Unlockable content? Or everything up front?

[Flake]

I'm a lover of arcade ports and 2D fighters. I've noticed that these kinds of games come in two flavors: Either there is hidden content for you to find by playing through the game or you boot the game and everything is there for you to enjoy right from the get go, e.g. Marvel Vs Capcom 2 for the Dreamcast vs the same for the PS3/360.

What do you prefer? The whole shebang up front or does unlocking the fun make the experience better?

[Dakinggamer87]

It depends on the type of game. I generally like to unlock content as I enjoy the challenge and fun presented. However, with fighting games I like to have all the characters unlocked so when I have friends over they can play whichever character they want.

[lwcook]

I'm a lover of arcade ports and 2D fighters. I've noticed that these kinds of games come in two flavors: Either there is hidden content for you to find by playing through the game or you boot the game and everything is there for you to enjoy right from the get go, e.g. Marvel Vs Capcom 2 for the Dreamcast vs the same for the PS3/360.

What do you prefer? The whole shebang up front or does unlocking the fun make the experience better?

Personally? I'm for unlockable content. I spent so much time on MvC2 back in the day just to unlock everything, but I had a lot of fun playing it. I probably would have played it just as much anyways, but i'll say it helped egg on the "just a few more rounds" mentality.

Now, with fighters being played online, I think characters should at least be unlocked. But online kind of changes things in general, so I still vote for unlockable stuff.

[SpaceBooger]

I think it depends on the player. When I was fresh out of college and my buddies would come over and we would play fighting games often - we expected everything unlocked.

But now that I am married with kids and none of my friends play games anymore, I enjoy unlocking the content. It gives me a reason to play.

So I guess it all depends on the reason to play:
A) Beat up friends - they everything should be unlocked from the start.
B) Solo play - unlock things as you go giving the player mini goals and motivation to keep playing.

[emwearz]

I love unlockable characters, always pushes me to play a game more and more. Also gives me something to aim for and not get bored while playing fighters single player, even doing pass the controller single player is awesome to unlock chracters.

[irixith]

I love unlockable content. I remember playing Mario Party 3 for almost 6 months before realizing that beating the single player unlocked a whole new board! (..and the best board in the whole game at that.) It really gives a reason to go through and give it your all when you can keep opening up new stuff.

However I have a caveat -- when playing multiplayer (especially in games like fighters), you should at least have all the fighters open to you to choose from. I had my brother over here not too long ago and we were playing some racers on the 360. (Blur, Split/Second, Hydro Thunder Hurricane..) and got bored super quick because only 1-3 cars and a single track were available to race on. That sucks. I don't want to be obligated to go through the single player just so I can have some fun with someone else.

[sevin0seven]

unlockable content! i remember when i first unlocked Reptile on MK1. It was pure win!

nuff said.

[Curlypaul]

I remeber there was a thread about this a couple of years ago and the consensus then seemed to be that unlockable content was a pain in the backside.

It depends on how you want to play things though like SpaceBooger says, I dont get to play fighters against other people very often so unlocking stuff gives me something to aim at. I wouldnt have played half the games on SNK Arcade Classics if it wasnt for the unlockables and other that World Warriors all there is to unlock is artwork and moves lists so personally I say its a good thing.

Who would bother playing Christmas NiGHTS if it wasnt for the unlockable stuff?

[t0yrobo]

It depends for me. I like unlocking costumes and characters in fighting games. I though MvsC2 took it a bit too far though, but I didn't mind unlocking shit tons of costumes in the first DOA game. I also prefer unlocking credits to having free play right at the beginning. I guess it comes down to as long as it isn't a significant loss to not have it from the start I'm fine with it being locked.

[Reprise]

Unlockable content all the way! I don't even care if it's multiplayer games like fighters etc, I just love having something to unlock and work for. In fact, at times I even feel cheated if there isn't unlockable content... Dead or Alive 2 on the Dreamcast kind of comes to mind.

I remember with some games, me and a friend (or few) would use to play multi-player, but also take it in turns on the one player mode and get all excited as we unlocked stuff. And then we'd use the weapons or fighters or whatever in the multiplayer modes.

Was always good fun.