Best Mortal Kombat Characters

Summary

• Mortal Kombat characters like Nightwolf, Rain, and Sektor have unique abilities and story arcs.
• The potential end of Mortal Kombat 1’s third season pack may leave fan favorites like Jade, Sonya, and Jax out.
• Classic characters such as Baraka, Sonya Blade, and Liu Kang remain iconic figures in the Mortal Kombat universe.

Since 1992, Mortal Kombat has garnered fans worldwide with its arcade-style fighting game. Now, the series is even more popular, with in-depth titles being released on various platforms. Though the first game only had a roster of seven characters (and three unplayable fighters), its subsequent entries have developed an arsenal of Kombatants that have contributed to the game’s story in many ways.

While some older characters remain as popular as ever, several newer fighters have made big names for themselves, and fans hope to see them in future releases, too. From the classic arcade machines and consoles to movies and books, the famous faces of Mortal Kombat are household names in the video game world.

Updated January 28, 2025 by David Heath: Mortal Kombat 1 has introduced a surreal bundle of guest characters. Since they already used the Terminator in Mortal Kombat 11, MK1 picks out an earlier Arnold Schwarzenegger role with Conan the Barbarian. The Cimmerian is ready to introduce the rest of the roster to the Riddle of Steel personally. At least until he meets the T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, who’s due to be the last character of Season 2.

After that, the game might be done, as there are rumors that its third season pack has been canceled. It’s neither been confirmed nor denied by Netherrealm Studios or WB Games, though the same person who leaked the news said it would’ve included some fan favorites like Jade, Sonya, and Jax. Even so, until anything can be confirmed, it’s best to take the news with a grain of salt. Even if it’s the end of MK1, there’s always a chance the series could bounce back with a new game, and more klassic Mortal Kombat characters, like the ones in this update.

1

Nightwolf

Howling Mad

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 3.
• Highest Tier: S (Mortal Kombat 3)
• Iconic For: Being the series’ first Native American character, his Spiritual Teleportation fatality, being strong enough to kill off a superpowered Sindel.

Nearly all the big fighting games in the 1990s had a Native American character on their roster, with the occasional Indigenous Canadian (Virtua Fighter‘s Wolf Hawkfield), Native Mexican (Street Fighter‘s T.Hawk), or ones who came from a mix of backgrounds (Tekken‘s Sino-Native Michelle Chang). The MK series was no different, as they introduced the world to Nightwolf, a warrior and shaman from the Matoka Tribe who’d use his powers to protect his people (and Earthrealm) from Shao Kahn’s forces.

He’s rarely taken the spotlight from the other Earthrealm warriors, yet he has some grand feats behind him in the series’ lore. He was the one who sealed Onaga away at the end of MK: Deception and stopped Sindel’s murderous rampage in MK9 (albeit via sacrificing himself). That, and he’s got a neat variety of moves with his shoulder barges and giant beam fatality. Though he’s rarely on the fans’ most wanted list for a return, he’s often warmly welcomed by the kommunity when he does.

2

Rain

A Shower Of Arrogance

• Debut: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (cameo), Mortal Kombat Trilogy (playable).
• Highest Tier: S (Mortal Kombat Trilogy).
• Iconic For: Being the purple ninja, being arrogant to a fault, and his infinite combos.

Rain wasn’t meant to be a playable character. He was hidden in UMK3‘s intro as a gag reference to the Prince album ‘Purple Rain’. But much like the red ninjas Ermac and Skarlet, people wondered how they could play as him, whether they got the reference or not. So, he was made an official character as an Edenian prince who inherited his water-based powers from his father, the god Argus. His divine blood gave him a chip on his shoulder, and his arrogant, self-serving personality saw him become one of the series’ slimiest characters.

MKT players had another reason to hate him, as his Water Bubble held the opponent in place for a nasty combo. The worst is his Super Kick, which he could use to juggle his opponent infinitely. It became notorious enough to become a brutality in MK11. In MK1, he lost his divine and regal status but remains an arrogant water mage. However, he seems to have taken a humble turn, as his flooding of Seido has made him more penitent and willing to face his flaws than before.

