From the trailers released so far, it seems as thoughMortal Kombat 1is both simultaneously taking the franchise back to its roots while also bringing it further into the modern day with some new mechanics. WhileMortal Kombat 1’s rebooted settingwill be a rewarding throwback for long-time fans of the series, features like the Kameo Fighter system, airborne combos, and fresh movesets are sure to keep players of all kinds of their toes, and that seems to be just scratching the surface of whatMortal Kombat 1has to offer.
After a lengthy hiatus, theMortal KombatKombat Kast has made a triumphant return. Over the course of about a 45-minute livestream, a handful ofMortal Kombat 1developers take players through some live gameplay demonstrations, breaking down the characters' new movesets, and explaining some of the game’s new mechanics. The most recentKombat Kast confirmed a handful of newMortal Kombat 1fighters, including Rain and Smoke, along with detailing exactly how the Kameo system will work in-game. But by far the most important detail unveiled during the Kombat Kast is that Johnny Cage has a new character-exclusive ability, and it is one that could make him embarrassingly overpowered.
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Mortal Kombat 1’s Johnny Cage Could Be Extremely Overpowered
After breaking down Scorpion’s new moveset, the recentMortal Kombat 1Kombat Kast shifted over to franchise staple Johnny Cage. Debuting all the way back inthe original 1992Mortal Kombat, fans have grown to adore Johnny Cage over the last 30 years, but while long-time fans will recognize the vast majority of Cage’s new moveset, there are a few big changes coming inMortal Kombat 1.
The biggest change toJohnny Cage’s moveset inMortal Kombat 1is that he no longer possesses magical abilities. But while Johnny Cage won’t have his usual green magic, most of his moves remain intact, such as the iconic Shadow Kick, albeit now rather than a green light emanating from his body, his moves are given a more blurry, watery effect. In place of Cage’s usual green orb projectiles,Mortal Kombat 1gives the fighter a few more close-range hand-to-hand moves along with a few more kicks, making him even more lethal up close.
But while the lack of magic is the biggest change to Johnny Cage’s moveset inMortal Kombat 1, there’s an even greater addition that’s being made to the character. Shown in depth during the Kombat Kast, Johnny Cage has a new Hype Meter, appearing as a star in the bottom corner of the screen, right above the three-bar Super Meter. This Hype Meter is a character-exclusive ability that, when full and activated, allows Johnny Cage to deliver multiple special moves in a row, with no delay in between them.
Johnny Cage’s new Hype Meter has the potential to make him one of the most overpowered fighters in the entire game, andthe Kombat Kastkind of proved that. During the live demo, Johnny Cage was shown to activate the Hype Meter, and deliver three Shadow Kicks in a row with practically no delay between them, resulting in the loss of about half of the opponent’s health bar. The Hype Meter also seems to be fairly easy to fill, with the live demonstrator being able to fill it entirely with just three fairly fast taunts. Though these taunts can definitely be punished by experienced players, if a skilled Johnny Cage player is able to fill and activate their Hype Meter, it could end up being game over just a few seconds into the match. As it stands, it seems pretty likely that Johnny Cage’s new Hype Meter will receive some serious nerfs either before launch or in the days following it.
Mortal Kombat 1will be released on June 29, 2025, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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