This is a Fighter that should be on everyone's list for buying, and for wishing Rareware would make a remake.
To start off, everyone knows (Even Rare) that Midway games has ripped off the ideas of KI and sewed into the bloody fabric of mortal kombat, from humiliations, ultra's and combo reakers to Babalities, Brutalities, and....combo breakers. The difference is, Killer Instincts control system so so complex, you actually need the stratagy book to learn how the system worked and how the correct press was everything.
Unlike TEKKEN (really bad fighter by the way), you did not have to TIME or RHYTHMICALLY PRESS your buttons in order to finish the combo. If you were good enough, you were most likely to end a 24 character press (that's like saying down, down-forward, and forward as a 3 button press) by the time the middle of the animation was almost through. This made the game a little more like chess because you could speed up or slow down the combo animation depending on the gesture of your movements. I say chess because during this, you also had to worry about a combo breaker from your opponent, initially breaking your stride and knocking you backward. Projectiles were also a good way to surprise your opponent as a "watch the ball as I jack you in the face" kinda move.
The announcer was also legit. His crazy style of Movie Preview Voice to Excited soccer announcer was amazing. The best is when you pull an ulta and his yell of how awesome that thing you just did, really was just that awesome.
More on the combo system. You would start off a combo with normally a 1 to 3 hit "starter", Then initially link the combo to make a longer combo called a "linker". the fill in is what you would do to extend the cobo while the linker would intially set you up for your next hit...here is a simple break down. I will pit L for linker, S for starter, F for finisher, and an FI for filler, fallowed by the hits per action
S-2, FI-4, L-2, FI-4, F-6 18 hit combo
Say you where saberwolf for this combo her is what you would put in...
back(hold for two seconds), forward and Feirce punch (S)
Down, Down-Forward, Forward+fierce kick (FI)
back(hold for two seconds), forward and Fierce punch (L)
Back, Down-Back, Down, Down-Forward, Forward+Low Punch (FI)
Down, Down-Back, Back+fierce Punch (F)
see? Its very challenging to do and remember when fighting an opponent, but this game actually made you study the moves, and then show off on your friends to see who knows their character best. If this game were out today...it would be like fight night round 3 meets MK ultimate in a 3d world and fatalities and cool character alike along with ingenious sound qualities. I forgot to say though....the SNES version actually came with the first soundtrack cd to the game! Titled Killer CutZ!