they actually have the same ability except when Shang Tsung uses it he actually changes to the look of the character while Shinnok just changes his moveset. Shang Tsung has moves for his own form while I believe Shinnok doesn't even have any unless he changes movesets. Shang Tsung is the original and Shinnok is just a cheap rip off. They should of just threw Shang Tsung in there and make Shinnok a much more powerful boss.

Judging from MK: Mythologies, Shinnok seemed much stronger and a much more intimidating character.
However, in MK4 they slimmed Shinnok down and turned him into a poor man's Shang Tsung.
So gameplay-wise, I guess it depends on which game your playing.

As for story, this is just my opinion, but I found Shinnok's storyline more interesting than Shang Tsung's.

I agree. You took the words out of my mouth.

Exactly! Shinnok Vs Shang Tsung? Shinnok hands down. IMO, Shinnok had the potential to be the greatest boss of MK. Think about it, an all powerful Elder God corrupted by the Netherealm? he's been there for Eons, you think Scorpion is pissed off? put yourself in Shinnoks shoes.

Tsung by a long shot.

I think Shinnok had a ton of potential having spent so long in the netherrealm, altering it to how he wanted, converting demons and all, that was cool. But, when I try to flesh out Shang's story as much as I try Shinnoks I think Shang's would end up much cooler since he really had contact and dealings with a ton of other characters, he was pivotal to the MK story .

That, plus I hate Shinnok gameplay wise because in MK4 he was a miserable knock off. KO that KO.

pros:
Shang- original boss, takes your soul, has no definate appearance,

Shinnok- good story, good potential, powerful enough to battle Rayden for eons

cons:
Shang- story is always the same,

Shinnok- demoted by mk4,

room for improvement:
Shang- make him a good guy, that'll be a twist

Shinnok- could look eviler. give him a cape, a british accent, more moves, and better fatalities

shang tsung is cooler and he was 2 time champion of mortal kombat but shinnok is a god. its like saying rayden vs. shang tsung.

i think that everyone hates shinnok so they should make a game based on him like konquest when he was good. i think when he was a good elder god, he should have been raydens mentor and offer loads of wisdom which would explan why raiden became more evil like shinnok in mkd. they could journey to shatter the conciousness of the one being into the six realms and increase our knowledge of the kamidogu. then for the end, you are rayden and you banish shinnok to the netherrealm.

this could make people think that shinnok stands more of a chance than shang tsung

oh and reiko should be involved in my prequel idea. anyone like it Mortal Kombat: Gods. huh huh.

i think a real brainteaser is reiko vs. shang tsung

Shang Tsung would kick the hell out of Shinnok simply because Shinnok didnt have nothing to him. Sure he was a fallen elder god and he was supposed to be all powerful and so on, but did we ever see it? NO!
He sucked in MK4 as a boss. They coulda made him a lot better.

P.S. Shang Tsung shoulda took Quan Chi in deceptions intro!!!

Shang Tsung (only because he's at the top of my favourites list).

However, Shinnok is one of my favourite characters as well. He had (and still has) the potential to be something great. The majority of people who hate Shinnok know little to nothing about MKM: SZ, so their opinion is based on MK4 alone... which is not a great game itself. The impersonation power ruined Shinnok in MK4, but he still has a chance to make a serious comeback.

I don't believe we've seen the last of him.

Well, if Liu Kang can beat both Shang AND Shinnok, they appear to be tied. BUT WAIT!

Raiden could not stop Shinnok, but was able to beat Shang Tsung down. Liu Kang worships Raiden, therefore Raiden is more powerful then Liu Kang.


Hold the phone, however. Shang Tsung is at Kahn's mercy, but Kahn couldn't beat up Shinnok, but Shang beat Kahn with Quan Chi, thus making the Deadly Alliance a powerful entity. HOWEVER. Raiden was holding his own against the Deadly Alliance, and Liu Kang did not, thus making Raiden stronger then Liu Kang.

