As we know, having a character have multiple costumes can inject a visual freshness to the game by adding visual variety to the same characters (even if it sometimes lapses from uninspired design). But I would like there to be more uses to the utilization of different costumes by the same character than merely aesthetic. In the past I may've mentioned this, without going into any detail.

By having multiple costumes, it opens up the opportunity to give the same characters different attributes, which would make the selection of costume more than a visual choice--it would become a choice of how you would like to approach the match with your character.

Things can be done such as:

if a character has facial armor, strikes to the face are slightly less damaging, while other, less protected spaces can me slightly more damaging; likewise for armor in other places.

characters laden with armor (Hotaru for instance) can be somewhat slower--an alternate uniform less laden with armor, in which the character is able to move somewhat more swiftly, would create two entirely different flows for the character. Since armor on a body part increases the mass of that part, strikes from that part theoretically should be more powerful (the difference betweeen a rubber mallet and a metal one).

Going even further, there could be a small subset of moves that are costume-specific, defensive and offensive.


This, of course, could be tweaked and tinkered with. To try it out, I suggest it be implemented minimally--so that there are slight differences to each character in each costume. Ideally, however, fully implemented, it would open up not just visual variety, but actual gameplay and fight strategy (if in arcade mode the player could pick the costume of her or his choice before each match). (as well as be a pain in the ass to get down well, on the production side)