Mortal Kombat 1 vs Mortal Kombat X
Mortal Kombat 1 is a fighting horror game from NetherRealm Studios (2023) while Mortal Kombat X is a fighting horror game from NetherRealm Studios (2015).
Quick answer: Mortal Kombat X rates higher, 7.7 to 6.8 on the GamingPickz Score, and Mortal Kombat X is the cheaper at $19.99.
What each one is
Mortal Kombat 1 is filed under Fighting and Horror. In contrast, Mortal Kombat X under Fighting and Horror.
Discover a reborn Mortal Kombat™ Universe created by the Fire God Liu Kang. Mortal Kombat™ 1 ushers in a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and fatalities!
Experience the Next Generation of the #1 Fighting Franchise. Mortal Kombat X combines unparalleled, cinematic presentation with all new gameplay.
Story, characters and reception
Plot
After defeating Kronika and Shang Tsung , Fire God Liu Kang uses Kronika's Hourglass to recreate the universe before relinquishing control of it to Geras to become Earthrealm's protector. Over time, he forms a tenuous alliance with Outworld under the auspices of continuing the Mortal Kombat tournaments. In the present, Shang Tsung, now a powerless Outworlder, struggles to make a living selling quack medicine until he is approached by a mysterious… (Wikipedia)
Characters
Main article: Characters of the Mortal Kombat series The base roster of Mortal Kombat 1 features 22 playable characters, all of them featured in past Mortal Kombat games, including several who have not appeared since Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006). An additional character, Shang Tsung , was offered as a pre-order bonus . Two "Kombat Packs" were subsequently released, each with six new playable characters, 3 of them being guest characters. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Mortal Kombat 1 received "generally favorable reviews" from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic . 87% of critics recommended the game on review aggregator OpenCritic . The Nintendo Switch version was critically panned upon release for its poor graphical quality, extensive load times, poor performance, and numerous bugs . (Wikipedia)
Plot
Two years after the defeat of Outworld's ruler , Shao Kahn , Shinnok attacks Earthrealm with his army of Netherrealm demons, as well as Earthrealm warriors who were killed during Kahn's invasion and are now resurrected as revenants under Quan Chi 's control. After fighting their fallen comrades, a strike team led by Johnny Cage , Sonya Blade , and Kenshi open a portal to Raiden's Sky Temple and head to the Jinsei Chamber, the source of Earthrealm's life… (Wikipedia)
Characters
Main article: List of Mortal Kombat characters The game had 25 playable characters at launch, with 8 additional characters added via DLC . The playable characters in bold are new to the series, while the italicized ones are guest characters. Goro was available either as a pre-order bonus, or with the purchase of Kombat Pack 2. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Critical reception Reception Mortal Kombat X received largely positive reviews. Aggregating review website Metacritic gave the Xbox One version 86/100 based on 21 reviews, the PlayStation 4 version 83/100 based on 81 reviews, and the Windows version 76/100 based on 10 reviews. It became the fastest selling game in the history of the Mortal Kombat series and topped the US and UK PlayStation 4 sales charts in the month of release. (Wikipedia)
At a glance
| Mortal Kombat 1 | Mortal Kombat X | |
|---|---|---|
| GamingPickz Score | 6.8/10 | 7.7/10 |
| Steam rating | Mostly Positive (72%, 49,237) | Very Positive (86%, 60,712) |
| Critic aggregate | 82/100 | 84/100 |
| Price | $49.99 | $19.99 |
| Install size | 140 GB | 36 GB |
| Steam Deck | verified | verified |
| Released | 2023 | 2015 |
| Developer | NetherRealm Studios | NetherRealm Studios |
Prices and Steam ratings are read live and move over time.
Mortal Kombat 1 vs Mortal Kombat X, point by point
Each facet side by side. A round is marked won only where a figure settles it; feel and "which is better" carry no mark, because no number we hold decides them.
Genre and premise
Mortal Kombat 1Fighting horror gameMortal Kombat XFighting horror gameWhat each is filed as. Each game describes itself in full above; we do not judge a premise.
How it plays
Mortal Kombat 1Fighting, Action, GoreMortal Kombat XFighting, Gore, ActionThe tags players apply most, in order of votes. A read on feel, not a verdict.
Reception
Mortal Kombat 1Score 6.8 · 72% on Steam · 82 criticMortal Kombat X ✓Score 7.7 · 86% on Steam · 84 criticThe GamingPickz Score is a composite of player sentiment, critics and popularity, computed the same way for every game.
Content and scale
Mortal Kombat 149,237 reviews · 28 add-ons · 140 GBMortal Kombat X60,712 reviews · 23 add-ons · 36 GBReach and footprint, not quality: more reviews or a bigger install is not a better game.
