It's actually happening. Universal Parks and Resorts has announced that it will be teaming up with Nintendo to make , which is undoubtedly the most exciting thing you'll hear today (even those of you who just won the lottery). Nintendo games and theme parks both play to our wildest childhood fantasies, so the thought of Nintendo properties being brought to life as thrill rides and roller coasters is like 200cc turbo fuel for our imaginations.

Hearing the news got us so amped up for what could be possible that we had to share our ideas with you. With all the beloved properties in Nintendo's stable, mixed with the proven concepts from the world's most famous theme parks, there's so much potential for delightfully familiar attractions. Universal or Nintendo, if you're reading this: please use any and all of these ideas as you see fit.

Mine carts, people. Mine carts. No one game company has done more for the most noble of platforming transportation than Nintendo. When everyone else said mine cart levels were old-hat in the early ‘90s, Nintendo thumbed its nose and showed that it was just everyone else’s mine carts that were the problem, delivering in Donkey Kong Country the finest banging, clanging, freewheeling thrills ever seen in a video game. Later, when everyone else said platformers themselves were old-hat, Nintendo thumbed its other nose, and dropped Donkey Kong Country Returns, with a whole damn world of mine carts.

Nintendo knows that mine cart levels are amazing. It knows that a good mine cart level is the closest you can get to riding an amazing, lethally exciting roller coaster without leaving your house. In fact it knows that a good mine cart level is better than any roller coaster that exists, because it doesn’t have to deal with sensible physics or health and safety legislation. And now Nintendo has access to real roller coasters. The boundaries of human recreation have just been smashed clean off.

Another on-rails attraction, this one is more sedate than that Donkey Kong roller coaster, but equally awesome. Before you start, everyone is given a few lures and one Pokeball to throw as they seek to get the highest score in a photography competition. Everyone's given a digital camera with an LCD viewfinder, and then you sit in your cart and try to get a great photo of a Pokemon. At any point, you can throw your single Pokeball. And if it hits a Pokemon, you get a plushie of that Pokemon when you exit the ride.

Everyone submits three pictures to be analyzed when the ride is over and the highest score wins the visitor in question a prize. And, of course, everyone can buy a print-out of their photographic masterpieces with the park's Gold Coins currency. Oh, and the winner? They get a download code for a rare Pokemon for their 3DS game. Yes, this is the best thing ever.

Recreating the climatic finale from 1994's Super Metroid, Escape from Zebes 4D follows intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran as she launches her final assault on the pirate base Tourian and Mother Brain. The ride is presented from Samus' point-of-view, and all the seats in the theater shake and jostle as she leaps through the base shooting down Metroids and dodging the automated defenses. And you know every time a Metroid gets blasted viewers get sprayed with a bit of water (aka Metroid goo).

Suddenly, the lights go out, and Mother Brain rises up in her full, horrific glory. Seeing this beast recreated with modern visuals makes you pine for a modern Metroid game not developed by Team Ninja. The rainbow-colored lights of the boss' hyper beam are blinding, but then the adorable baby Metroid intervenes. We all know what happens next, leading to Samus' mad dash back to her battleship. It's all explosions and sirens and shaking - so much shaking - as the entire planet gets ready to burn out in one fiery blast.

The thing about theme parks is that they’re great to visit in summertime - which also means it’s usually really, really hot outside. What better way to cool off than by embracing your inner Inkling and drenching equally toasty opponents with squirt guns as you run around a giant, colorful map? Much like a lasertag arena, the Splatoon Park would let you participate for a select amount of time, running around and getting everyone as wet as possible.

To make it really authentic, each player gets a white shirt to wear and chilled colored water to use in their gun. You can’t really declare true victory until everyone on the other side is absolutely dripping with your team’s colors! It’s ok if you “accidentally” shoot members of your own team, by the way. Hey, Florida in July is hot!

