Every Guest Mortal Kombat Character, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• DLC characters in Mortal Kombat can be classic favorites or guests from other universes like Peacemaker.
• Some guest characters like Kratos and John Rambo struggle in gameplay compared to others like Spawn and Freddy Krueger.
• Omni-Man, a newcomer to Mortal Kombat 1, offers unique attacks and enjoyable gameplay for fans of the Invincible series.

When it comes to Mortal Kombat, the DLC characters are always exciting. The announcements themselves might incentivize you to purchase the season pass or a collector’s edition. Of course, many classic Mortal Kombat characters like Rain or Triborg are included with DLC, but sometimes a visitor from another universe shows up for a taste of Kombat.

The most debated and discussed DLC characters are the guests, fighters from other series outside of Mortal Kombat that make it onto the roster. Over the years, Mortal Kombat has seen pop culture icons from classic action and horror movies appear as playable characters, but not all of them are as strong as the others.

Updated on November 23, 2024, by Kyle Chamaillard: The second wave of DLC characters has begun, starting with the release of Ghostface on November 19, 2024. We’ve decided to revisit this list to see where Woodsboro’s famous serial killer lands against other Mortal Kombat guest characters.

16 Carl Weathers – Mortal Kombat X

When Predator dropped for Mortal Kombat X, a new skin was also given to Jax. This skin not only had the likeness but also the voice of a celebrity – Carl Weathers, based on Dillon from Predator. While there’s nothing wrong with the skin itself, that’s all it is.

The use of Carl Weathers is a great touch, but he’s given no unique voice lines. Instead, Carl just does his take on Jax’s pre-existing dialogue. He barely counts as a guest character in Mortal Kombat, but because Carl Weathers does the best with what he’s given, he earns a spot on the list.

15 John Rambo – Mortal Kombat 11

Absolutely nobody was expecting this reveal for Mortal Kombat 11‘s Kombat Pack 2. Not only was it the classic character of John Rambo, but Sylvester Stallone also voiced him in the game. As a result, everyone was excited for him when he launched alongside Rain and Mileena. Sadly, Rambo is the weakest of the guest characters.

Sure, the plethora of references to Stallone’s entire filmography is nice, but gameplay-wise, he’s a bit of a mess. Most of his specials take too long to start up without any good payoff. Rambo’s combos are very similar to Nightwolf and Kano but not nearly as good. On top of that, his finishers and customization are rather bland. He’s a fun character to play as, but you won’t win many competitive matches as Rambo.

14 Kratos – Mortal Kombat 2011

Kratos was a PlayStation 3 exclusive character for Mortal Kombat 9. You would think such a brutal and vicious character would be ripe for Mortal Kombat, but Kratos suffers from the same flaws as Rambo. His moves take way too long to prepare, and if you miss, you become extremely vulnerable to attacks that can easily knock him out if you’re not paying attention.

Unlike Rambo, however, Kratos does have some rewarding moves that can make him deadly if you know how to use them. Also, his moveset has more creative uses of weapons and abilities from the God Of War series. As one of the few video game characters to cross over with Mortal Kombat, it’s upsetting that Kratos couldn’t hold his own against other characters like Scorpion or Sub-Zero.

13 Leatherface – Mortal Kombat X

In Mortal Kombat X, each character is given three variations. Typically, there are pros and cons to each of them, but with Leatherface, two are not so great, and one is a bit overpowered. The Butcher variation of Leatherface gives him many more combos and abilities that make him great to play against friends on the couch or strangers online.

The Easter eggs and nods toward the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies are appreciated, especially with his different outfits and variations. If you like keeping your distance from your foe while battling them, nothing creates space as well as a chainsaw. There is nothing really all that bad about Leatherface, but it would have been preferred if the other two variations were at least decent.

