We are given a decent mix of characters from the first 2 games a few newbies tossed in to keep things fresh. While most of them are still un-innovative, the much improved gameplay brings everything together. You'll no longer be pulling off 10-hit combos with one button. Actual skill is now required plus the speed has been boosted tenfold.

Instead of single one-on-one fighting, we get an intriguing "tournament" style mode which is quite different. The one-on-one battles are still here of course for those who prefer the original style. This new "tournament" puts players up against 3 characters to their one. To win the fight, you must of course beat all 3 fighters, but the catch is you can actually lose a fight and still go on. You can actually lose 2 of the fights, so it's still the basic "best of 3" matches you've been playing for years. The change is that you fight someone different each round. No, it's nothing that will set the world on fire, but it's a nice change of pace.

Each of the backgrounds have been completely revamped and are truly spectacular. Helicopters fly around in the background, taping the battleground. Spectators are numerous, not to mention superbly animated. Most of the character sprites remain relatively unchanged, but with the amount of characters crammed into the cart, you have to excuse the re-used sprites. The music is more than irritating this time around, and you'll be a better person without the sound.

If you enjoyed the first or second game, even slightly, you'll be more than impressed by the effort put into this title. Completely revamping the engine is something that many companies shy away from when creating sequels (I'm thinking of Tomb something....um, Tomb Raider..yeah..). It's a risky move, but it's paid off in every aspect.