Any reason to own an original Xbox in 2023?

[snes_collector]

Is there any reason to own an original Xbox now? It seems like mostly everything has been remastered, ported, or is backwards compatible with the 360. I know people used to use them for emulation boxes but there seems to be better ways now. I just don't think I'll ever use mine again for any reason, am I missing anything?

 

[BeefJerky]

Steel Battalion

 

[100proof]

Not really. It was always best used as an emulation box but it's like the 10th best way to do that these days.

There are a handful of decent-to-good games that were exclusive to/best on OG Xbox that generation but those controllers are tough to go back to (the Duke sucked and even the S is nowhere near as comfortable/good as most modern controllers) and Xbox emulation is finally getting to a good enough place (80+% compatibility on Xemu) that I don't see myself pulling mine out of storage any time soon.

 

[HellioN]

Immovable doorstop?
Still an alright emu box IMO, better than those dumb "Pandora's box" things all over Amazon and eBay.
Not all OG Xbox games are backwards compatible.

 

[Hans]

it could probably pass as a futuristic microwave

 

[sirlynxalot]

Gun Valkyrie. Last I checked, there was a video issue when emulating the game that causes the screen to go blank when using a dash or when underwater. This is game breaking when you get a couple levels in as there is an underwater level and you can't see anything.

 

[prof]

Outrun 2 immediately comes to mind. PS2 had 06: Coast 2 Coast, but 2 was an Xbox exclusive. And likely due to the Ferrari licensing, it's never been made compatible with the newer consoles.

Skimming through my games, I dont have many exclusives that haven't been made back compatible, but those that are, I kept separate from the others. The bangers are Blood Wake, House of the Dead III, Ninja Gaiden and Silent Scope Complete. But, my tastes, ymmv. Doom 3 may now be available on newer consoles, not sure. Couple cool arcade comps, Taito Legends and Tecmo Classic Arcade. And while I didnt end up liking it, those into platformers might, Toe Jam & Earl III. Every other non-back compatible exclusive I have is racing games that no one else cares about. Ha

 

[JoeAwesome]

All of the Sega games sans Shenmue, and the reintroduction of XBL.

 

[SpamYouToDeath]

TimeSplitters 2 and 3, perhaps. Though emulating the GameCube versions is probably better.

 

[ggallegos1]

I enjoyed the fatal frame games and JSRF on Xbox, and there are quite a few games that arent compatible with Series X backwards compatibility

 

[HellioN]

Outrun 2 immediately comes to mind. PS2 had 06: Coast 2 Coast, but 2 was an Xbox exclusive. And likely due to the Ferrari licensing, it's never been made compatible with the newer consoles.

Skimming through my games, I dont have many exclusives that haven't been made back compatible, but those that are, I kept separate from the others. The bangers are Blood Wake, House of the Dead III, Ninja Gaiden and Silent Scope Complete. But, my tastes, ymmv. Doom 3 may now be available on newer consoles, not sure. Couple cool arcade comps, Taito Legends and Tecmo Classic Arcade. And while I didnt end up liking it, those into platformers might, Toe Jam & Earl III. Every other non-back compatible exclusive I have is racing games that no one else cares about. Ha

DooM slayers collection on Xbone has,
DooM
DooM 2
DooM 3
DooM 2016

 

[Azathoth]

I mostly play Streets of Rage Remake along with Spikeout on mine, and there's some other interesting homebrew ports on it. Installing games to the HDD, a controller converter to use Series X pads on it, and you've probably got the way to play multiplatform games from that era short of emulating them on a PC.

On SNK front it has the exclusive Samurai Shotdown 5 story mode and probably the best version of SNK vs Capcom, shame those were never made backwards compatible.

 

[SouthtownKid]

Jet Set Radio Future is still a fantastic game that holds up and is a better overall experience than a lot of modern games. I don't know if there's another, later generation console that plays that game. But if not, and if I still had an Xbox, I would say it was worth keeping if only to be a JSRF player.

 

[madmanjock]

JSRF was backwards compatible for the 360 but nothing newer.

The original JSR you can still buy on the Microsoft store and play on the current Xbox models.

 

[AppleiDog]

JSRF was backwards compatible for the 360 but nothing newer.

The original JSR you can still buy on the Microsoft store and play on the current Xbox models.

Yeah have the og for steamdeck shame they never released future.

 

[NeoSneth]

Steel Battalion

First answer is the right answer

 

[BeefJerky]

First answer is the right answer

That fkn controller is so badass. Good luck emulating that.

 

[famicommander]

Ninja Gaiden Black
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Gunvalkyrie
Steel Battalion
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Jet Set Radio Future
Crimson Skies
Otogi 1 and 2
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2X
Psychonauts

There are also a ton of multiplatform games of that era that were better on Xbox than Gamecube or PS2, even if only by a little bit.

 

[prof]

That fkn controller is so badass. Good luck emulating that.

My buddy has that in his basement. I mean, it's cool and all, but jeebus. If we're talking gaming/rec room area, I'd rather use that space for a pinball table or arcade cab. Thats a lot of real estate for an xbox game. It's just a bit much to me.

 

[prof]

Ninja Gaiden Black
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Gunvalkyrie
Steel Battalion
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Jet Set Radio Future
Crimson Skies
Otogi 1 and 2
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2X
Psychonauts

There are also a ton of multiplatform games of that era that were better on Xbox than Gamecube or PS2, even if only by a little bit.

Most of your list is back-compatible with the current xboxes. Did you read the OP?

 

[famicommander]

Most of your list is back-compatible with the current xboxes. Did you read the OP?

I did read it. What I didn't do was check an updated list of games that are backwards compatible. I just looked over at my Xbox shelf and listed a chunk of games I like. I know Buffy doesn't work on the new systems though, and that's one of the better 3D beat 'em ups out there in my opinion.

 

[BanishingFlatsAC]

Jet Set Radio Future is still a fantastic game that holds up and is a better overall experience than a lot of modern games. I don't know if there's another, later generation console that plays that game. But if not, and if I still had an Xbox, I would say it was worth keeping if only to be a JSRF player.

This.
The 360 backwards compatibility was only the stand alone disc and not the bundle one. The game runs extremely glitchy in spots too.

 

[GohanX]

Outrun 2/Coast 2 Coast. Those alone are worth keeping the behemoth around.

 

[Lastblade]

I was going to add Phantom Dust, but that is playable on XB1 and on. The whole Ninja Gaiden series are also playing on XB1+.

Steel Battalion it is.

 

[tDRG]

The clock capacitor juice is really tasty.