Raiden, Shang Tsung and Sub-Zero

Hm...The ones I have liked so far, regardless of what they were wearing are:

1. Raiden - Favorite character all around...Elemental, God character, ect
2. Sub-Zero - Symbol of Mortal Kombat
3. Ermac - Favorite Cosmic character
4. Noob Saibot - Favorite ninja // Elemental Ninja
5. Stryker - Favorite "regular guy"
6. Reiko - Favorite subordinate
7. Fujin - Elemental God character(all elementals are my favorite)
8. Kai - Favorite next "the one" character
9. Shujinko - Favorite new guy character
10. Kung Lao - Favorite "over shadowed" character
11. Shang Tsung - Favorite bad guy, and sorcerer
12. Sonya - Favorite female character
13. Jade - Favorite female ninja character
14. Sindel - 2nd Favorite female character
15. Motaro - Favorite Sub Boss character
16. Kintaro - 2nd Favorite Sub Boss character // A tiger striped, half dragon, half man?!? "Mortal Kombat"

The ones that I have liked, and veered away from based on how they look are:

1. Scorpion -- His costume sometimes makes or breaks him from game to game. Just talking about looks alone...Some games I'd actually play with him even though I'm not a fan of his at all.

2. Reptile -- Just don't ever do the "Lizard-man" thing again, okay? His hybrid look in MkSM and MkA was perfect for Mortal Kombat, and I think it still is the best iteration of a "man who is also part lizard"

3. Rain -- Wouldn't touch him in Mk3-T. At least picked him up in MkA. That's really all you could ask for in a transformation like they gave him...Good Job MKTeam

4. Chameleon -- Didn't care at all about him in the early games. At least picked him up in MkA. That's really all you could ask for in a transformation like they gave him...Good Job MKTeam

5. Cyrax -- Liked him better than Sektor in the early games...now I can't stand to look at him. Somethings missing, or something is just wrong about him now...idk, idcare cuz he's never been a favorite

6. Sektor -- Almost the exact opposite of Cyrax. Didn't care in the beginning, but now he's really interesting. I think it's due to his story more than his looks though.

7. Kabal -- He's alot like Cyrax as far as looks alone....Take that dumb cape off him..he was perfect in the beginning

8. Nightwolf -- Loved his early look, hated the stereotypical overhaul..

9. Kenshi -- I think I just know too much about his story right now. But, I liked his MkdA look waay better than whatever they did to him. I think it was the "plastic effect" they forced on him.

10. Shao Kahn -- He used to be built, not bulky and doll-looking...Put it back.

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Basically man, looks are alot of the reason why people pick up a game in the first place. So, if a character gets screwed over on the design table, there could naturally be a dis-concern for any of the other character atttributes. Story, and Gameplay.

If you're like me, sometimes I don't care what the character plays like or what their story is if they aren't visually appealing. Especially if they're secondary characters on the list of favorites.

The ones that I never, first and foremost because of how they looked are:

1. Smoke -- He was the "last pallet swap, and in my opinion, they didn't start getting his moves right until these last three games. Never cared about the story, or how well I could use all his copy-cat moves

2. Jarek -- Looks sucked, don't care
3. Bo Rai Cho Could tell that was a joke from a mile away. I did look into his story, and I played with him a couple times...but just don't care

4. Mavado Looks Sucked, don't care
5. Mokap Looks Sucked, don't care
6. Hsu Hao don't care
7. Kobra don't care
8. Taven don't care
9. Shinnok Looked into him though
11. Ashrah her looks ruined it for me, but I gave her a good chance
12. Li Mei Got tired of her looks, gave her a good chance too. More stuff about her story was the deterrent though
13. Tanya Looks sucked
14. Kira looks sucked
15. Drahmin Looks do suck, and I don't like his moves and stuff, but I like his story
16. Meat looks sucked
17. Blaze his looks did suck. they got better, but I still don't even care...especially now that his purpose is served.

All the other people that I missed are liked, or disliked for other reasons. I like all the rest of the costumes essentially.

Dude, you're really right. I also think that looks have a big part in how fans see a character.

I like Scorpion in MK:D, and use him a fair bit simply because of how cool he looks.

All of my favourite characters (Raiden, Shang Tsung, Sub-Zero, Fujin, Hotaru, Shao Kahn etc.) all have cool looks, IMO.

And the fact that they have cool powers and stories and stuff helped too, but I pretty much choose my favourite characters on how cool they look and how cool their powers are.

I agree: appearance is very important, but also are the charter’s combos and moves, as well as the storyline. Most of the old fighters that appear in the first three games are interesting and I enjoy playing with them regardless on a costume. Even those that I have liked less have become my favorites latter through story. The newcomers have to prove themselves: if they have unique special moves and storyline I already like them...

Sektor – I never really like playing with Sektor, but I like his storyline, and I love his x-ray move in the new MK.

Sindel – I liked evil personality and horror gothic look of Sindel in MK3. I hate Sindel becoming good. Her powers now seams meaningless. I also hate her look in MKD. I don’t play with her anymore, and she was one of my favorite fighters

Quan Chi – I started to show respect for this charter with MKDA, because of his storyline. Now I really like him.

Rain – I never liked Rain. Purple ninja that summons the water?! He is a bigger joke then Bo’ Rai Cho... and i like Bo’ Rai Cho...

I think the thing with Reiko, Rain and to a certain extent Sheeva in Armageddon was the fact that actually their new gear was just so much better than the old stuff.

Reiko and Rain especially.

The characters I will always like:
1) Raiden - He is the guide character. Without Raiden it isn't a MK game.
2) Sub Zero - Always liked him.
3) Sheeva - I know she is about as popular as a fart in a lift but I've always thought she was cool.
4) Kitana - Its the fans and the blue.
5) Shang Tsung - he is just delightfully evil.