MK9 is in my opinion the best roster as well. I would take that roster for every future MK. But you have to undertand that the need for new characters.
I understand the need for new characters completely. I even welcome new characters.
My favorite MK character is Smoke. Smoke is actually easily in the top 5 of my favorite gaming characters in general. And Smoke too was a new character at one point. But Smoke was a character, who brought something amazing to the table: from being a ninja, to a secret, to having a cool power set and amazing visuals. He isn't all too well established as a character and doesn't have that much personality, but he has plenty of other things going on for him.
And no, these new characters are not better than Ermac, Reptile or Smoke. But at the end of the day its just our oppinion and not everybody can be in every game.
That's my main problem with the new characters. They don't even come close to the old characters. And that's not because the old characters are amazing (which they are), but because the new characters aren't unique and interesting enough to compete with the old fan favorites. And this isn't even a matter of nostalgia and bias. I think it's just a fact, that a character like Jacqui Briggs isn't as visually appealing or interesting as a Smoke or a Rain.
Im MKX, while they left a lot of favorits out, the newcomers were mostly great or great ideas. Dvorah, Kotal and Erron should be staple in my opinion, thats how good i think they are. The KK have all great potential, lack of story and variation system held them back in my opinion. Being overshadowed by parents/mentors didnt help either.
I too like D'vorah, Kotal Kahn and Erron Black. These characters have their own style and identity.
Cassie Cage, Jacqui Briggs and even Takeda to a lesser extent are the inferior versions of better characters. And I find that to be a pity.
Cassie Cage should have been the Anakin Skywalker of the Johnny Cages Green Force. She should have utilized that far more than her dad with constructs and what-not, like a Green Lantern. Gimme something, which clearly sets her apart from Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade.
Jacqui Briggs should have been a female cyber ninja of close combat destruction. Basically like a female Raiden from Metal Gear Rising. She should have been in your face 24/7, like a killing machine - while being super hot and cool looking.
Neither one of the two are either one of those things. Instead they're soldier girls, who punch, kick and shoot guns. And that's boring. That's what Erron Black does in a much, much, much, much more boring way.
