Mortal Kombat 1

There is a specific kind of couch energy that only a good fighting game produces. Someone loses three rounds in a row and asks for one more. Someone else picks the most ridiculous-looking character available. MK1 is the best version of that experience currently sitting in the PS Plus catalogue, and on a proper display it looks genuinely exceptional. The Invasions single-player mode gives someone something to do while they wait their turn, which is a small but real quality-of-life detail in a two-player-only format. The fighting game genre asks more of newcomers than anything else on this list, which is the honest reason it sits ninth rather than higher. For anyone who already knows and likes MK, or has friends who do, this is a premium catalogue addition.

Fighting games were a big part of my PlayStation history, Mortal Kombat in particular, and MK1 is a genuinely well-made entry in that lineage. The Kameo system adds a layer of strategy that gives experienced players something to dig into, and the presentation is as polished as the series has ever been. Online support has officially ended, which matters if your second player isn't in the same room, so I'm recommending this primarily as a couch pick. For local one-on-one play that's actually worth showing up for, it holds up. The accessibility score reflects that there's a real learning curve before casual players feel comfortable, so manage expectations with a newcomer.

Mortal Kombat is the franchise I grew up with, from scratchy PS1 discs through every numbered entry since. MK1 is the right recommendation here under any framework that prefers the current installment, and the netcode is significantly better than older entries in the series. The reason it is an honorable mention rather than a top 10 entry is that 1v1 fighters are inherently narrower than co-op or party games, and the skill gap between a casual player and someone with 50 hours in opens up quickly. For groups that specifically want a serious fighter to run sets in, MK1 is the pick.

If Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 both ask something of you before they give anything back, Mortal Kombat 1 is more willing to meet you halfway. The spectacular fatalities are obviously the hook, but the Kameo Fighter system adds a layer of strategy that stops it from being purely a spectacle machine. Ranked online is present and functional, though the long-term competitive pull is noticeably lighter than the two fighters above it. Where it shines is couch versus. Few games in any genre are better at making someone who never plays fighting games feel like something real just happened. That accessibility without sacrificing the depth is what earns it a spot at nine rather than the honorable mentions pile.

I have played every Mortal Kombat since the PS1 era, campaigns included. At this point the roster is old friends as much as it is game characters, which is part of why the Kameo system landed well for me. Calling in familiar faces as assists reshapes pressure and combo routes in ways that feel specific to this series rather than borrowed from elsewhere. The presentation is top-class. Fatalities are still ridiculous in the best way. The honest caveat is that balance has had turbulent patches, and the meta perception has shifted enough that it sits below the genre leaders right now. Still worth it. Just go in knowing the competitive landscape shifts.