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[TacosNSalsa]

For the life of me I can't figure out how MK 1 is considered a classic or whatever. The game had almost no mechanics .outside of special moves the characters were the same , all their frames and damage for normals was the same and forget about things like DMs (supers) and the POW meter (love that)

I stopped playing at 3 because of the brain dead canned combo system so I won't speak to the later games but I still enjoy watching it from time to time

 

[Ceallach]

No shit. There are multiple King of Fighters games that are in contention for greatest fighters of all times.

In fact, King of Fighters 2002 might be my single favorite game of any type of all time. And 98, XII and XIV aren't super far behind.

 

[nkarafo]

Lol, the life/energy bars alone are enough to tell which KoF it is.

Thanks, i'll try to remember the different energy bars so i can tell which one is which.

 

[ValiantTraveler]

No shit. There are multiple King of Fighters games that are in contention for greatest fighters of all times.

In fact, King of Fighters 2002 might be my single favorite game of any type of all time. And 98, XII and XIV aren't super far behind.

You mean XIII, XII is like a demo

 

[synchronicity]

I loved Mortal Kombat back in the day (the early games - haven't played any in a long time), but yeah, the gameplay was always garbage imo as well.

But it was an important game due to the fact that it pushed the medium forward in some ways, allowing for conversation about what games could be/ who they could cater to. Its influence was more significant than the game itself.

 

[Agent X]

King of Fighters would've had a much better legacy today if it would've actually have evolved at all graphically between 1994-2001.

The King of Fighter series was tied at the hip to NeoGeo during that time, so there wasn't much they could do from a technological perspective. Even so, they still managed to gradually improve the artwork and presentation in later games.

Oddly enough, I never really cared much KOF during that period, but I've developed a larger appreciation for the series over the last few years.

As Labolas said in the OP, the KOF games were a legitimate rival to Capcom's Street Fighter series. While KOF didn't top the charts in the US, I've read articles that it has a surprisingly large following in Latin American countries.

Mortal Kombat is appealing for different reasons. I never cared for the fighting engine as much as the Street Fighter games. Now that I've played more of KOF in recent years, I'd also say KOF is a superior game mechanically. The early MK games can still be fun to play, especially with friends (the computer AI becomes sickening after 3 or 4 matches), and as others have mentioned they ushered in a new standard for realistic digitized artwork. They also introduced hidden characters and other fun secrets to discover, which kept people's interest.

After Mortal Kombat moved to 3D and out of arcades, I lost interest for a while. The recent games (from MK9 onward) have greatly evolved the fighting engine, got rid of the cheesy AI, and added impressive in-game storytelling. As a result, the series is in a really good place now.

 

[Kacho]

Lol...

Isn’t this obvious? KOF has amazing mechanics and depth compared to MK.

2D MK is still mega fun though. The violence, sound effects and lore give it a TON of character and makes up for its shortcomings.

UMK3 is still one of the goat fighters btw. While no MotW, it’s still fun as fuck with the combos and insane character roster.

 

[Ceallach]

You mean XIII, XII is like a demo

i DID mean XIII. But damn is XII gorgeous, I forgive a LOT for that.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Mortal Kombat always kinda sucked, so it wasn't a high bar to pass.

 

[cireza]

Of course. King of Fighters is pretty much the best fighting game series ever anyway, and SNK the company that made the best 2D fighters.

 

[xiseerht]

I love Mortal Kombat and I grow up playing MK and SF in the arcades back in the 90"s. With that being said. SNK makes the best fighting games. And I truly feel King of Fighters 13 is one of the best fighting games ever made.

 

[ethomaz]

Mortal Kombat was never good as a 2D fighting at all.

MK charm was always in art style and fatalities focused in violence than gameplay.

 

[ethomaz]

If you where born in Central/ South America then KOF was you number 1 SF 2 and MK a distant 3

I'm sure... because SF was always 1 here.

Street Fight II
Street Fight II Super Turbo Edition
Street Fighter Alpha 1-3
Capcom Street Figher vs.

It was all the most played here in Brasil.
Of course Street Fighter 3 never got that much love.

