Ranking Every Arena In Mortal Kombat 1

Summary

• Mortal Kombat 1 has a diverse range of visually stunning stages, from snowy battlefields to grotesque pits of flesh, offering something for everyone.
• The Gateway and Treasure Chamber stages are visually pleasing but lack the same flair as other arenas, making them fall lower on the list.
• The Living Forest, Corrupted Forest, and Hanging Gardens stages are some of the best in terms of visuals, with unique themes and stunning details that make them stand out.

Mortal Kombat 1 has a robust cast of characters, engaging gameplay, and many modes to keep you busy as you try climbing the ranked leaderboards or unlocking the best-looking gear for your favorite characters. While the gruesomeness and systems deserve praise, so do the visuals and stages, especially considering how varied and beautiful they are.

There are 24 stages total in Mortal Kombat 1, all offering a unique flair that helps keep things feeling fresh no matter how much you play. From snowy battlefields to gorgeous gardens to grotesque pits of flesh, there is something for everyone, making this one of the most varied stage selections in the genre.

Updated February 4, 2025, by Seth Parmer: The Khaos Reigns expansion has been popping off in Mortal Kombat 1, adding many excellent fighters into the ever-expanding roster, along with many new stages for you to execute unspeakable acts of violence in front of, giving us the perfect opportunity to revisit this list and add all the new arenas into the rankings, including the super-secret Field stage!

Khaoseum

Kicking off the list is Khaoseum, a stage that was added as part of the Khaos Reigns expansion, featuring an onlooking Titan Havik and a sea of death and destruction. It’s an immensely cool arena from a lore perspective, but the green aura that surrounds everything can detract from its otherwise stellar aspects, plummeting it to the bottom.

Khaoseum, overall, is an excellent stage, but it is not on par with some of the game’s best. We certainly won’t be disappointed if this arena comes up in the rotation, but we just wish it had a bit less green, as it drowns out everything else at a glance. Something the Night variant deals with quite well!

The Gateway

While The Gateway is another fascinating stage from a lore standpoint, it lacks the visual flair the majority of the other arenas have, making it take a dive in this list. That’s not to say it looks terrible or anything of the sort. It’s just a bit too plain in comparison to the rest.

Both the Dusk and Dawn variants of The Gateway seem to lack that special ‘something’ that’s present in all other arenas. However, it is oddly calming and still gorgeous, thanks to the overall art direction and raw graphical fidelity of Mortal Kombat 1!

The Maze

Another stage added during the Khaos Reigns expansion was The Maze, a dark dungeon filled with deadly traps that you can see going off in the background as you fight for your life in the foreground. Overall, this arena is very good. It’s just a tad too dark for us.

The swaying axe pendulums and the barrage of fire in the background pair nicely with the piles of bones and ash scattered throughout, showcasing the environmental storytelling we all know and love that NRS does so well with their arenas. It’s a solid stage overall!

Treasure Chamber

Next up is the Treasure Chamber stage, another arena that is incredibly beautiful but oddly lacking in some areas that make it place near the bottom of the list. Whether you’re on the arena’s Smelter On or Off variant, you will notice that there’s simply not a whole lot going on here.

Treasure Chamber is at least slightly more unique and interesting than The Gateway, but it is still very basic compared to most of the other stages in the game. Still, it’s a Mortal Kombat 1 stage, so it will at least be stunning from a visual perspective!

Living Forest

Following that is the Living Forest arena, where things get exciting, thanks to the trees with faces that span as far as the eye can see. Like most stages in Mortal Kombat 1, there are two variants for the Living Forest stage, with the Day and Storm being your options.

The Day and Storm variants of the Living Forest are incredible, with the Day version having bright, vibrant colors splashed throughout the forest as beams of light pierce through the trees. On the other hand, the Storm variant has a more muted color palette with a foggy atmosphere and harsh winds, making it an excellent contrast!

Corrupted Forest

Much like the Living Forest, the Corrupted Forest occurs in the same forested region, except Dark Magic has ambushed it, leaving a toxic hue of deep green fire behind. While the Morning variant of the Living Forest is exceptional, both the Day and Night versions of the Corrupted Forest give it a slight edge.

You can see the dim green eyes of the faces on the trees glowing, which makes the bright green flames spreading throughout the forest in the background stand out much brighter in contrast. The green embers dancing up the screen are also an excellent touch, making this haunted and desolate forest variant feel oddly alive.

