Video games have evolved in considerable ways over the various gaming generations and even though great strides have been taken in thefighting genre, it hasn’t changed that much since the arcade days. There have been dozens of notable fighting franchises, some of which have survived and others that have disappeared, butDead or Alive, is one series that remains resilient.
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It’s easy to write off theDead or Alivefranchise due to its titillating visuals, but there’s a lot more to these games than meets the eye. Accordingly, here are 10 behind the scenes facts that fans didn’t know about theDead or Alivegames.
10The Franchise Pioneered “Jiggle Physics”
For a long time, “realism” was something that was really searched for in video games and it was always exciting to see how new hardware could bring titles further to reality. The originalDead or Alivefrom 1996 attempted to push fighting games into more realistic territory with “jiggle physics,” in reference to how certain parts of the female anatomy move from contact.
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Curiously, theDead or Alivegames have tried to scale back on this over the years, while other fighters have incorporated the concept.
9The Franchise’s Name Is A Reference To An Ultimatum
Tomonobu Itagaki, the creator of theDead or Aliveseries, was so confident that he could create a popular fighting franchise that he proposed an ultimatum to the head ofTecmo. The game would either be a long-running success or a complete failure, with nothing in between.
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Up until this point, Itagaki had considered names like “Ninja Fighter” or “Poligon Fighter” for the game, but “Dead or Alive” came from out of thehigh stakessurrounding the game’s success. Itagaki succeeded in the end andDead or Alivewould become one of Tecmo’s biggest successes.
It’s common practice for new fighting games to turn to their predecessors to evaluate what’s working and what needs to be changed. Tomonobu Itagaki was desperate thatDead or Alivebe successful for Tecmo, so he looked to a cross-range of fighting games forinspiration. Itagaki looked atVirtua FighterandFatal Furyto help develop a streamlined gameplay and attractive characters, whereas he drew influence forMortal Kombat’stendency to feature destructible stage environments. These games helped giveDead or Alivea strong foundation and the series has since gone on to inspire other fighting series down the line.
7The Series Led To The Formation Of Team Ninja
Tomonobu Itagaki is one of the most acclaimed names in the video game industry, but he was struggling before the birth ofDead or Alive. When Itagaki was given the greenlight by Tecmo forDead or Alive, he went ahead and formed a division in the company calledTeam Ninja. Team Ninja completedDead or Alive, but they’d go on to become an extremely influential developer, helming popular titles like theNinja Gaidenseries orMetroid: OtherM. Regardless of one’s opinions onDead or Alive, the game helped make this important studio possible.
6Master Chief Was Almost In The Franchise
It’s becoming frequently popular for fighting games to featureguest charactersfrom other popular franchises or fighting games as a way to spice up the experience.Dead or Alivehas indulged in this area and featured characters fromNinja GaidenandVirtua Fighter, but at one pointHalo’sMaster Chiefwasnearly included.Halo’sBungie had some reasonable restrictions in place for their coveted character, so the compromise was to design a new Spartan character, Nicole, which was a better fit forDead or Alive’suniverse.
5The Franchise Was Started Because Tecmo Was In Dire Need Of A Hit
The circumstances behind how franchises get started can always vary and sometimes companies will stumble onto success with games that they didn’t even take seriously. In the case ofDead or Alive, Tecmo was experiencing struggling game sales and they needed a franchise that would save them and earn the company dedicated fans. Of the several angles that were possible, Tomonobu Itagaki was most interested in thefighting genre, which led to the birth ofDead or Aliveas one of Tecmo’s majorcrown jewels.
4The Franchise Has Featured Celebrity Guest Voices
It’s always interesting to see how video games will attempt to appeal to a broader audience. There have been examples ofcelebrityguest voices in the odd fighting game, butDead or Alivehas made some especially puzzling choices over the years. InDead or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball, Dennis Rodman voices the stereotypical Zack. It’s a very random casting choice. However, what’s even more puzzling is the inclusion of Broadway darling Darren Criss as Jann Lee inDead or Alive: Dimensions. It’s unclear if either of these strategies brought in more players, but they’re in the game!
3There Was Almost A Prequel Game In A Different Genre
SeveralDead or Alivegames have recently come out, but Itagaki was always fairly open about how he thoughtDead or Alive 4was thefranchise’s peak. As a response to this, Itagaki and Team Ninja were developing a game calledDead or Alive: Code Chronosfor theXbox 360. The game would have focused on a younger Ayane and Kasumi and tie into the events of the first game. Itagaki stated itwouldn’t be a fighting game, despite set in theDead or Alivefranchise. Shortly following Itagaki’s departure from Team Ninja was the cancellation of the spin-off.
2It’s Helped Influence The Ninja Gaiden Series
The success that Itagaki and Team Ninja saw with theDead or Alivegames allowed them the leverage to reboot the popularhack-and-slash series,Ninja Gaiden. However, as both theNinja GaidenandDead or Aliveseries have gone on, they’ve increasingly influenced one another, whether it’s characters from both games crossing over, or play styles fromDead or Alivebecoming the norm inNinja Gaiden. As the two series go on, they even begin to share a timeline and continuity and truly just become one big universe.
1The Franchise’s “Fan Service” Spawned Its Own Series
One of the things that stood the earlyDead or Alivegames apart from its competition is how they featured “jiggle physics' and a female-centric cast. This exploitation of these characters continued to increase through both costumes and minigames to the point that a whole new series,Xtreme Beach Volleyball, was developed from the concept. Not only that, but games likeDead or Alive ParadiseandVenus Vacationall capitalize on these features and get away from the actual fighting. Ironically, these factors have led tocensorship issuesand somethingDead or Alivehas tried to distance themselves from.
Next:10 Best Fighting Games Of The Decade, Ranked (According To Metacritic)
