One of the best fighters gets much-awaited online functionality PLUS tons of added bonuses for extra replay value!!
Let me tell you: I had a real tough time finding this game but it was well worth it. I was finally able to find it in the bargain bin as a used game. No one had it brand-new. I believe this was one of those limited-release titles that ended up becoming a sort of sleeper hit. It was either that or people just snatched it up. Either way, you have tons of replay value and collection worthy of any fighting game aficionado, all in a neat little box.
If you don't know what the big deal about DOA is, well, I'd say it's the destructible environments and the counter system, as I have already mentioned. If you fight someone that uses patterned combos or just cheeses, you can time a throw or block to counter their attacks. It's always fun when you catch a high kick and then break someone's leg.. Virtually, of course!
Fighting games are not as popular as they once were but there are still tons of them out there. With Street Fighter 4 on the horizon, one may wonder if this is even worth picking up. I'd say this is a better game than Tekken or Virtua Fighter. To me, the fighters seem more balanced. Virtua Fighter is quite heavy on the technical side and can be tricky to work for a newbie. Tekken suffers from button-mashing and cheese issues too. Hey, that's just my opinion - plenty of people like the latter over the foremost!
The online multiplayer is really what does it for me. I like how they made the game rooms feel like an old arcade. Everyone can engage in casual chat while spectating or kicking some butt. Good times.