Can Mortal Kombat ever get back to where it was?

[krsx]

Most here know that around 1993 and MKII, Mortal Kombat was at the height of its popularity; arcades crowded, home versions selling like crazy, a movie in the works, comic books, all that merchandising crap. And we loved it, all of it, as the intense gore and mystical realm story stuff was kinda captivating.

Ever since MK3, the popularity died down, yet with every new MK game there seems to be hope, hope that this latest MK will be one to revive the franchise.

Unfortunately, what made MKII popular: the combination of shock value, cool story/theme/characters, and decent gameplay - for 1993 anyways - has never been replicated in any of the games since. They always seem to be lacking one of those criteria. MK4 returned to the dark theme and cool fatalities, but degenerated the gameplay from UMK3/MKT, as did MKMSZ. MKDA had promise, but MKD, and even more criminally MKA, inexplicably regressed from number 5. MKSM again was a step in the right direction, but they hashed up the storyline.

So what I'm wondering is, do you think Mortal Kombat can ever reach the heights it did in 1993 in terms of a solid all-round game, or are we (or am I) kidding ourselves every time a new one comes out?
And, could it ever reclaim its place at the top of the genre, specifically in popularity? (if not gameplay)

 

[MRMIdAS]

No Idea, I'm not a massive fan of the 2d MK's after II, and I like the 3d MK's, but not as much as 2.

I think the "dial-a-kombo's" put me off 3, and put the casual audience off it too.

That and the WAY too difficult AI is the reason I went off 3 and ultimate, and me and my brother play Trilogy, but turn Kombo's off.

Long and short, I kinda lonk for the old-school simplicity of II, with maybe the graphics of Trilogy.

 

[Tim Static]

Hell yes they could.

But they'd have to go 2-D, go back to making games for the arcade. Mass produce an MK/Midway arcade stick, go online with it, multi-platform online as well.

But since Tekken & Soul Caliber was "3-D", they had to follow suit instead of blazing the trail they rode in on.

Ed, call John and start making REAL Mortal Kombat games again.

 

[abc ur dead0]

No. Not without the arcade scene.

 

[PapaJester]

I'ma go with, "Nah."

 

[Web Slinger]

No. Not without the arcade scene.

Exactly right. If the arcade scene ever comes back (which it really won't) then you'll see an increased interest in MK. Until then, if ever, this game will go the route of all other fighting games: Bigger in other countries maybe, but not really accepted nationally as a big past-time. Especially when you think about all the console power-houses coming out.

 

[RoGE]

Its not really doing so bad so far, just not that much in gameplay...but still decent. The only disappointing MK game I played was MKA, but it was still pretty fun to play some decent people online.
Storyline-wise... I would say MK is doing OK (MKA is getting the bios done, more unpredictable things are happening) With all those, the next MK games story line should not be to bad.

gameplay-wise Mortal Kombat shaolin monks is the way to go, only bad thing is the story line, but it still has the best gameplay of any MK game.

Just remember that MKA was pretty much rushed.

 

[dreemernj]

I usually try to look at it from the perspective of the people making it.

MK is doing great now. They make a ton of money when they release a new MK game, and that's the real point of them making the game. I'd say we should expect more of what we've seen since MKDA came out because the recent string of 3D games has proven to be commercially successful even if the games themselves are lackluster.

Getting back to how MK used to be is just never going to happen. I'd say the closest thing is UMK3 on the 360 because you get the competitive feel, but arcades are dead and buried. The in-person arcade action is not coming back.

 

[PapaJester]

Honestly, I can't say I'm too sad about the death of arcades. Yeah, it's a cool idea, and I still enjoy going to arcade/bars sometimes, which have some (albeit lax) standards, but for the most part, I hated them back in the day. Basically, if I was playing an arcade game, it was only because the game wasn't out for Super No-Friendo yet. Most places barely if ever maintained their cabinets, so if a game was popular, the 1st player buttons would be FUBAR'd in a week, the 2nd player stick would be outta wack, and the plexi in front of the screen would probably be cracked from someone getting pissy at the computer. And I won't even go into the high percentage of arcade-goers who seemed to feel that showering should be an annual event.

