My Mortal Kombat-Related Pet Peeve

[MrPopo]

The issue with the block button is that almost every other 2D fighter just uses back. As a result that's your reflex for blocking. Now I have to unlearn that reflex and relearn a new one when I want to play MK. And then when I switch back to any other 2D fighter I gotta switch my reflexes back again. It's fine if you want to only stick to MK but if you want to have some diversity you're now in a bad spot.

[AppleQueso]

Who exactly decided that all 2D fighters need to have this universal control scheme and whatnot anyhow?

The issue with the block button is that almost every other 2D fighter just uses back. As a result that's your reflex for blocking. Now I have to unlearn that reflex and relearn a new one when I want to play MK. And then when I switch back to any other 2D fighter I gotta switch my reflexes back again. It's fine if you want to only stick to MK but if you want to have some diversity you're now in a bad spot.

That's more or less the crux of it. Though it doesn't really invalidate the control method at all.

I mean in its defense, I get lost as hell if I play, say, Mega Man X after playing Super Metroid for a while.

[brunoafh]

Isn't this what Weekend_Warrior is talking about, judging MK games by their horrific console ports? Yes, holding start on a Genesis 3-button controller to block IS fucking stupid. I 100% agree there. That's also by far the worst way to play an MK game. I never liked a 6-button Genesis controller for MK games, a 3-button controller is just unusable.

If it's a 2D fighter, allocating block to a unique button is stupid period, be it start on your controller or a button on a cab.

I'd like to add some info about MK's blocking that hasn't been said yet. It allowed you to input moves without moving. This wasn't just limited to fatalities and moves that forced you to use block (to avoid jumping). You could use block to input any special move. Block also doubled as an aerial attack sometimes. In MKII, pressing block in air next to your opponent would cause Scorpion to do an air throw or Jax to do a back breaker.

Block acts as a buffer when inputting moves in all fighting games, and is more practical during block strings anyway (i.e. while holding back), so I'm not sure where you're going with this.

I'm kinda sick of hearing haters bashing MK for stupid reasons like having a block button. Get over it. So it isn't exactly like the fighting games you like, that's what's called diversity and innovation and whatnot. It's like saying the Donkey Kong Country series isn't any good because there's no power ups like in the Super Mario Bros series. You never hear MK fans bashing Street Fighter for NOT having a block button. It is what it is, let it be.

I'm not an MK hater nor a basher, I love MK. I grew up with it. I'm just saying that it's defending it's blocking mechanics is silly. They suck, plain and simple.

[AppleQueso]

I'm not an MK hater nor a basher, I love MK. I grew up with it. I'm just saying that it's defending it's blocking mechanics is silly. They suck, plain and simple.

I'm pretty sure that if you were to ask any hardcore MK player if the game would be better using back=block as opposed to the button, most would probably tell you 'hell no'.

[Ack]

Who exactly decided that all 2D fighters need to have this universal control scheme and whatnot anyhow?

Playing Devil's advocate here, I have to say that fighters don't use a universal control scheme anyway. Consider the differences in control in the SNES ports of Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter 2 Turbo, Fatal Fury, Power Instinct, Street Fighter Alpha 2, Art of Fighting, WeaponLord, and Ranma 1/2: Hard Battle. The control schemes vary widely in the number of buttons being used, what they do, and how each game's system works. Yes, general skills in one can transfer at least limitedly to another, but anyone interested in mastering a new game is going to face difficulty as they move to a new system, even one that is similar to another.

I think the true difficulty here would be in starting out, as spending enough time with a game will lead to mastery. It's just that after block has been back for so many games, it's harder for people to transition over to MK at a basic level of ability. Those early fledgling steps with any fighter can seriously influence one's opinion on the game, leading to a person deciding if they really want to take the time to learn.

The difficulty with MK is that people who are used to the block system of games like Power Moves, Super Street Fighter II, or Fighter's History are going to get hurt when they first start out and must relearn the basics, and they may not be willing to do this. People who have been playing the more obscure Doomsday Warrior and Street Combat will have an advantage in that they're used to blocking with a button, but they'll have other issues.

And for the record, every game I mentioned was on the SNES. The variety increases further when you factor in the Genesis and the people who are playing across multiple consoles.

[the7k]

I don't think having a Block button makes MK a lesser or greater fighter - just different.

I personally have a really hard time learning to use a Block button after all the years upon years of using back. It's no problem with 3D fighters for me, but it's a real pain to get used to on a 2D Fighter. Still, I don't consider that MKs fault.

I do, however, feel that the block button really makes the game lend itself far more to using a pad rather than a stick. Having the block button assigned to a trigger button just makes far more sense to me than a face button - not to mention that you have to hold block and do a special attack to do the 'EX' versions of those attacks, which is a pain in the ass if you have to hold a face button while inputting a special move with another face button. That's like some Primal Rage shit.

Plus, a lot of the special moves (Back, Back, Low Punch) lend themselves far more to dpads than arcade sticks, which to me have always been more about quarter circles, 360 motions, etc.

[Gamerforlife]

Interesting hearing people debate the gameplay of the MK series. I personally never had a problem with the MK games as far as gameplay, but it's always going to be the characters, the universe, the tons of secrets, the myths and that one awesome movie that I remember the most

Oh, and Shaolin Monks. That game rocked so hard

I'm not knocking the gameplay at all, but that's never going to be MK's legacy

[Bradtemple87]

I'm still debating to buy the new one

[brunoafh]

That's the thing, I'm not "bashing" the series at all, I really like it. I just feel that assigning a button to block as opposed to holding back in a 2D fighter is just poor design.

[AppleQueso]

That's the thing, I'm not "bashing" the series at all, I really like it. I just feel that assigning a button to block as opposed to holding back in a 2D fighter is just poor design.

Can you really fault MK for that? It did come out during a very early period in the genre when these 'standards' weren't really set in stone yet.