3

Sektor

The Rocket-Powered Robo-Ninja

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 3.
• Highest Tier: A (Mortal Kombat 1).
• Iconic For: Being one of the first robot ninjas, teleport uppercut+rocket combos.

Mortal Kombat 2 already had yellow, blue, green, gray, and black ninjas, let alone the blue and purple female ninjas, and they’d add more spectrum-based shinobi along the way. Even so, they must’ve felt the need to diversify the cast a little for Mortal Kombat 3, as Sub-Zero took off his mask, Scorpion took off completely, and Smoke became a robot to join the new robo-ninjas, Cyrax and Sektor. They were part of the Lin Kuei’s Cyber Initiative to make their forces more effective in combat, and subservient to the Grand Master’s will.

Unlike the reluctant Cyrax or the forcibly converted Smoke, Sektor willingly agreed to be converted and served the Grand Master well. Until his programming got corrupted. Then he decided he’d do away with the Lin Kuei and lead his own clan of robo-ninjas, the Tekunin, against his old enemies like Sub-Zero. This angle got cut short in the Alternate Timeline, where he was killed, and then revived to serve Kronika in MK11. In MK1‘s new timeline, she’s now the daughter of the Lin Kuei’s former armorer, Madam Bo, and serves Bi-Han in the new Cyber Initiative.

4

Cyrax

More Than A Machine

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 3.
• Highest Tier: S (Mortal Kombat 9).
• Iconic For: Being one of the first robot ninjas, being the first black ninja, and their oppressive net and bomb-based combos.

Cyrax was one of the Lin Kuei’s more reluctant members of the Cyber Initiative, but the African ninja was forced into the program regardless. But thanks to his own willpower, and a little help, he managed to break his programming and fought to regain his humanity. In the classic timeline, he had help from Sonya and Jax, while Sub-Zero managed it in the alternative timeline in MK11.

In MK1‘s new timeline, Cyrax is a woman from the Zaki Clan, one of the Lin Kuei’s subsidiaries, and one of their most talented fighters too. She was sent to serve under Sektor, where they both took part in the new Cyber Initiative, which now takes the form of a mech suit rather than a full-on cyborg conversion. That way she retains her free will, which often doesn’t mean following Sektor’s orders completely. Especially when it puts her against her childhood friend and ex-Lin Kuei member Kuai Liang.

5

Baraka

MK’s Toothiest Jobber

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 2.
• Highest Tier: S (Mortal Kombat 1).
• Iconic For: Being the first playable monster character in the series, his arm blades and fangs, and losing to key characters.

Reptile gets flak in the classic series for going from the series’ first secret character to jobbing out to one big bad guy or another. But he would at least get a glow-up in Mortal Kombat 1. The Tarkatan warrior Baraka is another story. He was the first playable monster character in the series (alongside the monster-clone Mileena), freaking players out with his monstrous fangs and retractable arm blades. His impalement fatality was particularly cold-blooded, as he’d stab his blades through his opponent and hold them aloft as they died slowly.

However, he’d soon lose his mojo and become a jobber to the series’ later newcomers. He came back in MK4 Gold just to be murdered by Quan Chi. Then MKX made him an NPC for D’Vorah to mutilate. Still, someone at Netherrealm loves the guy, as he became a warrior representing a discriminated Outworld race in MK11. Then MK1 made him one of many humans afflicted with a disease called Tarkat, making him a sympathetic good guy (and God Liu Kang kind of a jerk for doing that to him and the Tarkatans in his new timeline in the first place).

6

Sonya Blade

Special Forces with Special Skills

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 1992.
• Highest Tier: S (MK’92, Mortal Kombat 9, Mortal Kombat X, Mortal Kombat 11).
• Iconic For: Being the series’ first female fighter and one of the toughest both in lore and in gameplay.

Sonya Blade was among the first Mortal Kombat fighters to be introduced to the world. Originally, she was going to be a male character called Kurtis Stryker, but with Street Fighter‘s Chun-Li proving to be one of their rivals’ biggest hits, the developers thought the character would catch on better as a woman. Needless to say, it worked, given Sonya’s status as an MK mainstay. As a Special Forces agent, she was originally on the hunt for Kano, a weapons dealer for the Black Dragon crime syndicate.

