#Palette swap ninjas plus

He can also lay claim to a properly pathos-laden backstory: he was raised by Scorpion after his warrior father left to avenge his mother’s death. Luckily, Takeda has more than just a gimmicky weapon going for him, and he deserves props for donning an outfit that merely references his connection to the Shirai Ryu clan rather than relying on the typical ninja wardrobe.

Although the imitation on display here isn’t quite on the same level as that shown by Frost, Takeda was set up to fail by being based on another iconic MK character.Īs with the previous entry, this level of similarity is to be expected – there’s a master/apprentice bond at work here, too – and this exemplified in Takeda’s fighting style, which basically revamps Scorpion’s kunai spear as a full-blown bladed whip.

#Palette swap ninjas plus

On the plus side, Frost sports a half-way decent backstory and characterization – she’s the arrogant former pupil of Sub-Zero, with a chip on her shoulder the size of Outworld – but again, there’s a sense this could have been developed further.Īnother warrior who owes a pretty big debt of inspiration to one of his fellow ninjas, Takeda Takahashi seems destined to never fully shake the label of “poor man’s Scorpion”. She only has one Fatality to her name – and whilst it’s a doozy (freezing her opponent before shattering them), Sub-Zero has done it before, and better! Her ice-accented design is just a riff on Sub-Zero’s own style, and by the same token, her moveset is largely derived from that of her mentor, only less varied and far weaker. There’s not a lot wrong with Frost – in point of fact, there’s plenty to like about her – but every facet of her character has already been done, and better.

Such disappointment was perhaps inevitable, given that by her nature, Frost invites comparisons with one of Mortal Kombat’s most beloved fighters. Frost is essentially a female Sub-Zero, and while that description sets expectations for a base level of awesomeness, this chilly ninja seems a little watered down.