It's clear that Microsoft's main strategy going into the ninth generation of home console revolves around its value for money Game Pass service. However, Game Pass isn't the only area where Xbox is excelling, as the console is also doing a fantastic job of standing out from its competitors with its backward compatibility feature. Whereas Nintendo is charging AAA prices for ports like Skyward Sword and Sony are removing their PS3, PS Vita, and PSP stores, Microsoft is continuing to offer multiple generations of games to its Xbox players.
The original Xbox was undoubtedly overshadowed by Sony's PlayStation 2 in terms of commercial success, though the consoles were closer than some may think in terms of the quality of games. For those interested in playing some of the original Xbox's top games, here are the ten best, according to Metacritic, that are playable on the Xbox Series X in either their original state or in the form of a remaster.
10 Burnout Revenge – 89
The Burnout franchise was a staple of the street racing genre during the early and mid-2000s, which is why it's ironic that the series' open-world game Burnout Paradise was largely responsible for street racing's drop in prominence. This is because data showed that most players were utilizing the open-world and social features rather than competing in street racing events.
Thankfully, players can revisit the street racing's golden age on Xbox Series X with Burnout Revenge, a quintessential Burnout game that features the franchise's classic modes like Crash, Eliminator, and Burning Lap.
9 SSX 3 – 92
From one extreme sports game to another, SSX 3 was released by Electronic Arts in 2003 and continued the snowboarding series' high quality. Much like Burnout Revenge, SSX 3 doesn't worry too much about realism. Instead, it simply tries to provide the most enjoyable experience possible by letting players perform extreme moves and over-the-top stunts.
SSX 3 looked to improve upon its predecessors by introducing an open world, an implementation that was well-received by fans and critics.
8 Soulcalibur II – 92
There aren't many genres that have maintained a consistent level of popularity since the days of arcades. However, fighting games are still going strong today. Although visual designs and effects have greatly improved since the arcade days, much of the core gameplay remains the same, a testament to the developers of classic games like the original Street Fighter.
Soulcalibur differentiates itself from most fighting games with its emphasis on weapon-based combat, a style of gameplay that Project Souls nailed with Soulcalibur II. The game is playable on Xbox Series X via the 2013 HD re-release.
7 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – 93
Prior to the release of Grand Theft Auto V, 2004's San Andreas was widely regarded as the best Grand Theft Auto game, a title that some fans still bestow upon it. The game's main difference from the latest Grand Theft Auto release, along with the nostalgic blocky visuals, is the game's emphasis on nonsensical fun. The nonsensical fun is available to players thanks to readily available cheat codes such as Chaos Mode and in-game mechanics and items like the jetpack.
Much like Soulcalibur II, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is playable on Xbox Series X via an HD re-release.
6 Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell – 93
Ubisoft has always been shrewd when it comes to its business decisions. One such example is when the PlayStation 2's release saw the gaming industry leave its mascot platformers behind in favor of more realistic action titles, which prompted Ubisoft to leave their limbless hero Rayman behind to let franchises like Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six, and of course, Splinter Cell thrive. Unfortunately for Sam Fisher, what goes around comes around, and the stealth franchise has now been dropped in favor of Ubisoft's numerous open-world franchises.
Thankfully, the original Splinter Cell is available on Series X, so players can revisit the series' classic first game.
5 Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory – 94
The original Splinter Cell isn't the only original Xbox game that is playable on Series X, as Chaos Theory is can also be purchased via the backward compatibility feature.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is considered by many to be one of, if not the greatest stealth game of all time, which is extremely high praise when considering that the game has iconic titles like Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Hitman: Blood Money and Dishonored as competition.
4 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – 94
A role-playing game set in the Star Wars universe sounds like the kind of idea that gamers will fantasize about but never see come to fruition. However, BioWare and LucasArts made the dream into a reality when they teamed up to release Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, an excellent RPG that is considered one of BioWare's best releases in the genre, along with titles like Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins.
Although Knights of the Old Republic was guaranteed to sell tons of copies thanks to the promise of an RPG set in the Star Wars universe, BioWare didn't hold back on the quality and created a game that would have been iconic even without the Star Wars branding.
3 Ninja Gaiden Black – 94
2005's Ninja Gaiden Black is a re-worked version of 2004's Ninja Gaiden, with the game's two DLCs included. The pair of games marked a significant shift in direction for the franchise, as the side-scrolling action that the series was built upon was ditched in favor of a modern over-the-shoulder, third-person perspective.
Although the perspectives were changed, the series stayed true to its roots in terms of difficulty and became recognized as one of the original Xbox's toughest hack and slash games, as well as one of its best.
2 Halo 2 – 95
Despite releasing almost 20 years ago, Halo 2 is still considered to be one of the greatest first-person shooters of all time. The game sits among a rare crowd of titles such as DOOM, GoldenEye 007, and the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, in the sense that both its single-player campaign and multiplayer mode were of extremely high quality.
Halo 2 can be played on Series X via the Master Chief Collection, either in its original state or with updated visuals.
1 Halo: Combat Evolved – 97
Halo: Combat Evolved may not have aged as well as its aforementioned sequel, though it still provides a thoroughly enjoyable 10-hour campaign that will be dripping in nostalgia for anyone who played the game when it first released. Combat Evolved is regarded as one of the greatest launch titles of all time, as it immediately put Microsoft's first console on the gaming industry map and proved that it would be a serious contender to both Nintendo and Sony.
Much like Halo 2, Halo: Combat Evolved is playable via the Master Chief Collection.