You step into the car, ready to spend a lovely day touring through the Mushroom Kingdom with your cheerful guide, Captain Toad. Toad is eager to show you all the gems he collected during his recent adventure, but before he can so much as throw a turnip, a giant bird comes and plucks him up, spiriting him away. You speed up to give chase, careening past sights like question mark blocks and flagpoles, bouncing up the cobblestones to Peach’s castle before being knocked onto a go-kart racetrack by a wayward Chomp.

The bird flies by with a shrieking Toad as you break through the wall of the track and go over a waterfall to find yourself riding through the streets of Pianta Island. Mario flies by with FLUDD to help push you back on course, but an untimely swipe by a laughing Bowser instead sends you flying into space! You swoop and swirl around the planets of Mario Galaxy until helpful lumas get you back on track for Earth. You return to the Mushroom Kingdom in time to see Toadette bonk the bird on the head and rescue Captain Toad. Quite a wild ride, indeed!

Venture into Mii Plaza and discover a disturbing and vivid recreation of a classic virtual Nintendo world - in real life! Lifelike human avatars will shamble about awkwardly as you enter, ready to greet you in a “streetpass.” Simply walk up to a near-person, yell out your name and, before they’ve even responded, tell them what game you’ve been playing recently, even if it’s “Settings.”

The twist: Some REAL people are embedded in Nintendo’s lifelike near-person Mii actors. If they act convincingly and polite enough, they may be set free as a reward.

Step into larger-than-life version of a world that looks mysteriously like our own and explore alongside Captain Olimar and friends. Rather than being a finite ride with a beginning and end, the Pikmin Explorer Zone would be more like a playground filled with giant strawberries, cellphones, and other household objects strewn around a lush forest crawling with all manner of animatronic creatures.

Slide down a giant cereal box. Explore massive caves. And watch out for the bulborbs! Best of all, stuffed Pikmin stashes are strewn around at various stations, letting park goers grab the miniature plant people by the handful and chuck them at various hazards and enemies in order to solve light puzzles. Your targets will even react to your attacks, complete with sound effects!

The F-Zero games have a reputation for being so fast, they'll make your eyes stream with tears and/or blood. Blinking is a surefire way to crash and burn, sending you careening to the back of the race, never to catch up to your future-car competitors. And F-Zero GX on the GameCube is the fastest of them all, with ludicrously punishing difficulty to boot. Ergo, it's perfect for a roller coaster specifically engineered to make attendees feel like they're flying so fast, their bone marrow is going to liquify.

If Universal wants to save some money and reduce the risk of bodily harm, it could utilize the kind of brain trickery seen in Star Tours, where hydraulics tip and shake your seat to match the motions on a gigantic 3D screen. Perhaps a hologram of Captain Falcon could serve as your at-the-helm guide, Falcon Punch-ing his way into your heart with witty banter. But it'd feel like a wasted opportunity not to go all-out with a strap-in roller coaster, with the kind of stomach-obliterating launch speed of Six Flags' Kingda Ka ride.

When you're a parent at the end of their rope, taking your kids down to Goofy's Playhouse (formerly known as Goofy's Bounce House) is the reprieve you've been so desperately needing. It's not so much a ride as a dumping ground for energetic youngsters, which is a win-win: children get to literally bounce off the walls in a room that can accommodate their tiny, frenetic bodies, while parents can wait outside and rest their old bones for a spell.

Of all the cute and cuddly characters in Nintendo's roster, none can match the elastic, inviting fluffiness of that pink puffball Kirby. Picture, if you will, a house that transports tykes to Dream Land, with rooms themed around the wooly warmth of Kirby's Epic Yarn or the pastel prettiness of Kirby's Dream Land 3. And here's the kicker: the structure itself could be one gigantic Kirby in his classic suck-'em-up pose, with his vacuous mouth serving as the door. The mental image of kids excitedly filing into Kirby's black-hole stomach is priceless.

