"Clone" Characters in fighting games?

[MJN SEIFER]

For those who don't know, a "clone" in a fighting game is a character who fights in a very similar (if not the same) manner as another character - it has nothing to do with looking the same.

What is the general opinion on it? I don't mind it too much when it's explained in the storyline (e.g. both characters trained at the same place or something), butI much prefer it when there are more unique characters to fight with. It makes the characters more unique.

[Slothy]

The biggest problem with the original Soul Calibur (aside from ring outs being too easy) was that half the characters were clones of the others. It wouldn't have bothered me if they had all played quite a bit differently, but almost none of them did play that differently. They did a much better job of it in Soul Calibur 2 where characters like Cassandra were very different from Sophitia and Lizard Man.

So clone characters don't bother me too much except when they play almost identically to one another. As long as each has different moves, timing, and strategies then it's fine with me because they're not just thrown in as a lazy way to increase the character count then.

[Mirage]

What some people think are "clones", are actually significantly different when you're know the characters really well :p. I'm not bothered by it.

[Slothy]

What some people think are "clones", are actually significantly different when you're know the characters really well . I'm not bothered by it.

If you can learn one character well and then switch to their counterpart, make almost no changes to your strategy or play style, and still be quite successful then they're not different enough. That was pretty much Soul Caliburs characters in a nut shell.

[Mo-Nercy]

OMG, you mean Ryu and Ken aren't the same!?

Actually, I reckon that those who are more familiar with the particular fighting game will realise that a lot of characters who fight alike aren't necessarily clones of each other. I don't play much Super Smash Bro. so as far as I'm concerned Falco = Fox. However, I do play a lot of Soul Calibur and Tekken and I use "clones" as my mains in both (Cassandra and Lee).

Cassandra has been made more and more into a pitbulling, aggressive character that works best when forcing the opponent to block and go defensive whereas Sophitia relies more on mix-ups. Perhaps the best evidence of the fact that the sisters aren't clones (anymore) is that I can't use Sophitia AT ALL.

Lee was originally a clone of Law in his first appearance in Tekken 2. I only remember him having two original moves d+4,4,4,4 and b,db+4 (which are still in his moveset as of T6 and are decents moves too). He's been expanded since his return in Tekken Tag and 4 (where he was top tier character) and in the modern game, he's all about juggling opponents to the walls to do massive damage and using certain moves to keep his distance and win frames. Arguably, Law's much more of a bigger hitter. Again, I can't use Law either (other than stringing together some basic scrub-killing Bruce Lee-esque moves).

[Depression Moon]

Yeah, Falco and Wolf aren't too different from Fox especially Falco. Roger Jr from Tekken also seemed kind of cloney at first, borrowing a lot from King and Heihachi. Can't forget Kunimitsu too.

I still can't stand Ken. He's exactly like Ryu, just with flames, but Christie and Eddy, now that's definitely a by and by clone. Those two don't bother me as much though, because I guess one is for masculinity and the other is for sexuality. Still is a little irksome though.

[blackmage_nuke]

In certain games Ken and Ryu have a different quarter circle back kick and varying powers of Hadouken and Shroyuken and their respective ultimates.

Anyway I dont mind clone fighters, especially if theres a team play option where i can pick all characters who have the same button combos but different moves.

[Psychotic]

I think as time has gone on, the clone characters have developed more and more unique moves of their own. Jack and Kuma in Tekken 1 were pretty much identical but they're rather different now, for example.

[Depression Moon]

Oh yeah forgot about Jack and King being identical, same true with the Irish sisters.

[Vermachtnis]

I'm the opposite of Mo. Sophitia is my main and I can barely use Cassandra at all.

But it doesn't really bother me if there's a couple of clones here and there, as long as there's enough individuality in the other character selections.

And I thought this was a King of Fighters thread, where there's literally a butt load of Kyo clones running around.

[Evastio]

Pairs like Mario and Luigi or Ryu and Ken I don't mind since their appearances, outfits, and personalities aren't that similar (to the point where they scream identical twins). Even if they're fighting style is insanely identical, it's okay with me as long as a character isn't a younger version or an alternate version of another. Though some differentiation would be nice, no matter how small it may be.

Other examples I'm okay with are Fox, Falco, and Wolf as well as Cassandra and Sophita.

Clone groups like Link, Young Link, and Toon Link, as well as Mario and Dr. Mario I'm not okay with since storywise they're both the same character. I consider Link and Toon Link to be the same since even though they're Links from different time periods and different parts of the world, they're still the same hero of time with the same outfit and same equipment and they both have blondish hair and pale skin (this applies to every Link in every game he's in).

[Depression Moon]

I forgot about toon Link his only difference is that he has shorter range. Mario and Luigi are vastly different though. In Smash Bros they only have one similar attack which is the fireball and even with that Luigi's fireball goes straight even when shot in mid air. Mario's bounces and falls while in the air. Their Ultras are completely different. Luigi's is just out there.
Ken and Ryuu on the other hand not only look similar in appearance but also play the same. back in SF2 they were completely identical in SFIV all I see different are their supers and ultras.

[I Took the Red Pill]

Yeah, Falco and Wolf aren't two different from Fox especially Falco.

So wrong it hurts

[MJN SEIFER]

The biggest problem with the original Soul Calibur (aside from ring outs being too easy) was that half the characters were clones of the others. It wouldn't have bothered me if they had all played quite a bit differently, but almost none of them did play that differently. They did a much better job of it in Soul Calibur 2 where characters like Cassandra were very different from Sophitia and Lizard Man.

So clone characters don't bother me too much except when they play almost identically to one another. As long as each has different moves, timing, and strategies then it's fine with me because they're not just thrown in as a lazy way to increase the character count then.

[QUOTE=Mo-Nercy;2799085]OMG, you mean Ryu and Ken aren't the same!?


Lee was originally a clone of Law in his first appearance in Tekken 2. I only remember him having two original moves d+4,4,4,4 and b,db+4 (which are still in his moveset as of T6 and are decents moves too).


Sophitia and Casandra I get, they are sisters and probably trained in the same place. Ken and Ryu I get, because they trained at the same place. At least it makes sense.

Lee first appeared in Tekken, not Tekken - he didn't have his own voice, but he fought the same way as in T2.

Can someone explain he was a Law clone? They are not related and Tekken doesn't really mention its storyline in full until Tekken 4 (and more so Tekken 5) - He is semi-part of Hehachi's familly, so if Lee had to be a clone, why not someone of his own familly?

[Depression Moon]

Yeah, Falco and Wolf aren't two different from Fox especially Falco.

So wrong it hurts

How so?