I actually agree with this. I must say that after playing SF4 in 2009, I am hoping that they decide to bring MK back to 2D, and since MK3 is the only 2D MK with a combo system, I feel they should work with that idea.

mk 3 was my favorite mk game of all times so i wouldn't mind

I do think they should bring back some stuff from MK3 like the Temple, Balcony, Bank, Street & Waterfront levels + Music.

The music from MK3 is my fave from the 2D MKs.

Not sure about the 2.5D fighting tho, altho i guess i wouldnt mind if MK9 did have it.

I'll be the dissenting opinion here.

MK3 was my least favorite MK game of all time. I thought that it actually had worse graphics than MK2. With the exception of Kabal, the new characters (Cyrax, Sektor, Sheeva, Nightwolf, Sindel and Stryker were also my least favorite batch of new characters introduced to this series.

Yes, I think they're worse than Havik, Shujinko, Kobra, Kira, Dairou, Hotaru and Darrius by a fairly large margin.

I didn't like the music. I thought the Pit 3 was a terrible level from concept to execution. I thought that abandoning MK2's combo system that mixed regular moves with special moves in favor of blatantly ripping off Killer Instincts dial a combo system (and doing it poorly) was the worst decision they could've made.

They took MK away from the dark, mystical, asian themed, moody and mysterious and put it in places like a roof top, a city street, a subway etc. Terrible ideas all around.

Don't get me wrong, I don't hate this game, I just think that it rates at the bottom in terms of quality MK experiences. I was so excited back then to see what they would do with MK next after how awesome MK2 was. To get what we got in MK3 was probably one of the biggest disappointments I've ever had as a gamer.

I still remember playing it for the first time and thinking "oh cool! It's like Killer Instinct!" Only to realize that the combo system made it completely inaccessible to anyone that hadn't played the game and studied move lists.

In KI, all you really had to do was tell somone "hold back, press forward and a button, then follow it up with a few weak button presses while charging back and forward again."

That alone would allow a first time player to get 10 hit combos with Sabrewulf.

No, MK3's system was even more cumbersome. You had to remember each button press like HP, HP, LP, LK, HK back HK for Sub Zero. Then to realize that characters had several of these stupid dial a combo moves and who would want to learn all of this stuff!?

I go back to this game now and I can barely even play it because I don't remember 90% of the combos.

So yeah, I'm not sure why you'd want to just say that MK4, MK:DA, MK:D and MK:A never happened and start back here, but again, I'll be the one that disagrees with ya. No offense, we just have a difference of opinion.

Fuck yes man. MK3 sucked donkey dick to me. I hated it. The new characters were fucking lame as shit and the graphics indeed were worse. The mythology was traded for technology and jokes. Just....lame. Lame lame lame lame lame.

If MK9 follows suit in any aspect of MK3, it's gonna blow hard.

that what made it so good because u had 2 learn the combos. basically u saying that u want a simple game. that not mk, mk never really been simple that what made it great back in the days. That's y i'm a big mk fan now because it's not a pick up in go game it presents a challenge if u wanted 2 b good at it.

each side of this story has its ups and down i think. the challenge as stated with combos is actually a good thing i think. the complexity of the system is what set MK apart from the other fighter games.
as for the music,graphics,new characters and all that some of it was a bit lackluster and a step back from MK2 i agree to some extent. i honestly think that MK3 was over hyped and because it was... it ended up basically getting remade/expanded on twice (UMK3 & MK:T). i won't lie...MK:T was probably my favorite MK just because all the characters and gimmicks in their glory were present in the game. not saying some of it was not stupid or lame because the babalities and friendships were not anything on my list of favorite things but it was satisfactory when a friend of mine would do it for spite just to make me want to beat him even more...i think the disliked stuff like that helps with its competitive nature. but for MK9 i agree that it needs to be a lot more sharp and tuned in with its competitors and its previous installments.

Well, for one thing, MK1 and 2 didn't need dial a combos to have a deep fighting system. It mixed regular moves with special moves and I think that it did this to near perfection. Fan lift/square wave/fan throw is way more fun to pull off then HP HP LP LK HK back HK. Dial a combos don't make for a complex fighting system, it just makes you memorize crap that other people don't want to bother memorizing. So it cuts people out that might want to play but don't want to learn the system.

You might think that's a good thing, but I remember having countless matches with several friends in MK1 and MK2. MK3? Yeah, none of them wanted to learn the system.

Oh and Lycani, this system isn't unique, either. As I said, it almost blatantly rips off Killer Instinct's combo system. They just left out the charged combo starter and combo linking moves. In other words, the thing that actually allowed you to pull off these combos.

There's nothing wrong with accessability. A game can be deep and accessible. My girl can get 100 wins on survival mode in Dead or Alive 3, but I know the characters much more than she does. To me, that's a good game. When anyone can play well and have a great time by scratching the surface, but diving in reveals a ton of depth.

MK3 in contrast was shallow and inaccessible. I enjoyed UMK3 and MK3 a bit more, simply because they fixed some of the mistakes of MK3, but just the first MK3 alone, by itself... Yeah, it's my least favorite of the bunch.

If you think about it, MK3 was just ripping off the other heavy hitting fighters of the time with the combo system that everyone raves about. Killer Instinct did it first. Didn't street fighter incorporate that into their game first too? Not much of a SF fan so I am unsure. Bottom line is though, the important aspect that everyone loves about MK3 is the combo system, which really was nothing original at all. Baraka is right, MK1 and 2 didn't need that for it to be deep.

MK9 needs to stand on it's own. It doesn't need to have ANYTHING to do with MK3.