He killed her old partner, and she sought revenge, tracking him down to the MK tournament. Other than her incredible tenacity, one of Sonya’s distinctive characteristics was her ability to blast energy beams. Sometimes, they’re technological, but other times they’re as mystical as her immolating blown kisses. While she’s one of the sterner characters in the series, she’s shown her softer side with fellow Special Forces agent Jax, film star Johnny Cage, and her daughter Cassie.

7

Kano

Dealing With The Devil

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 1992.
• Highest Tier: S (Mortal Kombat 3, Mortal Kombat X).
• Iconic For: His cyborg eye, scummy attitude, heart-ripping fatality, and Australian accent.

That latter attribute sounds odd, yet there aren’t a lot of Mortal Kombat characters from Down Under. Tekken‘s Craig Marduk and Virtua Fighter‘s Jeffry McWild are big hitters, but only Kano received the full Aussie characterization. Not that this was the plan. In MK’92, he was merely a weapons dealer for the Black Dragon syndicate. It wasn’t until actor Trevor Goddard depicted him in the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie with an accent that he was associated with Australia (which is ironic as Goddard was trying to make him sound like a Londoner).

Aside from that, he made for a nice, vile counterpart to the human heroes. Willing to sell out Earthrealm for a buck, let alone his ‘friends,’ he’s one of the scummiest, most untrustworthy characters in the series. Yet he delights in being a villain so much that he makes for an entertaining watch, no matter which game he appears in. He’s like Shang Tsung in this way, only with worse manners, but it was just as satisfying to see him get the business end of a Nut Punch.

8

Kabal

Fast on His Feet and Just as Ugly

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 3.
• Highest Tier: S (Mortal Kombat 3, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Mortal Kombat 9, Mortal Kombat 11).
• Iconic For: His speed, his hookswords, and his mask.

Kabal is as hard to pin down storywise as he is in kombat, as he sways between being a hero or a villain at the drop of a hat. He was introduced as a villain in MK3, then retconned as an ex-Black Dragon hero in UMK3. MK: Deadly Alliance killed him off, only for MK: Deception to bring him back as a villain trying to revive the Black Dragon clan with Kobra and Kira. MK9 brought him back as Stryker’s ex-con partner, who became a good guy until Sindel stomped on him. Then MK11 made him a neutral character who Kano tricked into fighting Sonya.

But it wasn’t his character (in)consistency that made him appealing to players. It was his gameplay, where he mixed fast, hooksword-swinging combos with fast dashes that left his opponents spinning, midair projectiles that juggled them around, and circular blades that he could summon to catch foes unaware. Even when later games switched up his moves, he remained too fast for most players to keep up with, as he’s rarely (if ever) been lower than A-Tier in the series, and has been OP in the others.

9

Jax

Jax By Name, Jacked By Nature

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 2.
• Highest Tier: S (MK2, Mortal Kombat 3).
• Iconic For: His metal arms, his backbreaker throw, and his fatalities.

After Sonya Blade appeared in MK’92, Midway planned to use the ‘Kurtis Stryker’ character for Mortal Kombat 2 instead. They would be Sonya’s commanding officer and a headband-wearing kickboxer. Fearing they looked too similar to Street Fighter‘s Balrog, the character was reimagined as a muscleman with a penchant for powerful dashing punches, hard ground pounds, and yelling “Gotcha!” after catching his goes in midair for a nasty backbreaker. This time, ‘Stryker’ became Jackson “Jax” Briggs.

Surprisingly, his most iconic appearance wouldn’t come about until Mortal Kombat 3, when the character got metal arms as an upgrade. Other timelines, like in Mortal Kombat 9, would make them full prosthetics (ironic, as his MK2 fatality involved ripping off his opponent’s arms). Either way, he’s become famous for his proverbial guns, smashing his foes with them in a variety of ways. Not as stiff as Sonya, but more serious than Johnny Cage, he has an underrated charm that’s made him a series’ mainstay.

10

Kenshi

Blind Fury

• Debut: Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance.
• Highest Tier: S (Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Mortal Kombat 9, Mortal Kombat 1).
• Iconic For: His telekinesis, blindness, and sword-swinging.

