Hidden secrets have always been a major part of MK's appeal, and Deadly Alliance delivers in this category by locking up more than 600 different items. Even if most of those items are simply concept art and other weird stuff, the gambling-like nature of searching for the meaningful unlockable items adds another layer to the game.

Given how the game looked at various points in its development, we weren't exactly expecting too much from Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. But the game certainly came together very nicely in the end, and as a result we're more than happy to honor Mortal Kombat's return with our award for Best Fighting Game on Xbox. Even without any viable competition on the platform, the game is clearly award-worthy.