Board Thread:Mortal Kombat X/@comment-26516813-20171026231015/@comment-422853-20171112035119

RichFromStaten wrote: @Ridley Prime -- Shinnok was indirectly mentioned in Noob Saibot's UMK3/Trilogy bio, but introduced in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero (a 2D adventure game) and returned as the final boss of Mortal Kombat 4, which can be hardly considered a 3D fighting game. Apart from the limited side-stepping and 3D-rendered characters and environments, combat was limited to a 2D plane. Mortal Kombat 4 was at best a transitional phase in the Mortal Kombat franchise.

And the 3D era of Mortal Kombat came with the release of Deadly Alliance in 2002 and culminated with Armageddon in 2006, although MK vs. DC Universe was technically the last game to feature full 3D gameplay until Mortal Kombat was rebooted in 2011 and returned to the 2D combat formula.

I just don't want to see any bootleg characters like Hsu Hao, Kobra, or Dairou who play no important role in Mortal Kombat but to stink up the character roster. But if Onaga does return I agree that it should be under a different set of circumstances. I know about Mythologies and such, I grew up playing it. People don't always count the adventure spinoffs though, so I don't always bring them up. Quan Chi technically debuted in a crappy cartoon, but people don't like to bring it up and generally just point to Mythologies as to his beginnings. I liked the game for what it was, but could see why it wasn't popular. Not that it matters now, since not even the well received Shaolin Monks game could be bothered to get a sequel to this day.

Shinnok was memorable in Mythologies, but underwhelming in MK4. Glad MKX reused his demon form, even if it wasn't well executed. MK4 for the most part though has been considered the beginning of the 3D era; it was not only the start of when the series began having obscure one-offs (Kai, Jarek, and such), but the start of when everyone could pull weapons out their asses as well. Still, I see where you're coming from. It can be pretty much considered a transitional phase too.

Also, Fujin and Sareena are honestly more salvageable than Li Mei or Frost, out of the others you mentioned. Like Shinnok, they also debuted in Mythologies; you have Fujin on the backburner as a substitute god or protector of earthrealm whose just waiting to be used properly for a story (especially with Raiden losing his marbles again), and Sareena has the whole demon of the netherrealm turned good thing. It's more interesting than Li Mei or Frost's stories at least, but meh.

Some of the current new characters aren't that well written or have much a role in the story either. Ferra/Torr and some of the kombat kiddies come to mind... Erron Black has potential though, as does Tremor if they bring him back. The kombat kids just aren't that interesting for the most part. Hell, bring back Skarlet even. I know she reappeared in the comics, but there's still more they could do with her... And then Onaga as mentioned, who might act differently with Kotal Kahn as the emperor now.

We seem to be in agreement, basically. I don't want anymore Hsu Hao's or Drahmin's either. I also don't like how the 3D era tends to always dominate discussions, even if I still feel there's a bit that could be salvaged from it, which isn't that much.