Summary
Mortal Kombat 1is the newest AAA fighting game on the block, but it still faces stiff competition.Street Fighter 6 wasreleased earlier in the year and is one of the best games the series has seen in a long time, andTekken 8is right around the corner, alongsideUnder Night In-Birth 2, the predecessor to which was an indie darling in the fighting game community. The fighting game genre is booming, butMortal Kombat 1’s first Kombat Pack sets it apart. With six Kombatants and even more Kameo fighters, the DLC bundle is massive. The supervillain guest characters may be the popular focus, and yet the pack is bringing back plenty of series veterans with Takeda among them.
While the size ofMK1’s first Kombat Packis one of the things that is setting it and the game itself apart from other fighting games right now, it will take a long time to complete. The 6 primary kombatants and 5 Kameo Fighters will roll out over the course of an entire year. Unfortunately, for fans awaiting his return, Takeda is the final character coming to the game. Luckily, the rest of the pack is filled with other exciting characters as well, and its rollout schedule promises that fans will never have to wait too long for new content.
Kombat Pack 1’s Release Schedule
Takeda Doesn’t Have Much of a History
Takeda was absent inMK11after being originally added inMortal Kombat X. This means that despite finding fans quickly, the character has only appeared in one game. Takeda is a relative newcomer but his role in the universe and previous appearance provide insight into how he may play in this entry. Takeda Takahashi is a Shirai Ryu ninja and a Kombat Kid. InMKX, his gameplay resembles fellow ninjas Sub-Zero and Scorpion.
The thing that sets Takeda apart is that instead of being an all-rounder, he sacrifices some flexibility for a killer mid-range zoning game utilizing his metallic whips.
Takeda Is Weak From Afar But Hard to Approach
Takeda uses metallic whips to fight his opponents inMKX. This gave the character some of the best reach on normal attacks in that game. Takeda was easy to whiff-punish and poke with, even though his ability to follow up was limited to relatively short combos. His big trade-off was that he lacked a fireball, giving zoners the upper hand. Takeda had a projectile that could be thrown at the ground, though it lacked the reach of the fireballs of Scorpion and othershoto archetypefighters. Takeda also had fewer options up close than true all-rounders, though he was still quite capable.
Takeda Will Likely Have More Freedom in MK1
Takeda inMortal Kombat 1will likely retain his focus on mid-range play but could receive a larger move set. One thing that set Takeda apart inMKXwas that he had some powerful options in the air. The air game inMK1has been pretty much buffed across the board, so it would be unsurprising to see the developers lean into this element of the character. It is also likely that the character will remain weak at a distance, but the addition ofKameo Fighterswill make it easier for players to make up for this.
Takeda is still about half of a year away and the character could benefit from this.MK1’s first balance patchwas controversial in part because of how nerfs to Kameo Fighters impacted the primary fighters. The nerfs to the assist mechanic hurt characters that relied on them more than well-rounded kombatants. Now, while the patch was helpful overall, there are still a lot of balance changes needed. Takeda’s status as the final DLC character in the pack could mean that he will benefit from the developer’s new knowledge built up over the game’s first year in players' hands.
Mortal Kombat 1
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome to a new era of Kombat. NetherRealm Studios ushers in a new era of the iconic fighting franchise with a total reset that changes the entire world as we know it. Following the thrilling climax of Mortal Kombat 11, the all-powerful Fire God Liu Kang has created a New Era in the hope of bringing peace to Earthrealm and beyond. Through the series' most cinematic story mode yet, you’ll be reintroduced to a cast of legendary warriors as you’ve never seen them before. Expect twists on classic friendships and rivalries, as well as new backstories that will change everything you think you know about your favorite Kombatants. Discover a host of new offline and online game modes as you master a revitalized fighting system that boasts bone-crunching Fatal Blows, defensive Breakers and the most creatively vicious Fatalities yet.
