Summary
TheMortal Kombatfranchise has been around for just over 30 years now, and in that time, the series has only continued to grow more popular, and continued to evolve with each new entry. No twoMortal Kombatgames are the same, and though multiple entries may share the same general gameplay mechanics, they all bring something unique to the table, andMortal Kombat 1is no different. WhileMortal Kombat1’s fighting mechanicsmay look and feel similar toMortal Kombat 11’s, this reboot/sequel has plenty of new tricks up its sleeve, with the most intriguing being its new Kameo Fighter system.
At the start of each match, right after the player has selected their main fighter,Mortal Kombat 1will ask players to select an additional fighter known as a Kameo. These Kameo Fighters have a handful of special moves that can be activated during the course of the match by pressing L1 alongside a directional key. These Kameo Fighters are on a meter, meaning that players can’t just spam their attacks, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t a powerful tool. And much like any other characters in the fighting game genre,Mortal Kombat 1’s Kameo Fightersmay end up falling into an inevitable trap.
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Mortal Kombat 1’s Kameo Fighters May Have a Meta Of Their Own
While all fighting games attempt to make their roster as balanced as possible, having just one or two characters take the top spot is an unfortunate inevitability of the genre. TheMortal Kombatfranchise is no exception to the rule. In recent years,Joker has been the standout fighter inMortal Kombat 11, boasting both an absurdly powerful moveset and incredible speed. So, it’s only natural thatMortal Kombat 1will have its own meta fighter or two, and the recent beta may have already confirmed one of them.
Mortal Kombat 1’s recent closed betalet players test out a handful of the game’s fighters, and while the vast majority of them seem equally overpowered this time around, there’s one Kombatant that may be taking things just a touch too far. With some ridiculously powerful basic combos that suit just about every situation, and a special ability that lets him perform a string of special moves in quick succession, Johnny Cage may currently beMortal Kombat 1’s most powerful fighter, though that will almost definitely change upon the game’s official release.
But regardless of who takes the top spot, it’s inevitable thatMortal Kombat 1will indeed have one, and its main roster may not be the only thing affected by a meta.Mortal Kombat 1’s Kameo Fighters could face the same obstacle. While each Kameo Fighter only really has four moves each, it still seems likely that one of them could have a moveset that simply outcompetes all the others. Though each Kameo Fighter was balanced fairly well in the recent beta, Frost did seem to have an edge on the competition, with her moves allowing players to trap their opponents and set them up for devastating combos.
Mortal Kombat 1’s Kameo Fighters are meant to act as a celebration ofMortal Kombat’s 30-year history, and if a meta starts to creep in, it could undermine this quite a bit, with many players simply choosing the Kameo Fighter that’s deemed the most powerful by the community. This could also have big ramifications onthe competitiveMortal Kombat 1scene. If one Kameo Fighter is clearly better than the rest, then it only makes sense that competitive players would restrict themselves to using only them, which could make for some pretty dull and repetitive matches.
Mortal Kombat 1will release September 19th for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
