Facepalm: Mortal Kombat 1 Premium Edition owners have been ripping each other’s heads off for a few days now, and while the animations might look gruesomely realistic on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X, they’re horrific for entirely different reasons on the Nintendo Switch. It’s a situation made all the worse by the game’s $70 price tag on Nintendo’s machine.
Mortal Kombat 1 has been available to Premium Edition buyers since September 14 – it officially launches today. The game has mostly good reviews that single out the combat and graphics as highlights, but Switch users might not agree, given the slew of problems being reported on the hybrid console.
In addition to the likes of wildly inconsistent frame rates and long load times, there have been numerous bugs discovered by Switch owners, including the impressively bizarre jump to 3D below.
Yeah, Switch version rocks! #MK1 #MortalKombat1 #MortalKombat #Switch #bug pic.twitter.com/oLwivYnrQE
– Baconsaur of Astora (@mr_baconssauro) September 16, 2023
But the biggest complaints are being directed at the game’s graphics. The example below is of Johnny Cage who appears to have stared directly into the Ark of the Covenant. There are also several other character models, including a surreal one of Mileena, that bring back nostalgic memories of the PlayStation 2 years.
Nintendo fans keep saying “graphics don’t matter.” Mortal Kombat heard you loud and clear. $70 for this. 𤣠pic.twitter.com/SqAMKQZ7YB
– #WolverinePS5 (@HlNOMARUSUMO) September 17, 2023
Having more than two fighters on screen at once is also causing major issues for the Switch. That’s especially problematic when the Kameo Fighters mechanic allows players to pick other fighters to help them in battle, tag-team style.
The aging Switch hardware is always going to creak under the weight of modern game ports, but some were surprised at NetherRealm’s decision to release it on Nintendo’s device after choosing not to make PS4 or Xbox One versions.
The most jarring issue for Switch owners, though, is the decision to charge the same price for Mortal Kombat 1 as other consoles/PC: $109.99 for the Premium Edition and $69.99 for the standard version. The move has been labeled as “robbery” and “borderline criminal” by some.
Both of these are $70?!?!?$?
Awwww hell no.
If I was playing Mortal Kombat 1 on Switch I’d ask for a refund in a heartbeat. pic.twitter.com/4nfIzjeXEm
– OleManLogan (@OleManLogan) September 17, 2023
There have reportedly been some performance issues with Mortal Kombat 1 on the PC, too, but nowhere near as bad as the Switch version. NetherRealm says it is working on a permanent solution.