is a fighting game developed by Team Ninja and published by Tecmo Koei for the Nintendo 3DS in 2011. Nintendo released the game in PAL regions. Originally planned as a launch title for the 3DS but delayed due to 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, DOAD makes use of the console's unique features.
Dimensions can be considered a compilation game rather than a truly new entry in the Dead or Alive series, similar to the likes of Mortal Kombat Trilogy or Tekken Tag Tournament. It offers 26 playable fighters, more than any previous installment in the franchise, and uses a modified engine of Dead or Alive 4. Its plot compiles the stories of the previous four main DOA games with additional details, focusing on Kasumi for 1, Ryu Hayabusa for 2, Ayane for 3, and Helena Douglas for 4.
Dimensions was well received by critics who praised the game's utilization of the 3DS's capabilities. It was the first DOA game to be released on a Nintendo system, the first DOA fighting game released on a handheld, and most notably, the first released without any involvement from series creator Tomonobu Itagaki. It was also the first game in the series to have a "Teen" rating from the ESRB since Dead or Alive 3 by toning down the sexual content for female characters; nevertheless, the game was not distributed in Scandinavia, and experienced problems with being released in Australia.
Gameplay
In Dead or Alive Dimensions, the action is displayed on the top screen of the Nintendo 3DS, while the special fighting moves are displayed on the touch screen below. DOAD incorporates a Chronicle Mode feature, which acts as a story mode in the game, going through all four Dead or Alive tournaments as the player assumes the roles of various fighters from the series. The other modes featured are Arcade (in which the player fights for additional time), Survival (in which the player fights until he defeats all opponents or is knocked out), Free Play, Training, Showcase (in which the player position 3D models on a stage and takes 3D photos of them), and 3D Photo Album (in which the player views the photos taken in Showcase mode).
The game's stages are mostly taken from Dead or Alive 3 and Dead or Alive 4 (both stage are also taken from Dead or Alive Ultimate). The substantial new content in the game are the Freedom Survivor stage and the inclusion of a stage based on Metroid: Other M – a Wii game co-developed by Team Ninja with Nintendo – with characters from that game appearing as stage hazards (but not playable fighters). The characters Kasumi Alpha, Genra, and Alpha-152 who were boss characters in the previous games are made playable for the first time as unlockable characters. Shiden, who first appeared in Dead or Alive Ultimate, makes his first playable appearance as an unlockable boss character.
The 3DS's touch screen is used to make the characters execute special fighting moves, while the top screen is used for displaying the fight, in a similar fashion to Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition. Dimensions supports in-game frame data that can be displayed on the bottom screen during Training Mode. Dimensions also uses the 3DS' StreetPass feature to make AI representations of the player, based on their play patterns, that can challenge other owners of the game in the Throwdown mode. Dimensions offers a framerate of 60 frames per second with the console's 3D feature turned off. With it turned on, however, the imagery is divided by two for the players individual eyes (30 frames per second to each eye).
Characters
Dimensions features a roster of 26 playable characters, including an original character created for the game, Shiden. The list of characters are given below, with unlockable characters marked with an asterisk.
Outside of the playable characters, Ridley from the Metroid series appears as a stage hazard in the "Geothermal Power Plant" stage, while Metroid protagonist Samus Aran makes a cameo appearance in the stage to help the fighters.
Plot
Dead or Alive: Dimensions plot spans the first four main games in the Dead or Alive series, which also unfold the hidden truth within its stories.