There is a fine line between Mortal Kombat‘s horror characters and other guest cameos seen throughout the series. Figures like The Terminator or Robocop from Mortal Kombat 11 are fighting game guest characters from action series rather than horror, making them ineligible for this list. Similarly, characters like Conan the Barbarian, Rambo, The Joker, Omni-Man, or Homelander don’t quite fit the horror aesthetic Mortal Kombat tends to adapt the best.
6. Freddy Krueger (Mortal Kombat 9)
Courtesy of Netherrealm Studios
The first horror guest character Mortal Kombat ever had was Freddy Krueger, the haunter of nightmares from the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. Giving Freddy a second clawed glove, this translation of the character was at least interesting to stand out on the roster. Although not traditionally a fighter, Freddy was a creative character, summoning claws as projectiles and traps while using his knife hands as potent weapons. With fatalities that reference famous kills from his movies, Freddy was a stand-out in 2011’s Mortal Kombat.
However, there were some shortcomings to this guest character that future horror adaptations would correct. Freddy Krueger barely had any voice acting, leaving out a signature part of his character. The iconic lines of actor Robert Englund make Freddy Krueger the horror staple that he is, but the smaller scope of Mortal Kombat 9 likely prevented this. Although Englund would voice DC villain Scarecrow in Netherrealm’s Injustice 2, the actor’s most known role would remain almost silent.
Freddy Krueger also doesn’t fit as well into Mortal Kombat as other characters would later, as the horror slasher has rarely been in big fights. Even in Freddy vs Jason, Krueger would rather torment minds with horrific nightmares than a direct confrontation. The adaptation of this character in Mortal Kombat was closer to 2010’s A Nightmare on Elm Street reboot, which has never been as favorable with horror fans. As a result, this inclusion was creative, but lacked the impact of future guests.
5. Leatherface (Mortal Kombat X)
Courtesy of Netherrealm Studios
Texas Chainsaw Massacre‘s Leatherface was not the character players expected in Mortal Kombat X, but the chainsaw-wielding cannibal was a welcome second horror addition to the game. Due to Mortal Kombat X‘s variation system, players could control three different versions of Leatherface, with each referencing different appearances throughout his film series. From the Butcher variation wielding a meat tenderizing mallet to a make-up wearing version that threw his chainsaw, there was plenty of variety in how Leatherface was adapted.
The only problem with Leatherface was that he was often forgotten in a game with perhaps the best guest characters in fighting game history. By comparison to the others in Mortal Kombat X‘s roster, Leatherface’s stand-out feature is his sheer brutality, with a level of gore that outshines even legendary series regulars. The wild swings of his chainsaw and surprising speed makes Leatherface a solid character, but one that is extremely straightforward without many memorable gameplay qualities.
4. Jason Vorhees (Mortal Kombat X)
Courtesy of Netherrealm Studios
The first horror character to be a guest in Mortal Kombat X was Jason Vorhees, arguably the most recognized slasher villain ever. This was the first adaptation of a horror character that Mortal Kombat truly adapted from top to bottom, setting the standard for all future guests within the series. The amount of references to the Friday the 13th horror movies with this character is truly remarkable, creating an authentic rendition of the character that acts like they were pulled straight from one of their films.
Jason is one of the best fighting game guest characters due to how their gameplay systems mimic their trends within the movies they come from. Jason has a variation that wields his classic machete, but also two others that change his fighting style to brutal bare knuckle brawling. The strength of Jason is felt through each of his choke slams, back breaking command grabs, and cleaving swings of his extra large weapon. Although fairly straightforward like Leatherface, Jason is far more deliberate with each action.
The only thing holding Jason back is the blank slate of the character, which has little room for embellishment. That being said, Jason’s ability to gain super armor in some variations make him feel truly unstoppable, while other forms give him supernatural skills. In one or two variations, Jason can teleport behind opponents for a jump scare, or manipulate their controls to make them feel as helpless as a slasher victim. One of Jason’s best tools allows him to even come back from the dead, reviving with life to pursue opponents one last time.
3. The Alien (Mortal Kombat X)
Courtesy of Netherrealm Studios
The Alien was introduced to Mortal Kombat X in a creative way, by having a Tarkatan be the host for a new Xenomorph life form. This influence from Baraka’s species manifested in a creature that combined traits from the Alien and Baraka from series past, building upon a guest with natural elements from Mortal Kombat‘s unique world building. This did make the Alien slightly uncanny, though, as their humanoid form was far different from the animalistic Alien that stalked the sci-fi spaceship of Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic.
Arguably the strongest character ever made in Mortal Kombat X, The Alien was vicious in their execution, with lashing tail and bite attacks that made the character incredibly fast. Other variations gave tons of options for players to use that encapsulated The Alien mythos in wonderfully terrifying detail, from eggs traps that spawn Facehuggers to acidic blood The Alien can shed and spread to their enemies. With a Fatality that calls upon the Alien Queen too, this guest is a one-of-a-kind character in Mortal Kombat‘s history.
2. Ghostface (Mortal Kombat 1)
The latest horror guest in Mortal Kombat is Ghostface, introduced in the second wave of DLC for Mortal Kombat 1 for its Definitive Edition. At first, Ghostface seems like a character that is similar to Leatherface or Jason, as a generic slasher who wields a simple knife to cut and slash. To the surprise of fans, Ghostface ended up being so much more, providing an almost meta commentary on Mortal Kombat‘s history of guest characters in the same way the Scream movies tend to comment on the trends of horror movies.
Ghostface was presented not just as Billy Loomis or other faces who used the character as a disguise from Scream, but rather as a mask for past Mortal Kombat characters. The mystery behind which characters from Mortal Kombat‘s past were posing as Ghostface was intriguing, especially when it was revealed that there were multiple masked slashers terrorizing the roster. Later on, Ghostface was unmasked as Kobra and Kira alongside Billy, with special moves tied to both characters, who hadn’t been in Mortal Kombat since 3D era games.
This surprising twist on Ghostface helps him stand out from other guests, using the exact same trick that made the Scream movies so compelling in the first place. In addition to a great initial mystery, Ghostface is a fun character to play, calling in fellow masked slashers to extend combos or pressure. In a game that relies on assists through Kameo characters, Mortal Kombat 1 was the best playing ground for Ghostface, marrying the existing system mechanics wonderfully.
1. The Predator (Mortal Kombat X)
Courtesy of Netherrealm Studios
It’s easy to forget that 1987’s The Predator was largely a horror film, with the signature alien hunter being one of the deadliest characters ever put to screen. The Predator has been involved with action ever since, but his roots make him an easier pick for Mortal Kombat‘s greatest horror guest, and perhaps the fighting game series’ best visitor of all time. The Predator is everything you want from a guest, from their bright green blood to their expansive fighting style for players to explore.
Included as the signature guest in Mortal Kombat X‘s first DLC wave, The Predator’s three variations encapsulate the character perfectly. The Hunter variation gives The Predator the traps and gadgets seen across his movies, while the Hish-Qu-Ten form focuses on the creature’s fully controllable plasma caster energy projectile. Meanwhile, aggressive players can even take off The Predator’s mask in the Warrior variation, activating self-destruct functions similar to the alien’s defeat in their very first movie.
Everything about The Predator reflects a fast, precise fighting style that reflects the seasoned hunter’s expertise in battle. For a fighting game, The Predator is already built for combat, with wrist blades and a spear ready for use in flashy combos. Even in new Mortal Kombat games, comparisons to The Predator are what define new guest characters, who have to live up to the amazing translation of a character whose horror can be fully unleashed on an already iconic roster.
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