Ultimate Mortal Kombat for the Nintendo DS hits with a great deal of power thanks to one key addition – online compatibility.

Don't bother playing through the game in single-player mode. You win a few matches at first, but then the artificial intelligence smacks you to the ground, no matter what you do. Projectile attack? It avoids it and kicks you in the face. Jumping attack? It counters with its own quicker jumping attack. Foot sweep? It moves out of range and then closes in for the kill. It almost gets to the point that you'll want to break your DS.

Fortunately, playing on your own isn't the only option. Ultimate Mortal Kombat supports the Wi-Fi Connection. You can jump online and take on a slew of MK masters and rookies alike in both UMK3 and Puzzle Kombat. The game keeps tracks of all your wins and losses, so you can boast or beg for mercy. There's very little lag in these match-ups, resulting in a (mostly) good time. You can also play locally with a friend who has a copy of the game.

The gameplay works fine. You utilize old-school button mashing and digital pad movement to execute moves and combos. There are no touch-screen features, although the second screen's readout of available maneuvers is a nice touch. (Thanks to this, you don't have to pause the game to see what your character is capable of.) The graphics are pure 2-D Mortal Kombat, with great backdrops and hilarious digitized animation. The audio is entertaining, with clear voice samples and enjoyable MK background tunes.

Although its frustrating single-player AI and lack of other games keeps it from being a must-have brawl-a-thon, Ultimate Mortal Kombat satisfies with its online options, old-school presentation and acceptable gameplay. Just don't expect a "flawless victory".