The Flesh Pits

Speaking of haunted and desolate areas, next up is The Flesh Pits, a remarkably gruesome stage in Mortal Kombat 1 that features horrendous experiments done by Shang Tsung that can either be animated or not, depending on which variant of the arena you choose.

The Flesh Pits harkens back to the early stages of Mortal Kombat, featuring a sinister and demonic presence and atmosphere, making it one of the best offerings in the game. Unfortunately, the game has much better arenas, making this one fall short of the top.

Ying Fortress

Ying Fortress can either be experienced at the crack of Dawn or when it’s Snowing, and we much prefer the variant with Snow blowing through the gates on the long bridge leading to a tall temple in the background.

This stage is beautiful and showcases just how breathtaking Mortal Kombat 1 can be when you focus on anything but the over-the-top gore and dismemberment of bodies. How the flames contrast against the snow-covered environments makes it a solid experience overall!

The Fire Temple

Directly opposite the snowy Ying Forest is The Fire Temple, serving as the home of the great Liu Kang. This stage has a Night and Early Dawn variant, both being remarkably stunning, offering some of the best visuals you can get in Mortal Kombat 1.

While there are better-looking stages, the piece of serenity offered by this arena is truly one of a kind, making it one of our favorites of the staggering 19 stages in the game. While there isn’t much going on in this stage, it absolutely has that special ‘something’ that some of the previous entries are missing.

Cage Mansion

Cage Mansion is the next in line, offering a view of the California skyline at either Sunrise or Night, depending on the version you decide to pick. Both are striking and have slight differences, with the Sunrise variant having a sizeable pink flamingo floatie in the pool, which is replaced by a rubber duckie in the Night version.

As expected from a hilltop mansion in Malibu, California, this arena is gorgeous and deserves this placement on the list. While some maps do it much better, you cannot deny that Johnny Cage has one of the nicest-looking places in the world of Mortal Kombat.

Tarkatan Colony

Tarkatan Colony is what follows Cage Mansion, primarily due to how NetherRealm Studios nailed the overall theme of the stage, making it an outpost of those inflicted with the Tarkat virus who have been banished to the Wastelands in the Outworld.

This stage is both rugged and alluring, especially when visiting its Night variant, which gives it this mysterious and otherworldly vibe that invokes everything you could ever want from an arena in a fighting game. Simply put, Tarkatan Colony is phenomenal and one of the best available in the game!

Shang Tsung’s Laboratory

Following the trend of mysterious arenas, let’s look at Shang Tsung’s Laboratory, the next stage in line. While a relatively simple stage, the trinkets and attention to detail in the background make it an excellent arena if you are a fan of the lore and world of Mortal Kombat.

Overcast and Dawn are your options for variety on this stage, offering some solid lighting that you can see through the broken, boarded-up windows, making this hideout feel a little more secretive than it already is.

The Pyramid

Up next is The Pyramid, a firey and demonic realm that takes place at the tail end of your journey in Mortal Kombat 1. We will leave it there to avoid too many spoilers, but this stage looks incredible in motion.

The light illuminating from the lava that pours out of the skull’s mouth, the flames dancing from within the torches that line the stone walls, and the reddish clouds that loom over the arena all tie together to create something remarkable.

Temple Of Katara Vala

Temple of Katara Vala is a set design for a movie of Johnny Cage’s. It is one large reference to the Indiana Jones franchise, automatically placing it within the top ten stages in Mortal Kombat 1. How can one look at this stage and simply not like it?

How the sun’s rays pierce through the open holes of the cave walls to illuminate the splash of green from the overgrowth of ivy and weeds is pure bliss, and we wouldn’t trade it for the world. Also, did we mention it’s a giant reference to the Indiana Jones franchise?!

The Hourglass

Returning from Mortal Kombat 11 is The Hourglass, an ancient realm that belongs to Kronika that ties all other domains together, making it one of the most epic and mind-blowing arenas in the game. The skybox of this stage is a bit drab, but everything else is more than enough to push it far up the list.

From the splashes of red that essentially glow thanks to the brown sky and ground to the plants that breathe life into the stage with their deep green color, make it truly one of the most visually appealing stages in Mortal Kombat 1, not to mention the intricate and stunning architecture that makes the realm up!

Wu Shi Academy

Wu Shi Academy can either be accessed in the Day or Evening, sporting slight changes to the scenery depicted, with the Evening variant providing one of the most jaw-dropping views in the game.