The 2000s era of MK games, from Deadly Alliance to Armageddon, are often unfairly maligned. While they weren’t the strongest fighting games around, they played out quite well for their time. That said, it’s hard to defend their original characters. MK: DA‘s Hsu Hao is often the target of ire for fans and critics alike, but at least his weird Village People-esque look is memorable. Mavado, Dairou, Kira, and Hotaru were much more generic and forgettable. Yet they had their highlights, too.

The brightest was Kenshi, a blind swordsman who gained telekinetic and telepathic powers via his katana, Sento. He originally sought revenge against Shang Tsung. Then, by MK9 and MKX, he was after the Red Dragon crime gang. Mortal Kombat 1 changed him again to an ex-yakuza seeking to free his family from their grasp, losing his sight to Mileena in a mission gone awry. Either way, he’d use his powers to throw his opponents around or use his sword to dice them into bite-sized chunks.

11

Ermac

Army Of One

• Debut: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.
• Highest Tier: S (Mortal Kombat X).
• Iconic For: Inspiring the first of MK‘s many urban legends, his telekinetic attacks, and catchphrase.

Nowadays, Ermac is familiar as MK‘s gestalt entity: a compression of hundreds if not thousands of souls within one body, using their combined strength and their telekinetic powers to pull their opponents apart. It’s stuck around since Midway began redesigning their pallette-swapped ninjas in the 3D era, where they’ve sometimes been a good guy (MK: D, MK1) or a bad guy (MK9, MKX). But their true fame comes from being the first urban legend character in the series.

The MK 1992 cabinet had an in-built menu that would record how many times the cabinet had error macros, or “Ermacs.” Fans thought this meant there was another secret character in the game. Possibly a red ninja, as behind-the-scenes footage showed that the ninja outfit was originally red to stand out against the blue screen. Not only would Midway eventually make him real, but it would inspire similar legends about other characters (Scarlet – a red female ninja) and also inspire Midway to mess with their audience (MK2 has a “Kano Transformation” ticker on its menu).

12

Jade

Chief Of Staff

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 2 (secret opponent), Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (playable).
• Highest Tier: S (Mortal Kombat 11).
• Iconic For: Being the first female secret character in fighting games, being Kitana’s closest friend, her staff attacks, and “razorangs.”

Kitana has her fans (the weapon, not her enthusiasts), and Mileena has her daggers. Jade has her staff and razor-edged boomerang projectiles. Or at least she would once she became playable in UMK3. She made her debut in MK2 as perhaps the first secret female character in fighting games, where players had to win a match with just Low Kick attacks and no blocking. Once they took her on, they’d find out she was basically Kitana, with fans, only green, dark-skinned, faster, and immune to projectiles.

She’d later become established as Kitana’s best friend, the Kung Lao to her Liu Kang, swinging her staff around to shut down her opponents. Jade’s a fairly underrated character, as she’s been pretty low on the tier list for most of her appearances. But whenever she appears, she’s always a fan favorite, whether she’s more outgoing a la MK9 or more reserved and regal like in MK11.

13

Noob Saibot

The Wrath Of The Wraith

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 2 (secret opponent), Mortal Kombat Trilogy (playable).
• Highest Tier: S (Mortal Kombat 4 Gold, Mortal Kombat: Deception as Noob/Smoke, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon).
• Iconic For: Being one of MK2‘s secret characters, their name, broken shadow-based moves, and connection to Sub-Zero.

Noob Saibot didn’t have much to him to begin with. He was an all-black ninja palette swap players could fight if they won 25 matches in a row on MK2, and his name was the surnames of MK creators Ed Boon and John Tobias spelled backward. Then, he became playable in MKT and became so broken with his Teleport Slam juggles and block-disabling projectiles he was often banned from tournaments. It wasn’t until MK: Deception that his plot got fleshed out.

He was Bi-Han, the original Sub-Zero, resurrected as a shadow wraith by Quan Chi. Though he often followed orders from Shao Kahn and Shinnok, his allegiance was ultimately to himself and his Brotherhood of Shadows. ‘Khaos Reigns’ sees Bi-Han return to this dark visage, mixing his opponents up with his portals, projectiles, and shadow clones. The additional sibling rivalry with Kuai Liang made him a more interesting character than being another ninja, alongside his contrasting powers to fellow undead fighter Scorpion.

