Mortal Kombat 11 Johnny Cage Guide Featuring Rewind

The expansive roster list of Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate can give some serious analysis paralysis on newcomers to the series or even to fighting games as a whole, which makes it all the more impressive to see how masterfully professional players, like Curtis "Rewind" McCall showcased here, can direct the most important elements of their kits and create a plan of actions with them. Start with one, and then look at the rest to build up your understanding of how to play and how to play against the wide range of characters in the roster.

You might not be looking to travel all the way to Evo this summer and score a top 4 finish, but there is always the first step into becoming a highly ranked competitor. Here at DashFight, we want to give you everything you need to get started in the best way possible.

Rewind's Johnny Cage Guide

Johnny Cage's Best Buttons

The Best Buttons are the key moves for the character. Either as players or opponents, you are likely to want to use or see these in play since they offer the best neutral, anti-air, and pressure value.

• 1 - Seven frames start-up and his fastest punisher, great punisher, stagger, anti-air,  and all-around a solid punch.
• D1 - Good low poke, reliable with once again a seven-frame start-up.
• 2 - Much like 1, this punch also gives you great all-around value.
• B3 - A disgustingly long-range low-fast attack, but as a glass cannon, it is Johnny's only low starter.
• F3 - The high causing of the B3, giving you a nice long-range potential with the added benefit of opening up the door for combos.
• D3 - A solid low poke, allows you to punish standing blocks without committing too much.
• F4 - One of the very few mids for Johnny, comes with the added bonus of closing a fair amount of distance.
• D4 - Just a poke, but on block it carries a lot of pushback and distance, it helps you mix up your pool of pokes a lot.

Johnny Cage's Best Variations

Since players can now use their custom Variations in tournament settings, there is no excuse not to learn what goes well together. So here is Rewind's Johnny Cage variation specials ranking:

1. Throwing Shades (DD2)
2. Pissed Off (DBF1)
3. Rising Star (DB3)
4. Say Cheese (BD3)

Johnny Cage's Gameplan

Gone are the days of smashing buttons and spamming that one combo we learned five years ago. Instead, if you want to compete or impress your mates, you have to go into each match with a Gameplan to carry through to victory. Here are your key principles:

• JC is at his core a strike throw character. Meaning you will want to mix in a lot of throws as well as combos. Your strings are a particularly powerful tool to allow you to follow them up with the grabs.
• You also have a respectable zoning tool, allowing you to mark the tempo of the fight from a distance before closing in.

Johnny Cage's Best Strings

No one wins on the back of single punches. Having a memorized list of the Best Strings you can use and change throughout the match will vastly improve your chances of coming out ahead.

• 1, 2
• 1, 2, 1
• 1, 2, 4
  • You can either finish the 1, 2 string with 1 or 4, but keeping it short can also put people on their backs, as they expect the completed set.
• 2, 4, 4
  • Can easily be hit confirmed into a full combo.
• 3, 4
  • Your optimal starter for punishing.
• F3, 4, 4
• B3, 4
• F4, 4

Johnny Cage's Bread and Butter Combos

Knowing how to adapt to the changing landscape of a fight is important. That is why Combos play a crucial role in letting you shape it and extract the most out of your inputs. Here are the combos you should be looking to pull off:

• 1. 2. 1, DBF1
• 2, 4, 4, DBF1
• 1, 2, BD3, AMP, DASH, 1, 2, 1, DB3
• 2, 4, 4, BD3, AMP, DASH, B2, F4, DBF1
• F3, 4, 4, BD3, AMP, DASH B2, F4, DBF1
• B3, 4, BD3, AMP, DASH B2, F4, DBF1
• 3, 4, BD3, AMP, DASH B2, F4, DBF1
• 1, 2, 1, BF2, AMP, S2, S2, 1, 2, 1, DBF1
• B3, 4, BD3, AMP, S2, S2, S2, S2, S2, S2, 1, 2, 1, DBF1
• 3, 4, BD3, AMP, S2, S2, S2, S2, S2, S2, 1, 2, 1, DBF1
• 3, 4, BD3, AMP, 3, 4, BF2, AMP, 1, 2, 1, DBF1
• F3, 4, 4, FB CANCEL, 3, 4, DD2 KB, DASH, F3, 4, 4, BD3, AMP, DASH, B2, F4, DBF1
• B3, 4, FB CANCEL, F3, 4, 4, DD2 KB, DASH, 3, 4, BD3, AMP, DASH, B2, F4, DBF1
• 1, 2, FB CANCEL, 3, 4, DD2 KB, DASH, F3, 4, 4, BD3, AMP, DASH, B2, F4, DBF1
• 2, 4, 4, FB CANCEL, 3, 4, DD2 KB, 3, 4, BD3, AMP, S2, S2, S2, S2, S2, S2, 1, 2, 1, DBF1
• 3, 4, FB CANCEL, 3, 4, DD2 KB, 3, 4, BD3, AMP, 3, 4, BF2, AMP, 1, 2, 1, DBF1
• B3, 4, FB CANCEL, 3, 4, DD2 KB, 3, 4, BD3, AMP, S2, S2, S2, S2, S2, S2, S2, 1, 2, 1, DBF1
• F4, FB CANCEL, 3, 4, DD2 KB, 3, 4, BD3, AMP, S2, S2, S2, S2, S2, S2, 1, 2, 1, DBF1
• S1, F3, 121, BF4
• S1, F3, FB CANCEL, 1, 2, DD2 KB, DASH, F3, 4, 4, DBF1

Johnny Cage's Guide Conclusion

Like any superstar, Johnny Cage has highs and lows, but very few mids. You will need to adapt your playstyle if it's not already tuned to the frequency of this celebrity. Throws, strings, and a good deal of planning will yield great results, but trying to mash out will not.