Yes, most of the MKD newcomers either sucked, or were too generic. Shujinko and Kobra are a joke, only Havik really seems like an interesting addition to the cast, who could be taken further in the series. I love Kira to death, but she badly needs her own moves.

I actually like most of the MKDA newcomers to tell the truth. MKDA was MK reborn, after years in limbo, it needed fresh faces along with classics, as it was a new beginning for the series. Also, unlike past MK's, most of the newcomers felt different enough from older ones to not be copies. OK, we got the token ninja (Frost, who I quite like), but the rest were attempts to expand on the cast, and avoid doing what had been done before, a critisism of past MK's with multiple pallete swaps and MK4's. Mavado, Nitara, Li Mei, Drahmin and (although I'm crap with him) Kenshi were all great characters for the series imo. Even Hsu Hao's OK, but really more a one game filler. Big Bo doesn't really belong with his crap, unfunny "dirty drunk" act.

They don't get peoples attention and are so underrated.

I actually liked most of the newcomers from MK:DA, with the exception of Mavado and Frost.

But I think the problem now with new character is giving them individuality.

The MK company have mad like 61 characters now, so it will be hard to think of new refreshing ideas and moves that havent been seen before and will fit into the game, and not make the character seem like a rip off of others.

Also, the use of fighting styles in MK:DA gave each character individuality.
That was a great thing for the MK team to do, but then when they made MKD, they used the styles of the fighter missing from MKDA and gave them to new characters or returning characters. This IMO was a bit of a bad move, because, although most of the syles did get improved at least a little.....it gave the new character something in common instantly with the old ones, and took away the new character's individuality.

There are sooooo many styles and weapons out there. Surely they dont need to reuse styles. Im sure everyone wouldnt have minded waiting an extra month or two to get individual character with their own styles and moves. And like ~Crow~ pointed out in another thread, even if two individuals did have the same style, they would use it differently, incorporating their own moves into the style too as well as the original styles moves. Also some fighters are more defensive and others more offensive, but yet use the same style, in different ways.

Individuality is the key to new characters. I would rather have a roster of 30 returning characters and 2 new, individual, originally thought out characters, than say 25 returners and abunch of half harted, rushed, rip off new characters.

In MKD, a lot of the new characters, and returning characters, had no real relevance, and could easily have been improved or replaced with the likes of Nitara, Khameleon, Sareena, Sektor, Hsu Hao or Reiko.

I think Shujinko is the BOMB
How can u say he is a joke

I agree. Trilogy was the last game that had good new characters. Almost every single new one lately sucks.

The only three new characters added in MKT were cheap pallete swaps created by whoring the ninja sprites out, and Rain was the only one of those who had any original thought put into him, at least he had his own moves and a not too bad storyline. Khameleon and Chameleon (and most people don't consider Chameleon to be a real character) were even worse, using recycled moves as well as recycled sprites. Christ, even Shinnok and Jarek had more creative effort put into them than these two.

Maybe trying for nine (8 playable plus Onaga) new characters like they did in MKD is a bit too much, and many there were disappointing. Having maybe about five newcomers next game would make the team focus more on trying to make them something special, welcome additions to the cast that most people would like. Perhaps deciding to do less new characters would increase the chance of those that do come being really good, unique, interesting fighters, rather than the real mixed bag we had in MKD.

Agreed! Only new ones lately that I like and are good for the story are Quan-Chi, Fujin(Wind God), Reiko(dont like him at all but he dies instead of Kahn), Nitara(i guess lol), Bo Rai Cho, Kenchi, and Kira(black dragon).

P.S. Kira fucked Kobra up in her ending and I hope its canon.

The majority of new characters the few three games has been terrible. The largest problem is easily the ripping off of other characters moves and now fighting styles. Far too many new characters DIRECTLY rip off the moves of past characters. Then add weak stories in most cases of them, plus recycled fighting styles as well now, and you've got wasted player space.

Ashrah takes her moves from Kai (fireballs), Raiden (torpedo, too similar not to count) and Kung Lao (stand and spin)

Kira - Not only does she share just about all of the moves from Kano and Sonya, but a fighting style from each as well. Weak.

Just about every single new character in MKD has at least one move from a past character, mostly from the very game just prior! Adding a different special effect to the fist or foot doesn't change things, Midway. They feel exactly like what they are. Recycled goods. Same product, new package. It blows. more creativity next time please. There should be more to it than the appearance of the character. In most cases that is actually ok.

