Ok, First and foremost...Mortal Kombat IS the most bad ass series in all gaming genres...PERIOD! But... MK has been straying off course with all the mini games 'n' what not. I'd say get rid of all the mini games n focus on the fighting. Get back to mk2 basics, only with today's standards. Make it dark, realistic, and more brutal than any other kombat. Brutal doesn't mean that there has to be long drawn out scenarios such as falling through a roof, onto a freeway, gettin hit by 7 cars then crash landing into your mother's lingerie drawer. Instead, emphasize on every hit. The technology is there to make it seem so ruthless n unforgiving that your jaw will hurt when playing. Mk8 should stray from the "fantasy" look of MK5-7. Instead bring back the "digitized" look. I was very glad to hear the MK Team will be using the Unreal engine, that's the right direction to head. All mini games should go.The fighting in Mk 5 was tight, but I feel the newer Kombats have lacked in actual fighting gameplay because time 'n' effort was spent elsewhere (mini's). Instead, focus all energy on THE GAME. Death traps should go. I think MK would greatly bennefit all around doing away with death traps. And again more focus on actual fighting rather than setting up your opponent for an easy win.(which does go hand in hand but still) In their place perhaps use objects(many possabilities) around you to really break your opponent. Ex. Maybe you're fighting in the temple, 'n' in the middle of a combo you can grab a full candle stand and throw it at your opponent single handedly-without much emphasis but it's look bad ass overall and to spectators. I'd say make the FIGHTING, the HITS more dramatic than sendin someone flyin/falling multiple stories downward. I say keep everything that makes/has made Mortal Kombat what it is today. It'd be very hard to divert away from pretty much any Kombatant. Boon has said he will never make another MK game without Scorpion again so at least I have nothing to worry about! These are my ideas for now. Peace