because this game is basically about ninjas, ninjas and interdimensional battles.

then why not have space battle?

Why does Street Fighter have like ten people in Karate Gis?

Technically, Scorpion is the only real ninja. The Lin Kuei are a clan of assassins (and the first Sub-Zero was quick to point out the difference), Noob Saibot once being part of them, and the likes of Reptile, Ermac, and Rain aren't affiliated with ninja whatsoever. I look at their UMK3 outfits as being uniforms worn by Kahn's elite, personally.

Real answer: Back in the 90's, you could make brand new characters by changing a color and giving out different special moves (in some cases, not even that). And they all gained a fanbase, and so are here to stay.

Well, it originally started out with Scorpion and Sub-Zero in the original MK. I suppose they gave them the same outfit due to the lack of technological advances, and also to show that they had a rivalry. All they had to do was swap Sub-Zero's palette to yellow for Scorpion and BAM, two ninjas.

Then, by mixing blue and yellow, they got green for Reptile (I forgot how they came up with Reptile's idea). They put Rep in MK1 as a secret, but they returned him in MK2. So now in MK2, they have Scorp, Sub, AND Reptile. But in MK2, they hid other characters like Noob and Smoke. I guess by this time, they were just experimenting with colors. Not to mention they began to bring in FEMALE ninjas, too.

At the time, many fans claimed they saw a red ninja in MK1 and stuff, saying a fighter named "Ermac" challenged them to a fight. Although this was merely a rumor, the MK Team decided to make Ermac a real MK character, and did so in MK3. In MK3, they came up with a joke character by using Prince's song "Purple Rain". They named him Rain and made him a purple palette-swapped ninja.

And then came along others like Chameleon and Tremor in future titles, I guess just for the fun of it.

So basically, they just had fun swapping the colors around, and by doing so, they came up with a ton of ninjas. But all is well, because the ninjas are cool, and all were eventually fleshed out into their own seperate characters will their own looks.

but now with modern tech why not some original stuff

If you notice, the characters don't look exactly alike any more - only their DLC outfits are pallette-swapped.

And as mentioned, these characters have become immensely popular. They're not going anywhere, but every effort is made to keep them as distinct as possible while still retaining some elements of the old-school feel. Look at Reptile in Deadly Alliance - he was a lizardman through and through, barely a hint of ninja anywhere.

Once they had "modern tech", they did come up with more characters other than ninjas. Like Netherrealm demons, sorcerors, jesters, fat people, and Ken from Street Fighter.

Shao Khan looks like a warlord..

I still Love Ermac but can anybody make a original oriental character with out it being the very overused ninja?

Shao Khan is a evil overlord of a dark army of creatures forged in the hell fire of abyss, but he is not a plattee swaped character

Plus there are even CYBER-NINJAS c'mon man!!!!!

Was this topic made before MK Deception came out?

If you want to say something to add on, just edit your message, no need to triple-post.

But to the matter at hand, Cyber-Ninjas were thrown in to give MK3 more of a science-fiction feel. They were inspired by the Predator, and were given a similar image to a Predator, and similar moves. It just so happened that they were palette-swapped as well. But when you think of it, back in the 90s, it would take too long and cost too much to have every single character be different from the rest. So they just palette-swapped them. But as previously stated, all the characters have their own looks and moves and stories. They have been developed now, so you don't need to worry about "creativity" or anything like that.

There is only one true ninja in MK and that's Scorpion. He's not being very subtle though, kinda a sucky ninja, relying more on his fire powers than his stealth and shadow tricks like an actual ninja.

The others just look the part, and as I've said many times before, I would love for them to stray away from the original palette swap look.

platte swap was just a cheap altenative than having every character differ in every way...I think I finally uderstand

I feel like OP is a troll.

Indeed, Jade was a palette swap of Kitana, but as a character, she is her own. Like Subbie, Ermac, Noob, Reptile and Rain are their own characters from Scorpion.

Thank God we've come a long way from 90's tech.

AMEN to that

*claps along with a gospel choire*
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

... etc.

Sooooooo..........any..umm AWKWARD!!!!!

"VERY into it priest" Praise Him for putting MK on this earth AMEN!!!

The power of Christ compels you!
The power of Christ compels you!
Wow, Mortal Kombat forums sure are weird, aren't they?

HEY you don't like you can just walk out right here boy you look'n for trouble