I didn't like MK3 but UMK3 was awsome. I actually think this is a good idea because UMK3 had a lot of good thinkgs. The characters where pretty cool, such as NIghtwolf and the Cyber Ninjas.

The story was also pretty good, and that is what made the levels so cool. It was neat to see city streets being consumed by Shao Khans power. It made it feel realistic seeing everyday places, but at the same time it felt supernatural and a little scary. These settings made the game seem like the world was ending, and that the tournament really mattered for something. The music also matched the mood of the game really well too.

So all in all I wouldn't mind seeing the next game take on a similiar atmoshere.

when i said "for MK9 i agree that it needs to be a lot more sharp and tuned in with its competitors and its previous installments" i did not mean to blatantly copy other games of the sort completely...i mean just hint towards it or reflect it in some manner. i don't know how that could be done but i am just saying...by no means do i want MK9 to be anything exactly like MK3 or any of its previous titles. MK9 needs to build on and from all of them be combined in my honest opinion. if you take the likes out of each MK game and put it in one game you will have pure nostalgic awesomeness i think. but its just my opinion...

they could throw out the dial up(memory) combos and replace it with more of a freestyle fighting mechanic where you just link different custom combonations of punches and kicks with specials. graphics should be similar to metal gear solid 4(realistic) and tekken(fantasy)......as you may see i am a big 2d backer and i think mk9 should go back to its roots to reach its full potential. 3d is actually fine but it just never feels right. i guess because mk was first 2d. i mean what if you wake up and call of duty is a third person shooter instead of a first person shooter. weird......

I was a HUGE fan of Mortal Kombat 3. I'm really sorry, but I thought it was a really daring move by them to run with the ideas that they did. After the defeat of Shao Kahn in MK2, he actually gets what he wants and invades Earthrealm, which nullifies Raiden's power and forces Earth's warriors to fight for not only their lives, but the freedom of their realm. I feel it is one of the stronger MK stories there is.

The characters introduced were also better than what they are given credit for. I'll be honest -- Kabal was actually my least favourite. He's grown on me as time goes on, but yeah, I felt that all the others were just a bit stronger. From Sub-Zero's story of humanity vs. technology, to Motaro being a beast. Stryker was also my favourite MK character for the longest time, and I think he is the most underrated in MK history. A very capable fighter thrown into this chaos, and not even by choice. He's perhaps the most sympathetic soul involved, as he did not ask for any of this. Brilliant.

That being said, the story and atmosphere of MK3 was what made it what it was. MK4 was also a fine concept-wise. Earthrealm is safe, but when some sinister force threatens the newly restored Edenia, Earthrealm sends some warriors to aid in its defence, and continue positive relations. I think a logical MK5 would have been some sort of sinister force lurking in Earthrealm while its most powerful fighters were away. Perhaps even some sort of "companion piece" to MK4. "While this shit is happening in Edenia, this is going on in Earthrealm..." for example.

But yeah, I feel that MK4 knocked the series off course a little bit. After changing over a lot of its older characters to newer characters with the same moves -- and only having a good villain in concept -- MK4 was sort of dazed on its feet.

how about

mk1 + mk2 +mk3 = mk9

after MK3 the new characters became lame as did the levels.

i would rather they spent alot of time on a good game the half the time on a bad game.

MK2 will always be my fav, the levels and fatalities were nice... but i didn't like they added Babalaties and frienship, yes it was funny but come on MK is not ment to be a funny game. MK3 they just semed to throw anything in (animalities, mercy and had stupid fatalities like Jaxs stomp and Kabals Scream)

I would rather they go back to there roots then try adapt it to something different, i mean every Tekken game has been the same just with more chatacters and thats done well... And Street Fighter that has has the same 12 characters in like nearly every game and that also has done well

I think with just some new designs for the old chatacters of Mk 1 to 3 and some new moves with upgraded multiple levels of the old levels this would do well.. through in 2 new GOOD characters and 3 new levels we will love it ^^

Honestly, as long as MK9 is a 2D fighter, i'll be happy. 3D fighters just aren't that great when you put a strong focus on special attacks. And unfortunately, MK is at the bottom of the list of 3D fighters, in my opinion.

I'm not saying this because I hate MK, because I don't hate MK. I love it, and I want it to be good. It just seems that they are better at making 2D fighters. After playing Street Fighter 4 and BlazBlue, I have found a new love for 2D fighters.

About the combo system in MK3/UMK3/MKT... No. No. No. I don't want to have to know what buttons to press in order to execute a combo. Instead, I want a combo system that can combine all moves freely into one combo and not having to remember what buttons to press.

You guys are acting like MK3 was the only MK game to have pre-dialed combos.

And for the record, Killer Instinct was an amazing fighting game.

As much as I like MK3 I would prefer MK9 to be more like MK1 and 2. It's been a while since we have seen a back to basics MK tournament. I also like how the first two games felt more like "Enter the Dragon" or a Kung Fu movie. The other games have a weird blend of sci-fi and fantasy, which is fine, but I'm starting to get sick of it.

However, I would like them to revist the setting of MK3.

I hate the shit out of MK3.

I'd prefer the gameplay to be like MK4 but with more variety of moves to make good combos.

I think it's pointless for us to hope that MK9 will be 2D, but yet, I still hope.

I wouldn't mind a 3D game with a hidder 2D fighter in it. Something completely original with a bizarre cast of characters.

i would not mind a 3d game if they were up to par with other fighters. still 2d is my favorite style. i think its been proven that 2d or 3d fighting games can be sucessful, it just needs to be great.