Arcades are still a great idea, but they need to attract a customer base that appreciates what they are, rather than, "Got some quarters? Come on in, we don't give a shit," in order to be even remotely worthwhile. Otherwise, I'd rather just invite a bunch of friends over on Friday night and play console games. The food's better, everyone there is someone you can respect, the house rules are whatever I decide they'll be, and if I get to drunk to drive, I just crawl upstairs and crash. Sure as hell beats rubbing elbows with some jerkoff who reeks of cheese-flavored ass and feels that, "Playing to win," means punching the machine and slamming the stick back and forth til the fucking thing comes off.

 

[abc ur dead0]

Only good thing I ever found at a D&B was Street Fighter 2. Every time I go to a new one I Search REAL hard for any sort of fighter.

 

[SABER Linkdude]

I still like Mortal Kombat even after the crappy 3D games came out. They're alright, and I love the extras each game comes with (UMK3 port on Armageddon Kollector's Edition, etc..).

 

[Tim Static]

I still like Mortal Kombat even after the crappy 3D games came out. They're alright, and I love the extras each game comes with (UMK3 port on Armageddon Kollector's Edition, etc..).

That port of UMK3 is embarassingly bad.

 

[PapaJester]

I wish the arcade would come back. Nothing like woopin the shit out of someone face to face. Plus, there is less chance of little kids running their fuckin mouths and altering gameplay.

I have been around some complete assholes in the arcade though.

PapaJester, I recommend http://www.daveandbusters.com/
My friend is goign to move in next to one of these >_<
If they had fighting games, I would probably move in with him just because of it.

Last time I was to one(Pittsburgh) the place was enormous.. I didn't even look around the entire place. They have great food(reasonably priced), alcohol, Most of the games are on 50" screens and there are hot women running around all over the place for some reason.

If you like games like shooters, (house of the dead, time crisis, etc) they had a lot of them, which is mostly what I spent my time on.

Lol, there is one in Philly too. Not exactly a competitive scene. I wonder if they could setup tourneys there.

Yeah, I've been to D&B, they're the kind of place I was referring to when I mentioned, "arcade/bars," though I generally prefer the non-franchise ones. Beer + Air Hockey + Shooting Games = TEH WIN. But when I think of arcades from back in the heyday everyone seems so nostalgic for, the less pleasant, "ghetto-cade," I was describing weemed FAR more common. As I remember it, places like D&B, or Gillians, or whatever other chains are out there, were the exception back then, and are far more common nowadays.

But I do have to respectfully disagree with you on the food and the women. I've never been to the one in Pittsburgh, but the ones I have been to, I guess I hit them on an off day or something. If only someone would take the next logical step, and combine strip clubs with arcades. Or asian massage parlors and arcades. With blackjack. And kung-fu movies. And alien pirate robots and shit. That'd be pretty swank.

 

[Web Slinger]

Because UMK3 has stolen my heart so, I might rent the next MK...MAYBE

 

[TheRagingStorm]

I like shit wild like the old arcades. I like dive bars and I like a nice dark arcade, as long as it is clean enough that I dont get sickened by touching a greasy fuckin stick. All of the controls at our arcade back in the day were good.

Had someone broke a machine at our arcades he would have probably gotten his ass kicked because it was a community type of thing. But if they did get broken, it would be fixed shortly after that. Especially if it were a money maker like MK was.

When I bought my UMK3 cabinet from there it had a coin counter inside of it. I wish I had written down the number before I sold it. The cabinet was a MK2 -> MK3 -> UMK3 machine, so you could imagine, plenty of quarters were put into it.

True, I used to love how you open the door to an arcade, and the first thing you hear is a loud BOOM!!!!!! And I miss how I would go around in a maze to find the games I want to play. I miss the darkness with black ultraviolet lights, the great selection of games and the unlimited competition the would be found everywhere at anytime. And the huge selection of MK games.

 

[diablo619]

Maybe,only if they come out with characters that look ultra realistic like those found in Gears of War and a fighting system that rivals Dead or Alive then yeah I dont see why not.

