Since its debut in 1992, the ultra-violent Mortal Kombat brawling series' toughest fight has been to remain relevant. Recent conversions such as Armageddon -- despite competently translating the franchise's head-ripping thrills into the third dimension and adding massive, 60-plus character rosters -- did little to remedy that. But this all-new version for Nintendo's Wii proves that Mortal Kombat ain't dead yet. Motion-sensitive controls add a new layer of excitement, and make the action feel fresher than it has in years.

Utilizing Wii's gesture-tracking remote, players can execute devastating assaults and spill buckets of blood with a simple flick of the wrist. To throw Scorpion's spear, waggle the controller left and right; to execute his flaming kick, make a half-circle motion. Other characters receive similar treatment: For Mileena's teleporting strike, simply swing your arm up and down. Match-finishing fatalities, which you can now personalize by chaining together brutal attacks, operate the same way. While it remains possible to play the game as a traditional interactive outing, mastering the intricacies of physical interaction can be infinitely more involving.

The Wii version still boasts all the great features found on other platforms, including create-a-player options and a deep, single-player career mode. But here, everything comes with the added bonus of being able to shame rivals by hopping around in front of the TV like a break-dancer after ten Red Bulls. So what if you aren't a real-life Bruce Lee -- you can still sweat and shriek like a martial arts master.