Mortal Kombat 1 (2023)

Mortal Kombat 1 is paradoxically both a reboot of sorts and the continuation of Mortal Kombat 11 (Aftermath). It not only retools the gameplay around the new Kameo system, but also brought back characters not seen since the Deadly Alliance and Deception days...oh and a story mode lousy with timeline shenanigans and more.

It's the second Mortal Kombat game to get released on the Nintendo Switch; on release its downgraded graphics due to the Switch's hardware limitations got it no small amount of mockery, and it was poorly received at launch overall. Thankfully its reputation was rehabilitated somewhat with post-launch fixes.

Official support for the game concluded in 2024, not long after the release of its Khaos Reigns expansion.

Unused / Unfinished Characters#

Certain Story Mode characters and Kameos are playable via mods, and when used, prove to be somewhat unfinished versions of characters that would see a more polished release later on as DLC.

Playable Characters#

Quan Chi#

Watch on YouTubeThe Story Mode version of of Quan Chi. He uses Shang Tsung's stance and special moves from Mortal Kombat 11 as placeholders (apart from his throw, which is taken from this game's Kung Lao). This Quan is used for the Story Mode as both an opponent and a Kameo for Shang Tsung in Arcade mode. He would later be completely retooled and fleshed out as a DLC Character on December 14th for the Early Access users, fully released on December 21st. The unfinished Quan still exists in the files regardless.

Naturally, aside from vocals he's heavily incomplete. He lacks a Fatal Blow skeleton, throw camera angles and post-fight victory pose as well as any kind of finisher, and has only the most rudimentary basic and special attacks. Even his win screen lacks a camera cut. He does, however, have an alternate skin featuring his original pre-ghost attack dark skin color.

This version is the one used as Shang Tsung's Kameo in Arcade and Story mode.

Ermac#

Watch on YouTubeLike Quan Chi, Ermac's Story Mode version is incomplete and uses assets from MK11 as placeholders. In Ermac's case, he (they?) uses Noob Saibot's MK11 moves verbatim aside from them being edited to feature Ermac's soul aesthetic, along with Shang Tsung's Ermac-morph tele-slam special from the same game. As a consequence, only two of his basic strings work, as his other Noob-borrowed strings would require the sickle and shadow clone that Ermac here lacks. Just like Quan Chi, he lacks Fatal Blows and the skeleton graphics for said moves, throw and victory camera cuts, finishers or even a taunt animation, T-Posing if a taunt is attempted. Unlike Quan Chi (before his DLC Version was released), he has working facial animations programmed in both post-round win animations and the Armageddon Chapter.

Along with Quan Chi, they were announced as part of Kombat Pack 1. Ermac released on April 16 (Early Access) and April 23 (Full Release) alongside Kameo fighter Mavado. like Quan Chi, Ermac was fully fleshed out properly with his own unique moveset...and more importantly, a mask to cover up the shrivelled face that many fans took exception to.

Kameo Characters#

Khameleon#

Watch on YouTubeAn unfinished version of Khameleon is used in the Story Mode against Tanya. Aside from lacking her character-switch gimmick, she lacks any Jade-related moves. Her DLC form, complete with a proper Fatal Blow and Fatality and Jade's moves released alongside Quan Chi on December 14th and 21st.

Elemental Kameos#

The Elemental Kameos are used in certain story fights to conveniently provide playable characters with a Kameo when a sensible one is somehow not on hand. Typically they play like other Kameo fighters. The Ice Elemental is a clone of Kameo Sub-Zero, for example. With the exception of the last mentioned, all of them use a generic Fatal Blow simply to allow that mechanic to activate at all.

Unused Dialogues#

If modded into the game's final Story chapter, Quan Chi and Ermac have voice files that play during the chapter, such as when Kitana helps fend off the Kombat Kids and when Liu Kang thanks them for their help. Certain other NPCs during said chapter such as Liu Kang and Union of Light Shang Tsung will also refer to them directly by name. This, along with the Tower endings remaining in the game data in complete form proves they were originally planned to be part of the base game roster.

Quan Chi (Non-KP1, Story Mode Ver.)#

Watch on YouTube

Neither Quan Chi or any NPC that refer to him by name have any facial animations for his scenes. Additionally his post-Kitana line is taken from his Spanish voice bank.

• Quan Chi: (when Kitana takes down the Kombat Kids) Impresionante./Impressive.
• UoL Shang: Hurry Quan Chi! You're almost there!
• Liu Kang: Its only a little further, Quan Chi!
• Quan Chi: (after being praised by Liu Kang) Generous words, Liu Kang. Now, to end this.
• Quan Chi: (as Titan Shang Tsung's world collapses) There's something wrong!
• Liu Kang: (returning the player to their timeline) Thank you for your aid, Quan Chi.

Ermac (Non-KP1, Story Mode Ver.)#

Watch on YouTubeWhile his Story Mode version is as placeholder as you can get, Ermac has fully finished voice lines and facial animations in the Armageddon Chapter, that can only be seen via hacking.

• Ermac: (when Kitana takes down the Kombat Kids) Thank you, Kitana.
• UoL Shang: Hurry Ermac! You're almost there!
• Liu Kang: Its only a little further, Ermac!
• Ermac: (after being praised by Liu Kang) We thank you, Liu Kang. Our souls will end this.
• Ermac: (as Titan Shang Tsung's world collapses) What is this, Liu Kang?!
• Liu Kang: (returning the player to their timeline) Thank you for your aid, Ermac.

Unused Endings#

Their endings were found in the game's files, but as they were relegated to Story NPCs, Quan and Ermac's endings naturally went unused until their official Kombat Pack 1 DLC release.

Quan Chi#

Watch on YouTube

Ermac#

Watch on YouTube

Unused Game Modes#

Tag Team Mode#

Watch on YouTube

An almost completed Tag Team mode much like the one seen in MK9 can be found in the games' files and accessed with mods. While playable, it is far from finished, as Fatal Blows, Throws and Breakers are unavailable.

Tags are performed with the Kameo button and can be done at any time. Additionally, both fighters' health will be lowered when this mode is active. Naturally if one character is knocked out, they're unavailable for that round.

While the ingame life bar doesn't update for which character is active, the pause menu's movelist does change to reflect the tag, and each fighter has a separate health bar.

Unused / Alternative Cutscene#

Armageddon Scene - Kombat Kids Encounter#

An actual intro scene for the MKX Kombat Kids! While it lacks sound effects and voices, it does at least let Kung Jin, Cassie and Jacqui show off what they can do in this game before Kitana takes them all down. Their scene was ultimately cut down to Kitana taking them down with little effort, likely for pacing reasons. In the end only Takeda would make the cut as DLC for Kombat Pack 1.

Project Name#

Mortal Kombat 1 is internally known as Mortal Kombat 12, and is visible when some dialogues from the game fail to load, instead showing the voice filename and location as a failsafe.