Zack

Zack is a character that has been in the DOA series since the first game. Muay Thai is his fighting style of choice. Zack was the only African American character in the DOA series, until Lisa's appearance in Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball (and Dead or Alive 4, which is her official start in the fighting series).

Playing little importance in the series' DOATEC storyline Zack only enters the Dead or Alive tournaments for money and fame. However, he plays a huge role in the Dead or Alive Xtreme games as the owner and creator of Zack Island. While achieving top three placements in the previous tournaments either due to other contestants withdrawing or through his own efforts, Zack is the winner of the 4th Dead or Alive tournament, though if Helena Douglas had claimed her win she would have received the title.

Dead or Alive
After hearing about the tournament, Zack enters the Dead or Alive Tournament to increase his popularity and make a name for himself. He apparently succeeds in that endeavor, to an extent. He also earns a high enough ranking in the tournament to gain a prize of significant monetary value.

Dead or Alive 2
Zack enters the next tournament to please his fans and gain more money; he once again succeeds in this task and then returns to his life of leisure.

Dead or Alive 3
After exhausting all his financial reserves, Zack enters the third tournament to earn more money so that he can enjoy a Las Vegas vacation. Though Zack receives the winner's prize, it is revealed he did not actually win the tournament; it was Ayane who actually came first, but due to her departure after the tournament, Zack claimed the title by default. With the winnings Zack went to Las Vegas, not only meeting his future girlfriend and partner Niki but also winning a fortune from the Roulette tables.

Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball
With his increased earnings and girlfriend Niki, Zack bought a private volcanic island and built a vacation resort over it, calling it Zack Island. In a mass scheme to entice the girl participants of the DOA tournaments to visit the island he misleadingly billed to be hosting the 4th Dead or Alive tournament. The scheme worked, much to the chagrin of some of the girls, however not long after the end of their visit the island’s volcano erupted, destroying the resort and causing the island to sink. Despite being abandoned by Niki and left on the island during its destruction, and being attacked by a monstrous shark shortly afterward, Zack survived the ordeal albeit with a mountain of financial debt.

Dead or Alive 4
Despite public expectation Zack went right on to his next conquest by attempting to climb the DOATEC Tritower during the 4th Dead or Alive Tournament. Despite nearly making it to the top, Zack was blown off the side of the building during the initial destructive explosions that were the result of the Mugen Tenshin clan’s attack on the corporation. Managing to land on the tritower’s helipad, Zack was among those who witnessed ALPHA-152’s activation and challenged her in combat. When Helena activated the building’s self-destruct and attempted suicide by staying inside the building, Zack was the only fighter able to get to her. Having his extraction pilot fly through the blazing tritowers to pull her from the roof she was standing on seconds before the building’s detonation. Afterwards Zack and Niki are reacquainted and go on an expedition to Egypt where they discover and explore a crypt, finding a large fortune and fighting/fleeing an army of undead skeletons in the process.

Dead or Alive Xtreme 2
A millionaire again and this time owning his own corporation due to his archeological discovery, Zack, with Niki alongside, raises Zack Island from the depths of the sea with a little alien help. After rebuilding his legacy and renaming the resort New Zack Island, he again sent out fake invitations for the Dead or Alive tournament to lure in the female DOA competitors. However the island’s volcano once again manages to erupt and the island returns to the depths, with Zack along with it despite Niki’s attempts to rescue him. He is, however, saved by the aliens who had helped him resurrect the island initially.

Personality
Zack is perpetually happy, as well as money-hungry. He lives to entertain and never disappoints his fans. He is constantly smiling, and lets setbacks simply slide off of his back. When fighting, he likes flashy, showy moves, and keeps up a constant patter of talk and laughter. This can prove to be very distracting to his opponent. His ego has led him to create autographs and statues, even naming an entire island, after himself. Prior to the introduction of Niki in Dead or Alive 3, he also had a rather noticeable attraction to fellow DOA competitor Tina Armstrong. Her father, Bass, was strongly opposed to this pairing, probably due mainly to his own overprotective stance in raising Tina into an ideal daughter coupled with Zack's overwhelmingly flashy and flamboyant nature.

Tina Armstrong
Since Dead or Alive, Zack had an attraction to Tina Armstrong. However, after many failed attempts to make Tina fall in love with him, Zack basically forgot about Tina and instead fell in love with Niki.

Bass Armstrong
Zack and Bass have formed a kind of rivalry since Zack’s courtship of Tina. This rivalry has led to Zack naming a small island of beach after Bass as a private joke.

Niki
After meeting in Vegas in Dead or Alive 3, Zack fell in love with Niki and the two started dating. The two did break up after Zack Island’s initial destruction but reunited again in Dead or Alive 4 and the pair remained together during the resurrection of Zack Island and the island’s second destruction. Zack refers to Niki as his lucky charm.

Helena Douglas
Zack saves Helena from her attempted self sacrifice during the destruction of the DOATEC Tritower. Since then the pair seem to have become business partners, with Helena visiting New Zack Island in order to discuss the possible resurrection of DOATEC.

Gameplay
Zack's main strength lies in his quick strikes and mix-up game. His lifter rising knee is an excellent combo starter and leads too many juggling possibilities, such as the belial rush and the demon rush combo strings. His single strikes (such as the long bazooka) are powerful, but leave him open for attack and throws. Over all, Zack's moveset concentrates on keeping the opponent speculating as to the next move, while his speed makes him a decent strike character as well.

DOA: Dead or Alive
Zack appeared in the DOA: Dead or Alive movie, basically playing as Tina's love interest. He is portrayed by Brain J. White.

Musical Themes

 * NO MONEY - Dead or Alive
 * B-boy no B - evolved from ++ - - Dead or Alive 2
 * I don't believe it! - Dead or Alive 3
 * Zany Zapper - Dead or Alive 4

Trivia

 * Zack's appearance is based off of the famous basketball player Dennis Rodman. Rodman provides his voice in Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball.
 * One of Zack's outfits in Dead or Alive 2 is similar to that of Shadow Man.
 * In Kokoro's Dead or Alive 4 cinematic, Zack can be seen towards the end sticking himself out of a carriage looking at Kokoro.
 * Zack is the only non ninja character to win a DOA tournament.
 * Zack is a regular customer at Ryu Hayabusa and Irene's curio shop.