The fighting world is a vast and exciting one. It’s filled with iconic characters, intense battles, and captivating storylines. Two of the biggest games are Mortal Kombat and Injustice, which have built dedicated fan bases over the years.

Mortal Kombat has been a must-play since its debut in 1992, known for its visceral combat system and gory fatalities. 

Injustice, on the other hand, is a relatively newer franchise, first released in 2013. It has made a name for itself with its dynamic storytelling and the recreation of an iconic DC comic.

But which game is indeed the superior fighting experience? 

This article will deeply examine both games' uniqueness and characteristics. Buckle up and prepare to know which game to choose now!

World Storyline and Plot

Among the fighting game genre, Mortal Kombat has a long storyline. From the initial games focused on combat to the incredible and appealing story from MK 11, this saga adds value to every title. 

Yet, it has a chaotic story that will confuse you due to all the branches, worlds, and new characters added as new games are released.

Still, the base storyline is simple: a fighting tournament that invites people worldwide to defeat villains attempting to conquer the world.

This has been enough to develop movies with classic characters like Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Raiden, and more.

Refined Mechanics

Mortal Kombat and Netherrealm Studios have had 31 years to refine their mechanics. This makes MK 11 a piece of art due to all the years put into work to develop such a great title.

Over the years, each game brought:

• Special features

• Physical improvements

• Enhanced graphics

• Better controls 

As you play the games, you can see how movesets and combos improved in the battle. Even though you can see classic movements from your favorite characters, there are upgrades and balances.

The clearest example is from MK 10 to MK 11. There is a massive difference between how you fight, activate powers and skills. Fatalities are also triggered differently.

From 2D Combat To a 3D Dynamic Gameplay

The first time we saw Mortal Kombat, it was a 2D video game with basic movements that required you to do combos so your character could fight. It was an enjoyable experience where you could play with friends and struggle for your life.

Mortal Kombat’s gameplay premise follows a simple style. Two characters fight each other until one of them is out of life. Fights are gruesome and gory. You must use your skills to create an excellent strategy to eliminate the opponent and win.

At the end of two rounds, the winner gets to kill the loser with Fatalities – special movements that fans love. These abilities are brutal one-shot actions that guarantee victories.

The latest installments kept the same playability. The difference is that they now include 3D graphics and better visuals, leading to more macabre scenes that fans love.

Characters With Background

Let’s agree on something. Most gamers have played – or at least know about – Mortal Kombat. This is because they’ve become part of our culture, and people identify with these characters.

If you ask someone which fighter they prefer, Scorpion or Ryu from Street Fighter, they’ll probably pick the first one.

But why is that?

Mortal Kombat has developed character stories since the first title. Fans already know why scorpion does what he does or why Liu Kang is dead in MK 11. All their stories lead to cruel outcomes in brutal fights with superb dialogues. That’s what makes the game familiar.

Now, the appearance of more characters like Kronika brings more ways to develop storylines and cover plot holes.

Unusual DLC Characters To Play With

Modern games need to include more content to stay relevant, and Mortal Kombat is not an exception.

To make the game more interesting, developers closed agreements to bring classic characters that most people will recognize to the game. For example:

• Rambo

• Robocop

• Spawn

• Terminator

• Freddy Krueger

The inclusion of these iconic personalities gives Mortal Kombat a unique gameplay experience. Their unexpected inclusion marks a new territory in the game and opens more opportunities for fast-paced and hot-blooded fights.

Short Storyline Centered In DC Comics

Out of the two games here, Injustice focuses on the comic that follows the same storyline. That is a dystopian world where the Joker prepared an ominous plan to kill Louis Lane and Superman’s unborn baby while also destroying Metropolis.

As a result, the man of steel went nuts and killed the Joker. He completely changed his principles by crossing this line and became a worldwide dictator.

Superman’s regime was followed by other superheroes, like:

• Wonder Woman
• The Flash
• Aquaman

Others like Batman, Harley Quinn, and Green Arrow represented the resistance. They were fighting for the fate of the Earth and the idea of recovering the balance Superman destroyed.

Different Play Styles According To Each Superhero

With so many superheroes available, Injustice prepared a unique playstyle for each one. Using Batman won’t be the same as using The Flash. Their combos work differently and move at different paces too.

You will have to learn how to control each hero and how to initiate their attacks.

The stage will also determine the props you’ll have at your disposal to help fight. Some of them include:

• Exploding boxes
• Animals
• Chandeliers
• Vehicles

Maps also have a second stage where you can take opponents after getting a critical hit. This feature remains in Injustice 2, along with the others mentioned above.

Many Characters Available With High Customization

An Injustice key aspect is that this game involves lots of customization, and it’s a trait that prevails in Injustice 2 as well.

Throughout history and completing achievements, you can unlock suits for each superhero. You’ll usually get parts until you get all the sets.

This way, you can create your hero and make it unique compared to what the game gives you.

Fun Dialogues And Scenes

The best part of Injustice is the dialogue and cutscenes with intense and funny moments. Developers took the task of recreating each hero’s sense of humor and lines from comics and animated movies.

This way, you have entertaining lines and interactions that you won’t have in traditional fighting games.

A big part of the story is reading dialogues, which is why you shouldn’t skip them if you want to understand all of Injustice’s background.

Highly Expected Guest Characters From DC Universe

Among fighting games, there’s been a tendency to include guest characters to give titles an “extra” sense of gameplay. This started with the Mortal Kombat series, and since then, both games have included characters with DLC or during certain events.

Some examples include:

• Red Hood
• Sub-Zero
• Raiden
• He-Man
• Hellboy
• Shao Kahn

At this point, the course of the original story isn’t interrupted because these characters are available only in multiplayer modes or arcades.

Injustice 2, It Comes To Correct What Superman Did

Injustice 2 release brought new characters – like Supergirl and Darkseid – new interests and a new story that aims to correct the wrongs that Superman did.

This story takes place after the events of the first game. Batman tries to restore the world from Superman’s regime by giving them hope and leading to society’s original roots. Unfortunately, new threads appeared.

The arrival of The Society and Brainiac makes Batman consider releasing Superman to confront the new dangers. This leads to a new confrontation between both heroes.

Injustice 2 brings two finales. One is where the Dark Knight wins, and the Man of Steel returns to his cell. The other is where Batman gets controlled by Superman while restoring the regime.

Both endings are fantastic content that you will enjoy on all platforms.