10 Things That Killed Mortal Kombat 1
2. The Kameo System
Loved by some, hated by others and the bane of the casual player's existence, to say the Kameo System was divisive is an understatement.
For those not in the know, Mortal Kombat 1 introduced Kameo fighters, a secondary combatant that you'd choose to compliment your main pick. Kameos come with a handful of different functions, such as ambush attacks, defensive manoeuvres, temporary buffs and most importantly, combo extensions.
Kameos are a fundamental mechanic in Mortal Kombat 1, and players had to learn how to best use them if they wanted to stand a chance in competitive play. The downside here is that with such a wide-range of Kameos, all of whom have a variety of abilities that can be used in different situations, it meant that barrier-to-entry for more casual players was far higher than they'd be willing to go.
The hardcore fighting game fans embraced the system with open arms due to its potential for creative combos and insane conversions that kept the gameplay fresh and exciting as it felt like there was always something new to be discovered. For everyone else though, the Kameo system was difficult to get to grips with and turned quite a few players off.