Why Girls Love Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball Too

During the aftermath of the PlayStation 4 announcement, I tweeted out that ‘the only thing Microsoft can do to win me over is a new Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball exclusive.’ Not even Halo, Gears of War, and Alan Wake can win me over, but a volleyball game will. Add in Kinect capability, and I’m ready to dish out my ‘Shut up and take my money’ meme.

Console discussions aside, I’m sure some of you are probably wondering why I actually enjoy this game. I’ve read some articles written by women online citing that the game is offensive because it minimalizes women to ‘jiggle physics’ and what not. I don’t share the same point of view mostly because the franchise never really advertised itself as one that reflected society in its truest form. It’s a game full of fluff, and everything should be taken in with a tongue in cheek sense of humor.

While this franchise might not be as ‘thought-provoking’ as other games, it has a lot of features that draws a lot of players in regardless of gender primarily because of the volleyball mechanics, mini-games, DOA fan service, swimsuit collections, and what not. Most of the time, all the fluff with the female characters simply feel like an added ‘bonus’ for a laugh once in a while. In this article, I’ll tell you guys about how I found this franchise and what my friends and I loved about it. Let me know what you think in the comments!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3p0z7PJWY8

My father was the one who actually introduced me to the world of Dead or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball. He has his own Xbox and I occasionally borrow games from his library. He had the first game for the original Xbox, and my interest was piqued considering the fact that I also play the main Dead or Alive fighting series. I tried the game out, and I couldn’t stop myself from playing it. The volleyball mechanics weren’t too easy as it can be challenging as well. It’s not enough to hit the ball back to the other side, since your opponents will take that opportunity for a spike. You must know where and how you want the ball to move. When you win, you are rewarded with ‘Zack’ money which can be used to buy items, swimsuits, or for use in the casino (I’ll explain more on this later). If you keep losing though, your default beach volleyball partner will leave you and you’ll have to scout for another partner.

Finding a partner is not an easy task as many would think. Sure, you could find various girls around the island but the hard part is getting them to say ‘yes.’ I guess you could probably call it the ‘courtship’ period. They will only say yes if you give them gifts that match their personality and likes. It’s kind of hard to know their preferences without a walkthrough, but there is an overview listed in the character selection screen. So you can use your money to woo potential partners. If I’m not mistaken, each character has their own strengths and weaknesses so you’ll find yourself hunting for partners more than once just to see who jives with your style the best.

It’s also possible to play the games without having to participate in any volleyball games. You can earn money through playing the mini-games around the island. In the franchise, there’s pool hopping, water slides, jet skis among many other things. There’s also the casino, which you can visit at night after each day ends. There’s a wide array of games available like slot machines, black jack, poker and roulette. The casino has always been my favorite feature of the game. I don’t know why but I’m pretty good at it. I forgot to mention that each playthrough lasts two in-game weeks, and you can only do two or three activities before evening strikes. However, all the money, swimsuits, and items you’ve collected with a particular character will carry over to your next game so don’t fret.

Money can buy you a lot of things. You could buy more powerful jetskis so you could have an advantage in the next race. You can buy a wide array of swimsuits for your own personal use. In addition, you could also give them to girls you’d like to partner up with. One of the best things about the game is the swimsuit collection, mostly because they come in unique designs so it’s something my friends and I always show off to one another. Interestingly, you could also buy sun tan lotion or sunscreen. I never thought that it would be of any use, until I noticed Hitomi’s skin turning mocha.

All in all, the Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball is comparable to a nice walk in the park. It’s a great game to play if you want to unwind. I loved the soundtrack since it definitely contributes to the whole ‘tropical escape’ atmosphere. I even included most of the songs from the soundtrack in my ‘Beach’ iPod playlist. You can even add in some songs of your own too. I’m guilty of uploading ‘Satisfaction’ by Benny Benassi just cause I have a weird sense of humor. This isn’t just a game your friends can talk about, you can play together as well during ‘exhibition’ games outside story mode. Sadly, they took this feature out in the sequel for the Xbox 360.

While the sequel wasn’t widely received, the first game was praised by most critics. Here’s to hoping that Tecmo will create a new entry to the Xtreme Beach Volleyball franchise while taking cues from the criticism they received from the last game. I’m willing to wait if it’s a next-generation title, because who wouldn’t want… (Alright I won’t say it, just to be politically correct). If you guys have the Xbox 360, I recommend giving this a try regardless if you’re a boy or a girl. The first game is compatible with the 360 so you can play both games too. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!