While on the surface Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate may just seem like two players punching, kicking, and decapitating each other, there’s much more going on.

The best Mortal Kombat players don’t just fight or mash buttons, they play strategically, vying for positions and opportunities. Learning how to play neutral and footsies is one of the best first steps toward a deeper dive into competitive fighting games.

What is Neutral in MK11 Ultimate

The neutral means a position in MK11 that’s not too close and not too far away from your opponent. Take the start of the round for example. It’s a position that doesn’t give any particular advantage but acts as a chance for players to put their opponent in a disadvantageous spot.

Controlling the neutral with proper spacing is one of the keys to playing a good match. This is where footsies comes in.

What is Footsies in MK11

Attack or poke an enemy at the very tip of your character's range and you’re playing footsies. It’s all about space so that an attack will not necessarily be easily countered.

“How can I hit the opponent where they can’t hit me with my best button,” said SonicFox (widely considered the best MK11 pro in the world) in a video explaining the concept.

It also requires an understanding of your main, and their moves. Some characters can play neutral with multiple attacks, while others require more or less space for their limited options to work in neutral. Learning what each move does, its range, and how long it leaves you vulnerable are essential for playing footsies effectively.

Every round starts like a chess match, but the anticipation never stops. If one character has a slower, long-range move, the opponent might “bait” that player into using it. One dash, fireball, jump, or flawless block later and the player that overcommitted to the unsafe option is on the other end of a combo.

How to play Neutral and Footsies

Learning every character’s limitations is essential to understand what distance to stay from an opponent so that they can’t play their character to the fullest, while also knowing which of your moves to use and when.

• Missing an attack is called a whiff. Whiff punish is how the opponent takes advantage of your whiff either in the form of a Fatal Blow or combo starter. Remember, whiffs don't mean any attack will work as a punish.
• Learning frame data (how fast moves come out and how long they leave you vulnerable) is the next step toward developing a solid neutral. Stick to safer, faster options most of the time. Save the riskier attacks for reads (when you're confident the opponent will act a certain way like using a specific move in a given situation).
• Characters with faster moves and more range such as Jacqui Briggs excel in neutral.
• Some characters like Scorpion can essentially bypass the neutral thanks to teleports. In other words, these characters always have a way to get in, so never let your guard down.

FGC expert rooflemonger breaks down the concepts further in his Let’s Learn video series. Take a look before putting it into practice.

Control the Neutral in Tournament

Rising to top ranks in Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate is impressive considering all of the different characters and custom move variations.

Join the MK11 Ultimate Open Series to better understand neutral and footsies in actual matches with other players. Who knows what else you’ll pick up? Stay tuned to the Competition Center for more tips and tricks on all things PlayStation esports.