By Mickah Wallace

The latest Dead or Alive tournament has begun, and it's only on Xbox.Sixteen of the toughest cookies from around the world have gathered to determine who's the greatest fighter alive. They've come for a wide variety of reasons: prize money, pride, or to uncover dark family secrets.Each competitor brings his or her own distinct fighting style, as well as a series of colorful costumes. Before any one of them can claim the championship, they must face the superhuman, genetically engineered menace known as Omega.

So much for the set-up.Sure, each fighter has a detailed backstory and strong character motivation, but Dead or Alive® 3 is all about beating the pants off your opponents (and looking good while you do it).A single player can progress up the tournament ladder in the one-on-one Story Mode. Up to four can join in for a wholesome 2-on-2 tag match, or assemble up to 5 fighters for gigantic team battles.

DOA3 for the Xbox has dramatically improved the graphics than earlier editions of the game: lighting, muscle definition, clothing, even the interactive elements of the environment have all been upgraded to take advantage of the Xbox's power.This means when Leon pounds someone into a tree on the beach environment with his Storm Hammer punch, he not only looks more realistic doing it, but coconuts actually fall from the tree.If Christie nails an opponent with her Ren-Kosen kick near a 10th story window, the hapless victim crashes through, plows through any neon signs en route to the street, and the fight continues wherever the street pizza lands.

The wildly varied combat styles are a true joy, and watching them interact is one of the game's great pleasures (assuming you're not on the receiving end).From Leifang's graceful T'ai Chi Quan to Bayman's bone-breaking Russian Martial Arts to Bass and Tina Armstrong's Pro Wrestling power moves, each fighter has a beefy roster of offensive attacks and defensive maneuvers.Unlike many fighting games, each character can also perform reversals and counter-strikes, so just when your opponent thinks you're going down for the count, you can turn their knockout blow into your surprise victory.

DOA3 also makes console history with the first add-on pack. Ever.With the demo disk included in the Official Xbox Magazine #36, dozens of new wild, wonderful, and downright weird costumes become available, as does the Japanese intro to the game (previously unreleased in the U.S.). If you can't live without seeing a 346 pound pro-wrestler done up like a Viking, or a Russian commando fighting in full wetsuit (complete with flippers), look no further.

Dead or Alive 3 has everything a fighting game needs for maximum replay value:engaging characters, detailed environments, spectacular martial arts moves, a satisfying storyline with multiple conclusions, even a handful of unlockable treats. Choose your fighter, choose your costume, and get ready to kick some back!