Choose Shadow Fight Arena
Choose Shadow Fight Arena if you want a Massively Multiplayer, RPG, and Early Access experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Shadow Fight Arena launched in 2025.
Shadow Fight Arena vs Mortal Kombat 1
Shadow Fight Arena and Mortal Kombat 1 both land in Action on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Action games on Steam. Mortal Kombat 1 (2023) is 2 years older than Shadow Fight Arena (2025). Mortal Kombat 1 scores higher on Steam reviews (72.5% positive) than Shadow Fight Arena (59.3% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Mortal Kombat 1
Choose Mortal Kombat 1 if you want the HDR available, Subtitle Options, and Custom Volume Controls side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 72.5% positive across 16,263 reviews.
Both Shadow Fight Arena and Mortal Kombat 1 sit in Action on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online PvP, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Shadow Fight Arena |  Mortal Kombat 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Early Access | Action |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | Free to play | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 59.3% positive (536 reviews) | 72.5% positive (16,263 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Nekki Limited | NetherRealm Studios, QLOC |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- Mortal Kombat 1 (2023) is 2 years older than Shadow Fight Arena (2025).
- Mortal Kombat 1 scores higher on Steam reviews (72.5% positive) than Shadow Fight Arena (59.3% positive).
- Shadow Fight Arena is free; Mortal Kombat 1 is paid (9.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Shadow Fight Arena is Deck Playable, Mortal Kombat 1 is Deck Verified.
Shadow Fight Arena vs Mortal Kombat 1 — FAQ
- Which is better, Shadow Fight Arena or Mortal Kombat 1?
- On Steam reviews Mortal Kombat 1 scores higher (72.5% positive) than Shadow Fight Arena (59.3% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Mortal Kombat 1 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Shadow Fight Arena or Mortal Kombat 1 first?
- If you want chronology, Mortal Kombat 1 (2023) came out before Shadow Fight Arena (2025). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Shadow Fight Arena and Mortal Kombat 1 similar?
- They overlap on Action on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Is Shadow Fight Arena free?
- Yes — Shadow Fight Arena is a free-to-play Steam title. Mortal Kombat 1 is paid (9.99 USD).