Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore is a video game created by Team Ninja and published by Tecmo Inc. The title was produced for a variety of platforms, including arcade machines, the PlayStation 2, the Dream Cast and the original Xbox. It was launched in October 2000, and was classed as a fighting game with an anime look, played from a third-person perspective, and based on an arcade machine.

Dead or Alive 2 has had a complicated history, driven by Team Ninja's desire to create a fighting game that could attract hardcore gamers, while offering a look that was very different from anything on the market at the time.

The initial release was for arcade machines, and got restricted to Japan. A second version of the arcade game was also created, but there were things that could only be managed on home consoles. Thus, both the Dream Cast and the PlayStation 2 received Dead or Alive ports.

Hardcore is seen as the most complete released version of the game out of the 11 developed so far. There are more characters in this title, animations for a lot of moves have been significantly tweaked, and some have even been cut, more character outfits have been included, the speed of gameplay has been increased, the Survival Mode has got a makeover, and a new gallery option has been introduced, in addition to the Items Collection feature. There are also a lot of statistics telling the player which characters he used, and which he fought the most.

GAMEPLAY HINTS

Story mode

If you are having trouble defeating the last opponent in your character's story mode (the big bird), use the following trick. Notice that whenever the bird turns around (its back is facing you), it unleashes dust that makes the ground shake and you get bowled over. However, you are too far away to attack it, it will do so again. If you get knocked over by the dust, and you can tell it is going to perform the attack again, stay down and do not press any button. If it performs that attack again while you are lying on the ground, it will not be able to hurt you. Note that your character gets up after a while, so you cannot stay there all the time.

In story mode, when the Tengu uses his dust-like attack, press Square to block it. He will probably do it repeatedly, so hold Square.

Unlocking costumes quickly

This trick requires a controller with an auto-fire feature. To unlock all character costumes, go to the options and set X to have no use. Go to Team Battle. Set X to auto-fire and lose 900 times with one character team while holding X or taping X down.

Here's a video: