Debuting in 1996, Tecmo and Team Ninja’s fighting franchise has been part of the industry for more than two decades. Despite the series’ mainline entries being of mainly decent and consistent quality, Dead or Alive tends to be seen as a b-tier license rather than a direct competitor to Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter.
Dead or Alive’s fondness for fanservice has helped as much as hindered the franchise’s mass appeal and reputation; however, at the end of the day, any such features are merely distractions. Going by the entries’ Metacritic scores, here are all the Dead or Alive games, ranked according to their Metacritic scores.
As some entries have been rereleased as “Ultimate” or free-to-play versions, only the highest-rated variants will be considered.
11 Dead Or Alive Xtreme 3: Fortune (43)
Along with the mainline fighting games, Dead or Alive is primarily known for the Xtreme spin-off series. Sold as a collection of mini-games, this trilogy of games mainly serves as an excuse to present Dead or Alive’s attractive cast with as little clothes as possible. Basically, it is gaming’s equivalent of anime’s beach episode.
Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 is the worst of the bunch, as it barely expands upon the gameplay modes of the previous entries. Sure, the characters have never looked better, but some stylish swimsuits are not enough to justify this game’s existence.
10 Dead Or Alive Xtreme 2 (53)
Once the second game launched, it became obvious that Dead or Alive Xtreme was relying on its cast’s assets to ship copies rather than the gameplay. Technically speaking, this is probably the best entry in the franchise, as it does improve the volleyball mini-game over the previous entry.
That said, any improvements are minimal, while the new mini-games are a chore to play through.
9 Dead Or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball (73)
Silly as it might seem, Dead Or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball actually garnered a solid reception upon release. Due to a surprisingly fun volleyball mini-game and a respectable selection of cosmetic options, 2003’s game proves to be competent enough to work as a relaxing and superficial timewaster.
As long as someone does not expect anything too substantial or challenging, Dead Or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball can be a fun time.
8 Dead Or Alive 6 (76)
Released in 2019, Dead or Alive 6 is the most recent entry in the main series and also the worst-rated of the bunch. So, does this mean this sequel should be avoided at all costs? Not necessarily.
In terms of gameplay, Dead or Alive 6 is the ideal starting point for beginners. New mechanics like Fatal Rush and Break Gauge help streamline the action, while Team Ninja refined the franchise’s quintessential countering system to near perfection. Unfortunately, The multiplayer component lacks options and is quite disappointing, while the single-player campaign is a mess.
7 Dead Or Alive 5 Ultimate (77)
Putting aside the PS Vita version, Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate is the best iteration of this particular sequel in the franchise. With an underwhelming tutorial and an awful story mode, Dead or Alive 5’s base game is the worst entry out of the main series.
Although the gameplay is mainly left untouched, Ultimate does improve greatly on the package as a whole. While five new characters enter the arena, but the biggest additions are two new tutorial modes and Team Fight mode taken from Vita’s Dead or Alive 5 Plus.
6 Dead Or Alive: Dimensions (79)
Published in 2011 on the Nintendo 3DS, Dead or Alive: Dimensions serves as the perfect entry point for players seeking to get a taste of the franchise’s history. Selecting a handful of separate character storylines from the first four console games, Dimensions almost comes across as a greatest hits collection.
While it is recommended to turn off 3D to ensure a steadier framerate, Dimensions does a fine job of replicating the franchise’s trademark fast-paced action on a handheld device. The main story mode is a muddled mess, although that should almost be expected from a Dead or Alive game.
5 Dead Or Alive 5 Plus (80)
Surprisingly, despite Tecmo Koei’s multiple home console editions, Dead or Alive 5 is at its best on the PlayStation Vita. The most impressive part of Plus is that it manages to maintain a steady frame rate of 60 while largely preserving the great visuals and gameplay of the home console version.
Plus is not just a straight port of Dead or Alive 5 either, as Team Ninja introduces various new features. One particularly interesting addition is the Touch Play mode, which presents matches through a first-person view.
4 Dead Or Alive (84)
The original Dead or Alive has aged better than many of its contemporaries’ initial efforts, primarily thanks to its revolutionary countering system. Even if the sequel improved upon this mechanic, Dead or Alive’s system was still polished and satisfying to use.
Obviously, 1996’s entry feels rudimentary compared to its sequels or even 2004’s Dead or Alive Ultimate, but that does not lessen the brilliance of Team Ninja’s groundbreaking fighting game. Even to this day, Dead or Alive is still a blast to play.
3 Dead Or Alive 4 (85)
An Xbox 360 exclusive, Dead or Alive 4 wisely opted to only refine its predecessor’s brilliant combat. When something works well, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. As the franchise’s seventh-generation debut, Dead or Alive 4 does feel like a side-step rather than a leap forward.
That’s not to say Team Ninja played it completely safe, as the countering system was modified to be less forgiving. Consequently, matches flowed better and rarely boiled down to just a string of counters.
2 Dead Or Alive 3 (87)
Prior to the release of the sixth main entry, 2001’s Dead or Alive 3 was generally regarded as the franchise’s “beginner-proof” sequel. Changes revolved around making the AI easier; for example, the countering system was made more accessible in terms of damage and timing.
Along with being a great entry point for newcomers, Dead or Alive 3 is simply a polished fighting game and one of the best on the original Xbox.
1 Dead Or Alive 2: Hardcore (91)
Dead or Alive 2 is fantastic in any form, but the PlayStation 2’s Hardcore edition is the definitive version. The visuals and animations were improved from the Dreamcast’s original release, while the frame rate received a welcome boost to 60fps. For a fighting game that prides itself on delivering free-flowing and fluid combat, this change alone justifies the existence of the Hardcore variant.
Most importantly, Dead or Alive 2 perfected the franchise’s trademark reversal system, which generally plays out like a (complex) game of rock-paper-scissors. Combined with visuals that have aged splendidly over the years, Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore remains a wonderful fighting game that is well worth revisiting even in 2020.
NEXT: Ranked: The 10 Best Dragon Ball Fighting Games
