If you feel like you’re inconsistently whiffing your combos and missing chained attacks in Mortal Kombat 1, you may be somewhat relieved to learn that it might not actually be all your fault. Disgruntled ‘detectives’ are building a case of evidence online that reinforces claims that there’s Player 1 advantage in Mortal Kombat 1. We know this sounds like an excuse MK1 fans would use when they’re struggling in Kombat League, but there’s clearly something amiss; this issue could affect almost everyone playing, at some point.
Taking rather fervently to the Mortal Kombat 1 subreddit with a YouTube video of evidence to reinforce claims, content creator ‘mrAPchem‘ asserts that Mortal Kombat 1 has a distinct Player One advantage right now. This advantage is that successful combo-extending attacks for Player One consistently miss when playing as Player Two – no matter which one of the Mortal Kombat 1 characters or Mortal Kombat 1 Kameo fighters you’re using. Your fighter’s stance, and the side of the stage you’re on, also seem to have no affect. We know this might be one of the best fighting games out there right now, but this is a serious issue – particularly when it comes to online modes where players can’t choose whether they’re Player One or Player Two.
As you can see for yourself below, at the start of the video, ‘mrAPchem‘ explains – and proves – that inputting a Sub Zero combo with Player One (which ends with the opponent freezing in place) doesn’t actually land the final hit (which freezes the opponent, making it quite obvious) when using Player Two. They test both sides of the stage, and both stances, and the results are consistent across the board.
Following this, ‘mrAPchem’ highlights the same issue using a longer Kitana combo – this time, it’s a Fan-Nado in the middle of the attack string that misses.
As Player One, the Fan-Nado special move connects and the combo itself is extended in the air by another three attacks. However, when using Player Two, this Fan-Nado special move does not connect properly and cuts the combo short. It might seem like a minor issue when looking at two specific instances, but this is indicative of a wider issue – especially if it’s consistent throughout the entire game. It’s something that will, at some point, punish almost every single Mortal Kombat 1 player.
You can see that specific part of the video below:
If you’re still not convinced that this issue is real and affecting players, the aforementioned subreddit post is full of comments claiming similar experiences – with some players even testing this themselves on multiple platforms with multiple characters.
From our personal experience, we have noticed some inconsistencies when it comes to inputting longer Mortal Kombat 1 combos – most notably as Raiden, at the moment. However, testing this properly requires unwavering consistency when it comes to inputting the extended combos themselves; it could just be player error, otherwise. So, while we do think the issue is something affecting players, we’re cautious to absolutely confirm that it’s the case universally.
This is a HUGE problem. Rushed Development is always bad. This game has Player 1 advantage! Please FIX IMMEDIATELY!
byu/Bozeefus1991 inMortalKombat
That being said, the evidence is quite convincing – and player reports are difficult to ignore. From what we can tell, there hasn’t been any official comment on this from NetherRealm Studios; so, we just don’t know when this issue will be resolved. However, we can imagine that the developers are aware of it and we’re hopeful that measures to solve the problem are being worked on. Although, only time will tell.
If you’re not sure you want to risk playing Kombat League or Online Versus while this issue is ongoing, you can always check out the new Mortal Kombat 1 Invasion mode, which is just Mario Party with more blood and guts. Here, you’ll always be Player One. For those of you finding each Mesa a chore to navigate, these useful fan-made Mortal Kombat 1 Invasion maps should help. We know Mortal Kombat 1 fans can’t quite deal with how ‘generous’ this Johnny Cage skin is, but that seems like it’s the least of our problems – for now, at least.