What better way to experience The Legend of Zelda's Hyrule that to walk around its environments with your own two feet? Take a location like the Lost Woods and the adventure makes itself. When you enter the Lost Woods maze, the sights, sounds, and music would instantly transport park-goers to the mysterious land of Hyrule. Just think about it. It could be like a scavenger hunt. You need to navigate the maze to pick up keys, unlock some gates, and traverse obstacles, and avoid enemies like Deku Scrubs that shoot foam balls at you.

Best of all, the maze could be set up so that you have to follow the sound of the , making the experience feel exactly like exploring the forest in Ocarina of Time. Fail to follow the music, and you get led down a path that takes you to the entrance of the maze. It could totally work!

One of the most meta bits of the Disney theme parks is the concept of Hidden Mickeys. They're like UFOs: even if you've never spotted one yourself, you've surely heard of the concept, and you hope to catch a glimpse of one yourself someday. For the uninitiated, Mickey's iconic three-circle, head-and-mouse-ears silhouette is all over the park, nestled away in backdrops, paintings, and all manner of ingenious hiding spots. For the Disney diehards that've been to Disneyland a hundred times, tracking down all the Hidden Mickeys becomes an attraction in and of itself.

Everyone knows that when it comes to iconic individuals, Nintendo's president and CEO Satoru Iwata ranks just below Mickey Mouse on the global recognition scale. So why not borrow Disney's idea and litter the Nintendo park rides with hidden emblems of Iwata's bespectacled face? Please understand, this would not exclude the possibility for Hidden Fils-Aimes as well.

There are plenty more amazing concepts for Nintendo and Universal to tackle - Luigi's Haunted Mansion, Flying Koopas, Jurassic Plessie River Ride, Spinning Yoshi Eggs, an Animal Crossing-themed coffee shop called The Roost Cafe (or Brewster's), and a Hotel Mario just outside the park grounds.

While you've got Nintendo on the brain, check out the our suggestions for . If you're as stoked by this announcement as we are, channel that gleeful excitement into more suggestions in the comments below. That way, you can tell your friends that you called it when your ride idea becomes a reality.

There are certain things you can expect to see in a new Mortal Kombat game. Yes, there will be extraordinarily gory Fatality finishers and flashy combos that can decimate your health bar. There will be copious amounts of blood and guts flying across the battlefield. But what really matters to players is the roster, with the hopes that it'll deliver a diverse cast of characters that afford many different playstyles.

Good news, then: offers tons of unique fighters, mixing old favorites with fresh faces and giving every character three distinct movesets called variations. If you want to see who made the kut in MKX, then click ahead for the full roster breakdown of everyone who's currently in the game, complete with high-res images.

No longer content with just killing pot-smoking, sexcapade-having teens, Jason Voorhees is bringing his iconic hockey mask and machete to the realm of MKX. He's not the only horror villain to make an appearance in the series (Freddy Krueger holds that honor in MK9), but Jason will be the first to have three variations, all aptly named: Slasher, Relentless, and Unstoppable. You can bet that at least one of his Fatalities will be a direct reference to his methods of onscreen slaughtering.

After having a real rough go of things in MK9, Kung Lao is back in MKX - though saying how might be a bit of a spoiler. All you really need to know is that yes, his hat still has a bladed brim, and yes, Kung Lao loves to throw at his opponents with impunity. He's one of the best rushdown characters out there, able to zoom in with a dive kick or teleport behind enemies who try to keep him at bay.

Gotcha! *Pow, pow, pow* Gotcha! *Pow, pow, pow* Gotcha! *Pow-pow-you get the idea. Fighting against Jax can be a really demoralizing experience as the man basically has a tool for every situation - from projectiles to that oh-so-catchy Gotcha! grab. There’s no escaping the guy. He can knock you down from the other end of the screen, and then propel himself forward and right into your personal space. After that, well, you know what comes next...

