work, it's still a fascinating depiction of how Scorpion would look if he was facing the likes of Superman and Batman on a daily basis.

4 Mortal Kombat 1

Deadly Alliance Skin

Standout Features:

• Flaming Head
• Spiked Robes
• Skull Belt Buckle

How To Unlock:

• Premium Store Skin

Scorpion doesn't usually reveal his true devilish form that lingers underneath all of his robes and armor, but when sporting the Deadly Alliance skin in Mortal Kombat 1, he's all too happy to have his entire flaming head on full display during a fight. This is definitely the highlight of the costume, which really helps to make it feel special and unique, but the rest of the outfit is actually a more modernized version of his appearance in Deadly Alliance, which already looked amazing.

The spikes poking out from the robes and the giant armbands are all signature features of the original, but this time around, they're much more detailed and help to make this one of Scorpion's most menacing looks in the entire series. A lot of fans think that the skin might have looked just a little better if they went for a burning skull as opposed to an actual face that's on fire, but this is only a small drawback to an otherwise incredible skin featured in the newest game.

3 Mortal Kombat

Original Costume

Standout Features:

• Clear White Eyes
• Streamlined Design
• Removable Mask

Throwing it back to the very beginning, there's no denying just how iconic Scorpion's costume from the first game has become. It may be pretty simple in terms of design, missing the chunky armor pieces and even the katana on his back, but it's this stripped-back design choice that gives it a very eerie and mysterious look that perfectly represents the character himself.

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The bright-yellow color palette is something that has stuck with the character ever since the first game released, but the mixture of a pitch-black undershirt still let players know that he was far from a good guy and was most definitely hiding some dark secrets. What's more, it's even shown that Scorpion can simply slip off the mask to reveal his skeletal form, which makes the costume all the more terrifying and extremely memorable.

2 Mortal Kombat X

Gold Skin

Standout Features:

• Gold Trimmings
• Glossy Gold Face Mask And Armor
• Skulls Hanging From Belt

How To Unlock:

• Free Downloadable Content

The Gold Skin is more or less a faithful take on the classic costume from the early games, but it's finished off with a glossy new face mask and gold trimmings that add a delicate sheen to the entire outfit. It's unusual to see Scorpion wear something that doesn't look like it's been handcrafted for battle, but it provides a breath of fresh air that really stands out in the darker color aesthetic and tone of Mortal Kombat X.

Scorpion is even a little slimmer in this outfit, which is also a callback to his original appearance, where he wasn't quite as bulky because of his whips and swords being strapped to him. This is undoubtedly one of the greatest, if not the best additional costumes added to Mortal Kombat X, and it would definitely be Scorpion's best look to date, if not for one other outfit.

1 Mortal Kombat 11

Original Costume

Standout Features:

• Metallic Shoulder Pads
• Incredibly Detailed Mask
• Sorcerer's Hood
• Bulky Arm Braces

While it can technically be debated who the main character of Mortal Kombat is since the stories have focused on many different kombatants over the years, Scorpion is always the one who makes the front cover, so he needs to have a look that can draw people in. With that in mind, though, NetherRealm went absolutely above and beyond when designing his outfit for Mortal Kombat 11, which looks like the finalized version of what all his outfits had been leading up to.

The gleaming gold mask, traditional metallic shoulder pads, and sorcerer's hood all come together to create a perfect balance of the costume looking frightening but also extremely cool at the same time. There was a big worry leading into Mortal Kombat 11 that the game was going to end up being too colorful, and while this is one of Scorpion's more vibrant looks, the darker elements still call back to the character's roots, resulting in Scorpion's best look to date.

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