Returning Characters

2D Kombat Klassics

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posted08/14/2003 03:39 AM (UTC)by

White_Pointer

@White_Pointer

Member Since

05/19/2003 01:07 AM (UTC)

You know, I've only just realised this. Well I mean I've known about it but never gave it a second thought until now.

Everyone knows (or should know) that the only character to have been playable in every Mortal Kombat installment to date is Sub-Zero. It should be no surprise then when I say that the MK series has only had a handful of returning playable characters. To date, these are the only characters that have been playable in more than one MK game and the number of games they have been in (note, I've excluded UMK3, MK Trilogy and MK Gold because they don't really form an integral part of MK, they were just 'add-on' games):

Sub-Zero (5)
Scorpion (4)
Kano (3)
Liu Kang (4)
Sonya Blade (4)
Raiden (4)
Johnny Cage (4)
Jax (4)
Shang Tsung (4)
Quan Chi (2)
Kitana (2)
Kung Lao (3)
Reptile (4)
Cyrax (2)
Smoke (Human 1, Cyborg 1, total 2)
Noob Saibot (3)
Goro (2)
Shao Kahn (2)

When you consider that the last 4 characters were either hidden or bosses (as were Reptile and Shang Tsung in the original), and when you consider the total amount of MK characters to have made an appearance over the years, this isn't a large list. In fact, when you exclude the bosses and hidden characters, the only characters that weren't in the original game that have been in more than one game are Jax, Kitana, Quan Chi, Kung Lao and Cyrax. Excluding the hidden characters and bosses, the only character in that list that isn't playable in MK: DA is Liu Kang.

It means that throughout the series, Midway have thrown in a lot of one-hit wonders that have never made a return. To be quite honest I didn't expect Cyrax to ever make a return after MK3 but Midway surprised me there, and he's the only surviving new character they introduced in MK3. Similarly Quan Chi is the only new character from MK4 that has survived more than one game.

It's interesting to think about. Do you think Midway will break this trend with MK6? Do you think they'll bring back a number of the new characters from MK: DA, or maybe even bring back characters from past MK games?

White_Pointer

UReiko

@UReiko

•08/13/2003 08:12 PM (UTC) •

I think you should have rephrased that and said 'Sub-Zero has been the only returning PLAYABLE character in all the MKs.' Because there have been unplayable characters that have been in all the MKs... Reptile being one, Kano another, and so has Sonya, also Lui Kang.

Just thought I'd clear that up.

White_Pointer

@White_Pointer

•08/14/2003 01:27 AM (UTC) •

UREIKO Wrote:
I think you should have rephrased that and said 'Sub-Zero has been the only returning PLAYABLE character in all the MKs.' Because there have been unplayable characters that have been in all the MKs... Reptile being one, Kano another, and so has Sonya, also Lui Kang.

Just thought I'd clear that up.

Reptile wasn't in MK3 AT ALL, Kano wasn't in MK4 AT ALL. Did we forget that?

You knew what I meant though, it should have been obvious by the way I was talking. But, to clarify, I'm talking about PLAYABLE characters.

So can we get back on topic?

White_Pointer

~Crow~

@~Crow~

•08/14/2003 02:20 AM (UTC) •

Interesting thread. But I disagree about one thing, Sub-Zero hasn't been in all the games. The name 'Sub-Zero' has been involved in all 5 of the games so far, but as I am sure you know the Sub-Zero who appeared in MK1 was not the same person who appeared in MK2. Though they share the same code name, they are brothers, not the same person. In fact, Sonya is the only character to 'appear' in all 5 games total as the same person. She appeared in a BG in MK2 of course. Just my thoughts, anyway, onto the actual subject at hand.

Midway and the MK team continue to use these characters because they are most popular with the fanbase. Most people didn't care much for the new characters in MK3; outside of Kabal and the Cyborgs. MK4 was even worse when it came to new characters, to me, Reiko was the only one interesting at all. That is excluding Quan Chi of course. Shinnok was vaguely interesting, at least his storyline was...

I think they should stick with what works though, bringing back unloved characters isn't good business. All the characters you mentioned have some of the largest fanbases in MK's history. If they were to bring back others that are not on that list, I'd say any characters from MK2, and the ones I mentioned above from 3 & 4 as well. Though, I think we will see alot of characters from MKDA in MK6, because the majority of the new characters are quite interesting.

White_Pointer

@White_Pointer

•08/14/2003 03:39 AM (UTC) •

~Crow~ Wrote:
Interesting thread. But I disagree about one thing, Sub-Zero hasn't been in all the games. The name 'Sub-Zero' has been involved in all 5 of the games so far, but as I am sure you know the Sub-Zero who appeared in MK1 was not the same person who appeared in MK2. Though they share the same code name, they are brothers, not the same person.

Yeah I realise that, the MK2 Sub-Zero is the original Sub-Zero's younger brother. But, disregarding the storyline for a moment, the character Sub-Zero is the only character to have been playable in every MK game to date. That's what I meant.

White_Pointer

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