 

[Web Slinger]

Maybe,only if they come out with characters that look ultra realistic like those found in Gears of War and a fighting system that rivals Dead or Alive then yeah I dont see why not.

No no no, I really hope they never make a DOA fighting system, that shit sucks.

 

[PapaJester]

I like shit wild like the old arcades. I like dive bars and I like a nice dark arcade, as long as it is clean enough that I dont get sickened by touching a greasy fuckin stick. All of the controls at our arcade back in the day were good.

Had someone broke a machine at our arcades he would have probably gotten his ass kicked because it was a community type of thing. But if they did get broken, it would be fixed shortly after that. Especially if it were a money maker like MK was.

When I bought my UMK3 cabinet from there it had a coin counter inside of it. I wish I had written down the number before I sold it. The cabinet was a MK2 -> MK3 -> UMK3 machine, so you could imagine, plenty of quarters were put into it.

It sounds like you were in an area that was closer to the, "ideal," for arcades and such. I'm sure I'd be more nostalgic for them if that were the case for me, but honestly, the arcades I grew up going to weren't good for much, except somewhere to tell our parents we were going after school. Meh, I'd still prefer Strip Club Arcades.

 

[SABER Linkdude]

I still like Mortal Kombat even after the crappy 3D games came out. They're alright, and I love the extras each game comes with (UMK3 port on Armageddon Kollector's Edition, etc..).

That port of UMK3 is embarassingly bad.

Yeah it moves way too slow.

 

[Tim Static]

Maybe,only if they come out with characters that look ultra realistic like those found in Gears of War and a fighting system that rivals Dead or Alive then yeah I dont see why not.

No no no, I really hope they never make a DOA fighting system, that shit sucks.

A 2-D MK game running on a 360 or PS3 would look great. But its not the graphics that are important. Solid gameplay a la UMK3 is what matters.

And yes, DOA is fucking terrible. As is Tekken & Soul Caliber. VF is borderline bad. But thats my humble opinion.

 

[Web Slinger]

Maybe,only if they come out with characters that look ultra realistic like those found in Gears of War and a fighting system that rivals Dead or Alive then yeah I dont see why not.

No no no, I really hope they never make a DOA fighting system, that shit sucks.

A 2-D MK game running on a 360 or PS3 would look great. But its not the graphics that are important. Solid gameplay a la UMK3 is what matters.

And yes, DOA is fucking terrible. As is Tekken & Soul Caliber. VF is borderline bad. But thats my humble opinion.

DOA, to me, isn't reallymuch of a fighting game. It's more of...well...just there.

Don't you say that about Tekken though! DR is quite fun, as I'm sure Tekken 6 will be. VF...I actually don't like as much as tekken, and Soul Caliber is gross to me.

But yeah, a 2D MK game would make me very happy, especially if they sort of...touched up the 2D style they had, it's really quite ugly.

 

[Keanburke]

about MK reclaiming the top. I don't think they ever had the top because SF II was out at the top, it was probably close to sfII in popularity I dont know. But SFII was probably most popular game at the time. And no i don't think MK can ever get back to that height, not with all these other games like Tekken, and those popular capcom fighting games.

 

[dreemernj]

Are people just talking about popularity amongst the hardcore fans?

In the US MK probably is the most popular fighting game series because the average player doesn't care about street fighter, tekken, or VF any more (if they ever really did).

And most of the die hards don't care about Soul Caliber anymore since SC3 was such trash.

MK has popularity, just amongst people that aren't very dedicated to playing fighting games. Tons of people pick it up and mess around with it because it's so flashy, gorey, and whatever else attracts them, lol.

 

[diablo619]

I think Mortal Kombat does need ultra realistic graphics to regain its popularity because part of what made the original so popular back then were the graphics and back then those were top of the line,and it what drew people to it in addition to the violence.

 

[Tim Static]

about MK reclaiming the top. I don't think they ever had the top because SF II was out at the top, it was probably close to sfII in popularity I dont know. But SFII was probably most popular game at the time. And no i don't think MK can ever get back to that height, not with all these other games like Tekken, and those popular capcom fighting games.

As anybody on or in the scene could tell you, from late '92 to late '95, MK and only MK was it.