Two of MK1's fighters, Scorpion and Reiko. But how d you tag fighting moves?

How to Show/Tag Moves Onscreen in Mortal Kombat 1 (MK1)

Chris McMullen

Published: Oct 24, 2023 01:16 pm

Mortal Kombat 1’s latest patch may have nerfed Cyrax, but it also introduces a very handy feature: the ability to tag moves. This feature was included in MK11 but was originally absent from MK1. Now it’s back, if you’re wondering how to show/tag moves onscreen in Mortal Kombat 1 (MK1), I’ve got the answer.

How Showing/Tagging Moves Works in MK1

Before I explain how to tag moves and have them show onscreen, there are a few things you need to know about this feature.

Firstly, you can tag any move at all, which is pretty handy. You can tag combos, special moves, fatalities, even brutalities. You can tag up to ten moves at once and they’ll be displayed on-screen during a match, showing you the button presses you need to pull those moves off.

That’s the good news. But there are a couple of catches. Firstly, while the moves will stay tagged throughout a playthrough, changing character or exiting that game mode wipes them. There doesn’t seem to be any way to have the same moves tagged whenever you return to the game. And for tagging to work, you’ll need the latest patch.

Also, while you can tag moves in online matches, it’s not a great idea. You have to go to the move list and, unlike single player, multiplayer matches don’t pause. So while you’re tagging moves, your opponent can be kicking your backside.

Here’s How to Tag Moves in MK1

With that in mind, here’s how to tag moves.

In a match, hit Pause (options on PS5)
From the pause menu, hit the button for View Full Move List (cross on PS5)
Go to the tab you want, Basic Attacks, Special Moves, Finishers or Kameo Moves
Scroll down to the move you want to tag and hit the tag button, displayed at the bottom of the screen (triangle on PS5)
Repeat this till you’ve tagged up to 10 moves. If you want to start over, hold down the tag button to erase all your tagged moves
You can also tap a button (touchpad on PS5) to hide and show tagged moves on-screen without erasing your selection
Now, return to your match and the moves will be tagged

An image showing Sub-Zero faciing off against Reiko in Mortal Kombat 1 (MK1) as part of an article on how to show/tag moves in the game.

That’s all there is to it. It’s a step up from fumbling with the pause menu when you need to dismember your opponent. And that’s how to show/tag moves onscreen in Mortal Kombat 1 (MK1).

If you’re looking for more, check out how to unlock fatalities in MK1.

Mortal Kombat 1

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Author

Chris McMullen

Chris McMullen is a freelance contributor at The Escapist and has been with the site since 2020. He returned to writing about games following several career changes, with his most recent stint lasting five-plus years. He hopes that, through his writing work, he settles the karmic debt he incurred by persuading his parents to buy a Mega CD. Outside of The Escapist, Chris covers news and more for GameSpew. He's also been published at such sites as VG247, Space, and more. His tastes run to horror, the post-apocalyptic, and beyond, though he'll tackle most things that aren't exclusively sports-based. At Escapist, he's covered such games as Infinite Craft, Lies of P, Starfield, and numerous other major titles.