Xbox Solution:

Get into the Fight

Press the A and B buttons—those are mid punches … X and Y will give you a high kick … yes, ladies and gentlemen, you are now learning the basics of fighting. No, pressing those buttons won’t do you any good fighting in the real world, but in video games knowing what buttons to press at the right time will help you stay on your feet throughout each round. Fighting games have evolved over the years from random button mashing in the arcade to performing complex combinations on console controllers. The fighting genre has always attracted a wide range of audiences, and luckily the Xbox® has plenty of titles worthy of your attention.

The fighting genre comes in many forms, and some of the games can be quite violent and gory. Thus, choosing the right title for your child can be a bit confusing. The most important part, of course, is to make sure that your child understands that what happens in video games is not what happens in the real world. Many of the games we mention below are well suited for teenagers. We recommend that you take part in your child’s gaming experience, be sure to talk to your child, and make them aware that fighting in games is OK, but in the real world it’s not. Rule number one is involvement: Play a leadership role in your child’s gaming experience and you can’t go wrong.

Dead or Alive® 3

This third installment to the highly-acclaimed series has plenty to offer, from spectacular visuals to excellent fighting mechanics to numerous gameplay modes. Visually, this game looks incredible. Each character is beautifully rendered, and highly-detailed backgrounds make for a truly immersive experience that will keep you glued to your television set. Multi-faceted environments enable players to, for example, kick opponents off of cliffs and then move to fight in the area below. Each character has unique moves and martial arts styles. Even more engrossing, each fighter has a background story as to why they entered the tournament; you’ll want to play through the game with every single one. The game also boasts some classic gameplay modes common to the genre, including time attack and survival.

Dead or Alive® Ultimate
This is a package of the original version of Dead or Alive® and the newly redesigned Dead or Alive® 2. To add to the experience, both games feature Xbox Live® support, making them among the first fully 3-D fighting games ever to feature online play. This awesome bundle is sure to keep you and your family enthralled with competition across the globe. The games also feature a lot of bonus content, as well as some new movies that reveal more details about each character’s past. Without a doubt, Dead or Alive Ultimate is a must-have for serious series fans.

SoulCalibur® II
A worthy sequel to one of the best weapon-based fighting games of all time, SoulCalibur II features awesome visuals, new gameplay modes, a new cast of characters (as well as some returning ones), and much more. Weapon Master is the main mode that puts you through a lengthy quest to find the legendary sword Soul Edge. Other modes include arcade, time attack, survival, versus, and team battle, all of which contribute to the game's impressive replay value. The Xbox version also features an exclusive guest character, McFarlane’s Spawn®, in addition to the already-impressive roster of 15. Finally, the story mode plays out differently with each character, extending the replay value even more.

Frantic weapon-wielding in SoulCalibur II.

Bloody Roar Extreme
One of the unique elements of this fighter is the ability to morph each character into its secondary beast-like form. Every character in the game is associated with some animal; for example, some characters can transform mid-battle to a tiger or wolf, giving you tactical decisions on the fly. The game also features multi-level destructible arenas, a number of unlockable goodies to extend the replay value, and some classic gameplay modes to push your skills to the limit.

Godzilla®: Destroy All Monsters Melee
This bazaar full of fun and excitement puts you in control of gigantic beasts as they battle to save the earth from alien attacks. Everybody loves the humongous lizard-like beast Godzilla, and this time he’s back to save the day. Choose from over 10 different monsters and play in a variety of destructible cityscapes. The game features impressive visuals that bring the monsters and environments to life. Add XboxLive support and you’ve got yourself a very fun and challenging fighting experience.

Monsters of every sort clash in Godzilla.

Ultimate Fighting Championship: Tapout
This ultra-realistic fighter puts you through a huge array of gameplay modes, each with unique challenges. The game features never-before-seen graphics that push the level of realism. Every character is highly detailed, and all the character fighting movements look very natural. Battle it out versus the A.I. or take on one of your buddies through various multiplayer modes.

Capcom vs. SNK 2: E.O.
Two classic fighters are matched up in the same ring to battle it all out in this climactic showdown. Choose from over 44 different characters from the Capcom and SNK universes, and take the battle online with Xbox Livesupport. You’ve hundreds of moves to master if you hope to take down your opponents and get on top of the scoreboard. This title is sure to bring back some nostalgic memories for the die-hard fans.

Impressive combos in Capcom vs. SNK 2.

Xbox has plenty of fighting titles to suit everyone’s taste, and the library is constantly growing for your button-smashing pleasure. So grab a game and some family and friends, and get rumbling!

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