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MK1 (NES) Breakdown, tier list etc

Eddy Wang

Skarlet scientist
After having the real experience in arcades, i gotta say MK1 from NES ruled for years in my household, we used to play this game for countless hours and for even poorly MK1 from NES is, the system is unique and worth breaking it down, yet at that age it was fun to play this game at high level.

I still remember lots of things so i felt like sharing up a bit of what i've learned from MK1 from NES

Kombat System:
Uppercuts: Doesn't knock ppl down, but gives pushback on hit, it grants a combo starter in corner.

Command Normals: a few characters can perform Double Roundhouses, or double Uppercuts by code inputs, they work like an auto double, and only the 1st hit pushes the opponent away on hit, doesn't push back on block.

Special moves: you can only throw 2 projectiles or special move at the time, then i has a 4 seconds cooldown before you use any special move again, tho, roundhouse is command normal doesn't have a cool down.

Projectiles lift ppl out of the ground, but NES MK1 the characters doesn't actually fall down unless they take a throw, crouch kick or enters on a stun state, so any special move will launch the character but this will imediatly air recover and stand on their feet without a knockdown.

Close Punch: The close punch is the most useful move in this game, is the fastest and prevents ppl to jump on any angle as long as you're standing. its a combo filler in the corner.

Close kick: A great combo filler in the corner, and doesn't have personal use other than that.

Crouch Kick: This move is a knock down, and grants a safe jump in the corner, is also a combo ender.

Standing Punch: also as auto doubles, one button press and the move hits twice, however only one of them hit the opponent due the push back, it works as AA and Anti Crossup as well.

Throw: The most broken move in this game, a well timed throw can grant you a win, because throw can OTG ppl on the wakeup when is well timed, but carefully, because the opponent can perform a wakeup throw and throw you instead.
Throw Reversal: This is a defensive system designed to avoid ppl that spams throws OTGs, if you press punch at the right window before being thrown, your character grab the opponent that was about to throw you and throw him instead. However any side can keep pressing throws until one of them miss the window. The Window is also very dificult to nail down, sometimes we could reversal throw 2 or 3 times before someones miss the window.

Throw also has other proprieties like throw cancel, you can cancel your throw with special moves, or command normals.

Standing kick: A move with great range, everyone's kick is the HK version, no one performs sweeps or LKs in this game.

Jump normals: Same proprieties overall doesn't change nothing.

Blocking: NES MK1 is back to block (B2b), meaning this game has crossups.

Projectile freeze: When a character throws a projectile, he gets frozen until the projectile vanish from the screen

Stunt Sistem: In this game, if you take multiple hit, your character will get dizzy, its possible to stuns someone twice by round if not mistaken, perform a very damaging combo on them.

The walkspeed is great and the jump arc is huge, the weakpoint of this game is jumping, so do not jump unless he the opponent has been thrown in the corner or has taken a Crouch kick in the corner

How to fight in this game:
Instead of rushing ppl down, this game is entirely played by footsies, you need to control the space by hitting your opponent with standing punches and try to grab him, if you jump or cross up, you will get AAed 100% of the time.

Combos:
Most of the characters can perform a 3 or 4 hit combos in the corner from a jump kick.
2 Hit combos from a projectle midscreen
3 hit combos from a throw cancel midscreen
getting locked in the corner might get you killed by vortex.
 
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Eddy Wang

Skarlet scientist
Tier List

Tho there isin't much of a difference between chars, there are a few that have a slight advantage because they special moves can hit multiple times and force ppl into stun state, so the tier list goes by this.

S
Rayden, Sonya, Scorpion, Cage
A
Liu Kang, Sub-Zero, Kano,
B
Shang Tsung (ramdomly morphs into the others)
C
Goro.

All S Characters have a quick stun special move, if they hit you a few times, and then you get hit by their special move that hits multiple times, your character gets into stun state.

All A Characters have projectiles that doesn't hit multiple times, which means that their balanced compared to the others.

Goro is the crap of the game, his normals are inconsistent, and his only good thing is his projectile, which will keep him glued in the ground while anyone jumps on his face for a combo.

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Moves list

Rayden
Special moves
Superman: D,U, Kick
Lighting: B, F, Punch
Command Normal: press Kick multiple times (Roundhouse)

Sonya
Special Moves:
Energy ring: D,F Punch
Linear Wave Punch: B,F Punch
Command Normal: B, F kick (Round house)

Scorpion
Special Moves:
Flame Ball: D,F Punch
Ninja Slide: D,U Punch
Command Normal: D, B Kick (Quick Double uppercut)

Cage
Special Moves
Fire Ball: F, D, Punch
Shadow Kick: B,F Punch
Command Normal: Press Punch Multiple times (Roundhouse)

Sub-Zero
Special Moves
Water Ball: D,F, Punch
Ninja Slide: F,D Punch
Command Normal: D,B Kick (Double Uppercut)

Liu Kang
Special Moves
Fire Ball: D,F Punch
Flying Kick: F,D Punch
Command Normal: D,F Kick (Round House)

Kano
Special Moves
Knife Throw: D,F Punch
Flying Kick: D,U Kick
Command Normal: B,F Punch

Goro
Special Moves
Fire Ball: D,F Punch
 
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Eddy Wang

Skarlet scientist
Anyone wants to try me on NES?
Or any way to record from a emulator? i would love to record come combos from this, they're fun.
 
what did i just read??
u cant serious dude, the one and only mk1 version that can be taken seriously is: mk1 arcade prototype version 9
;D
 

ded

Elder God
that's good stuff. i actually played mk2 for nes as well and the pseudo-throw infs exists there too. you can combo from special moves, not sure for mk1 lol
 

Eddy Wang

Skarlet scientist
that's good stuff. i actually played mk2 for nes as well and the pseudo-throw infs exists there too. you can combo from special moves, not sure for mk1 lol
Hey ded, long time no see.
I remember that one, did play it through an emulator because i wanted to see how it was since it was based the same engine where they built this one.

Jax is definitely the god tier of that game, his GP its a knockdown on hit and OTGs, has not usage limitation or cooldown different from the MK1 and he can use MGPs there, only takes one hit to kill your character, since he can pretty much loop as the original MK2 but much more broken.
 
Reactions: ded