There’s been a huge increase in viewership for Twitch and YouTube channels that stream esports and general gaming throughout 2020.
Like any physical sport, a lot of the enjoyment comes from knowing how the game plays and operates. Many have nuances that aren’t necessarily recognizable to casual viewers. Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate is no different. It’s the latest iteration of the legendary fighting game franchise. Brutal matches and unparalleled violence unfold in one-on-one, best of x matches.
Here’s a breakdown of what to look for to get the most out of your tournament watching experience.
Competitive MK11 Viewer Basics
Mortal Kombat 11 is a fighting game where two players attempt to ruin each other. In tournament play, they have to reduce the other’s health meter to nothing.
Players punch, kick, jump, perform unique special moves, block, and throw each other to win. Once a character’s health is gone, the winning player has the chance to perform a Fatality (gruesome finishing move) or a Friendship (peace offering).
When a player's health drops to about 30 percent, they can perform a Fatal Blow (flashy devastating move). There are also Krushing Blows, which require specific conditions to trigger additional damage and other benefits like combo extensions.
The final two MK11 defining mechanics are all about getting in the other player's head. Armor Breaks reward reads. Anticipate a breakaway (opponent slipping out of combos) and you'll deal additional damage both physical and mental.
The second is Mercy. Beat an opponent, but want to disrespect them? Bring them back to life with a fraction of their health. The only thing more demoralizing than receiving a Mercy is losing after giving your opponent a second chance.
MK11 Esport Stream Overlay
The standard Twitch and YouTube tournament stream interface features the names of the two players competing, the score (first to win 3 or 5 games takes the set), round (pools up through grand finals), event name, and sponsors. The aesthetic typically varies based on the host, while the rest of the information is constant, albeit in different positions.
Match Analysis
The first step to spectate a match is to know what you want to watch. Final Kombat is the most prestigious Mortal 11 Ultimate tournament. 2020 saw SonicFox face off against NinjaKilla in the finals.
Let’s explore their match as an example. SonicFox used Joker and NinjaKilla picked Liu Kang.
You’ll hear talk about 4,3 and other numbers. That is combo notation and referencing different controller inputs so that players can understand movesets regardless of whether they play on Xbox, Playstation, or Nintendo Switch. Here’s what that looks like, courtesy of YouTuber shujinkydink.
You can see that both pros take turns matching blows, but they don’t hit once and then retreat. They string together moves while another player blocks.
They’re looking for openings to attack each other. A lot of offensive moves are all about timing. Notice how each player tries to stay out of the corner. Not to get too technical, but there are stats (frame data) pertaining to blocking and defense that competitive players know innately.
The concept of neutral is crucial to better understand tournament play. Any time neither player has an advantage or disadvantage, they're in neutral. It's all about vying for better spacing, positioning, and momentum in order to get something started and gain the upper hand.
SonicFox is lightning fast and dominates the first match with their ability to react, counter, and adapt. They time their follow up attacks perfectly and don't miss a chance to juggle Kang during the second match.
Now let’s take a look at what could be considered the most important game of the year - the round that won SonicFox the championship.
Note their speed, domination, and how they reset the neutral. SonicFox is a master of positioning. Their ultra-aggressive nature won them the crown. This is just a slight pass to help the average viewer appreciate competitive MK 11 Ultimate a little bit more.
Play in a Tournament
Interested in joining a Mortal Kombat tournament? You can follow the Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate page on the Competition Center, where tournaments happen weekly. Entry is free and there are prizes just for participating. It’s the perfect place to dip your feet into competitive play.