How To Play Mortal Kombat X Without Character Variations

One of the key features that NetherRealm Studios introduced in Mortal Kombat X is the fighter variations. Each character gets three different variations that drastically alter their fighting style. Well, one very keen gamers managed to find a way to disable the variations altogether.

Destructoid spotted the video from YouTuber NightmareStream where they walk gamers through a very basic process for disabling the variations in Mortal Kombat X. Check it out below.

Basically, if you don't want to use a character with a variation you can enable blind picks and then quickly press up, up 'X' if you're playing on PlayStation; up, up 'P' if you're on PC; and up, up, 'Y' if you're playing on Xbox.

This will disable the character variation and you enter the match without any variation specialties.

According to Destructoid the variationless fighter can be used in all the of the game's modes, including the online mode.

Now the most common sense question is probably: “Why would you disable variations for fighters in Mortal Kombat X?”

I honestly don't know.

The reality is that maybe some players will want to challenge themselves by restricting their fighter's abilities. The three different variations open up each of the characters on the Mortal Kombat X roster to unleash some major damage or exercise some serious technical aptitude against opponents. In fact, during the recent ESL MKX finals just before EVO 2015 gets underway this week, we saw Perfect Legend switch up the variations for his character Kung Lao, which enabled him to beat an opponent who was zoning him with Sub-Zero and the ice clones.

The different variations can literally make or break a character in a match. For some fighters in Mortal Kombat X they gain certain advantages (or disadvantages depending on how you look at it) with different variations. I can't readily say what the advantage would be with taking away the variation altogether. It's not like the standard moves without the special abilities will make the character stronger, more versatile or more competent when going head-to-head either against the AI or another player.

Even still, some people see this as a bit of a hidden Easter egg by NetherRealm Studios to give old-school gamers a little bit of a taste of the old cheat codes that gamers were used to during the 8-bit and 16-bit eras. Whether it's a cheat code or an unintentional glitch I think it's cool that there are still ways to manipulate games without having to plunk down $5 through $10 just to have a bit of fun with the game (and I'm looking at you Saints Row The Third with your paid-DLC cheat codes).

Mortal Kombat X is available right now for the Xbox One, PS4 and PC. The game's summer release for the Xbox 360 and PS3 has been delayed temporarily.