Start at the stunning graphics the Xbox is able to produce, Tecmo and Team Ninja did an excellent job of using the nVidia-powered chipset to display a glimpse of what the Xbox will be able to offer us. From the vibrant colors displayed on screen, to the smooth, sleek look of the fighters themselves, DOA3 is hands down the sharpest fighter of the time. Running at a smooth 60fps despite rendering explosions, a tag being made with one player leaving arena and one entering, all at the same time, the Xbox runs this game crystal clear and has no signs of visible slowdown.

Further more the environments you fight within are completely alive. Hitting a player into a tree in the middle of the arena will cause them to hit it, and cause the tree to sway from the impact. Also in levels such as the aquarium, when a player is slams onto the ground the fish swimming below scatter away from the source of the impact. Such living environments cannot be noticed instantly watching, it adds an extra element of detail that those observing the combat will appreciate.

Other visual elements one can appreciate is the amount of time that went into creating the environments. Levels feature unique lighting, and backgrounds, to help build a beautiful level to fight within. Another added feature DOA3 offers is the ability to unlock added costumes for each characters that can help extend the replay value in the visuals department. Though it is strictly a visual, it helps to prevent the game from becoming bland by giving the illusion that you are fighting with a whole new player by watching the hair be done different, or the color of the clothes.

The sound in the game is also superb. While there is not a lot to be said for this category in almost any fighting game, DOA3 does do a good job of ensuring that the players know by aural when they have been hit, and when they slam a wall and trigger an explosion.

While the aural and visuals are top notch, the game seems to lose certain flair when the controls come into play. The Xbox controller is far from being the perfect choice for a fighting title, but could have been pulled off if Tecmo would have a better control scheme for those using the official controller. The shift from the block button, to the white or black buttons takes a bit of a reach, and in the fast paced action of DOA3, some players may find it hard to get their hands positioned in such a way to reach the buttons effectively. While Tecmo and Team Ninja cannot be held directly responsible for the design of the controller, a better button scheme would have been a great help.

Overall DOA3 is hands down the fighter to beat on the Xbox. While at the time this review goes to press it will be the only fighter available, it has laid a precedent for the future of fighters on the Xbox. With a free add-on disk that will add new costumes and levels, one cannot go wrong with purchasing this title.