Yeah it's been out for ages and what can I say, it is superb. Possibly a tribute to the greatness of Shigeru Miyamoto that a good idea THIS good cannot go wrong. However, it seems kinda confusing that the new Mario and Zelda game seems strangely dissapointing in comparison to the incredible playability of this! Maybe Miyamoto is losing his touch?
I propose the following theory: It's a well known fact that Miyamoto's games are based on his experiences as a child and this can be seen in the games. In Metroid as you venture through different scary rooms and see strange and magnificent animals and gadgets we can see that this is Miyamoto's childhood fantasy world made flesh. Retro studios were under a great deal of pressure not to lose sight of the original vision.
Meanwhile in the new Zelda and Mario games, Miyamoto is trying to be as new and interesting as he can be. However, the game is incorporates many involving plot lines which, rather than enhancing our new image as an explorer in a strange place, make us feel like strangers in a foreign land. Basically the way these new characters interact with you makes the game feel like a cartoon and the gameplay scary and confusing. The old games never made you feel so worried about involvement with other characters. Maybe I'm being unfair, but I'd rather be the lone bounty hunter any day!
Yep it's a new Mortal Kombat game and shock horror it is actually good. After the boring MK3 and MK trilogy and the horrendous absence of gameplay which made up MK4, here we have a game which actually plays well.
Unfortunately every character has only one fatality and there are few special moves. However, what has been perfected is the questionable kombo system of MK4. It "works" now, and the weapons which each character use also fit in well.
Some may wonder how the insane special moves fighting from MK 1 and 2 could change into a kombo fight like you would find in Tekken and not completely betray its roots. But somehow Raiden doesn't lose his personality by performing kombos with a staff instead of flying across the screen defying gravity.
This game rocks and has filled the space nicely as I wait for the glory that is METROID PRIME!