With snow-capped mountains deep in the background, tall temples erected in front of them, and deep red trees that surround the courtyard, you cannot get much better than this if you try. This stage brings out your curiosity more than anything, primarily due to how well it focuses on the statues and other points of interest subtly and directly.

Tomb Of The Dragon Army

Tomb of the Dragon Army is another mysterious stage in Mortal Kombat 1, but it is one that is executed to the highest degree. This is clearly an ancient tomb, but the eerie flames from the lanterns and smoke make it far more spooky than it should be, especially when even the eyes of the stone statues are illuminated with a green tone in alternate versions.

Despite this arena only having grays for its palette, the overall design and layout are remarkably done, making it feel unearthly and perplexing, something you should always want out of a stage with this theme and atmosphere. The splashes of red and green also add that extra oomph we’re looking for!

The Great Hall

The Great Hall is found within the Royal Palace of Sindel and has an Afternoon and Day variant. Both do an excellent job of highlighting the raw beauty of the stage. The rich purple drapes and gold trim gel well with the bright green plants and slashes of purple from the petals scattered along the floor.

Archetecularly, this stage is the best in the game, no questions asked, and the lighting and vibrancy of it make it a strong contender to be the best overall. However, it can be overbearing at times, as there might be a little too much going on, having us place it a bit lower than we thought we would coming into this!

The Tea House

The Tea House is arguably the exact opposite of The Great Hall in terms of architectural design and color, but the scaled-back nature of it and excellent use of color make it nudge it out ever so slightly. This looks like a place you just want to go to and relax, and we appreciate that.

Whether you choose the Day or Night variant of The Tea House, you will be met with some of the best use of lighting and colors in the game, bringing out a relaxing and welcoming vibe that is nearly unmatched. We love this stage and its simplicity, making it soar up the list with its head held high!

Night Market

Night Market is another arena added into Mortal Kombat 1 via the Khaos Reigns expansion and offers some of the best visuals you could ask for, with a stunning skybox, a lively background, and immense colors that draw you in and refuse to let you go. This stage rules.

It’s rare for a darker stage to climb on a list like this, as you tend to lose out on some details, or they are often far less interesting than most of the others. However, with the Market setting and the fantastic use of color, this stage is easily one of the best, and we love pretty much every aspect of it!

Sun Do

Our fourth best pick is the Sun Do stage, primarily due to its absurdly gorgeous Night variant that takes place during a festival, complete with bright and vibrant fireworks that periodically and consistently light up the sky with a variety of colors and glowing orange-ish-red lanterns you can see deep in the background.

While the Day variant is also visually appealing, as you can see above, it has nothing on the wonderful sight you get to behold within the Night version. This is one of the best visual gifts you can get in Mortal Kombat 1, and we won’t ever complain when it shows up in the rotation!

Hanging Gardens

Starting our top three, we have the Hanging Gardens, another stage that just dominates the rest with the Night variant alone. Again, its Day version is also very stunning, but the way everything just gets enhanced when it’s Nighttime is truly something else, making it the best arena in Mortal Kombat 1.

How the trees and other foliage just illuminate under the moonlight is remarkable, providing you with bright greens, deep pinks and purples, and occasional splashes of blue that help tie everything together. This stage is pure bliss for your eyes; no matter if it’s the Day or Night variant, you will be in awe when playing on it!

Havik’s Citadel

Havik’s Citadel is another new stage that was added to Mortal Kombat 1 as part of the Khaos Reigns expansion, and is it ever a sight to behold?! The curved, broken-up pathway leads to a large object deep in the background that’s surrounded by a blueish aura, flames, and destruction.

The graphical fidelity of this arena is off the charts, and the colors mesh well with each other, making for some of the best visuals in the game. It’s jaw-dropping every time you load into it. While the Krimson variant is a bit of a letdown in comparison, this version is more than enough to propel it as our penultimate choice!

Field

Last but certainly not least, the best stage in Mortal Kombat 1 is the Field, one of the most gorgeous arenas in the genre, despite it being so simple. As its name implies, this stage is just a large, open field that has tall blades of grass and flowers as far as the eye can see. But it is beautiful.

Despite having to go through lots of trial and error to unlock it, Field is worth the effort, as the sun setting in the background illuminates it in such a way that you’re just awestruck as the wind blows through the foliage. Everything from the lighting, colors used, and shadows are handled expertly, making it the clear choice for the number one spot!