To be honest the only worthy additions to the MK universe are/were (IMO)

Kenshi - Was a powerhouse in DA but they toned him down for D, still enjoyable to play though

Mavado - Had promise but they decided to kill him off (Bring him back and get rid of Liu Kang LOL)

Blaze - A blatant Cinder (Killer Instinct) rip-off but I thought he was kinda cool... or even hot

Shujinko - A lot of people here hate on him but he's a good character and one of my new faves

Noob-Smoke - A stroke of inspiration. The tag team idea for these two is excellent, talk about confuse your opponent. Def my faves.

Everyone has their own opinions but I reckon these guys should all make a return for MK7

The problem with many new characters is poor design or one-note story dimensions. Here's the list of lame characters since MK3 (IMO):

1. Stryker- there's a reason the MK team avoids him like the plague in future installments.

2. Sheeva- who needs her when Kintaro and Goro were so much better?

3. Hsu Hao- he was lame looking, and he wasn't as good as Mavado, so if his boss can't cut it, neither can he.

4. Frost- A female Sub-Zero...already she has no identity beyond that.

5. Jarek- A rip-off of Kano down to the invisible laser eye. He's worse than a pallet-swap.

6. Dairou- was poorly designed and an average fighter with a sub-average storyline.

7. Darrius- how many black guys in sunglasses do we need? His storyline may have potential, but he certainly doesn't.

8. Kobra- was generic looking all round, even in his alternate, hooded outfit. He was a decent fighter, but lacked any staying power.

9. Ashrah- aside from a one-note storyline, she just looked like a female Raiden, even if the two had nothing in common.

10. Kai- anyone even remember him? Barely? Where did he go, even? That says something about him.

11. Reiko- unless he has some major costume and character overhaul, he's become a joke now that it's been revealed he ISN'T Shao Kahn. Sorry, bud, but keep dreamin'.

12. Blaze- has potential, but his fighting styles were rip-offs and he himself was a rip-off design from KI.

13. Mokap- was the Stryker of the next-gen systems, IMO. He was a joke character, after all.

14. Drahnim- has little redeeming value now that the brief Scorpion story-line arc is over. Another Oni would easily trump him.

15. Shujinko- he looked like the generic old, wiseman fighter straight off of Kill Bill vol. 2. The fact that he "learns" other fighters techniques like Scorpion's spear and Sub-Zero's freeze also makes him unoriginal and a cheap fighter.

Honorable mentions:
1. Havik- was originally designed as Noob Saibot's alternate costume but became his own character. Brilliance or laziness?

2. Kira- if it weren't for the fact that her story has potential and she herself looks good, she's a cheap mix of Sonya and Kano, and if either were to return, she'd quickly become irrelevant.

3. Rain- despite being a formidable fighter, he was the least-received pallet-swap of them all (and has the dubious honor of being the only pallet-swapped ninja apart from Chameleon not to make the jump as a playable 3D fighter.) He could become good, but he needs a overhaul make-over.

4. Cyrax- easily thought to be a cyborg Scorpion at first with Scorp's strange absence in MK3, Cyrax too second place next to Smoke as a good cyborg, and second place always sucks.

5. Shinnok- though a god and boss character, he made Shao Kahn look really good. He was the least intimidating boss character ever and dressed bizarrely. Poor design and even poorer game presence.

Fatality.

i agree man those new characters suck and i think they should come up with better characters or some thing.


this might be dumb but they should come up with a god of thunder that is like raidens wife.

[only a comment]

One plus side with new characters. At least they all have a better story then Cage =p

I definately agree that most of these new characters need a bit more work. Kira, though I do play as her often, was truely an insulting rip off of BloodRayne's look. She reminds me of the outcome of a rough night in a cheap motel between a highly drunk Sonya and Kano.
I liked the concept of Shujinko alot, at least they gave him a reason for having everyone elses moves.
But since we can't really do anything about the cheap rip offs, my fellow MK nerds and myself make up matches and play them. Here's a list we came up with for kicks(MKD):

Li Mei vs: Kira since they were only brought in to be eye candy.

Tele-fight! Ermac vs: Kenshi

Big hat fight: Ashra vs: Raiden

Battle of the B!tches: Tanya vs: Mileena

Who loves Kitana more? Jade vs: Sindel

Corpse fight: Lui Kang vs: Havik

Those are just a few we've played for laughs, sorry if I'm boring anyone!

some new comers are ok. but like somebody said earlier be like virtua fighter or tekken and only add like3 characters to the roster. keep developin the old characters. shit midway has enough of them they can just reach into their bag of skeletons grab out Stryker and Reiko an dmake them kick ass. Revamp looks too god theya re getting old. sub-zero's was prolly the best renake, him and ermac. the rest were like the same. although millena did look hot except for the face but guys don't look there anyway!

bo rai cho...

pukes like a suwage line..

he brakes too much wind for my mind..