Much like her on-again, off-again husband, Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade has undergone quite the transformation in MKX. In addition to locating a tank top, she is a much more well-rounded and fully realized character than in any MK game prior. She’s also an ass-kicking mom who can summon attack drones to harass her opponents from all over the screen. By fighting in conjunction with her drones, there’s nowhere for the opponent to hide.

Take the blinded Neo from the end of The Matrix Revolutions and give him a samurai sword. That's pretty much Kenshi in a nutshell, the sightless telepath who can move things with his mind. Depending on which variation you select, Kenshi's able to send out harmful spirit projections, wield his sword like a telekinetic lightsaber, or summon a scythe-wielding demon for some devastating combos. He's also got some of the most sadistic Fatalities in the game, which really don't match his usual calm-and-collected demeanor.

The blue-clad Edenian princess is back, and she's royally pissed. Using her twin bladed fans, Kitana can slice and dice opponents from afar or up close, and she has dominant control of the air when played correctly. If you're disappointed that Jade isn't back for MKX, don't worry - Kitana's Mournful variations is an homage to her green-clad compatriot, complete with all of Jade's classic staff-wielding, boomerang-chucking moves. The Assassin variation gives Kitana an equally interesting new tactic: the ability to parry attacks.

Scorpion is still a beast in MKX, without being the overwhelming juggernaut he was in the previous Mortal Kombat. Teleporting? Check. Lighting people on fire? Check. Get over here? Double check. All the classic moves are there, but they’re split up between the three variations available to each character. This means it’s a bit tougher to cheese your way through a fight using special moves alone. Trust us, we’ve tried.

Sub-Zero (aka Scrub-Zero, aka Is-that-Steve-Blum) is cruise control for cool when it comes to putting your opponent on ice. This frosty ninja’s arsenal of ice attacks will have the other player shaking in their boots. Using his expert ice sculpting skills, Sub-Zero can whip up a sword or an entire sculpture of himself in mere moments, before breaking those items upside someone’s head. Guess it’s time for them to… chill out.

Kitana's razor-toothed sister/clone/tormenter is a bit more toned down in MKX - which, if you remember her ridiculous bandages-only outfit from MK9, is definitely a good thing. Mileena finally has some lips to cover a few of those pointy mandibles, so it actually makes sense that she'd be able to speak intelligibly. As for her fighting style, her lightning-fast rolls and high-low sai projectiles can kill the opponent before they know what hit 'em.

Kenshi's wise-cracking son is one of four members of the secret Special Forces squad that's central to the story, showing off what this new generation of MK fighters is capable of. Takeda's style blends the Shirai Ryu training he learned from a certain yellow-clad master with arm-mounted whips, making him like the techno-ninja version of Omega Red. Oh, and just FYI: you have to be in the air to activate his X-Ray attack.

The de facto leader of the new-gen super-squad, Cassie is quite clearly the daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, given both her attitude and fighting style. She's got all the military training and natural-born leadership inherent to her mother, mixed with the witty (and completely cheesy) one-liners and cockiness of her father. Cassie has even got her own version of Johnny's iconic groin punch, even yelling out "Ding! Dong!" when she drives home a one-two combo to the opponent's crotch.

The descendant of the great Kung Lao, Kung Jin rounds out Cassie's team with his Shaolin monk training and education in the ways of Outworld. He may be cocky, but Kung Jin has the skills to back up all his taunting, wielding a person-sized bow that also doubles as a bone-cracking staff. When he's not firing off arrows to the point that you look like a human pincushion, Kung Jin can get all up in your grill with his dive kick and leg-sweeping bow swings.

Ever since (spoilers) Shao Kahn got zapped by the Elder Gods at the end of MK9, Earthrealm has really been wanting for a megalomaniacal tyrant who could scheme to take it all over. Enter Shinnok, the fallen Elder God who's as sinister as he is pale. Shinnok serves as the main antagonist in MKX's story mode, and you'll get a closer look into how he's essentially the Emperor Palpatine of the Mortal Kombat universe.