12 Freddy Krueger – Mortal Kombat 2011

Introduced as a DLC character for Mortal Kombat 9, Freddy is a solid fighter all around. His combos are fast and deadly, with some decent melee range. His specials can get the opponent from all close or far distances, and he has easily some of the deadliest combo strings in Mortal Kombat 9. As one of the first horror icons to appear in Mortal Kombat, Freddy set a high bar.

Freddy can be a little overpowered at times, though. Also, while it made sense they were trying to promote Jackie Earle Haley’s Freddy at the time, it was strange that he was not given a Robert Englund – the original actor behind the character – skin. Freddy is also given zero dialogue which goes completely against his nature.

11 Predator – Mortal Kombat X

The amount of detail put into the Predator is impressive. The different skulls he takes as trophies, his mimicry, and the variety of weapons all show a lot of care went into designing his character. However, as cool as he is, his combat itself in all three variations never goes anywhere above decent and leaves Predator somewhere in the middle of most tier lists.

There is nothing that kills any variation, but none of them have as much impact as others. They all feel very similar to play with the pros and cons feeling more tacked on than natural. Once again, Predator lacks any skins which are criminal since there are a plethora of Predator looks across the movies that could have shined in Mortal Kombat X.

10 The Terminator – Mortal Kombat 11

At first, Terminator seems far too slow, which is accurate to how the character is supposed to be. However, Terminator is a tricky fighter that can be deceptive to unfamiliar opponents. If Terminator traps the opponent in a corner, he can initiate a combo string that can deplete their health in moments. Terminator’s damage output is downright criminal.

Some abilities, like Endoskeleton, could have been better, but many others can be used effectively for some deadly payoff. Terminator has some amazing Fatalities alongside other moves that are both playful and brutal. The gear and skins for Terminator are also great, but the voice actor is clearly doing an impersonation of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and it doesn’t always work.

9 Omni-Man – Mortal Kombat 1

Omni-Man was the first post-launch character for Mortal Kombat 1 and set a new bar for upcoming fighters. Voiced by J.K. Simmons, the complex villain swoops into the game with an arsenal of unique attacks that make him more than capable of taking down the toughest fighters on the roster. Omni-Man’s agility and strength are his greatest assets, and if used correctly, can lead to a quick demise for your opponent.

Alongside his excellent combo potential, Omni-Man is just a fun character to play as, especially if you’re a fan of the Invincible series. His brutal fatalities are direct references to iconic moments from the comics, and his mustache-twirling dialogue before a match is consistently entertaining. It would be nice if there were better skins for the character, but overall, Omni-Man fits in perfectly with the rest of the Mortal Kombat 1 cast.

8 Ghostface – Mortal Kombat 1

Ghostface is the latest horror icon to join the Mortal Kombat roster and the infamous serial killer has more than a few tricks up their sleeve. While it’s hard to imagine an ordinary person in a mask taking on characters like Shang Tsung and Homelander, Ghostface has a diverse moveset that allows them to take on magic ninjas and superheroes.

It was quickly revealed that Billy Loomis, the original villain of the first Scream movie, is the main character playing Ghostface, but it turns out former Kontestants Kira and Cobra also take turns behind the mask, giving the character a wide range of moves like Black Dragon Ball and Foot Sword. With some hilarious fatalities included, Ghostface is a great character for both serious and casual players to experiment with.

7 The Joker – Mortal Kombat 11

Despite being already overused by NetherRealm in games like Injustice, many were excited to see how Joker would play in the M-rated Mortal Kombat series. Suffice it to say: this was NetherRealm’s best iteration of the character yet. Richard Epcar – who also plays Raiden – plays the character perfectly and rivals Mark Hamill’s performance from the Arkham games.

Gameplay-wise, the Joker is an absolute monster, with all his moves having phenomenal speed and range. His crushing blows are rather easy to master, so opponents’ health can be taken down quickly. The only disappointment is that many of the Joker’s customization options are either over-designed or too bland.

