Dead or Alive: Dimensions (3DS Review) by Carl B.

Dead or Alive: Dimensions
Publisher: Tecmo Koei
Developer: Team Ninja
System: Nintendo 3DS
Release: May 24, 2011

May 31, 2011, by Carl B. - Originally released for the Sega Saturn and various arcades in 1996, Dead or Alive is Team Ninja and Tecmo Koei's flagship 3D fighter. The series was inspired by Sega's Virtua Fighter, and while the two games have many common elements, Dead or Alive focused on high speed battles and counters. The series has enjoyed much success over the years, with six main entries spanning multiple gaming platforms. Released on May 24, 2011, Dead or Alive: Dimensions is the latest game in the storied fighting franchise. Does it add enough to the gameplay that has become so iconic, or is it merely more of the same?

The visuals in Dimensions are fantastic. Stages are in full 3D, meaning that players can circle around their opponents, and every object in sight has incredible detail. Stereoscopic 3D offered by the Nintendo 3DS gives each stage a ton of depth along with "pop" for the characters on screen. 3D mode does come at a cost, however, as the game runs at an amazingly smooth 60 frames per second with 3D off, but only 30 frames per second with it on. One highly publicized touch to the series, the realistic breast physics, are in Dimensions with full force, all in glasses free 3D.

2D image of Nintendo 3DS game.
There are a variety of characters in Dead or Alive: Dimensions, but none of them are really as iconic as the characters in Street Fighter. They do offer different strengths and weaknesses over one another, but it ultimately doesn't matter what character a player uses – that's also a testament to how well balanced the game is.

Fighting in Dimensions is as fast paced and immersive as ever – especially with 3D mode on – but it really hasn't evolved at all since the last installment. It's much more combo based than Street Fighter, with tons of different moves each character can execute by punching, kicking, and grabbing. Battles also rely heavily on counter attacks and environmental effects, giving Dimensions a distinct feel.

2D image of Nintendo 3DS game.
Dead or Alive: Dimensions is a very robust game. It features several game modes to play, including classic Arcade action, Chronicle mode, and Internet play. Arcade mode is the standard mode that has been in every fighting game since the dawn of time – players select a character and go through different courses, each with varying opponents, stages, and difficulty levels. Chronicle mode is the story mode for Dead or Alive: Dimensions, which is pretty cool to see in a fighting game. It takes players through several different chapters, but the narrative is mostly an excuse to get the characters to fight each other. Still, it's a fun game mode that extends the game's replayability. The only problem I've had with Chronicle mode is the lack of lip syncing with voiceovers. Internet play is fully featured in Dimensions, thankfully – online matches have become essential in today's fighting games. Matches are free of lag, but it definitely takes longer to get a match going with someone than it does in Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition.

Aside from the basic game modes in Dimensions, there are hundreds of figurines to collect, and additional characters to unlock. Unlocking figurines can be done by completing various challenges in Arcade mode, Chronicle, Throwdown mode, and Tag Challenge. The latter two modes – Throwdown and Tag Challenge – are some of the more unique modes in the game. Throwdown makes use of the Nintendo 3DS' StreetPass capabilities; when a player passes another person with StreetPass activated for Dead or Alive: Dimensions, the two systems will exchange fighting data. This allows players to battle against the person they passed, as the game records patterns players use for Throwdown challenges. Tag Challenge pits the player and a CPU ally against two enemy characters, making battles even faster paced than they already were.

2D image of Nintendo 3DS game.
SpotPass is featured in Dead or Alive: Dimensions in the form of downloadable costumes for the many characters in the game. Tecmo and Team Ninja have already listed the dates for each new costume, and new DLC may come in the future, too. Throwdown challenges are also available as DLC, but neither Tecmo nor Team Ninja has made it clear how long new challenges will be distributed.

The Verdict

Sound
12/15 - Dimensions features a nice soundtrack that compliments the fast paced nature of battles, but it really isn't anything special. Voice acting is decent.

Graphics
19/20 - The fully 3D, detailed environments of the game beat Street Fighter's static backgrounds, although the lack of a true art style brings the visual down somewhat.

Appeal
21/25 - There's a ton of stuff to do in Dimensions, whether it's Internet play, Throwdown challenges, or Chronicle mode. Hundreds upon hundreds of collectable figurines make the deal sweeter.

Gameplay
33/40 - The gameplay feels very similar to past games, but the fast paced battles are too good to pass up on.

Overall
85/100 - Dead or Alive: Dimensions certainly isn't the killer app of the Nintendo 3DS, but it's a very good entry in the system's library, along with the Dead or Alive series. Dimensions features the fastest battles available in recent fighters, a good online component, and tons of collectable extras.