When I got my 3DS in late 2011, one of my first games was Dead or Alive Dimensions, my introduction to the series that always called my attention but at the time I couldn't play because I didn't own an Xbox console, and to this day is one of my most played games on the console and I consider it a highlight on the 3DS library in many ways, especially considering there are not too many fighting games on the system so it's pretty unique, with it's other 2 main competition being Smash 4 and Street Fighter 4, both really different games to it.
First I have to say that despite being a really early 3DS game it's one of the best looking games on the system, the character models look great and are really well animated, the stages are really well done and as usual for the series have multiple transition with no loading times, there are some great lighting effects and all runs at a perfect 60fps, honestly I think this is easily alongside stuff like RE: Revelations or Kid Icarus Uprising as just fantastic looking games on the system. Unfortunately there is a downside and is that despite the 3D effect that gives the game it's name being pretty solid, it makes the game run at 30fps, so it ends up being just a novelty.
The gameplay is great, very similar to what was seen from DOA 2 to 4 and it's greatly addapted to the 3DS, it's fast, responsive and very dynamic thanks to the constant change in the stages, plus you get the largest roster in the series up to that point with every single character playable in the fighting game entries including the 4 bosses (except the female Mater Chief from DOA 4 but apparently it's gameplay was somewhat addapted for the character Genra), and for the first and only time you can play as Kasumi and Hayate's Father, Shiren as a secret character, which is just a Hayate clon, but still a pretty cool addition. Now, I don't know how competitive or balanced this game is sadly.
The game also has a lot of modes, with a very complete survival mode, a limited but still decent tag battle mode, 1vs1, tons of well made colletables and a chronicle mode that makes us play as the NInjas from the series and Helena to the story modes of the 4 first entries in the series, which was pretty decent overall. The game also has a lot of stages for you to enjoy, among them one based on Metroid Other M with Ridley as a stage hazzard and you can even make Samus appear if you blow up the mic. Is a shame she wasn't a playable character since they did get a female master chief for Dead or Alive 4 as I said before.
For negatives, the online sucked, or at least every time I played it there was plenty of lag, not surprising considering the console, and also while the story mode is decently fun I wasn't a fan of some of the changes they made, mainly that in the original DOA 1 and 3 it was stablished that Kasumi and Ayane killed Raidou and Genra respectively by themselves, but here it says that they needed to get help from Ryu Hayabusa to a degree, which is honestly BS, and speaking of Hayabusa he is some big time Gary Stu in this game, not losing any battle, the ones he does is shown that he was joking in the next cutscene and is shown to be the one who Killed Tengu in DOA 2, which previously was unknown and I hate the part where he slaps Kausmi, like, why didn't they fight, how did he stop a top fighter like Kasumi with a slap?.
Despite those negative points, DOAD is a great game for the 3DS that has excellent graphics, great gameplay, a lot of characters and stages and a solid number of modes and unlockables. It's easily the best 3D fighter on the console since Tekken 3D sucked, but I'd say is right next to Smash 3DS as my personal favorite for it, and if you want a change of pace from the endless number of JRPG's and platformers on the console, this is a great recommendation.
First I have to say that despite being a really early 3DS game it's one of the best looking games on the system, the character models look great and are really well animated, the stages are really well done and as usual for the series have multiple transition with no loading times, there are some great lighting effects and all runs at a perfect 60fps, honestly I think this is easily alongside stuff like RE: Revelations or Kid Icarus Uprising as just fantastic looking games on the system. Unfortunately there is a downside and is that despite the 3D effect that gives the game it's name being pretty solid, it makes the game run at 30fps, so it ends up being just a novelty.
The gameplay is great, very similar to what was seen from DOA 2 to 4 and it's greatly addapted to the 3DS, it's fast, responsive and very dynamic thanks to the constant change in the stages, plus you get the largest roster in the series up to that point with every single character playable in the fighting game entries including the 4 bosses (except the female Mater Chief from DOA 4 but apparently it's gameplay was somewhat addapted for the character Genra), and for the first and only time you can play as Kasumi and Hayate's Father, Shiren as a secret character, which is just a Hayate clon, but still a pretty cool addition. Now, I don't know how competitive or balanced this game is sadly.
The game also has a lot of modes, with a very complete survival mode, a limited but still decent tag battle mode, 1vs1, tons of well made colletables and a chronicle mode that makes us play as the NInjas from the series and Helena to the story modes of the 4 first entries in the series, which was pretty decent overall. The game also has a lot of stages for you to enjoy, among them one based on Metroid Other M with Ridley as a stage hazzard and you can even make Samus appear if you blow up the mic. Is a shame she wasn't a playable character since they did get a female master chief for Dead or Alive 4 as I said before.
For negatives, the online sucked, or at least every time I played it there was plenty of lag, not surprising considering the console, and also while the story mode is decently fun I wasn't a fan of some of the changes they made, mainly that in the original DOA 1 and 3 it was stablished that Kasumi and Ayane killed Raidou and Genra respectively by themselves, but here it says that they needed to get help from Ryu Hayabusa to a degree, which is honestly BS, and speaking of Hayabusa he is some big time Gary Stu in this game, not losing any battle, the ones he does is shown that he was joking in the next cutscene and is shown to be the one who Killed Tengu in DOA 2, which previously was unknown and I hate the part where he slaps Kausmi, like, why didn't they fight, how did he stop a top fighter like Kasumi with a slap?.
Despite those negative points, DOAD is a great game for the 3DS that has excellent graphics, great gameplay, a lot of characters and stages and a solid number of modes and unlockables. It's easily the best 3D fighter on the console since Tekken 3D sucked, but I'd say is right next to Smash 3DS as my personal favorite for it, and if you want a change of pace from the endless number of JRPG's and platformers on the console, this is a great recommendation.
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