There are few fighting game characters as charismatic and cherished as Johnny Cage. This action movie star is one of Mortal Kombat’s mainstay fighters, as he has been a playable character in most games of the franchise. He’s often tagged as a mere gag character and is even underestimated at times by his fellow Earthrealm Defenders.
But don’t get fooled by his irritating demeanor. He’s a very skilled fighter who’s able to trade blows with Elder Gods and interdimensional conquerors. This B-list celebrity turned world savior trained hard to harness the power inside him. This made him able to shoot energy balls and empower his speed and power to superhuman levels. In this list, we’re going to show off the best moves that this movie star has.
10 Mime Time
This ability makes Cage do a short mime act that turns into a counterattack if he gets hit with a physical attack. Johnny isn’t exactly a defensive character, as all of its moves barring this one are designed to deal quick damage.
Oh, and if you don’t know why Johnny Cage is associated with mimes, it’s because in MK’s lore he starred in a flop movie called “Ninja Mime” before his appearance at the first Mortal Kombat tournament. Maybe he developed this technique to mock his critics.
9 Forceball
In-lore, his powers are often attributed to Hollywood’s special effects, but they’re as real as his big ego. According to Mortal Kombat X’s lore, Johnny Cage’s ancestors were members of a Spartan-like cult who trained as warriors for the gods.
One of his standard special abilities is a green ball of green energy launched forward. It doesn’t do that much damage and it isn’t exactly visually appealing, but it has been a part of his moveset since 1992. It excels as a zoning tool, so much that in MK 11 his “High” and “Low” angled variations are separate abilities, and are not included among his standard moves.
8 Flip Kick
This special ability consists of a quick back-flip with a kick and is one of Johnny’s flashier physical moves. It is a very Kombo-oriented move that is able to create openings and follow-ups.
And if you’re good enough, you can turn Flip Kick into a gory brutality in later games. This is because, under certain conditions, Johnny literally rips the skin off his enemies if he finishes the match with this move.
7 Pi**ed Off
Punches might not be all that showy in a franchise where characters breathe fire and cast lightning out of their hands, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t effective. Pi**ed Off makes Johnny throw a flurry of punches that deal considerable damage.
This move can be enhanced to deal even more damage if you enhance your physical damage beforehand. You can also use it to end Kombos but it can be a bit tricky to do, as it requires a 4-button sequence instead of the normal 3.
6 Shadow Uppercut
Shadow Uppercut lets Johnny rise up to deliver a very flashy punch to a jumping opponent. This move is delivered quickly and can be used to finish Kombos if you want to keep your opponent in the air.
It’s a very nice option to have if you’re playing against that guy who plays using only jump kicks. Sadly, it has little use outside of Kombos if your opponent doesn’t that jump often.
5 Throwing Shade
While it’s fun to see Johnny throw verbal shade at his opponents, this move lets him throw his $500 glasses at his enemies instead. This move is very hard to see and can briefly stun your enemy, so it is a nice move to make if you want to surprise your opponent.
This move is also able to deliver a Krushing Blow when it's used to finish a Kombo that involves a Fatal Blow Dash Cancel. It's hard to trigger, but it'll give you the right to throw shade at your friends amid matches.
4 Nut Punch
This list wouldn’t be complete if this move wasn’t included. Nut Punch has been a part of Johnny’s moveset since the original Mortal Kombat, and as its name suggests, it makes him do a leg split and follow up with a quick punch to his opponent’s groin.
It is a quick punch that deals decent damage, stuns opponents, and adds a decent touch to Kombos. In later games, this move gained the ability to turn into a brutality if it is done under certain conditions.
3 Say Cheese
If there’s one thing that movie stars hate, it's paparazzi. Johnny probably has dealt with them enough times to know how annoying a camera flash can be. Say Cheese lets Johnny Cage use a camera to literally flash in his opponents' eyes to stun them.
The augmented version of this move is able to become a Krushing Blow if it deals the first hit of the match, or if it connects after failing to do so three times in a row. It’s a literal flashy move, but sadly, it replaces his Nut Punch if it is equipped as a special move.
2 Shadow Kick
Being another of Johnny’s famous moves, the Shadow Kick lets him slide across the stage with one foot in front pointing toward his opponent’s chest. It’s not a flashy move in itself, but it is a joy to see when it is used in a well-executed Kombo.
In Mortal Kombat II this move can briefly give Johnny a red hue instead of a blue one randomly, but it’s just for cosmetic effects. In some versions of the game, like Mortal Kombat Trilogy for Playstation and Nintendo 64, players are able to do key inputs to give this special move a red hue on command.
1 Stunt Double
Few action movies stars do their own stunts, as they have doubles that do the dangerous scenes for them. Johnny Cage has his own stunt doubles too, although they don’t do stunts, they do cheap tricks instead.
Johnny Cage is able to call in a stunt double to either tackle, stun or hold his opponent, something that might catch inexperienced players off guard. It’s a very fun thing to see, as his double looks nothing like him.