5 Palette-Swap Ninjas Who Need to Be in the Next Mortal Kombat (Who Aren’t Scorpion & Sub-Zero)

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Ninja characters are the most recognizable faces in the Mortal Kombat series, with iconic fighters like Sub-Zero and Scorpion appearing in every game. Over time, many other ninjas were created by simply changing their colors – a practice called “palette swapping” that originated with the yellow and blue ninjas in the first arcade games. While initially just color variations, some of these ninjas have evolved into compelling fighters with distinct styles, and deserve a place as unique characters in future Mortal Kombat games.

For a while, Mortal Kombat 11 didn’t have many ninja characters who were just different color schemes, but the Aftermath expansion added more, much like how the original Mortal Kombat gradually introduced ninja fighters. Characters like Reptile, Ermac, Mileena, and Kitana have become really popular with fans, and players get upset if these characters aren’t included in new games. While the new Mortal Kombat 1 brought back a lot of classic ninja fighters, several fan favorites are still missing, and players are already asking for them to be added.

5. Jade

Despite Kitana and Mileena having prominent parts in the story of Mortal Kombat 1, Kitana’s close friend Jade was noticeably missing. Jade has been a popular character with fans ever since she first appeared as a secret fighter in the original Mortal Kombat 2 arcade game. In Mortal Kombat 11, her long staff and diverse attacks made her a fun, though sometimes challenging, character to play, so many were disappointed she wasn’t included in the newest game.

Jade stands out from other ninjas in Mortal Kombat because she has unique abilities. She can create a violet shield around herself to block incoming attacks, which is particularly useful against characters who rely on shooting projectiles, like Sektor. Bringing Jade back into the game is a great choice, both to continue her story in a fresh way and to offer players a truly different fighting experience.

4. Tremor

Tremor appears in Mortal Kombat 1 as a Kameo fighter, but even with limited screen time, he shows a lot of promise. He was a highly adaptable fighter in Mortal Kombat X, with different variations of his fighting style dramatically changing how he played. Although he hasn’t been a playable character since, players still remember his powerful forms – Aftershock, Crystalline, and Metallic – and the impact he had on the series.

Tremor has the potential to be much more than just a helpful assist character. Imagine a version of Tremor who combines the powers of his past forms – someone who can summon huge boulders, transform into lava for different attacks, and create crystal shields all at once! That would be an incredibly fun character to play. Considering how powerful Tremor is as a Kameo in Mortal Kombat 1, he deserves a chance to join the main roster alongside ninjas like Reptile and Noob Saibot in the next game.

3. Skarlet

Skarlet stands out as a fascinating ninja in the Mortal Kombat series, and her versions in MK9 and MK11 are quite different. While she resembled fighters like Mileena, Jade, and Kitana in MK9, MK11 completely changed her. She went from being a quick, agile fighter to a more powerful, magic-user who creates weapons from blood—both her own and her enemies’!

Skarlet’s fighting style would be a great fit for the Mortal Kombat series, but it didn’t get the attention it deserved in MK11. Her moveset felt limited, with only a few options considered truly effective. Many of her unique abilities were restricted, leaving her potential unrealized. It would be interesting to see a fresh take on the character in MK1, particularly considering how other similar characters have been reimagined.

2. Chameleon/Khameleon

Shang Tsung can shapeshift and steal the powers of other Mortal Kombat characters, but Chameleon and Khameleon take this ability even further. In Mortal Kombat 1, Khameleon appears as a Kameo fighter and can copy the moves of various female ninjas, switching between them at the player’s control to assist another fighter. This makes her a uniquely interesting Kameo, and it’s easy to imagine how exciting she would be as a fully playable character.

I always felt bad for Chameleon! He was this cool ninja from Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 who just kind of… disappeared. Basically, he fights by copying the moves of other ninjas like Reptile, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero. It’s a shame he never came back. I think it would be amazing to bring him and Khameleon together as one character – imagine how complex and awesome that fighter could be, and how much it would celebrate all the classic ninjas we love!

1. Floyd

Floyd is a newly added secret character in the game Mortal Kombat 1. Players can unlock him by completing challenges in various game modes. Similar to how the character Rain references Prince’s song “Purple Rain,” Floyd is a nod to the band Pink Floyd, making him the first pink-colored ninja in the series. This continues a long-standing Mortal Kombat tradition that began with Reptile, who was hidden as a secret opponent in the original arcade game.

Just as Reptile became a standard character in Mortal Kombat 2 after starting as a secret fighter, Floyd should be included in any sequel to MK1. The fight against Floyd was already rewarding in MK1 – the game made players work for the win – and his fighting style is unique. He fights like Shang Tsung from Mortal Kombat 11, but also borrows special moves from other ninja characters. For example, he uses Scorpion’s spear, Ermac’s telekinetic lift, Sub-Zero’s ice ball, and Rain’s lightning attack.

It would be really interesting to see Floyd develop a unique fighting style, potentially making him the most original character in the series for a long time. Although he’d share some similarities with other ninjas, his intro suggests he could fight using light or energy in a way no other character does. As the first completely new ninja design added to Mortal Kombat in years, Floyd absolutely needs to be included in the next game.

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2026-06-05 19:17