his vices great, ulrecers if he didn't ate..

his moves so cheep, he isn't very meek..

mk7 woundn't miss him..

i'd rather play as possable, kim.

i totally agree! alot of the new characters were piles of crap. kenshi is kick but though. kira was a really dumb character made, she had copied those moves and it just bugs me out. also, i absolutly hated raidens 1st fatality. who the fuck blows himself up to kill some weakling?!? bo rai cho's drunk acts really eritate me! they are not even funny! like his fatality, he takes a torch and farts?!? seriously that is so uncalled for! darrius is ok because of the fact he's hired to kill people.also, shujinko, he's probably the worst character ever made. he's moves are powerful, but hes just a crppy edition to the team. the should add a character that has starngly mutalated physics, adding on completly insane like has a need to kill anybody he see's. i thought about that and i think it would be a great addition. also, they should have a character with ridiculously long clothing, unknown to every one and has increadiby powerful special attacks and lighting fast movement. see, i have ideas! and i'm sure lots of people have great ideas too! midway should have some contest where people can make up characters and they like use them in the game. this way they will have like a pile of perfect characters and they wouldnt have to think so hard about characters. oh and shinnok is just a retarded character.

I think the problem with new characters is that there are too many of them with underdeveloped storylines. In the past two games, there are only two characters that weren't complete failures and have an original storyline and those are Havik and Kenshi. The rest were either poorly designed or under developed. As for Kai, well he was going to be used in MKDA, but was cut during the developement, so there might still be a chance for his return. But his look is far too plain, aside from the tiger stripes.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

New characters MK4/MKDA/MKD

Who should definetely be kept.

Mavado- Too important and connected to too many other characters to simply disappear. Only thing he needs is better special moves.
Havik- Most interesting addition to MKD's cast. There's a lot can be done with a character just out to cause chaos. Needs unique fighting styles.
Li Mei- Cool, but kinda shallow in MKDA, she really imroved next game. She's different to most MK women, and has a kinda naive, inexperienced persona not seen much in MK.
Quan Chi- Come on, he's become a major villain now. Kicked so much arse in MKD's intro, it's a crime he didn't make the game as a playable character.
Nitara- Very intersting, different character, and I hope they do more with the whole vampire theme, in her moves, etc.
Kai- After Stryker, the most underrated guy in MK. His caperoia would suit the 3 style system very well.
Kira- I'd really like her to stay, but with her own moveset. She seems like an interesting criminal character, better than Kabal's disappointing return.

Can maybe come back, but either need more work, or I'm just not that bothered by them either way.

Drahmin- Strong to play as, and a decent design, but he didn't have much long term potential.
Frost- I like her, but she needs her own moves, so she's not simply "Sub Zero with boobs".
Kenshi- Didn't make much impact in MKD. He'll probably be back, but I wouldn't miss him much.
Ashrah- Cool storyline, otherwise a very plain, boring character.
Fujin- Boring, but a wind based character does have potential.
Darrius- I like him, but he has very little relevance to the main events of MK.
Hotaru- A cool design let down by awkward moves, and not much long term staying power.
Onaga- Seemed far more like a sub boss than a final boss. A letdown after the cool build up he received.
Blaze- Boring, but could be worked on, as he was only a last minute addition.

Should stay out, or be gotten rid of.

Kobra- SF's Ken repackaged as a killable thug. Possibly MK's worst creation.
Bo Rai Cho- Dirty drunk act doesn't fit MK. it's not funny, especially when he was brought back for more.
Reiko- Has nothing going for him other than controversy. Even the MK team hate him.
Tanya- MKD's most pointless comeback. Should have stayed a one game filler.
Jarek- I actually quite like him, but he's just Kano Jr, and has served his purpose in MK. No real need for him again.
Hsu Hao- Same as Jarek, I liked him at the time, but has served his purpose.
Shinnok- MK's lamest boss, seen as a joke by most.
Moloch- Worst sub boss, just a generic boring monster.
Shujinko- Boon threatens to make him the new Liu Kang. Far too unlikeable to even be here, never mind as the hero.
Dairou- a good concept, spoiled by dumb moves, and absoloutely no staying power.
Mokap- A one game joke, like he'll ever come back anyway.

The problem with NEW characters in MK is that there are TOO many. The point of MK was the BEST fighters in their realms. Now people are being allowed into the Tournament (even though there hasn't been a tournament in a while) just because their family was destroyed by someone taking over their realm or they are a criminal or chasing a criminal. Keep with the classics and kill them off THEN you can add new character s that have SOMETHING to do with the storyline. And some characters are gonna have to die eventually, they can't all live for 10000 years.......

Ok I'm done venting, thanks for the thread