Following its release this Friday, the fun won't stop when you get Dead or Alive Dimensions home, as Tecmo have announced a raft of downloadables that'll be being beamed straight over the air via SpotPass to your 3DS, without you having to do a thing.
The portable beat 'em up, which we've played briefly, and greatly enjoyed, lets you play as one of 25 characters, as they take part in the DOATEC Dead or Alive fighting tournament. From the large-chested ninja Kasumi, to the former pro-wrestler, Bass, there are plenty of characters to choose from, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and moves - and, most importantly, costumes. Redesigned for the 3DS, the latest in the storied Dead or Alive series has a new focus on accessibility, with an incredibly useful tutorial helping new players get into the action, and touch screen controls letting you pull of combos with ease.
Fast, furious, and a lot of fun, Dead or Alive
If you pick up your copy of Dead or Alive Dimensions before the 20th May, you'll be able to download up to 32 special costumes, as Tecmo will be releasing a new one each day until the 22nd of June. Each costume will only be available for a single day, though, so if you want to catch 'em all, you'll have to keep your 3DS on you, and make sure its wireless is switched on, so it can connect to your WiFi network and download the add-ons.
Brilliantly, that's not all you'll be able to download, though, as Tecmo will also be releasing a special developer "Throwdown Challenge" each week, throughout the above period. Effectively a special AI character that takes its logic by recording how a developer plays the game - which moves they use when, how often they counter, etc, these are sure to offer a hefty challenge - and give you yet another reason to keep your 3DS ready to go.
Electrifying.
To download the extras, you'll first need to set up your 3DS's internet, to ensure that your 3DS can connect to your wireless router. Then, when you've launched the game, if it's your first time playing, you'll be prompted to create Extra Data. Press "Yes" here, and you're good to go. If you said no the first time, however, or if you're not sure how you responded, all you need to do is to load up the game, scroll down to options, and then choose network. If Costumes, Challengers, and Notifications are all set to yes, then you should be good to go.
If you happen to miss one of the downloads, don't worry, as Tecmo have planned a second round of downloads to give you a second chance. The entire distribution effort, including both costumes and throwdown challenges, will be repeated from 24th June - 27th July.
It's an interesting idea, and something we'd love to see more developers attempting. We've already downloaded our first Throwdown challenge and costume - if you're interested, we actually managed to win, two rounds to one!
