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Dead or Alive (arcade game)
Encyclopedia
Dead or Alive is a fighting game and the first entry in the long-running Dead or Alive series. It was released in 1996 in arcades, followed by home ports for Sega Saturn
in 1997 (Japan only) and Sony PlayStation in 1998 (all regions).
fighting games. Its most defining features were its speed and countering system. Dead or Alive put an emphasis on speed, and relied more on simplistic commands and reaction time. Furthermore, its countering system was the first in the fighting genre to utilize different commands that corresponded to each type of attack. There are two kinds of holds, an Offensive Hold (OH) and a Defensive Hold (DH), furthermore, these commands are executed by holding back or forward on the directional pad along with the guard input to either force away or counter-damage an opponent. Finally, the game used an environmental addition called the Danger Zone, which surrounded the outer edges of the fighting arena (depending on the options, it could also completely consume it), and when a character came in contact with it, sent them in the air so the opposing player can execute a juggling air combo. However, this can be avoided with a Ukemi (defensive roll).
(PlayStation and ++ version only, Kasumi's half-sister), Bass Armstrong (PlayStation and ++ version only, Tina's father), Bayman, Gen Fu, Jann Lee, Kasumi
, Lei Fang, Raidou (boss character, unlockable, Ayane's father), Ryu Hayabusa
, Tina Armstrong, Zack.
has stated that he was dissatisfied with the way modern fighting games were presented, he missed the old arcade
style of play and had another vision for the fighting game genre. Having worked for Tecmo for a long time, Itagaki was eventually given the opportunity to develop a fighting game. The game, the first Dead or Alive, was released in 1996
as an arcade game
for the Japan
ese market. It had been a success in Japan, but not in the West. This was possibly because of the competing game Tekken, which was already a popular fighting game series for the PlayStation.
The original game, which ran on the Model 2 arcade board, had fully 3D modeled backgrounds. The Sega Saturn conversion used bitmap tricks and overlapping layers in the same fashion as the Sega Saturn version of Virtua Fighter 2
did. The original arcade used pure 3D on all the arenas. It was impossible to achieve this on Saturn hardware and the game was scaled down. Dead or Alive also received some added notoriety for having the breasts of its female characters animate independently of their bodies, bouncing up and down wildly as the women jumped and moved. While seemingly a silly, disposable novelty at the time, this actually became - and still remains - a trademark of the series, though it has been more realistically implemented as technology has allowed.
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
in 1997 (Japan only) and Sony PlayStation in 1998 (all regions).
Gameplay
Dead or Alive was unique in its debut that featured fairly different choices in gameplay than other 3D3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
fighting games. Its most defining features were its speed and countering system. Dead or Alive put an emphasis on speed, and relied more on simplistic commands and reaction time. Furthermore, its countering system was the first in the fighting genre to utilize different commands that corresponded to each type of attack. There are two kinds of holds, an Offensive Hold (OH) and a Defensive Hold (DH), furthermore, these commands are executed by holding back or forward on the directional pad along with the guard input to either force away or counter-damage an opponent. Finally, the game used an environmental addition called the Danger Zone, which surrounded the outer edges of the fighting arena (depending on the options, it could also completely consume it), and when a character came in contact with it, sent them in the air so the opposing player can execute a juggling air combo. However, this can be avoided with a Ukemi (defensive roll).
Story
Character roster: AyaneAyane (Dead or Alive)
is a player character in the Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden fighting game series by Team NINJA and Tecmo Koei. Ayane has also a complex relationship with Kasumi, the leading heroine of the Dead or Alive series, ever since they grew up together...
(PlayStation and ++ version only, Kasumi's half-sister), Bass Armstrong (PlayStation and ++ version only, Tina's father), Bayman, Gen Fu, Jann Lee, Kasumi
Kasumi (Dead or Alive)
is a player character in Dead or Alive fighting game series by Team Ninja and Tecmo. Kasumi has served as the main character of the Dead or Alive franchise since its beginning in 1996, being the official protagonist in the first two main games in the series, and playing very important roles in the...
