The vast majority of Mortal Kombat games have put the franchise's iconic dragon logo front and center of the box art, often surrounded by flame effects, and very occasionally, one or two well-known fighters. 2011's Mortal Kombat, however, marked the start of a new trend for the franchise, one that's seen an elite selection of fighters take center stage on the games' covers.
While Scorpion has been the poster boy for three out of the four Mortal Kombat entries since 2011, Liu Kang took the spotlight on Mortal Kombat 1's box art, having become the primary god of this once again rebooted MK universe. A new Mortal Kombat entry might not rear its head for some time, but when it does, there are a handful of characters that would make sense on its cover.
Mortal Kombat 2 'New Era' Character Wish List
These characters were sorely missed in Mortal Kombat 1 and could be great additions to the new continuity whenever Mortal Kombat 2 rolls around.
Predicting The Cover Star of Mortal Kombat 1's Sequel
The Bold Choice - Noob Saibot
For those who didn't play Mortal Kombat 1's Khaos Reigns expansion, Bi-Han is captured and taken to Khaosrealm by Titan Havik and the rest of his gruesome crew. There, Bi-Han is tortured with Khaos magic that quickly transforms him into Noob Saibot. Desperate for revenge, Bi-Han/Noob hunts down Havik, but Liu Kang stops him before he can land the killing blow.
Noob Saibot then turns to attack Liu Kang, but he's frozen in place by Geras. Mortal Kombat 1's Tower endings see Noob Saibot escaping from Khaosrealm and waging war against Liu Kang and his champions.
Given Bi-Han's villainous journey in Mortal Kombat 1's story and Khaos Reigns' ending, it seems that Noob Saibot is being positioned as one of the series' new big bads. If NetherRealm wants to continue this storyline with Mortal Kombat 1's eventual sequel, there's a shot Noob Saibot could grace the game's cover.
The Safe Choice - Scorpion or Liu Kang
A much more likely contender for the next Mortal Kombat cover star is one of the franchise's primary mascots. Scorpion is probably the most obvious choice, being arguably the most recognizable character in the series to general audiences. Liu Kang would also be a safe bet, given that his likeness was used for the most recent entry.
While Sub-Zero is arguably just as iconic as Scorpion, no one in the current Mortal Kombat timeline has adopted the Sub-Zero moniker after Bi-Han's transformation.
A Strange Choice - Orin
A guardian dragon of Edenia, Orin was originally a core part of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon's storyline. Orin is seen briefly in Mortal Kombat 1's Khaos Reigns expansion, and there was a hint that she could return in a possible sequel. It's highly unlikely, but if Orin plays a big role in the next Mortal Kombat game, she could appear on its cover, perhaps in the shape of the series' dragon logo.
The Damage Control Choice - Everyone
It's no secret that Mortal Kombat 1 didn't really resonate with a lot of fans. One point of criticism levied at MK1 was its lack of staple fighters like Kano, Sonya Blade, and Jax. If NetherRealm ends up taking the Mortal Kombat universe back to the drawing board again for the next entry, it's possible it will want to show fans its roster off the bat. There's no better way to do that than by putting an array of well-known faces all over the box art.
Mortal Kombat 1
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 87%
- Released
- September 19, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- NetherRealm Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Brothers Games
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
