I’m too old to keep up with fighting games these days.

I feel like a senior citizen at the ripe old age of 26 whenever I get online to play a fighting game. I routinely get thrashed in “Street Fighter,” I get beaten like the proverbial rented mule in “BlazBlue” and I am constantly whipped at “King of Fighters.”

Thank goodness I can still keep up in “Mortal Kombat,” however. I’m looking forward to the latest in the series, “Mortal Kombat X,” when it hits the market on April 14.

In my mind, “Mortal Kombat 9” was the most player-friendly fighting game to be released in quite a while when it came out in 2011. Combos and special maneuvers have always been easier to pull off in “Mortal Kombat” games compared to complicated series like “Tekken,” and NetherRealm Studios made sure to keep the simplistic fun going in the last game.

The newest title could be even more fun, now that developers have decided to branch out into a brand-new storyline. Plot is usually an afterthought when it comes to fighting games, but “Mortal Kombat” is famous for its bizarre universe filled with colorful characters.

There are new characters and a brand-new move set system where players can choose weapons, special attacks and combos to suit their fancy.

Of course, “Mortal Kombat” made its name on its stylish and gory finishing moves, called fatalities, and there are plenty of those in the latest “Mortal Kombat.” Many people are already excited for “Mortal Kombat X” after watching some of the fatality videos released by NetherRealm.

But the best part about “Mortal Kombat X” might be its use of nostalgia through various play modes, from a Challenge Tower mode where players must perform specific actions to random party-style games. It’s a nice break from the often ultra-competitive nature of fighting games.

The “Mortal Kombat” series isn’t quite as prominent on the fighting game tournament scene as its other counterparts, but it’s just as satisfying an experience. There’s plenty to explore and it’s an easy game to understand, with fewer finesse moves and a lot more button-mashing than other titles. It’s right about my speed, nowadays, and that’s fine with me.