Dead or Alive 5 Plus gets release date, has first-person play

Dead or Alive 5 Plus, the Vita version of Team Ninja's latest fighter, has been graced with a release date, some extremely shiny new screens, and details of its optional touch controls.

The portable incarnation is now expected in the US on March 19; it's not clear if this date also applies to Europe.

Tecmo Koei also revealed that the Vita version supports Cross Play with the PlayStation 3 release, and taked up the handheld's unique controls.

The most dramatic Vita-specific feature is a new vertical mode, allowing for first-person perspective play. This mode is playable with two control methods - one lets you just tap on the screen where you want to attack, while the other uses gesture controls - touch, flick and pinch - to use more advanced and directed moves.

"Both methods offer players an instinctive way to fight while seeing their opponent in the highest graphic detail," the publisher offers. I'm not even going to start, but I'm just letting you know that I could.

On the subject of the game's graphics, there are some screens below, and Tecmo Koei said the Vita version boasts three times the frames on each move when compared to the standard console release. This not only provides better animations, it's a hell of a bonus for hardcore fighters.

Less hardcore players will be pleased to know there's a full training mode with several missions.