Well, as someone new to the franchise as a whole, here’s my two cents on the pros and cons of Killer Instinct (2013):
Pros: It’s a game that feels easy to learn, but difficult to master. As a Mortal Kombat veteran, it plays very differently from that game, and I was surprised by how quickly I was able to pick up many of the mechanics and feel like I was accomplishing things in-game, as opposed to struggling while I learn. The game’s tutorial is fantastic and very in-depth, and really helps you learn to navigate the game’s fast pace.
It has a colourful cast of characters, and a very unique style of roster. No matter what your tastes, there’s a character that’s bound to resonate with you. This applies both aesthetically as well as with gameplay/play styles.
Having a good variety of game modes, as well as a fair sized cast, means there’s also a type of play for everyone, from casual to competitive. Being available on PC also increases the accessibility of the game, and having crossplay with the Xbox One helps to ensure continued longevity of the Online component.
The game also has enhanced performance if you’re playing on an Xbox One X or PC.
Cons: I miss having a proper, classic arcade mode; being a reboot of a retro-fighter I’m surprised this was absent.
Having several bundles in the Microsoft Store can also make things confusing for a new purchaser if they don’t home in on the Definitive Edition right away.
The stock Xbox One Controller also isn’t the best suited for fighting games in my opinion, which can lead to frustration if that’s your primary method of playing.
From a competitive standpoint, the game not being on the PlayStation platform, oft considered the FGC tournament standard, also hurts it a bit, though it’s obvious why it’s not there.
I personally don’t see a huge host of negatives for the game though, as it has excellent presentation values, it’s gameplay is crazy fun and accessible, and the more you but in the more you’ll get out of it, it’s netcode was revolutionary for it’s day, and these days the game is not overly expensive either.
I suppose support could be a con in terms of contacting tech support, but in terms of general support, the game obviously got love and additional content for many, many years. Much longer than a NetherRealm Studios fighter does, as a comparison.