Mortal Kombat 1 players claim Switch port is “nearly unplayable” despite premium price
NetherRealmMortal Kombat 1’s debut on the Nintendo Switch has disappointed players with its “nearly unplayable” performance in many eyes.
In a Reddit post titled, “Mortal Kombat 1 is nearly unplayable on Switch,” one player warned the community against purchasing the new release, noting several “very disappointing” issues with the game.
The player listed problems that they’ve encountered after just several hours of play. Rather than moving naturally, character fabric and hair get “stuck” on the screen, stretching across the screen as characters move.
The graphics, which some players have likened to those of the PlayStation 2 era, “can significantly deteriorate,” especially when compared with the smoother visuals of Mortal Kombat 11.
The player writes that there’s a “noticeable delay” when pausing the game during combat. Navigating menus, particularly those showcasing character profiles, is also particularly laggy, and switching between characters often takes several seconds.
And one of the most concerning issues is a bug in the game’s tutorial. The player notes that the fifth tutorial in positional is impossible to complete due to lag and a glitch.
The post made many in the comments section question the decision to release Mortal Kombat 1 on the Switch, given its older hardware.
“Why is MK1 even on the Switch? Hardware this old can’t handle a next-gen game like that….” Another added, “They didn’t even release it on PS4/Xbox One but went and released it on the Switch of all things.”
However, not all players agreed with the sentiment shared in the thread. One user who owns both titles claims that “MK1 on Switch runs better than MK11 on Switch,” and cited a performance and tech review by SwitchUp saying that the game is “far from unplayable.”
Yet, the performance review touches on some of the issues shared by the original poster. Although Mortal Kombat 1 targets 60 FPS on Switch, there are considerable frame drops during certain moves that can disrupt gameplay. The load times are long and frustrating, particularly in between fights. And the same reports of bizarre visual glitches, such as fabric and stretching issues were a talking point.
Players who purchased Mortal Kombat 1 on Switch are now hopeful for the issues to be addressed, especially considering the game’s premium price point.