Someone just needs to put old Kano out of his misery already. It’s literally all people talk about when they talk about Kano. “Hey guys,” someone will start, “Kano sure is a bad dude, we should totally kill him.” And EVERYONE will agree, but it never happens. Somehow this clown keeps rolling his way through one Mortal Kombat sequel after the next. That's ok, though, because his knife skills, laser eye beams, and physics-defying spin moves are always welcome.

Mortal Kombat veteran Johnny Cage makes a surprising transformation in MKX, from the wise-cracking stuntman of yore to a military commando and concerned father. Don’t get me wrong, he still has that signature Cage wit, but it has been tempered a bit with age. Like a fine wine, albeit one that can throw green fireballs and punch you in the junk. In the ring, Johnny’s simple-yet-aggressive fighting style makes him an ideal pick for new players; just make sure to yell “CAGED!!” after you win.

If you love Mortal Kombat but felt it was missing a Wild West aspect, MKX has the cure for what ails you. Erron Black is an Earthrealm cowboy turned Outworld mercenary, signing up to be part of Kotal Kahn's hit squad. Though he typically relies on his twin revolvers, he can also specialize with a long-range rifle or a devastating sword by way of his variations. He also has some of the most ridiculous combos and unyielding corner pressure you've ever seen, so there's really no safe distance to fight against this gunman.

The king of the high-pitched battle cry, Liu Kang is a fireball-chucking, bicycle-kicking machine. For those who like long, flowing combos straight out of a kung fu choreography montage, then Liu Kang's ample attack strings will be your cup of tea. But he's just as effective at the keep-away game, able to spit out high and low dragon-shaped fireballs until your opponent is simply exasperated. Just don't blame us when they want to beat you down in real life after the match.

Ermac is many, you are but one. You wouldn’t think fighting-by-committee would be very efficient, but the enigmatic Ermac makes it work. With an army of souls comprising his entire being, Ermac excels at lifting opponents into the air and doing horrible things to them. He’s basically putting on a little puppet show, and you’re the star attraction. Definitely a good pick if you just want to humiliate the other player.

Kotal Kahn may be the new emperor of Outworld, but he’s no Shao Kahn. Poor Kotal can barely keep his subordinates in line on a good day. On a bad day, someone makes a play on Kotal’s life, and the big guy has a lot of bad days. Shao Kahn wouldn’t put up with this nonsense. He had a hammer. Kotal has the power of the sun and a grappler/brawler fighting style that’s very technical. If you don’t like micromanaging various stat buffs during a fight, give Kotal a pass.

This scaly ninja is now part of Kotal Kahn's gang, spitting acid and slicing flesh to keep Outworld's riff-raff in check. He's also one of the trickiest fighters in the MKX roster, both to play as and to fight. All three of his variations offer traits that make life difficult for your opponent, be it a constant damaging aura, the ability to go completely invisible, or the power to slow down time in a manner similar to The Flash in Injustice.

Ferra and Torr seems like the only two people in the entire Mortal Kombat universe who are having any fun. Maybe Johnny Cage is too, but his ironic detachment makes it hard to tell. This gruesome twosome seem to genuinely enjoy the act of fighting and living in a universe governed by martial arts contests. I guess that’s the magic of friendship. Anyone who will join you to stand up against immortal thunder gods and dead wizards is a friend indeed.

Kotal Kahn's right-hand insect-woman is as deadly as she is creepy. When she's not lashing out with the humongous pincers that spring out of her back, D'Vorah likes to spray bug juices from her wrist-mounted maggot friend or release a swarm of god-knows-what from her chest cavity. And if you look closely, you'll see that her peepers are textured like a bee's compound eyes. For those who like to get underneath their opponent's skin as well as up in their face during combat, D'Vorah's the right pick.

Most people think Raiden is the god of thunder, but in actuality he’s the god of making the most out of a bad situation. Life just doesn’t let up on the poor guy. First it was some vague prophecy from the future, then a bunch of his friends died, and now some guy that looks like Emperor Palpatine is plotting world domination. It just never ends. But Raiden doesn't complain. Instead, he makes those really silly kung-fu noises while torpedoing someone across the screen.

