Those good old 3D fighters hold a place dear to the hearts of the majority of gamers today. We might be wimps who leg it at the first sign of real trouble, but we revel in commanding pixellated pugilists to perform all manner of kune-crunching moves on screen.

Cut let's get this straight from the outset: Dead Or Alive: Ultimate isn't a new game. Comprising the first two Dead Or Alive titles, both games have been given a Trinny and Susanna-style makeover for the 2Ist century. On the one hand, the original Dead Or Alive is something of a history lesson. Riding high on the wave of the 3D fighter frenzy caused by pioneering scrappers like Tekken and Virtua Fighter, the title was a smash on its release on the Sega Saturn console.

In its new incarnation however, the original title seems to have been neglected. Unfortunately no amount of graphical tweaking can bring this first online up to current day expectations. Each character looks blocky and very rough around the edges, whilst the garish environments are so undetailed and uninteresting we were soon crying out like toddlers in a tantrum for visual stimulation. Along with the regular Arcade mode (fight each opponent in turn) and Time Attack (the same thing only with points scored for a low amassed time total), comes the somewhat entertaining Kumite. Players can choose to fight opponents rated at 30, 50 or 100 Kumite levels.

Fight your way through each of the other characters indefinitely, though you'll only gain whatever percentage of fights you win. Not massively different from the main game we know, but a variation all the same, and the higher the stakes, the harder the opponents. The online mode does obviously account for the original game's presence, yet this really is one for die-hard fans of the series. That, or purists still wearing baggy combat pants and listening to All Saints circa 1997.

What we're far more interested in is the superior sequel, Dead Or Alive 2. This smashed its way to the fore of 3D fighters, and when presented here, looks absolutely gorgeous. Tecmo has gone to town, and an impressive graphical overhaul means the game easily rivals stablemates Dead Or Alive 3 or Ninja Gaiden in the looks department. Or Natalie Portman, but various court orders prevent us from going into too much detail about that. Spectacular lighting effects match incredibly detailed textures, be it lens flare illuminating a rooftop duel at sunset or dramatic lightning flashes during a night-time bout.

The environments play a big part in Dead Or Alive 2, and not just as a mindful distraction whilst a cocky ten-year-old from Texas repeatedly pummels your head into the ground. Beautifully textured and gorgeously coloured, they factor into the gameplay in a valuable and enjoyable way. Most feature some form of destructible scenery, that when obliterated with, say, an unsuspecting opponent, cause massive damage to said foe. The ramifications of this are twofold. On the one hand, it's immensely satisfying to propel your opposite number into a wall, electric sign or randomly placed tree, and the consequences are a bigger bite from their energy bar than Sir Ranulph Fiennes losing his chocolate before an Antarctic marathon. Conversely, you'll also be screaming in frustration as an AI opponent does their best to manoeuvre you into a compromising position before punting you over a huge drop, sapping up to half your energy bar at a time. This does upset the otherwise finely balanced fighting engine, and above all else, is massively annoying.

And so onto the fighting. If there's one thing Dead Or Alive can be proud of, it's accessibility. Controls consist of two punch buttons, two kick, a block and a throw. Standard one- and two-button combos are both easy to perform and damagingly effective, though the various throws are more health-draining than a Supersize Me-style diet and just as harsh.

Getting in close to your foe is the key, so swoop in right after they've performed (and mistimed) a lumbering, slow attack. You can also perform devastating one-hit blows and throws, as denoted by the Black and White buttons. Comprising in strength of a throw and punch or punch and kick combined, your opponent may see these coming a mile off, but time it right and they'll be on their backs quicker than Gavin at the Playboy Mansion.

Obviously there are more moves on offer than a Flashdance/Footloose box set, and it'll take some serious time and effort to get the most out of them. Yet this again is a something of a double-edged sword. This open door approach to combat favours newcomers to the series, and allows them instant gratification and progress. As a result, button-bashers with the digital dexterity of Fingermouse would give any Dead Or Alive vet a run for their money, simply by choosing one of the quicker characters and repeatedly hammering the fast kick button until victorious.

What does really separate the men from the boys however, is the Counter System. Very tricky to tame, once mastered you can end a fight in a simple couple of moves. Just wait for an opponent to strike, then push away and block to grab a particular appendage and reverse them into a Counter Throw. More damaging than regular throws, they do feel rewarding to execute, yet it's incredibly disheartening when an AI opponent punishes you with one time and time again, every time you commit a clumsy lunge. These add much more significance to tactical fighting techniques; witness a match between two Dead Or Alive experts and it'll be a measured, thoughtful bout rather than a frenzied whirlwind of flying limbs.

Of course, fighting titles are all about the multiplayer, and this is what all the fanfare around Dead Or Alive: Ultimate is about. Two players can obviously fight it out in Versus mode, and it's infinitely more fun pummelling your best mate rather than an AI opponent. Online is a different story, with tons of brilliant game modes available, like Winner/Loser Stays On, Tournament, Team Battle and Survival. To have a 3D fighter that looks this gorgeous is one thing, but to have it play as silky smooth online as Dead Or Alive: Ultimate does is something entirely different. We only got to battle it out against the Yanks on Live at the time of writing, but look out next month for a full Live review, once you've all got your grubby mitts on it.

The offline modes don't suffer as a result however, and are just as captivating. Tag battle allows players to pair two complementing characters (as helpfully hinted at by Tecmo) who can both swap in and out of battles intermittently and temporarily perform combined attacks on a single opponent. Story mode allows players to discover more of each character's intertwined histories, following on from the beautiful, heart-wrenching opener detailing the saga of Kasumi and Ayane. Repeated completion of this mode, culminating in a face-off with Tengu after a standard six-bout process, unlocks a new costume for that particular character. There are loads of costumes available including some titillating numbers for Tina and Kasumi, though the What Not To Wear girls would have a field day with Zack's camp get-ups.

There's not too much else to grumble about. It may be an update of a five-year-old game, but what an update it is - stunning to look at and intuitive to play. What Dead Or Alive: Ultimate lacks in technical ability over rivals like Mortal Kombat: Deception or Soul Calibur II it more than compensates for in visual quality and style.

The fact that all of this is online too is the icing on the cake. For a history lesson in the evolution of 3D fighters, check out the original. For an online brawler that looks the absolute nuts (before they're crushed by a vicious knee to the groin), Dead Or Alive: Ultimate is literally the ultimate game of its kind. Class.

1. Sumptuous visuals make this one of the best looking games on Xbox, surpassing big bro Dead Or Alive 3. Shame then, that the original Dead Or Alive looks so dated.
2. Instantly accessible. Simple combos can match the more advanced moves, though the counter blows and throws are tough to crack.
3. Interactive environments looks gorgeous, and when timed correctly, are devastatingly effective at reducing an opponent's health.
4. Both games feature full online play and include loads of Xbox Live-exclusive modes. It's a unique experience to play a Saturn title online.
5. The single-player game is limited in scope, though does provide tons of different costumes to unlock, along with several hidden characters.

A beautiful, balanced fighter, and a wealth of multiplayer options earns Dead Or Alive: Ultimate the ultimate respect.