is a 2001 fighting video game developed by Team Ninja and published by Tecmo for the Xbox console as one of its launch titles. It is the third main entry in the Dead or Alive fighting series. Dead or Alive 3 improved upon the gameplay and graphics in superior detail compared to that of its predecessors. The game's story focuses on DOATEC's attempt to create the ultimate human weapon through their Omega Project by capturing and transforming the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan's Hajin Mon leader, Genra, into an evil superhuman called Omega. The ninjas enter the third Dead or Alive tournament to defeat Omega. Dead or Alive 3 was critically acclaimed and a commercial success upon release, selling over 1 million copies worldwide in the first five months after its release, and went on to sell over 2 million copies, becoming one of the top 10 best selling Xbox games. The game won several awards and was nominated for many others. The European and Japanese versions were released months later, featuring additional content and updates that weren't featured in the North American version. Dead or Alive 3 was later followed by Dead or Alive Ultimate in 2004 and Dead or Alive 4 in 2005. Dead or Alive 3 would later become backwards compatible with the Xbox 360. On November 10, 2021, all versions of Dead or Alive 3 were made available to download from Xbox Live worldwide. On November 15, 2021, all versions were made backward compatible with the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Gameplay The basic gameplay controls remain essentially unchanged from Dead or Alive 2. Some minor tweaks have been added to the game system in the form of increased counter periods, unrestricted 3D-axis movement, and less emphasis on juggling combos. All these gameplay enhancements make the game suitable for beginners, and makes the artificial intelligence a bit more forgiving. Move properties for character attacks are updated. The game incorporated less damage percentiles in counter hold maneuvers, making players rely more on blows and throws to defeat opponents. Fighters who are caught in hazardous falls can now be knocked out if they have very low health. The game adds a new feature in its Sparring mode called "Exercise", an automatic command tutorial that teaches players how to perform attacks. One Command is displayed onscreen at a time during gameplay and changes after being successfully performed, therefore players