in 2 Ultimate is the inclusion of slopes, which are a type of environmental hazard where those knocked down them roll down the slope, taking damage as they fall. The game required Xbox Live in order to play online. The service's support makes it the second online console 3D fighting game to be released in America and Europe (Mortal Kombat: Deception having been the first) and the first online console 3D fighting game in Japan. The system set forth by Tecmo for online play in Dead or Alive Ultimate was intended to recreate the feel of playing at an arcade. Players would log onto a shared "lobby" and then observe other matches until it was their turn to participate. Each lobby has a set of gameplay parameters that is determined by its creator, allowing for tournament-style play. While this game brings back the old mechanics of the Dreamcast version of Dead or Alive 2, some changes to the music and remixes were added. Each character except Hitomi (who was introduced in DOA3) has their own remix. The remixes only appear in the Dance Floor stage, The Ray House. Plot The story mode of Dead or Alive Ultimate plays out as it did in the original. However, a new CG sequence is added further explaining the relationship and history of Ayane, Kasumi and Hayate leading into the first two Dead or Alive games. Development and release In 2004, after the release of Dead or Alive 3, Team Ninja once again remade Dead or Alive 2, this time for the Xbox system. In the planning stages, this new game was originally named Dead or Alive Online for its addition of online support. On January 14, it was renamed to Dead or Alive Ultimate and promised fresh content, additional characters and an upgraded version of the original Dead or Alive for the Sega Saturn. According to Tecmo, the name change was due to the opinion that "Ultimate would more accurately describe the feeling players feel upon experiences with the game". In Japan, Dead or Alive Ultimate was released with a crystal-clear blue version of the Xbox system that included a controller of the same color, a copy of Dead or Alive Ultimate, and some bonus Kasumi-themed extras. In the United States, two trading cards with character pictures on them were randomly included in each game as part of a collector's edition. The game