As a general rule, fighting game characters tend to fall into certain categories, gameplay and appearance-wise. There arethe great, hulking powerhouses who could crush your skull like a watermelon with their bare hands,the lithe, skinny warriors who can run rings around the latter, and the standard balanced characters in the middle.
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It’s not always as simple as that, though.Mortal Kombat’s Scorpion, for instance, packs a whole hecking lot of power (both raw strength and supernatural abilities) in that rather average frame of his. Which fellow fighting game characters could he take down in a fight, and which do we think would get the better of him? Let’s take a look!
10COULD BEAT: Ogre
The formidable Ogre was first introduced to theTekkenseries in the third game. Right from the start, it was made clear that this guy wasn’t messing around. Ogre’s mysterious origins are explained a little over the course ofTekken 3, and he’s battled as the game’s final boss.
Ogre doesn’t have a specific gameplay style, as he has a range of moves that bring several other members of the cast to mind. The trouble is, this vanilla form of the creature probably wouldn’t pose much of a threat toScorpion, a vengeful, demonic being that has performed much greater feats in a canon sense.
9CAN’T BEAT: True Ogre
So, yes. We’ve argued that standard Ogre could probably be dispatched by Scorpion without too much of an issue. After all, inTekkencanon, characters with far less power (though power is relative, of course) have taken the tyrant down.
The logistics of the whole affair aside, though, Ogre isn’t done yet. We also have to consider thatTekken 3sees the creature adopt a second form, True Ogre, which is a far more formidable prospect. True Ogre has a range of enhanced abilities, including devastating fiery attacks, greater damage output and some of the longest reach in the series. Now, this would be a match worth seeing. We can’t forget True Ogre’s absurd Monstrous Ogre form (though it appears only in Devil Within mode ofTekken 5) either.
8COULD BEAT: Sub-Zero
Uh oh, we went there. Of course, when it comes toMortal Kombat, there’s no rivalry more intense than that between Scorpion and Sub-Zero. They’re the faces of the franchise, and fans all have their own opinions on which of them is ultimately stronger than the other. For our money, though, Scorpion is the winner.
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On a purely logical level, of course, it’s tough to see how Sub-Zero‘s ice-centric powers would even leave a dent in a being made of pure, malevolent flames. That aside, we know that Scorpion can prevail over Sub-Zero because he has done it before: the original Sub-Zero (now known as Noob Saibot) was killed by Scorpion in the first tournament.
7Can’t Beat: Devil Jin
At first glance, Heihachi Michima, Kazuya Michima, and Jin Kazama don’t look like anything too special. As a rule, theTekkencast exhibit a lot less in the way of projectiles, laser beams and other flashy energy attacks than a lot of other fighting game characters.
The family has a major skeleton in their closet, though, in the form of the Devil Gene. This genetic oddity (which doesn’t seem to have affected Heihachi) sees a malevolent force take over the mind and body of its host. Under the influence of the Devil Gene, Jin becomes Devil Jin, giving him a monstrous appearance and impossible new powers, such as flight and the aforementioned flashy laser beams. It’d be super interesting to see how he fared against Scorpion in this form.
6COULD BEAT: Ken Masters
If Scorpion and Sub-Zero are the faces ofMortal Kombat, which two iconic fighters are the faces ofStreet Fighter? That’s right, friends, it’s Ryu and Ken. They’re both super common character picks: if you’ve played aStreet Fightergame online for more than about three matches without one of these guys popping up… well, you’re a liar.
Beingthe fierce rivals they are,Ryu and Ken have very similar fighting styles, which they continue to push to their respective limits. Ken is the flashier, flaming kick-ier of the pair, which is why we’ve given him the nod over Ryu to take on the fiery might of Scorpion. Sadly for Ken, though, we can’t really see him being able to challenge Scorpion’s flaming fury.
5CAN’T BEAT: Akuma
Speaking of super popular fireball-flingers from theStreet Fighterseries, here comes the ever-fearsome Akuma.
In a lot of ways, this warrior is the Scorpion of his own franchise. He’s deeply malevolent, utterly emotionless and remorseless (most of the the time), and he’s edgy enough to give you a papercut on your eyeballs simply from looking at him. His edges are that sharp. Most importantly, he has a habit of teleporting behind you and pummelling you into a pulp before you even knew he was there. These two dark fighting game titans would put on a heck of a show.
4COULD BEAT: Ragna The Bloodedge
Of course, there are some fighting game franchises that are a little less familiar. If you’re not a genre afficionado, for example, you might never have ventured into the flashy and technical world ofBlazblue.
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If you have, however, you’ll know that Ragna the Bloodedge is one of the most popular and powerful characters in the franchise. As the main character, he’s central to the overarching storyline, and as the main character, he’s an anime powerhouse. His signature style consists of heavy blows with the Aramasa, and drive attacks that heal him thanks to the power of the Azure Grimoire, which siphons souls and channels their power back into him. A worthy opponent for Scorpion (who can also unleash his full power at the risk of losing control entirely and losing his physical form), though in terms of his arsenal of special moves and techniques, we think the latter has the advantage.
3CAN’T BEAT: Noob Saibot
Now, here’s a grudge match for the ages. As we’ve seen, Scorpion and his bluer, icier palette swa… we mean entirely different ninja buddy, Sub-Zero, have a complicated relationship. The rivalries, the past battles, that unfortunate incident where Sub-Zero murdered the original Scorpion (who then rose again as a vengeful spirit, killing Sub-Zero in the tournament)… it’s safe to say that unfortunate things have happened between the two.
Just like Scorpion himself, though, Bi-Han’s killing wasn’t the end. Quan Chi brought the original Sub-Zero back from the dead, as the embodiment of evil known as Noob Saibot. Similar beings revived by similar forces for similar ends, Noob Saibot and Scorpion share a lot of the same characteristics. With their otherworldly powers, such as teleportation, they’re more than a match for each other. We’d give this one to Noob Saibot, but it would be a heck of a match!
2COULD BEAT: Dhalsim
Back in the wacky world ofStreet Fighter, we find another character who can teleport around like it’s going out of style and command the power of fire. The super-flexible Dhalsim is an iconic member of the roster who has been infuriating his opponents with his unique brand of keep away for decades.
What else do these two fierce fighters bring to the table? Well, Scorpion is a nigh-unkillable spectre of almost limitless angry potential, while Dhalsim can also… well, kick you in the face from all the way across the room with his rubbery legs. Which is a neat party trick, don’t get us wrong, but we can’t help feeling that the Yoga Master would take a hard loss here.
1CAN’T BEAT: Nightmare
Finally, we’re going to take a look at the most fearsome and notorious character in all ofSoul Calibur: Nightmare. This malevolent knight was once Siegfried Schtauffen, overcome by the evil that resides in the Soul Edge. In some titles, Nightmare is instead Inferno, inhabiting the suit of armor that was once Schtauffen’s.
Regardless of its origins, though, the being known as Nightmare truly is a nightmare to tangle with. In gameplay terms, that heavy blade boasts great power and range, a devastating combination. Not the most maneuverable character, but Nightmare has the raw strength to overwhelm Scorpion.