 

[me0wish]

I used to love MK9 due to the lore and characters, it was silly and over the top, it was so entertaining. With MKX focus on "my parents suck, they never understand me" narrative, it became cringy as hell and I lost all interest in the series.

Besides that, I'd say SNK makes better fighting games than even Capcom, and I have Capcom bias.

 

[MiguelItUp]

Honestly I could never compare KoF to MK as they felt like completely different fighters. I enjoyed both for different reasons and honestly wouldn't really compare them. I mean, KoF/a lot of SNK fighters were very similar to the Street Fighter series in terms of feel IMO. MK had a specific kind of clunkiness that was just part of the package. Just like what existed with Primal Rage, Killer Instinct, etc. Doesn't mean it's bad, just different.

Iori was always my boy in KoF, but I think over the years I played more MK than KoF because it stood out more due to the digitized graphics and gore. I remember seeing the cabinet in the arcade for the first time with crowds and was like "WHAT AM I SEEING?!", lmao.

Man, I miss those days.

 

[Nymphae]

MK had a specific kind of clunkiness that was just part of the package

lol trash

 

[MiguelItUp]

lol trash

I mean, it wasn't for everyone, clearly, lmao. All of those digitized games were a bit different and contained a certain amount of clunkiness, lol.

 

[Nymphae]

I mean, it wasn't for everyone, clearly, lmao. All of those digitized games were a bit different and contained a certain amount of clunkiness, lol.

I enjoyed them for what they were in the 90's, my friends and I just liked seeing all the violence and they were easy to play. But it's pretty undeniable that NRS games have a "feel" often described as janky, stiff, awkward, etc. They've basically only made fighting games for what, 3 decades? And they still feel like janky ass shit, I don't get it.

 

[MiguelItUp]

I enjoyed them for what they were in the 90's, my friends and I just liked seeing all the violence and they were easy to play. But it's pretty undeniable that NRS games have a "feel" often described as janky, stiff, awkward, etc. They've basically only made fighting games for what, 3 decades? And they still feel like janky ass shit, I don't get it.

Yeah, honestly, me either. I'll always have heart from MK, but you'd think it'd improve over the years. I was a BIG fan of MK9, honestly it was my favorite I think in the entire series in terms of gameplay and controls. I thought it'd get better after that, and it somehow got worse I feel.

 

[Self]

MK2 was a huge improvement over MK1 in everything

Yes, MK1 was rather rough on the edges, but still fun to play. MK2 improved on anything and is still one of the best fighters out there.

I do prefer SF, KOF and Samurai Shodown, but still... MK was a superb franchise with great focus on tense and brutal fights.

 

[Persian buttercup]

No one likes ugly women.

 

[SpongebobSquaredance]

I don't know if I would really agree on this. KoF is nice and all, but MK has way more character and doesn't really try to be the next SF in terms of visuals and gameplay. Also, gameplay of MK2 and MK3 is definitely good. It just has a good punch, no pun intended. Shaolin Monks is also one of the best fighting game spin-offs ever I might add.

 

[dacuk]

If you where born in Central/ South America then KOF was you number 1 SF 2 and MK a distant 3

Truer words were never spoken

 

[dacuk]

I'm sure... because SF was always 1 here.

Street Fight II
Street Fight II Super Turbo Edition
Street Fighter Alpha 1-3
Capcom Street Figher vs.

It was all the most played here in Brasil.
Of course Street Fighter 3 never got that much love.

I'd say that, after Super, Capcom was not able (or did not want) to change the formula to maintain it fresh.... the annual versions of KoF did it and make it interesting to try; that without saying that the costs of NeoGeo games (MVS) make them preferrable to CPS-2 cartridges

 

[Griffon]

Well duh of course OP.

 

[ethomaz]

I'd say that, after Super, Capcom was not able (or did not want) to change the formula to maintain it fresh.... the annual versions of KoF did it and make it interesting to try; that without saying that the costs of NeoGeo games (MVS) make them preferrable to CPS-2 cartridges

Well even today when you go in a Shopping playground here in Brasil you find Street Fighter Alpha or Marvel vs Capcom... you can find KoF but it is in less places than Street Fighter.