Every Mortal Kombat 1 Animality and How to Perform Them

Animalities make a nostalgic comeback in Mortal Kombat 1, bringing a ferocious and fan-favourite finisher style to the forefront. Introduced originally in MK3, these brutal transformations allow each character to turn into a powerful creature to finish their opponents.

This guide lists all 35 Animalities in Mortal Kombat 1, including each Fighter’s transformation, button inputs for PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch, and the distance required to perform each finisher.

What Are Animalities?

Animalities are special finishing moves where a kombatant transforms into an animal or creature to deliver a devastating blow. Unlike Fatalities, these transformations highlight the character’s unique traits, showcasing their animalistic side in a way that resonates with the franchise’s over-the-top brutality.

How to Unlock Animalities

Animalities are available by default for all characters in MK1, regardless of whether players own the Khaos Reigns DLC.

No specific requirements or challenges are necessary to perform them, but proper button inputs and distances are key.

Full List of Mortal Kombat 1 Animalities

Below is the complete list of all 35 Animalities in Mortal Kombat 1, including each Fighter’s transformation, button inputs for PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch, and the required Input Distance.

All inputs use the default controller layout. Forward means towards your opponent, while Back means away from them, so the directions reverse when you switch sides. Animalities can be performed during the “Finish Him/Her” sequence without completing Fighter Mastery challenges or purchasing Khaos Reigns. You can also practise them in Fatality Training.

Kombatant	Animality Name	Animal	Inputs (PlayStation / Xbox / Switch)	Input Distance
Ashrah	NetherRazzle	Winged unicorn (alicorn)	Back, Forward, Down, Front Kick (X / A / B)	Sweep to Full Screen
Baraka	Tranquill Demise	Porcupine	Back, Down, Down, Back Punch (Triangle / Y / X)	Sweep to Full Screen
Conan	No Bull	Bull	Down, Back, Down, Back Kick (Circle / B / A)	Sweep to Full Screen
Cyrax	Buzz Kill	Hornet	Forward, Back, Forward, Back	Any
Ermac	We Are Locusts	Locust swarm	Down, Back, Down, Back	Mid
General Shao	Bear Necessities	Bear	Back, Down, Down, Back Kick (Circle / B / A)	Sweep to Full Screen
Geras	Hippo-Kritical	Hippopotamus	Back, Forward, Down, Forward	Sweep to Full Screen
Ghostface	Critically Endangered	Condor	Back, Forward, Down, Back Kick (Circle / B / A)	Sweep to Full Screen
Havik	No Laughing Matter	Hyena	Back, Down, Down, Front Kick (X / A / B)	Sweep to Full Screen
Homelander	Let Freedom Wing	Griffin	Back, Forward, Down, Back Kick (Circle / B / A)	Sweep to Full Screen
Johnny Cage	Open The Beaches	Shark	Back, Forward, Back, Forward	Sweep to Full Screen
Kenshi	Wolf It Down	Two wolves	Down, Down, Down, Front Punch (Square / X / Y)	Sweep to Full Screen
Kitana	Royal Nectar	Hummingbird	Down, Down, Forward, Down	Sweep to Full Screen
Kung Lao	Ti-Gore	Tiger	Forward, Back, Down, Back Punch (Triangle / Y / X)	Sweep to Full Screen
Li Mei	UnBearable	Panda	Down, Back, Down, Front Punch (Square / X / Y)	Sweep to Full Screen
Liu Kang	Rising Phoenix	Phoenix	Down, Back, Down, Back Punch (Triangle / Y / X)	Sweep to Full Screen
Mileena	Maneater	Orchid mantis	Forward, Down, Down, Back Kick (Circle / B / A)	Sweep to Full Screen
Nitara	Bat’s All, Folks	Bat	Forward, Down, Down, Front Kick (X / A / B)	Sweep to Full Screen
Noob Saibot	See You Later…	Two crocodiles	Back, Down, Back, Down	Any
Omni-Man	Hail Mary	Kaiju (Hail Mary)	Forward, Back, Forward, Down	Sweep to Full Screen
Peacemaker	Proud to be Eagly-merican	Bald eagle	Back, Forward, Back, Down	Sweep to Full Screen
Quan Chi	T-Rekt	T-Rex	Back, Down, Down, Back Kick (Circle / B / A)	Sweep to Full Screen
Raiden	Eelectrifying	Electric eel	Down, Back, Down, Back Kick (Circle / B / A)	Sweep to Full Screen
Rain	Allergic Reaction	Pufferfish	Forward, Back, Down, Back	Sweep to Full Screen
Reiko	Ram-page	Ram	Forward, Down, Down, Front Punch (Square / X / Y)	Sweep to Full Screen
Reptile	Feed Me, Syzoth	Venus flytrap	Down, Down, Back, Back Kick (Circle / B / A)	Sweep to Full Screen
Scorpion	Does It Sting?	Scorpion	Forward, Down, Down, Back Kick (Circle / B / A)	Sweep to Full Screen
Sektor	Horn To Be Wild	Rhinoceros	Back, Forward, Back, Forward	Any
Shang Tsung	With A Twissst	King cobra	Forward, Back, Down, Front Kick (X / A / B)	Mid
Sindel	Terror-antula	Tarantula	Back, Down, Down, Back Kick (Circle / B / A)	Sweep to Full Screen
Smoke	Killer Kong	Gorilla	Down, Forward, Down, Block (R2 / RT / ZR)	Sweep to Full Screen
Sub-Zero	Mammoth Mash	Woolly mammoth	Down, Forward, Down, Forward	Sweep to Full Screen
T-1000	Wolfie’s Just Fine	German Shepherd	Down, Forward, Back, Front Kick (X / A / B)	Sweep to Full Screen
Takeda	Ten-Tickles	Octopus	Back, Forward, Back, Down	Sweep to Full Screen
Tanya	Kills R Us	Giraffe	Down, Back, Down, Back	Sweep to Full Screen

Tips for Success + Video Guide

1. Master the Distance: Ensure your character is positioned in the required range (Close, Mid, or Far) before attempting an Animality.
2. Practice in Training Mode: Familiarise yourself with button inputs to avoid fumbling during intense matches.
3. Look for Visual Cues: Watch for when the opponent enters the “Finish Him/Her” state to perform the input.

For gameplay footage of all Animalities, check out this video from RajmanGamingHD and you can also view it below:

Looking for more than Animalities? Our Mortal Kombat 1 Finisher Guide brings together the complete playable roster, with dedicated character guides covering Fatalities, Animalities and Brutalities, including button inputs and execution distances.