From bust to bustier, here is my definitive Dead or Alive tier list!
Team Ninja’s 3D spectacle fighter has gained a recent boon of interest from new players.
But what are the best DOA games for beginners and fans of fighting games in general?
Dead or Alive Tier List
Firstly, understand that DOA is actually a complex fighting game. It’s easier than Virtua Fighter but more complex than Tekken, with heavy emphasis on counter holds and unpredictability.
However, this Dead or Alive tier list takes each game as a full package. That being a mix of what the game offers content-wise and the gameplay itself. With that in mind, I whack Dead or Alive 3 on the very top, having the best gameplay and modes out of the lot.
Although following close behind is DOA2 Ultimate. But do not confuse it with base DOA2 or DOA2 Hardcore, as although they are great games, Ultimate is the fully realised version, as Itagaki says himself!
Also on the top tier I got to give it to DOA5 Last Round and DOA4. Honestly anything around S or A on my Dead or Alive Tier List has potential for the best game. It really just comes down to opinions on mechanics and graphics.
Because DOA3 is actually a bit slower and easier than DOA2, being the fastest game mechanically. But then DOA5 is closer to 2 while having the best DLC characters and guests like Akira and Mai. Although DOA4 literally has a female Spartan from Halo!
It’s easier to say why certain games are not the best on this Dead or Alive tier list. Dimensions is a 3DS exclusive, and the controls alone knock it down. Meanwhile, it probably is the best intro for newcomers, having the best story going from 1 to 4 and great tutorials showing off the mechanics.
I actually play DOA6 more often even though, arguably, the mechanics are far more shallow with the Super Attacks and Meters getting in the way.
Tomonobu Itagaki
Although previously mentioned, I cannot talk about DOA without mentioning the legend that sadly passed recently, being Itagaki. Quoted as one of the top 100 game developers of all time, this man was responsible for DOA.
Not to mention Ninja Gaiden, DOA Xtreme and also Devil’s Third. The man was a rockstar in the industry, pushing boundaries with the tech and mechanics shown in DOA. Although he was producer and director up till DOA 4, his influence could be felt even in other 3D fighting game titles.
Dead Or Alive is probably known more in the West by onlookers as a gooner game. Although there is DOA Extreme for that purpose, the fighting games are some of the most complex and fun titles in the sphere.
Also, just to add to the Dead or Alive tier list, the fan service is good. Itagaki himself always viewed it as entertainment on top of a video game, so naturally beauty is to be expected.
Although arguably DOA5 faltered from too much, while DOA6 tried too hard to conceal. In fact, a lot of DOA5’s failure could be correlated to the slandering it got over in the West.
Some journalists just discovered what DOA and breasts were at the time and railed the game for containing pretty women. So much so that DOA6 tried to push back on the raunchiness to the detriment of long-term fans.
Ultimately the beauty aspect of DOA is core to its personality and should not be shied away from. But it also should not be milked dry for that aspect, as Gain DOA Extreme is the alternative made for that very reason!
Can a brother not enjoy a game with big fighting mechanics and bigger personalities?
