Gameplay is the 1 area where MK1 actually tops probably most games in the NRS-made MK series FOR ME, and I'd personally put it tied with MKX.
That's just me, though. I like the quicker pace of MK1 and wasn't too wild about breakaways, Krushing Blows and the stupid ass Auto-regen meter in MK11. What MK1 lacks in content & Invasion fun it makes up for with the actual gameplay, IMO.
Again, maybe that's just me but I've had more fun actually fighting in MK1 than I ever did in MKX or MK11.....maybe even MK9 too, but my point of reference is lost since it's been so long since I've played that game.
My only wish for MK1 in terms of gameplay is that I wish that Sareena, Mavado, Darrius and Shujinko were not kameos and playable, but that's another story. I would have rather had other characters that were JUST playable in MK11 as kameos instead like D'Vorah, Kabal, Kollector and Fujin (and this coming from a Fujin main), if it meant that those other 4 (Sareena, Mavado, Darrius and Shujinko) could be playable.
MK1 DID have the most amount of 3D era characters in a NRS era game, so far, but it's just a shame that it was the game that lacked SP content, lacked customization and also had egregious MTX shit practices in it.
Actual gameplay and the roster are top notch for me, though.
Reiko, Havik, Ashrah, Nitara, Kenshi, Tanya, Quan Chi and Li Mei (1 of my mains in the game) returning, along wih Takeda and kameo Ferra? Fuck yeah!!!