14

Smoke

Gets In Your Eyes

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 2 (secret opponent), Mortal Kombat 3 (playable robot form), Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (playable human form).
• Highest Tier: S (Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3- Human, Mortal Kombat: Deception– as Noob/Smoke, Mortal Kombat 1).
• Iconic For: Being one of MK2‘s secret characters, then being one of MK3‘s robot ninjas, dominating bouts with his swift smoke-based attacks in most of his appearances.

Liu Kang has Kung Lao, and Kitana has Jade. Smoke was Kuai Liang’s friend when he took up the Sub-Zero moniker, though he only appeared in MK2 as a secret character, where opponents had to press Down+Start on the Portal stage whenever they got a “Toasty.” Like his future human appearances, he basically played like Scorpion on speed with smoke bombs. He’d teleport across the screen, peppering his opponent with swift strikes, and even had Scorpion’s spear.

Even when cyberized, he was deadly, from blowing up the earth in his UMK3 fatality to backing up Noob Saibot as a deadly tag team in MK: Deception. MK9 saw him avoid becoming a robot but did see him dominate online play as his combos did plenty of damage, were hard to defend against, and were easy to learn. His rebooted form in MK1 also saw him rise through the ranks, inducing salt with his smoke balls and range. He may not be as popular as his yellow and blue counterparts, but he’s possibly the strongest ninja in the series gameplay-wise.

15

Kitana

Prime Princess

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 2.
• Highest Tier: S (MK2).
• Iconic For: Being the first female ninja, her sibling rivalry with Mileena, her deadly fan blades, and her more lethal kisses.

Although Kitana wasn’t among MK‘s first fighters in Mortal Kombat, she’s arguably the most iconic woman in the series. Her blue ninja outfits, sharp fan blades, and key role in the story as Liu Kang’s rival-turned-lover made her a staple character. She’s an Edenian, a long-lived human-like race whose world of Edenia got merged with Outworld before they set their sights on Earthrealm.

She was adopted by Shao Kahn and served him dutifully until she discovered he had murdered her father, King Jerrod, and had Shang Tsung create a more psychotic yet more loyal clone of herself. Or so it went in the original timeline. After decades of being at each other’s throats, Mortal Kombat 1 reset the timeline to make the two twin sisters, who would aid each other against General Shao and other schemers in Outworld.

16

Mileena

The Original Man Eater

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 2.
• Highest Tier: S (Mortal Kombat 2).
• Iconic For: Being Kitana’s evil half-sister, her mix of sex appeal and fear factor, her sai daggers and rolling attack.

Kitana may be more iconic, though she isn’t necessarily the most popular woman in MK. Her monstrous half-sister Mileena has often given her a run for her money by essentially being her evil counterpart. Made by Shang Tsung when he mixed Kitana’s DNA with a Tarkatan, Mileena is almost an exact duplicate of the Edenian Princess, except for her mouth full of fangs and hunger for flesh. With her mask, she’s often used her sex appeal to pull in unsuspecting foes, only to reveal her true face and eat them alive.

Her mix of seduction and horror made her a perfect fit as the anti-Kitana, as she’d try her best to get one-up over her “twin sister.” But even with Kitana’s turn to the dark side in MKX, she’d find herself coming up short. But it did add more nuance to her character as Shao Kahn’s “true daughter” and heir to Outworld’s throne. It led to MK1 rebooting her as Kitana’s true twin sister whose toothy mouth and bloodlust is now a medical condition she has to control. Some may prefer her as a villain to a hero, but she’ll still chew her foes up and spit them out.

17

Johnny Cage

Brutal Bravado

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 1992.
• Highest Tier: S (MK’92, Mortal Kombat 1).
• Iconic For: His shades, ego, comic personality, and swift Shadow Kicks and Nut Punches.

Before it became a fighting game, Mortal Kombat began life as a tie-in project for the Jean-Claude Van Damme movie Universal Soldier. Once that fell through, creators Ed Boon and John Tobias commemorated their near-run with the Muscles from Brussels by creating Johnny Cage, a Hollywood star who lucked into the first MK tournament to revive his flagging career. He dressed like Van Damme’s character from the movie and also did some of his moves, like the infamous Nut Punch.

