Dead or Alive Ultimate

Overview

Dead or Alive: Ultimate is a 3D fighting game compilation developed by Team Ninja released in October 2004 for the Xbox. It contains the Sega Saturn version of Dead or Alive under the name "Dead or Alive 1 Ultimate." It added online support added but lacked the vast additions that the Playstation version of Dead or Alive contained. In addition, it also came with a visually remastered version of Dead or Alive 2 under the name "Dead or Alive 2 Ultimate." Along with a visual upgrade, it added a significant amount of unlockable costumes, new stages, the addition of Hitomi as a playable character and online support for up to 8 players.

Gameplay

Dead or Alive is a 3D fighting game where players can participate in 1v1 fights, or engage in tag team fights up to four players. Players can move their characters in a 3D-axis As per usual in a fighting game, the goal is to drain the vitality (life) bar of your opponent, resulting in a knockout. Alternately, the fighter with the most vitality upon a time out will be declared the winner.

Dead or Alive uses a four button control scheme, consisting of a punch button, kick button, grab button and hold button. The vast majority of moves assigned to each character can be performed simply by pressing the punch and/or kick buttons along with a direction on the directional pad or analog stick.

A mechanic exclusive to the Dead or Alive series is the unique counter system. Using the hold button, players can counter attacks from their opponents not only to take no damage, but to punish their opponents with devastating counter-attacks.

Hold + Back will counter a medium punch

Hold + Forward will counter a medium kick

Hold + Down Forward will counter a low strike

Hold + Up Forward will counter a high strike

Dead or Alive 1 Ultimate remains unchanged from its original form. A defining feature of the original Dead or Alive is the Danger Zone. When an opponent is hit into the Danger Zone, the ground explodes upon impact, resulting in a larger bounce and additional damage.

Additions & Changes

While Dead or Alive 1 Ultimate remains unchanged, Dead or Alive 2 Ultimate contains many significant changes from its previous iterations. These changes include:

Dead or Alive 2 Ultimate sported a visual upgrade

• A significant visual upgrade, utilizing the engine used to power Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball. DOAU2 resembles Dead or Alive 3 more than it does previous DOA2 iterations.
• Online support over Xbox Live. Up to 8 players can battle in lobbies in varied game modes including Winner Stays and Tournament modes.
• A new opening CG movie, expanding the story between Ayane, Kasumi and Hayate.
• More costumes for each characters, with an emphasis on the female roster.
• Changes to the counter system. The parry system is now more complex, as there are now separate inputs to counter medium kicks and medium punches.
• New stages, in addition to remastered stages from Dead or Alive 2.
• New grabs for each character. There are now specific grabs when a player grabs their opponent near a slope or staircase.
• The addition of Hitomi from Dead or Alive 3 as a playable character.

Other changes include an increase in damage for counters and environmental hazards not resulting in knockouts.

Character Roster

Ayane

• Style: Ninjutsu
• Occupation: Ninja
• Age: 16

Bass Armstrong

• Style: Wrestling
• Occupation: Pro Wrestler
• Age: 46

Bayman

• Style: Sambo
• Occupation: Assassin
• Age: 31

Ein

• Style: Karate
• Occupation: Karate Instructor
• Age: 23

Gen Fu

• Style: Xinyi Liuhe Quan
• Occupation: Book Store Owner
• Age: 65

Helena Douglas

• Style: Pi Qua Quan
• Occupation: Opera Singer
• Age: 21

Hitomi

• Style: Karate
• Occupation: College Student
• Age: 19

Jann Lee

• Style: Jeet Kune Do
• Occupation: Bouncer
• Age: 20

Kasumi

• Style: Ninjutsu
• Occupation: Runaway Shinobi
• Age: 17

Lei Fang

• Style: Tai Chi Quan
• Occupation: College Student
• Age: 19

Ryu Hayabusa

• Style: Ninjutsu
• Occupation: Curio Shop Owner
• Age: 23

Tina Armstrong

• Style: Pro Wrestling
• Occupation: Pro Wrestler
• Age: 22

Zack

• Style: Muay Thai
• Occupation: DJ
• Age: 25