When you’re playing Quan Chi, you’re thinking with portals. His whole fighting style is based on messing with the other player’s head, making him one of the most enjoyable combatants to take into the ring. One minute you’re hypnotizing the other player and making them act like a zombie, the next you’re summoning a hellbat to rain death from above. And the portals! Quan Chi is constantly sticking his hands, swords, and other players into portals and tossing them all over the screen. He may be evil, but you can’t go wrong with this tricksy necromancer.

'Press X to Goro' has become something of a minor meme among MKX players, since this hulking, four-armed Shokan warrior constantly stares at you from the character select screen, as if insisting that you buy him as DLC if you don't already have him as a pre-order reward. But for those who prefer the 'brute force' approach, Goro can really bring the pain with his flurry of punches and screen-crossing leap attack. And that Fatality where he tears off all your limbs at once is just brutal.

There are certain things you can expect to see in a new Mortal Kombat game. Yes, there will be extraordinarily gory Fatality finishers and flashy combos that can decimate your health bar. There will be copious amounts of blood and guts flying across the battlefield. But what really matters to players is the roster, with the hopes that it'll deliver a diverse cast of characters that afford many different playstyles.

Good news, then: offers tons of unique fighters, mixing old favorites with fresh faces and giving every character three distinct movesets called variations. If you want to see who made the kut in MKX, then click ahead for the full roster breakdown of everyone who's currently in the game, complete with high-res images.

No longer content with just killing pot-smoking, sexcapade-having teens, Jason Voorhees is bringing his iconic hockey mask and machete to the realm of MKX. He's not the only horror villain to make an appearance in the series (Freddy Krueger holds that honor in MK9), but Jason will be the first to have three variations, all aptly named: Slasher, Relentless, and Unstoppable. You can bet that at least one of his Fatalities will be a direct reference to his methods of onscreen slaughtering.

After having a real rough go of things in MK9, Kung Lao is back in MKX - though saying how might be a bit of a spoiler. All you really need to know is that yes, his hat still has a bladed brim, and yes, Kung Lao loves to throw it at his opponents with impunity. He's one of the best rushdown characters out there, able to zoom in with a dive kick or teleport behind enemies who try to keep him at bay.

Gotcha! *Pow, pow, pow* Gotcha! *Pow, pow, pow* Gotcha! *Pow-pow-you get the idea. Fighting against Jax can be a really demoralizing experience as the man basically has a tool for every situation - from projectiles to that oh-so-catchy Gotcha! grab. There’s no escaping the guy. He can knock you down from the other end of the screen, and then propel himself forward and right into your personal space. After that, well, you know what comes next...

Much like her on-again, off-again husband, Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade has undergone quite the transformation in MKX. In addition to locating a tank top, she is a much more well-rounded and fully realized character than in any MK game prior. She’s also an ass-kicking mom who can summon attack drones to harass her opponents from all over the screen. By fighting in conjunction with her drones, there’s nowhere for the opponent to hide.

Take the blinded Neo from the end of The Matrix Revolutions and give him a samurai sword. That's pretty much Kenshi in a nutshell, the sightless telepath who can move things with his mind. Depending on which variation you select, Kenshi's able to send out harmful spirit projections, wield his sword like a telekinetic lightsaber, or summon a scythe-wielding demon for some devastating combos. He's also got some of the most sadistic Fatalities in the game, which really don't match his usual calm-and-collected demeanor.

The blue-clad Edenian princess is back, and she's royally pissed. Using her twin bladed fans, Kitana can slice and dice opponents from afar or up close, and she has dominant control of the air when played correctly. If you're disappointed that Jade isn't back for MKX, don't worry - Kitana's Mournful variations is an homage to her green-clad compatriot, complete with all of Jade's classic staff-wielding, boomerang-chucking moves. The Assassin variation gives Kitana an equally interesting new tactic: the ability to parry attacks.

