I think it’s no secret that I was, for the most part, disappointed with the character designs in Mortal Kombat 1. Mortal Kombat 11 is the best-looking game in the franchise, and then to go to MK1 left a lot to be desired. However, I like to give credit where credit is due. MK1 did have some gems, quite a few in fact. So, here are the top 10 best skins in Mortal Kombat 1.
P.S. I got all these screenshots from this YouTube video. Make sure to check it out!
Top 10 Best Skins in Mortal Kombat 1
- Sareena – Holiday Skin
- Shao Kahn – Krampus Skin
- Scorpion – MKX Skin
- Sub-Zero – Día de los Muertos Skin
- Kitana – Earthrealm Skin
- Mileena – Kannibal Killer Skin
- Reptile – Earthrealm Skin
- Sub-Zero – MKX Skin
- Kitana – Holiday Skin
- Frost – Holiday Skin
1. Sareena – Holiday Skin
For this list, I tried not to add any Kameo skins because even though they’re an integral part of the game’s core mechanic, it’s not like you can see them very well when they’re zipping across the screen. But some were too good to pass up; Sareena’s Holiday skin being one of them. It’s a goth-styled Christmas skin. What else do I need to say?
For a long time, Mortal Kombat’s aesthetic was dark and grungy. In MK1, for the most part, that aesthetic is gone. However, I think this skin is a perfect mixture of Mortal Kombat’s grungy past and more colorful present.
2. Shao Kahn – Krampus Skin
Another skin that manages to combine the past and the present well is Shao Kahn’s Krampus suit. It’s silly, but it also looks a bit terrifying as well. The face makeup, combined with the tattered trousers, looks really good. But the feature that immediately grabs your attention is his belt buckle, at least I think that’s what it is. That ominous-looking face just completes the whole ensemble.
3. Scorpion – MKX Skin
I have a huge soft spot for Mortal Kombat X. It’s my second-favorite MK game from the NRS era; I know there’s only been 4, so that doesn’t sound too impressive, but still, you know what I mean. So, when NRS released MKX outfits, I had to get them.
I think Scorpion looks fine in this game, but his MKX default costume looks much cooler. The costume’s colors being muted and a bit dirty-looking sell the whole undead wraith gimmick, and the metallic face mask with his hoodie on makes him look 10x more dangerous.
4. Sub-Zero – Día de los Muertos Skin
Out of all the characters in the Mortal Kombat franchise, the person who has never let me down in terms of costumes is Sub-Zero. You know he always has that shit on. MK1 was no exception. His default costume looks pretty good, but he also has two stand-out alternative skins. The first being the Day of the Dead one. The vibrant colors and his calavera face mask make this one of Sub-Zero’s most unique costumes of all time. The sombrero is the rightfully needed cherry on top.
5. Kitana – Earthrealm Skin
Kitana is a princess from a different realm, so essentially, she’s alien royalty. That’s why it’s so jarring seeing her in normal-ish clothes. But I don’t use the word jarring in a negative way. I think this Kitana Earthrealm skin is so different than anything we’ve ever seen her in before that it immediately stands out. It looks like she’s getting ready to perform a hip-hop dance routine, and the thought of a warrior like Kitana doing that automatically makes this one of the best skins in Mortal Kombat 1.
6. Mileena – Kannibal Killer Skin
This is such a great costume idea for Mileena that it’s surprising it took so long to execute, but I think it was worth the wait. Mileena always comes across as unpredictable and crazy, and that’s exactly what I get from this costume. An asylum patient who escaped and is on a murderous rampage is the perfect fit for Mileena. The asylum clothes would be fine by themselves, but what elevates this skin is the blood splatters all over it. It’s the little things that matter.
7. Reptile – Earthrealm
Jackets, jackets, jackets. I feel like that’s the only thing I talk about sometimes. But I like them, okay? Especially when they look as good as Reptile’s. Truth be told, I think the only reason this outfit works is the jacket, because the clothes underneath do not look all that impressive. Thankfully, though, the black and orange jacket makes it all work.
P.S. I give MK1 a lot of flack but the one thing I do have to commend them on is the complete 180 they did on Reptile. From his background, to his motives, and his appearance, this is the best the character has ever been, and I hope to see more of him in future installments.
8. Sub-Zero – MKX Skin
I like his Day of the Dead alternate costume, but I love Sub-Zero’s Mortal Kombat X skin. Maybe I’m wearing my nostalgia glasses too much; you guys let me know in the comments below, but even after all these years, it still looks amazing. It’s simple enough that it looks clean, but complex enough that it looks intricate. It does seem a bit out of place in a game that’s as bright as MK1 (compared to MKX), but it still looks good.
9. Kitana – Holiday
I lament that Mortal Kombat is not as dark and gritty as it used to be, and then I declare this one of my favorite skins in MK1. Does that make me a hypocrite? Maybe. But this costume looks so good that I’m okay with it. The fur boots, the small fur jacket with the tiny bow attached, the wool turtleneck underneath, every single feature in this costume is a 10/10. This is perfection. But if this is perfection, why do we have one more skin to look at?
10. Frost – Holiday
I know that she’s just a Kameo in this game, so it seems kind of cheap to name this my favorite skin in all of MK1, but hear me out.
I’ve never been a fan of Frost’s costumes, maybe ever. I think her costumes throughout the series are not bad, but she’s never had a wow-factor skin like other characters have. This is it. This is the one. Her fur hoodie with her hair poking out makes her look awesome. Then the Christmas light necklace and her little snowman ornament bring it all together.
It’s such a shame that she’s not an actual playable character. This skin is so good that I would’ve mained Frost just to wear this outfit. One can hope that in the next Mortal Kombat game, she’ll make the roster, and she’ll have this skin as an alternate costume.
Conclusion
Mortal Kombat 1 had some of my least favorite costumes ever, but at the same time, they also had some of my most favorite ever. Truly a mixed bag of a game. But the good is really damn good. It was hard picking which ones made the list, but I’m confident in saying that these are the best skins in Mortal Kombat 1.
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