Dead or Alive
1996 · Fighting · Arcade
Overview
Dead or Alive (1996) is Tecmo's 3D fighting game on Sega's Model 2 hardware, built around a hold button that catches attacking limbs, which helped the company back to profit.
Deep Dive
The game puts speed and counters first: in place of the usual guard, a hold button lets fighters catch an attacking limb, and the edges of the arena are danger zones laced with explosives. The fugitive ninja Kasumi enters the tournament to avenge her brother Hayate, crippled by their uncle Raidou, and the cast includes Ryu Hayabusa, Tina Armstrong and Zack. Critics praised the hold system and the graphics.
Developer Story
Tomonobu Itagaki directed it at Tecmo's in-house team, later Team Ninja, and it reached arcades on 26 November 1996, running on Sega Model 2 hardware. Its success helped Tecmo return to profit in 1996. Saturn and PlayStation versions followed in 1997 and 1998, and Dead or Alive 2 in 1999.
Did You Know?
- Tecmo was near bankruptcy and wanted a hit to rival Virtua Fighter.
- The Saturn version topped the Japanese charts.
Sources & further reading
- Dead or Alive (video game) — Wikipedia