Scorpion is still a beast in MKX, without being the overwhelming juggernaut he was in the previous Mortal Kombat. Teleporting? Check. Lighting people on fire? Check. Get over here? Double check. All the classic moves are there, but they’re split up between the three variations available to each character. This means it’s a bit tougher to cheese your way through a fight using special moves alone. Trust us, we’ve tried.

Sub-Zero (aka Scrub-Zero, aka Is-that-Steve-Blum) is cruise control for cool when it comes to putting your opponent on ice. This frosty ninja’s arsenal of ice attacks will have the other player shaking in their boots. Using his expert ice sculpting skills, Sub-Zero can whip up a sword or an entire sculpture of himself in mere moments, before breaking those items upside someone’s head. Guess it’s time for them to… chill out.

Kitana's razor-toothed sister/clone/tormenter is a bit more toned down in MKX - which, if you remember her ridiculous bandages-only outfit from MK9, is definitely a good thing. Mileena finally has some lips to cover a few of those pointy mandibles, so it actually makes sense that she'd be able to speak intelligibly. As for her fighting style, her lightning-fast rolls and high-low sai projectiles can kill the opponent before they know what hit 'em.

Kenshi's wise-cracking son is one of four members of the secret Special Forces squad that's central to the story, showing off what this new generation of MK fighters is capable of. Takeda's style blends the Shirai Ryu training he learned from a certain yellow-clad master with arm-mounted whips, making him like the techno-ninja version of Omega Red. Oh, and just FYI: you have to be in the air to activate his X-Ray attack.

The de facto leader of the new-gen super-squad, Cassie is quite clearly the daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, given both her attitude and fighting style. She's got all the military training and natural-born leadership inherent to her mother, mixed with the witty (and completely cheesy) one-liners and cockiness of her father. Cassie has even got her own version of Johnny's iconic groin punch, even yelling out "Ding! Dong!" when she drives home a one-two combo to the opponent's crotch.

The descendant of the great Kung Lao, Kung Jin rounds out Cassie's team with his Shaolin monk training and education in the ways of Outworld. He may be cocky, but Kung Jin has the skills to back up all his taunting, wielding a person-sized bow that also doubles as a bone-cracking staff. When he's not firing off arrows to the point that you look like a human pincushion, Kung Jin can get all up in your grill with his dive kick and leg-sweeping bow swings.

Ever since (spoilers) Shao Kahn got zapped by the Elder Gods at the end of MK9, Earthrealm has really been wanting for a megalomaniacal tyrant who could scheme to take it all over. Enter Shinnok, the fallen Elder God who's as sinister as he is pale. Shinnok serves as the main antagonist in MKX's story mode, and you'll get a closer look into how he's essentially the Emperor Palpatine of the Mortal Kombat universe.

Someone just needs to put old Kano out of his misery already. It’s literally all people talk about when they talk about Kano. “Hey guys,” someone will start, “Kano sure is a bad dude, we should totally kill him.” And EVERYONE will agree, but it never happens. Somehow this clown keeps rolling his way through one Mortal Kombat sequel after the next. That's ok, though, because his knife skills, laser eye beams, and physics-defying spin moves are always welcome.

Mortal Kombat veteran Johnny Cage makes a surprising transformation in MKX, from the wise-cracking stuntman of yore to a military commando and concerned father. Don’t get me wrong, he still has that signature Cage wit, but it has been tempered a bit with age. Like a fine wine, albeit one that can throw green fireballs and punch you in the junk. In the ring, Johnny’s simple-yet-aggressive fighting style makes him an ideal pick for new players; just make sure to yell “CAGED!!” after you win.