Price
Mortal Kombat 1$49.99Mortal Kombat X ✓$19.99Read live from Steam and subject to change.
On a Steam Deck
Mortal Kombat 1VerifiedMortal Kombat XVerifiedValve's own Deck compatibility rating.
Mortal Kombat X takes 2 of the marked rounds to 0. That is only what a number can decide, not which you will enjoy more.
The two on the grid
Compare the whole catalogueMortal Kombat 1 and Mortal Kombat X on the axes the GamingPickz Score is built from, on the full 0 to 100 scale so each dot is its real position. Change either axis to compare them on any measure.
2 games have both
Players. The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000.
Popularity. A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it.
- Multi-platform
Every point links to that game's entry. The value map and the reception map are fixed views of the same data.
How positions are decided
No paid placement, no favouritism, live third-party data
- Placed by the published method, not by us. Every coordinate is computed from the axis definitions and weights printed on this site. Nobody moves a point. See the axes.
- Nothing here is paid for. No sponsored placements, no promoted slots, no arrangement of any kind affects a position. If that ever changes it will be labelled and sit outside the ranking.
- No favouritism, including our own. The 16 games we have written full reviews of are scored by exactly the same formula as the other 1,510, from the same third-party inputs, and they land where it puts them. Our own opinion of a game does not enter its coordinates.
- A position is not an endorsement. It says how a game was received and what it costs, not that we recommend it. Where we do recommend something, it carries a written review with a name on it.
- Fetched from live third-party data. Player sentiment from Steam, critic aggregates as published on store pages, prices checked hourly, attention from Wikipedia. Each figure carries its source and the date it was read, and we do not adjust any of them.
Which to pick, by what you want
- The higher-rated of the two: Mortal Kombat X (GamingPickz Score 7.7)
- The cheaper right now: Mortal Kombat X ($19.99)
- Lighter on storage: Mortal Kombat X (36 GB)
What they have in common
Both are tagged by Steam players with:
FightingActionGoreMultiplayer2D FighterBloodViolentArcade
Where they differ
Martial ArtsPvPStory RichCharacter CustomizationLocal Co-Op3D
Local MultiplayerGreat SoundtrackOnline Co-OpFantasyThird PersonFemale Protagonist
Tags players apply to one game and not the other.
Difficulty and who each is for
By the tags players apply, Mortal Kombat 1 is middle-of-the-road on difficulty. Mortal Kombat X is middle-of-the-road on difficulty.
System requirements, side by side
| Mortal Kombat 1 | Mortal Kombat X | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum GPU | Nvidia GeForce® GTX 1660 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 |
| Minimum CPU | Intel® Core™ i5-6600 | Intel Core i5-750, 2.67 GHz |
| Minimum RAM | 8 GB | 3 GB |
| Install size | 140 GB | 36 GB |
Can your PC run them? Check each against your own kit: Mortal Kombat 1 · Mortal Kombat X.
Accessibility features
Steam store pages declare 7 accessibility features for Mortal Kombat 1 and 1 for Mortal Kombat X. A declaration is a floor, not a review.
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Common questions
How different are Mortal Kombat 1 and Mortal Kombat X in scope?
Mortal Kombat 1 has drawn 49,237 Steam reviews, ships 28 add-ons and installs in 140 GB. Mortal Kombat X has drawn 60,712 Steam reviews, ships 23 add-ons and installs in 36 GB.
Is Mortal Kombat 1 or Mortal Kombat X better?
By the GamingPickz Score, Mortal Kombat X rates higher (7.7 to 6.8). That is a composite of player sentiment, the critic aggregate and popularity, not our taste. "Better" also depends on price, length and platform, which the table above lays out.
Which is cheaper, Mortal Kombat 1 or Mortal Kombat X?
Mortal Kombat X is cheaper right now at $19.99, against $49.99. Prices move, so this is read live from Steam and can change.
Should I get Mortal Kombat 1 or Mortal Kombat X?
Mortal Kombat X rates higher, 7.7 to 6.8 on the GamingPickz Score, and Mortal Kombat X is the cheaper at $19.99. It also depends on what you want: the "which to pick" section above calls out which is cheaper, lighter on storage, better on a Steam Deck and the safer bet by weight of reviews.
Do you rank one above the other for a fee?
No. Neither game, nor anyone else, pays for placement or a verdict here. The order and every figure come out of the same public data the rest of the site uses.
Related comparisons
All comparisonsHow we compare, and what we will not do
The GamingPickz Score is a composite of player sentiment (adjusted for sample size), the critic aggregate and popularity, computed by the same code every ranked list on this site uses. The Steam rating label is Valve's own, reconstructed from the positive percentage and review count. Prices are read live. We do not write an opinion of which game is "better": we report the numbers and say which wins each measurable question above.