Thursday, April 19, 2012

Week 10: Street Fighter II Tubro, Mortal Kombat II

Street Fighter II Turbo


This week was probably the best week of gaming as far as entertainment value is concerned.  As an added bonus, I had never previously played the first of the games, Street Fighter II.  I had heard of its status as revolutionary in the competitive gaming community, and I had seen the following clip regarding the game: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgSAOxwr0xE).  These two things were enough to pique my interest.

The downside to playing this game solely on the computer is that I cannot utilize the multiplayer mode.  It is fairly easy to use “cheap tactics” to defeat the computer due to its limited AI Intelligence, such as repeating the vicious uppercut or spamming any projectile weapon.  Even worse was the computer using tactics like this (especially overusing their projectile).  Computers have no code of honor and don’t understand the concept of glory, so when a computer character does have a projectile, they abuse it to the edge of its limits.  Ultimately, that method of winning is unpleasant, no matter which side is using it.  This video demonstrates the terrible experience that Street Fighter II can be:
This was, in my opinion, the major flaw of the game, but most of that flaw derives from my inability to use the multiplayer mode. Probably my favorite part about Street Fighter II was the characters within the game, particularly Ryu.  Whether it is his red headband or his “I don’t give a crap” stance, Ryu just has that natural aura of coolness.  Other characters like Chun Li, Dhalsim, and M. Bison provided contributions like more X chromosomes, stereotypes, and the typical German officer villain.  The characters, along with the wide array of moves, make this game a memorable one.





Mortal Kombat 2

Whether it is through a gaming magazine, a news outlet, or an angry suburban mother, nearly every person of Generation Y has heard of the Mortal Kombat series.  The series gained notoriety from the unprecedented violence that the series introduced.  This was largely from the "Fatalities" that each player could perform by beating the other player twice.  The Fatalities are probably the most popular part of the Mortal Kombat game and have been parodied in multiple forms.  Here is a good example:

GET OVER HERE!!!

For me, I enjoyed the variety of characters even more than the Fatalities.  Because each character has a distinct look and background story, the player can more easily connect with each of the characters.  This was a brilliant maneuver on the game developer's part because the player is able to connect uniquely with the characters.  For me, I have a soft spot for Scorpion.  Between his crazy outfit, background story, and trademark moves, Scorpion is a beast.

Despite its appeal to a wide audience, the game does have its downfall.  Mortal Kombat is not intended for the competitive audience, so the controls and playability cannot match the power of Street Fighter.  With Mortal Kombat, this in particular allows for players to use "cheap tactics" to win (for an example, watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oZtlXX8C7Q).  It can be annoying, but as long as the player can overlook that aspect, Mortal Kombat can be bundles of fun.


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