If you love Mortal Kombat but felt it was missing a Wild West aspect, MKX has the cure for what ails you. Erron Black is an Earthrealm cowboy turned Outworld mercenary, signing up to be part of Kotal Kahn's hit squad. Though he typically relies on his twin revolvers, he can also specialize with a long-range rifle or a devastating sword by way of his variations. He also has some of the most ridiculous combos and unyielding corner pressure you've ever seen, so there's really no safe distance to fight against this gunman.

The king of the high-pitched battle cry, Liu Kang is a fireball-chucking, bicycle-kicking machine. For those who like long, flowing combos straight out of a kung fu choreography montage, then Liu Kang's ample attack strings will be your cup of tea. But he's just as effective at the keep-away game, able to spit out high and low dragon-shaped fireballs until your opponent is simply exasperated. Just don't blame us when they want to beat you down in real life after the match.

Ermac is many, you are but one. You wouldn’t think fighting-by-committee would be very efficient, but the enigmatic Ermac makes it work. With an army of souls comprising his entire being, Ermac excels at lifting opponents into the air and doing horrible things to them. He’s basically putting on a little puppet show, and you’re the star attraction. Definitely a good pick if you just want to humiliate the other player.

Kotal Kahn may be the new emperor of Outworld, but he’s no Shao Kahn. Poor Kotal can barely keep his subordinates in line on a good day. On a bad day, someone makes a play on Kotal’s life, and the big guy has a lot of bad days. Shao Kahn wouldn’t put up with this nonsense. He had a hammer. Kotal has the power of the sun and a grappler/brawler fighting style that’s very technical. If you don’t like micromanaging various stat buffs during a fight, give Kotal a pass.

This scaly ninja is now part of Kotal Kahn's gang, spitting acid and slicing flesh to keep Outworld's riff-raff in check. He's also one of the trickiest fighters in the MKX roster, both to play as and to fight. All three of his variations offer traits that make life difficult for your opponent, be it a constant damaging aura, the ability to go completely invisible, or the power to slow down time in a manner similar to The Flash in Injustice.

Ferra and Torr seems like the only two people in the entire Mortal Kombat universe who are having any fun. Maybe Johnny Cage is too, but his ironic detachment makes it hard to tell. This gruesome twosome seem to genuinely enjoy the act of fighting and living in a universe governed by martial arts contests. I guess that’s the magic of friendship. Anyone who will join you to stand up against immortal thunder gods and dead wizards is a friend indeed.

Kotal Kahn's right-hand insect-woman is as deadly as she is creepy. When she's not lashing out with the humongous pincers that spring out of her back, D'Vorah likes to spray bug juices from her wrist-mounted maggot friend or release a swarm of god-knows-what from her chest cavity. And if you look closely, you'll see that her peepers are textured like a bee's compound eyes. For those who like to get underneath their opponent's skin as well as up in their face during combat, D'Vorah's the right pick.

Most people think Raiden is the god of thunder, but in actuality he’s the god of making the most out of a bad situation. Life just doesn’t let up on the poor guy. First it was some vague prophecy from the future, then a bunch of his friends died, and now some guy that looks like Emperor Palpatine is plotting world domination. It just never ends. But Raiden doesn't complain. Instead, he makes those really silly kung-fu noises while torpedoing someone across the screen.

When you’re playing Quan Chi, you’re thinking with portals. His whole fighting style is based on messing with the other player’s head, making him one of the most enjoyable combatants to take into the ring. One minute you’re hypnotizing the other player and making them act like a zombie, the next you’re summoning a hellbat to rain death from above. And the portals! Quan Chi is constantly sticking his hands, swords, and other players into portals and tossing them all over the screen. He may be evil, but you can’t go wrong with this tricksy necromancer.

'Press X to Goro' has become something of a minor meme among MKX players, since this hulking, four-armed Shokan warrior constantly stares at you from the character select screen, as if insisting that you buy him as DLC if you don't already have him as a pre-order reward. But for those who prefer the 'brute force' approach, Goro can really bring the pain with his flurry of punches and screen-crossing leap attack. And that Fatality where he tears off all your limbs at once is just brutal.