So to solve this dispute, you would have to make some sort of Liu Kang vs Raiden thread. Until then, I shall continue.

If Liu Kang beats Shang Tsung, and Quan Chi and Shang Tsung beats Liu Kang, and Quan Chi beats Shang Tsung, and Raiden almost beats Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, and Onaga beats the three of them, is Onaga stronger then Shinnok?


Shinnok was stopped by Sub-Zero, as well as Liu Kang. Onaga was stopped by Shujinko, who defeated Sub-Zero's little brother, who beat a bunch of Baraka's warriors, which lost to Edenia's army, which was once beaten by Shao Kahn, which made Shang Tsung his slave.

Now, since Shinnok was beaten by the original Sub-Zero, who had the task of eliminating Shang Tsung, but he failed when he came across Scorpion. Sub-Zero was able to defeat Shinnok , but not Shang Tsung, because of Scorpion.

Could Sub-Zero or Noob Saibot, beat Shang Tsung?

The answer comes easily. Shang Tsung was beaten by Quan Chi, who served under Shinnok, who was beaten by Sub-Zero who failed to beat Shang Tsung who was beaten by Liu Kang, who also beat Shinnok, who wasn't able to be stopped by Raiden, who effectively lost to the Deadly Alliance, who destroyed Liu Kang who worships Raiden.

Liu Kang only lost to the Deadly Alliance because he was surprised. If Shinnok surprised him, would he of still won? Possibly.

So... the answer is...

It could go either way.

Dragon Point, plz.

what the hell are you talking about.

raiden and liu lost to quan and shang because they are the most powerful. but they were powerful because both their strength was sufficient to win. if you separate them, they can be defeated.

if someone else comes along and beats one but not the other, thats irrelevant

e.g. (remember pokemon?) fire beats grass. grass beats water. water beats fire. what your saying is that if there was a fight between fire and water and water wins, then grass is also more powerful than fire (which it isnt) because it is better than water. it doesnt matter who beat quan, liu or raiden. it comes down to both of them individually fighting. and whether they are your best or your favs is irrelevant. a lot of people hate shinnok but that wont stop him from winning.

is scorpion better tha shinnok? coz sub beat shinnok but died cuz of scorp. no. hes not. your logic cannot work. i think that shinnok, being a god could beat shang tsung being a sorcerer because of his power. they are both skillful but imo shinnok would win, even though shang was once champ of mk and shinnok wasnt.

Shang Tsung cannot beat Kahn. Kahn could sure as hell beat Shinnok (Cuz he no longer a god)

Depends. each character has a shitloads of potential.

Shang Tsungs strenght cvomes out from the fact that he's insn't all-powerfull, and always has a reason to struggle to survive. Shinnok on the other hand is just driven by pure thirst for revenge and destruction.

I think Shang has more drama, and a much more larger motivation. He isn't blinded by the facts, like Shinnok was, and he's certainly wise enough to know his own limits. Thats why he allied with Quan Chi.

And for the fights...depends again. It all depends on the situation, and how the characters play it out.

It depends on the situation. Shinnok was a former god, he has a vast knowledge over a number of things. I believe that combat wise, Shinnok would crush Shang Tsung due to his superior powers.

Shang Tsung is but only a sorceror who's greatest weapon is deception and manipulation. Shang Tsung could easily devise a plot against Shinnok and sneakishly defeat the former elder god that way. Quan Chi managed to do that in his ending, I believe that if Quan Chi did not posses the real amulet Shinnok would have defeated him aswell.

i think shang tsung in MK1 is more intimidating because of his old wise look. Also Shinnok is just a cheap rip off of shang tsung. Shinnok had a cool look and an okay storyline but as far as gameplay, he just plain sucked. Also he was the worst boss along with the deadly alliance. Nothing exciting about the final boss being guys you can select right from the beginning. Oh well.

Shang Tsung owns Shinnok.