Mortal Kombat 11 is a single-player and multiplayer fighting game. The story continues directly from the events of Mortal Kombat X, with Raiden having altered the timeline through his actions. Kronika, the Keeper of Time, seeks to rewrite history to restore balance, drawing together warriors from both past and present. The player experiences this conflict through a cinematic story mode, switching between different characters as alliances form and factions collide across multiple realms.

Gameplay follows the traditional one-on-one fighting system of the series, with matches built around best-of-three rounds. Each fighter has a unique set of basic attacks, special moves, and combos, and battles are governed by health bars and round timers. Returning mechanics include Fatalities, brutal finishing moves executed at the end of matches, and Fatal Blows, powerful cinematic attacks available when a character’s health falls below a threshold. Players must balance offensive and defensive resources carefully, as blocking, countering, and mobility play a significant role in survival.

Mortal Kombat 11 introduces the Kustom Variation and gear system. Players can customize appearance via skins, costumes, and cosmetic gear without affecting move sets. The gear system allows equipping abilities that modify or expand a character’s move list, selectable under the Kustomize menu. Skins and gear are unlocked through modes like Story Mode, Towers of Time, Kombat League, or by exploring the Krypt. The Ultimate and Aftermath expansions added further cosmetic options.

Beyond traditional versus matches, several modes enrich the experience. The Krypt mode offers third‑person exploration of Shang Tsung’s island, where players spend Koins to unlock gear, cosmetics, Fatalities, and the powerful Kronika’s Amulet via the Shrine. Towers of Time provides rotating challenges with specific objectives and modifiers; completing towers yields experience for both player profiles and equipped gear, as well as rewards like Koins, Souls, Hearts, consumables, and cosmetics. Klassic Towers and other structured solo challenges further diversify single‑player content.

Online play in Mortal Kombat 11 offers a range of modes designed for both competitive and casual players. Ranked matches place players in structured, skill-based competition through the Kombat League, a seasonal ladder where victories and losses affect rankings and unlock exclusive rewards. Players can also compete in casual matches and a King of the Hill mode, in which a group of players line up to challenge the current winner, spectating in real time until it is their turn to fight.