Mortal Kombat 11 The Joker DLC Review – Pure carnival carnage that’ll put a smile on your face

There’s no shortage of styles to choose from in Mortal Kombat 11, as Netherrealm’s current tour de force fighting game has a buffet which can cater to even the pickiest eater. From brute force power exemplified by Geras to more technical devastation wielded by Kitana, the spread is varied and bloody at any given time.

Mortal Kombat 11’s latest DLC fighter brings a little something extra to the table though: Chaos. No stranger to getting his knuckles bloody, the Joker’s third outing under the seasoned hands of Netherrealm (and technically fourth if you factor in Midway’s Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe) makes good use of the precedent set by his previous appearances in the Injustice series.

Not just a visual delight with all the little cosmetic touches added to his design, such as a handgun hidden in a Batman hand puppet that he’ll talk to if you give him the chance, this Joker may just be the gameplay accurate version of the clown prince of crime yet. That’s all thanks to his style of play which deviously focuses on his ability to play mind games, as the Joker is able to wield devastating carnival carnage with the ability to cancel and determine the release of many a special move.

That makes for a more unpredictable ace of knaves in the hand of a skilled opponent, as getting a proper reading on the clown at higher levels of play is a challenge. This ability comes in especially handy when Joker’s Fatal Blow can be delivered or cancelled at any given time, further backing your opponent into a corner unless they want to have daggers introduced to their jugular.

Beyond that, there’s a lot more to love about the Joker. He may be kept in check by being unable to close the distance effectively when in a pinch and zero blocking advantages, but he excels at rushing a player and keeping the pressure on them with an all or nothing approach. His uppercut has tremendous range, he can strike from a decent zone thanks to his cane and he can even explode your testicles with his gruesomely hilarious oversized boxing gloves.

He’s also not too bad at reversing his fortunes, striking back with cancels and meaty damage from minor combos along the way, making him a dangerous adversary to take on with just about any character on the roster. Netherrealm has done a fantastic job so far with their season pass content and bonus characters, and while it may cost a few pennies more, this version of the Joker is well worth the investment if you’re serious about your character options now that he’s busy establishing himself in the big fighting game picture.

Last Updated: February 4, 2020