6 Homelander – Mortal Kombat 1

Between Peacemaker and Omni-Man, Mortal Kombat 1 was already pretty full of superheroes, but neither of those characters is as narcissistic or egotistical as Homelander. With a wide variety of powers at his disposal, this fighter is incredibly capable of taking on anyone else in the game with ease and has already become a fan favorite with his versatile combos and long-range attacks.

While Homelander has a bunch of great physical attacks, you’ll find yourself thriving with the character when using his Laser Eyes or Diabolical Dash from a decent distance. If you’re a fan of the source material and TV adaptation, the character is full of fun Easter eggs and references to Homelander’s most memorable moments. It was a shame when Warner Bros. announced that Anthony Starr would not be voicing the character in Mortal Kombat 1, but Jake Green does an excellent job in his place.

5 Spawn – Mortal Kombat 11

Finally, after years of fans requesting Spawn since Injustice: Gods Among Us, he made it to Mortal Kombat 11. His combat is rich but hard to master. However, if one does take the time to learn it, Spawn can be a nightmare to fight online since he can hit the opponent from any range.

The gear and skins are all top-notch, the special moves are straight out of the comics, and best of all: his voice. Keith David returns as Spawn, and like always, he is perfect. He is to Spawn like Kevin Conroy is to Batman. All the years of waiting certainly paid off, making Spawn a great DLC character in every aspect.

4 Peacemaker

Peacemaker was a relatively unknown DC antihero until John Cena portrayed him in James Gunn’s excellent Suicide Squad reboot in 2021. The character quickly became a fan favorite and starred in his own spin-off show less than a year after his big-screen debut. There are certainly other DC characters that would feel at home in the world of Mortal Kombat, but Peacemaker is a welcome addition that is just as funny as he is powerful.

The character has a range of moves that can help him out against almost any opponent. His versatile helmet allows Peacemaker to activate a projectile shield and attack enemies from a distance with either the Human Torpedo or Sonic Boom attacks. You can even use Peacemaker’s pet eagle – Eagley – to attack your opponent or their Kameo Fighter. Peacemaker is a blast to play as, and Cena’s performance is perfect.

3 Jason Voorhees – Mortal Kombat X

Everyone’s favorite slasher villain joined the fray in Mortal Kombat X, and he is nearly perfect. All three variations have more pros than cons, with unique abilities that help them stand out. Though Jason has never been this agile in the films, his combat still fits his slasher style.

The best Jason to play as is definitely the Slasher variation which gives him way more combos that can make him a real challenge online. However, the Unstoppable variation comes a close second. What keeps Jason from being higher is, sadly, the lack of skins available for him. Jason has also had many looks, and his design hardly changes between the different variations.

2 RoboCop – Mortal Kombat 11

This one had everyone worried: it’s RoboCop, a slow-moving cyborg. How is he supposed to fight someone fast like Johnny Cage or hold his own against super-powered characters like Raiden? Well, RoboCop is as slow as expected, but his zoning keeps any fast characters at bay and doesn’t hinder him as much as you would think.

Not only is RoboCop great at keeping his distance, he also has some deadly combo strings which can connect to some abilities and give a lot of damage output. RoboCop requires a lot of methodic and strategic gameplay, but that keeps him from being too overpowered. On top of that, he’s voiced by Peter Weller himself, who fits back into the role like a glove.

1 Alien – Mortal Kombat X

While Alien doesn’t have any incredible skins, the three variations change up their design enough to be effective. Speaking of those variations, they are much like Jason’s: all unique, with great abilities to fit different playstyles. There is something for everybody, and all three are fun to use.

For brawlers, there is the Tarkatan variation that utilizes blades and tail combos. For fans of summoner and trap characters like Quan Chi, there is Konjurer that gives the ability to summon eggs and other Xenomorphs. Finally, there is Acidic, which focuses on keep-away and mid-range combat. As a bonus, fans of the Alien franchise will enjoy the many iconic moves, references, and sound effects that surround the character.