Let's be honest, it's been awhile since we've gotten a proper Dead or Alive game (and no, those volleyball games don't count). But Dead or Alive Dimensions marks the franchise's 15th anniversary, as well as its debut on a Nintendo system. Luckily for DoA fans, the developers at Team Ninja really stepped up their game for this one.If you're unfamiliar with the series, Dead or Alive is a 3D fighter with action that largely takes place on a 2D plane. The controls are simple and easy to learn. You can punch, kick, guard or throw, and chaining these moves together (while pressing different directions on the D-pad) provides a wide variety of possible moves.
The portable beat 'em up, which we've played briefly, and greatly enjoyed, lets you play as one of 25 characters, as they take part in the DOATEC Dead or Alive fighting tournament. From the large-chested ninja Kasumi, to the former pro-wrestler, Bass, there are plenty of characters to choose from, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and moves - and, most importantly, costumes. Redesigned for the 3DS, the latest in the storied Dead or Alive series has a new focus on accessibility, with an incredibly useful tutorial helping new players get into the action, and touch screen controls letting you pull of combos with ease...
Of course, Dead or Alive's main hook is its counter system. It takes a little finesse, but most of your opponents' moves can be countered. If it sounds a little intimidating, worry not, because Chronicle Mode (DoAD's version of Story Mode) does a great job of showing you the ropes. Even if this is your first DoA outing, you'll be chaining and countering in no time.
If you pick up your copy of Dead or Alive Dimensions before the 20th May, you'll be able to download up to 32 special costumes, as Tecmo will be releasing a new one each day until the 22nd of June. Each costume will only be available for a single day, though, so if you want to catch 'em all, you'll have to keep your 3DS on you, and make sure its wireless is switched on, so it can connect to your WiFi network and download the add-ons.
One of the best things about DoAD is the amount of stuff to do. There are a ton of modes to toy around with. Chronicle Mode weaves 15 years of DoA lore into one long tale. Like most fighting games, the story is less than coherent, but it's good,cheesy fun, and serves as a great introduction to all of DoA's colorful characters....To download the extras, you'll first need to set up your 3DS's internet, to ensure that your 3DS can connect to your wireless router. Then, when you've launched the game, if it's your first time playing, you'll be prompted to create Extra Data. Press "Yes" here, and you're good to go. If you said no the first time, however, or if you're not sure how you responded, all you need to do is to load up the game, scroll down to options, and then choose network. If Costumes, Challengers, and Notifications are all set to yes, then you should be good to go.
If you happen to miss one of the downloads, don't worry, as Tecmo have planned a second round of downloads to give you a second chance. The entire distribution effort, including both costumes and throwdown challenges, will be repeated from 24th June - 27th July.
It's an interesting idea, and something we'd love to see more developers attempting. We've already downloaded our first Throwdown challenge and costume - if you're interested, we actually managed to win, two rounds to one...
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