Learning the Ropes: Top 5 Mortal Kombat 1 Characters for Starters

Mortal Kombat 1 has been around for a little while and everyone has started learning the ropes. That said, with some of the first tournaments out of the way, there are quite a few people excited to learn the game. 

Mortal Kombat is usually considered one of the most accessible of the popular fighting games due to its large single-player content, its legacy, and the fact that it isn’t the most difficult game to get a handle on. 

But, you’ll need a character and in Mortal Kombat’s large (it’ll only grow) roster, it is easy to get a little confused with who you should pick. In this article, we’ll look at the top five beginner characters for Mortal Kombat, and give reasons why they are so easy. 

Mileena

The Edenian princess has been a fan favourite for many years due to her fascinating design and personality. Mileena, thankfully, is in the base game of Mortal Kombat 1, unlike the MK11 Mileena who we had to wait years for. 

Mileena is one of the best starter characters for MK1 because of her ability to do multi-hitting strings off two buttons. So she has strings that hit multiple times which usually enables her to launch her special attack with ease. This is great for beginners who aren’t usually as fast with their reflexes as pros. 

Furthermore, Mileena has a teleport which means she can deal with zoners without much hassle. This is lovely as zoning is one of the most annoying things a new player might need to deal with. 

Best Strings

• 1, 2

• F3, 4

Recommended Kameos

• Sektor

• Scorpion

• Stryker

Scorpion

Hanzo Hasashi does not exist in this game, but we do have Scorpion. He is a member of the Lin Kuei and is unsure if his brother Sub-Zero is actually doing the right thing. But, that is none of your concern as you’re here to figure out why he is a easy character to pick up. Scorpion has been bashed as rather weak in Mortal Kombat 1, but it is also very possible to say that people just aren’t utilizing him well enough. Scorpion is god-like against the right opponents. His game plan is simple, but effective. Scorpion, like Mileena, also has a teleport and he can use this to bypass opponents that want to zone him out. He also has some pretty useful moves like his B3 which reaches really far. He also has a string that lets him  juggle opponents in the air which is also a really handy tool to have. 

What makes Scorpion really good is how well he can control the space around him. So you can pick him up and give him a try. 

Best Strings

• F3, 2

• 2, 1

• 4, 4

Recommended Kameos

• Sektor

• Scorpion

• Sonya

Sub-Zero

The original Sub-Zero, Bi Han, returns to Mortal Kombat 1 as the conflicted leader of the Lin Kuei. Sub-Zero is great for a number of reasons. Firstly, he has a dive kick, and this is always a good thing. He also has a projectile which while not unique is a pretty powerful too. His ice clones mean that he is able to force the opponent to play as you want them too. 

Controlling the pace of a match is a very underrated skill and Sub-Zero having that is not to be sniffed at. Sub-Zero can slide which allows him to low profile some projectiles and get in the face of an opponent and hit them with something. 

Sub-Zero’s ease comes from the fact that he has uncomplicated moves that are answers to most situations he will come up against.

Best Strings

• 1, 2, 2

• 2, 1, 2

Recommended Kameos

• Goro

• Cyrax

• Sub-Zero

Baraka

The leader of the Tartakan horde, Baraka returns in Mortal Kombat 1 to once more wreak havoc in Liu Kang’s new timeline. As a character, Baraka is generally seen as one of the best in the game in certain situations. This is coupled with the fact that he has insane synergy with Cyrax. 

Baraka’s strengths is in his all-roundedness. He can more or less do anything to a decent level. He has a projectile, and a far-reaching normal that is really fast (9f). He also has a normal (B3) which is a mid/low move, but it looks like an overhead  which can catch newer players unawares and can lead to a combo. His B4 is a sweep which is safe on block and can be followed by a grab. 

All these things, coupled with a  very nasty 4, 4 string which can keep opponents blocking all round, are the things that make Baraka such a great choice. 

Best Strings

• 2, 1

• 4, 4, 4

Recommended Kameos

• Cyrax

• Jax

• Stryker

Liu Kang

As the protagonist, you can imagine that he is one of the easiest characters to pick up. While  Liu Kang is not considered to be a very good character in the mid-range, he is great from distance thanks to his fireball game. Liu Kang has a high and low fireball enabling him to cover almost all of the screen and ensuring the opponent can’t approach as they please. If you do get in, he has a few strings that serve him well like his low/high string which can be confusing for players who don’t know what they are doing. 

Best Strings

• B2, 3

• 4, 4

Recommended Kameos

• Kung Lao

• Kano

• Cyrax

Hopefully, this has been of some help to you. Why not try it out and unleash your new characters on your friends. If you want more MK1 guide on how to play, you can check out our dedicated guide section which contains character guides and also game mode guides.

Now go out and have some fun.