His smug attitude, contrasted with his heart of gold, made him a neat source of levity throughout the series. When all the gore and mutilation became too much, he’d lighten the atmosphere with a movie line or a smarmy one-liner. He’d even break the 4th wall, giving the player his autograph, or turning his old glitches into features (e.g. uppercutting his opponent’s head off 3 times somehow). Without him cutting his foes down physically and verbally, MK just wouldn’t feel the same.

18

Kung Lao

Shaolin In Style

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 2.
• Highest Tier: S (MK2, PS1 Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon).
• Iconic For: His razor hat and friendly rivalry with Liu Kang.

At first, Johnny Cage seemed like the equivalent of Street Fighter‘s Ken to Liu Kang’s proverbial Ryu. Yet the Shaolin monk and the arrogant movie star didn’t have as much in common with each other as Capcom’s shotos. So, Midway made a new Shaolin monk in Kung Lao. He’s a descendant of the Great Kung Lao, who first stopped Outworld from taking over Earthrealm by defeating Goro. Unfortunately, Goro got his own back at the next tournament and killed him.

Kung Lao joined the White Lotus and trained alongside Liu Kang to avenge his ancestor and aid Earthrealm. He’s often talked down to by his friends and enemies, and treated as a lesser monk compared to Liu Kang. Yet he doesn’t hold it against his friend. Probably because he’s arguably got more style than him anyway. His razor-brimmed hat made him stand out from the crowd, cutting through foes, and lopping off their heads if players threw it just right in his MK2 fatality. Few characters in MK could match his panache.

19

Liu Kang

Hero Turned Villain Turned God

• Debut: Mortal Kombat ’92.
• Highest Tier: S (MK’92, Mortal Kombat 2, Mortal Kombat X, Mortal Kombat 11).
• Iconic For: Being the series’ original hero, his Flying Kick and Bicycle Kick, and his Dragon Animality.

Liu Kang was the original hero of MK‘s canon storyline, serving as Earthrealm’s champion and beating Shang Tsung, Shao Kahn, Shinnok, and more. But Mortal Kombat 9 would switch things up, where he’d lose faith in Raiden, get killed, and become an evil Revenant. Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, and her daughter Cassie would step in as the new heroes. But ultimately, by MK11, it took a time imbalance to bring the good Liu Kang back to aid Raiden and co. once again.

By the end of that game, he’d go on to replace his old mentor as Earth’s new protector demigod in Mortal Kombat 1. Nonetheless, fans remember him best as the red headband-wearing human, serving as the original Shaolin monk of the series. He’d beat foes and woo Kitana with his Bruce Lee-style moves, acting as the straight man to his more comic rivals in Johnny Cage and Kung Lao. His turning into a dragon and chomping on his opponents left an impression as well.

20

Shang Tsung

Sorcerer Supreme

• Debut: Mortal Kombat 1992 (boss), Mortal Kombat 2 (playable).
• Highest Tier: S (Mortal Kombat 1).
• Iconic For: Being the series’ original final boss, his ability to morph into other players, and his constant sly scheming.

As the franchise’s very first main antagonist, Shang Tsung struck fear in the hearts of Mortal Kombat‘s long-time fans. Shang Tsung is a brilliant sorcerer from Outworld who was banished to Earthrealm. After taking control of the Mortal Kombat tournament, his champion, Goro, had become undefeated for centuries. He would’ve opened the door for his lord, Shao Kahn, to invade if the Great Kung Lao hadn’t beaten Goro and reset the count on the victories Outworld needed to merge the realms.

This set the stage for the original MK game, where Shang Tsung served as the final boss. He wasn’t too difficult, but his ability to shapeshift into the rest of the cast gave players pause for thought. Even when he became playable in the sequels, he could keep them guessing over which form he’d change into next. The 3D era curtailed this, but like his plots, Shang Tsung’s gameplay offers other ways to bamboozle opponents. He’s the snake to Liu Kang’s dragon and every bit as sly as the comparison suggests.