Dead or Alive (デッド・オア・アライブ, Deddo oa Araibu) is a series of video games produced by Tecmo Koei. Primarily, Dead or Alive is composed of fast-paced versus-fighting games. The first Dead or Alive was released in 1996 for the arcade, which was well-known for its advanced graphics for that time. Today, the Dead or Alive series consists of four main fighting games (with a fifth on the way), nine remakes and ports, three beach volleyball-based spin-off titles, and one blackjack spin-off, across ten different video game platforms.
The story and characters of Dead or Alive are the creation of Tomonobu Itagaki, who also "rebooted" the Ninja Gaiden series, and was developed by Tecmo's Team Ninja development team. Although Itagaki left the Tecmo company, filing a lawsuit against it for withholding bonus pay, Team Ninja was taken over by Yosuke Hayashi, and there are plans to continue the series.
Over the years, Dead or Alive has been praised for its impressive graphics and fighting system; however, it has also been the subject of controversy, due to how the sex appeal of its female character is viewed and used in the series.
Dead or Alive is one of the namesake series that was crossed-over into Monty Oum's Dead Fantasy series, teaming up with Ninja Gaiden to form "Team Dead or Alive".
Overview[]
Dead or Alive is a video game series produced by Tecmo (now Tecmo Koei) that is primarily composed of fast-paced fighting games. The story and characters are the creation of Tomonobu Itagaki, and the game was developed by Tecmo's Team Ninja development team. Itagaki had recently become a programmer for Tecmo, which was in need of a hit to boost sagging game sales. In this vein, Itagaki made a wager with the head of the company, assuring the president he would create a video game that would garner a competent fan base. Because of the wager, Itagaki named the series Dead or Alive to demonstrate the series' fail or succeed status and proceeded to form a division in the company named "Team Ninja". Itagaki's inspiration for the series derived from the Fatal Fury series in Japan and the Mortal Kombat series in America.
Dead or Alive is set in a world similar to our present day, but with an advanced understanding and development in science, where organizations can gain the technology for genetic experiments, and create high-tech weaponry and transport. However, traditional and archaic ways of life - such as the ways of the shinobi - are still present in certain places of the world.
The series features a cast of martial artists of various nationalities and backgrounds, who take part in a worldwide tournament called the "Dead or Alive World Combat Championship" for various reasons, held every year by the Dead or Alive Tournament Executive Committee, who secretly use the tournaments as a way to find and/or create "the ultimate fighter" through genetic experiments. The main plot revolves around the growing war between DOATEC and the Mugen Tenshin Clan, who seek to destory the committee for years of abuse.
Links with Dead Fantasy[]
The clash of modern and traditional elements from Dead or Alive in heavily present in Dead Fantasy.
So far, eight Dead or Alive characters have appeared in Dead Fantasy: Kasumi, Ayane, Hitomi, Hayate, Ryu Hayabusa, Helena Douglas, Momiji, and Kasumi Alpha. Minor characters in the form of Mugen Tenshin shinobi and DOATEC guards have also appeared. Ryu, Ayane and Kasumi have also appeared in the Ninja Gaiden series.
Various weapons for the series have appeared in Dead Fantasy, such as Ryu's Dragon Sword and Ayane's Tokkosho sword, as well as Ninpo attacks like the Art of the Raging Mountain God.
Games[]
Main Series[]
- Dead or Alive (1996)
- Dead or Alive 2 (1999)
- Dead or Alive 3 (2001)
- Dead or Alive 4 (2005)
Remakes and Spin-offs[]
- Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball (2003)
- Dead or Alive Ultimate (2004)
- Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 (2006)
- Girls of DOA BlackJack (2009)
- Dead or Alive Online (2009)
- Dead or Alive Paradise (2010)
- Dead or Alive: Dimensions (2011)
Future Games[]
- Dead or Alive 5 (2012)
External Links[]
Dead or Alive Wiki: Dead or Alive (series)
Terms
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| Game Series Dead or Alive - Kingdom Hearts - Final Fantasy - Ninja Gaiden |