, Lei Fang, Raidou (boss character, unlockable, Ayane's father), Ryu Hayabusa
Ryu Hayabusa
is the protagonist of the Ninja Gaiden video game series as well as a player character in the Dead or Alive series, both published by Tecmo. According to the game canon, Ryu Hayabusa is a ninja and the leader of the that has spiritual, physical and magical ties to ancient dragons...
, Tina Armstrong, Zack.
Development
Tomonobu ItagakiTomonobu Itagaki
is a Japanese video game designer who created the Dead or Alive fighting game and beach sport simulation series and also revived the Ninja Gaiden franchise in 2004...
has stated that he was dissatisfied with the way modern fighting games were presented, he missed the old arcade
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
style of play and had another vision for the fighting game genre. Having worked for Tecmo for a long time, Itagaki was eventually given the opportunity to develop a fighting game. The game, the first Dead or Alive, was released in 1996
1996 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*January 29 — Duke Nukem 3D, successor to the simple side-scrolling originals, and a genre-redefining title for first person shooters....
as an arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
for the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese market. It had been a success in Japan, but not in the West. This was possibly because of the competing game Tekken, which was already a popular fighting game series for the PlayStation.
Versions
There are three different versions of the original Dead or Alive.- The original version of Dead or Alive was released in arcades in 19961996 in video gaming-Notable releases:*January 29 — Duke Nukem 3D, successor to the simple side-scrolling originals, and a genre-redefining title for first person shooters....
, utilizing SegaSega, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's Model 2 arcade board (it was also the first time Sega licensed their hardware to a third-party company; in this case, Tecmo). It was later ported to the Sega SaturnSega SaturnThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
in JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on October 9, 1997. The game was never released for the North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n nor EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an Sega Saturn. It was released in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
for the XboxXboxThe Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
on October 26, 20042004 in video gaming-Events:*January 20 — Wireds Vaporware Awards gives its first "Lifetime Achievement Award" to recurring winner Duke Nukem Forever.*March 4 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Peter Molyneux into the AIAS Hall of Fame*March 22-26 — Game...
and February 18, 20052005 in video gaming-Events:*March 6 — The television show 60 Minutes tackles issues within video game controversy. This segment of 60 Minutes has been criticized by video game players for encouraging video game censorship....
, as part of Dead or Alive UltimateDead or Alive UltimateDead or Alive Ultimate is a multiplayer fighting game developed by Team Ninja and released by Tecmo for the Xbox in 2004...
(see below).
- On March 12, 1998 in Japan, Tecmo released Dead or Alive for the PlayStation. This version included 2 new characters (Bass & Ayane), a different graphicsComputer graphicsComputer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
engine, a slightly revamped fighting engine and new background music (BGM). The PlayStation version was released in North America on March 31, 1998, and later in Europe on July 1998.
- In 2004, Tecmo released a revamped version of the Sega Saturn version on the Xbox along with an updated version of Dead or Alive 2 in the same package. It was basically the original game ported to the Xbox, making graphics more colorful and smoother, sound from stereo to surround, and adding Xbox Live Online Gaming. This game along with Dead or Alive 2, Ultimate became the second fighting game with online play.
The original game, which ran on the Model 2 arcade board, had fully 3D modeled backgrounds. The Sega Saturn conversion used bitmap tricks and overlapping layers in the same fashion as the Sega Saturn version of Virtua Fighter 2
Virtua Fighter 2
is a fighting game developed by Sega. It is the sequel to Virtua Fighter and the second game in the Virtua Fighter series. It was created by the Sega's Yu Suzuki-headed AM2 and was released in the arcade in 1994. It was subsequently ported to the Sega Saturn in 1995 and Microsoft Windows in 1997...
did. The original arcade used pure 3D on all the arenas. It was impossible to achieve this on Saturn hardware and the game was scaled down. Dead or Alive also received some added notoriety for having the breasts of its female characters animate independently of their bodies, bouncing up and down wildly as the women jumped and moved. While seemingly a silly, disposable novelty at the time, this actually became - and still remains - a trademark of the series, though it has been more realistically implemented as technology has allowed.