"Dead or Alive" Gameplay!
1The gameplay of Dead or Alive borrows from Virtua Fighter, but makes some key changes that changes the way Dead or Alive is played in comparison to Virtua Fighter.
Unlike other fighting games of the time, in place of a "Guard" button, Dead or Alive uses a "Hold" button, which causes the fighter to grab their opponent's limbs if they are attacking at the time. This Countering system was the first in the fighting genre to utilize different commands that correspond to each type of attack. There are two kinds of holds, an Offensive Hold and a Defensive Hold; the latter are executed by holding back or forward on the directional pad along with the guard input to either force away or counter-damage an opponent.
The outer edges of the fighting arena, called "Danger Zones", are set with explosives which deal a high amount of damage to any fighter who comes in contact with them. They can also send an affected character in the air so the opposing player can execute a juggling air combo. However, this can be avoided with a defensive roll.