From: rhett@max.u.washington.edu
Subject: MKombat vs. SFIICE
Organization: 
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 20:55:37 GMT

 
         There are numerous differences between MK and SFII...I see
         advantages and disadvantages to both. 

         Graphics: Mortal Combat does have more realistic, and very 
         well done digitized graphics...The animations are somewhat
         rigid though...Some are well done, but other attacks seem
         to lack impact. If it weren't for the blood, you would 
         imagine that the attack wouldn't even hurt. Though SFIICE
         is more cartoon quality, I think that for standard grahics,
         it is hard to beat. Ever notice the shadow of Ken/Ryu's 
         Gi on their ankle? Detail...

         Dynamics: Gravity/playability...The characters in SFII do not
         go up and down linearly. If they did then they would not 
         make an arch when they jump forward, but would make a 
         roof-top shape. They do arch. Also, after a FIERCE Dpunch, 
         Ken/Ryu slow down going up, then head back down accellerating
         on the way down. As for playability...I think that the block
         button in MKombat is an excellent idea. When the opponent
         attacks, you can hold block while tapping the joystick to
         prepare a counter-attack. As soon as the opponent's attack
         is blocked, let off the block and hit your punch/kick button,
         and the counter attack will occur. In SFII, to accomplish the
         same thing, you'd have to block back, then quickly do your 
         move after your opponent's attack...very difficult.
         On the other hand, MKombat suffers from a very sad lack of 
         different moves...Each character has just a handful of 
         different attacks, and they're all the same other that the 
         power attacks. In SFIICE, you have Blanka's huge crouched 
         FIERCE, Dhalsim's distance attacks, Honda's lengthy 
         ROUNDHOUSE, Guile's Backhand...much more variety, and these
         moves are important to each character's strategy. 

         Combos: Thank God MKombat has combos...though not as 
         complex as those in SFIICE. Most are simple 2-hit combos.
         Jump, kick on the way down, special attack. Most characters 
         in SFIICE have at least 1 good 3-hit attack 
         (short,short,short doesn't count!) and these attacks are
         more difficult, and offer big paybacks for the people who can
         do them...MKombat combos, as far as I've seen, are all pretty
         easy (mostly due to that tap-tap nature of the moves).

         Throwing: This is one aspect of MKombat that I think needs 
         work. There are really very few measures you can take to 
         prevent a throw once an opponent is inside, because any move 
         you do just disappears when you get thrown. Part of this, I 
         think, is the lack of quicker attacks like in SFIICE. 

         Potential: While I have played MKombat for about a month now,
         I get sick of it after a while...There just ins't enough 
         variety for me...The lack of moves is gonna do this game in, 
         I think. The similarity between characters and the lack of 
         complexity is going the catch up to this game...I don't think
         it will bring in more money that SFII/CE. 

         Aesthetically, I love MKombat. The graphics, the sound, the
         counter attacks(which is really the key to the game...too 
         bad) are all really excellent, BUT, it lacks the comlexity
         of SFIICE, and hence lacks the playability and growth 
         potential that has made (and has kept) SFIICE so popular.
         I applaud Williams for this new angle on the hacky-choppy
         genre, and hope we see an improved MKombat Champion Edition
         some time in the not-too-distant future.