76 Xbox backwards compatible games added as part of 20th anniversary

76 Xbox backwards compatible games have been added by Microsoft, which you can play free by inserting the disc into an Xbox Series X|S or One.

The original and giant original Xbox, a console mocked for being huge but still looks epic if you ask me, had its 20^th birthday. To celebrate, Microsoft did some very cool things. Firstly, it made Halo: Infinite playable free to all and a month early.

Yes, the Master Chief is back – not to be confused with Master Chef – and kicking alien butt. The Halo: Infinite beta is open to all and includes some a tutorial and multiplayer action.

As a big Halo fan, specifically the first two, I am excited to see how the campaign stacks up. So far, it seems like a fun shoot-‘em-up. Smooth graphics, solid gameplay but level progression is a bit too slow.

Xbox Backwards Compatible games ahoy

The real reason for this video, however, is to show-off a feature that has been expanded to celebrate the 20^th birthday of Xbox. I am talking about backwards compatibility and there are now more titles than ever. And they will play nice on Xbox Series X and Series S.

76 backwards compatible games that work on Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles are on the list, including some absolutely brilliant games I would urge anyone to try. TimeSplitters 2 and TimeSplitters: Future Perfect are some of the best first-person shooter games I have ever played.

It might be worth getting some practice in as there is a new TimeSplitters game coming, with some of the original team at the wheel. If the silly weapons, giant character roster and fast-paced gameplay is as good as before, this will be worth 16 year wait.

How does it work?

If you have one of the 76 backwards compatible games that support Xbox Series X and Series S, all you have to do is pop the disc in and then it will begin downloading and installing the game. You need the disc each time as that tells your console you have a licence. Some countries excluded.

Not only does this cost no money, the games are enhanced. The resolution is higher, meaning it should look easier on the eye when playing on a large 4K TV or monitor. The frame-rate is also doubled to 60 frames per second, improving smoothness and adding a fresher look.

Specifically, every backward title added in this update supports auto HDR where a display can utilise it. Original Xbox games get a four times resolution boost on Series X and One X, three times on Series S and two times on One S and the original One. Load times will be shorter, too.

FPS Boost, a clever Microsoft feature that does what it says on the tin, has been added to 26 new titles including Dead Space 2 and Dead Space 3, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (love this game), Alan Wake and Dragon Age: Origins.

Yes, some games may still have a black border. The wonders of 16:9 have not always been a thing – 4:3 was actually the first standard ratio for televisions and monitors if I recall correctly. When televisions were deeper than they were tall.

I will a link to the article with all of the new original Xbox and Xbox 360 games below. Highlights include all Max Payne 1, 2 and 3, complete with a dark story and bullet time, and the spooky F.E.A.R. games.

In case you want to experience older games as you remember them, Auto HDR and FPS Boost can be switched off or on under the ‘manage game’ settings area of your Xbox.

If you do not have the original discs but want to play, each title will be available on the store for around £8.39 or equivalent in your currency. But it would probably be cheaper to go out and buy the discs from a second-hand game shop.

Will there be more Xbox original games?

The reason for these missing titles is not because Microsoft is lazy. Sadly, as it said in a blog post about the new games: “This latest and final addition of 70+ titles to the backwards compatibility program was only possible through the passion and feedback from the community.

“Your constant requests for specific titles and enhancements encouraged the Backwards Compatibility team to partner with the original creators to preserve thousands of games from over four generations of Xbox.

“While we continue to stay focused on preserving and enhancing the art form of games, we have reached the limit of our ability to bring new games to the catalogue from the past due to licensing, legal and technical constraints. Thank you for being part of this journey with us.”

The use of final suggests music licensing and other constraints mean we may never see the likes of Jet Set Radio Future, Kung Fu Chaos, Forza Motorsport, Sega GT 2002, Phantom Crash, The Simpsons Hit & Run and Enclave – a visually stunning game that was not well received but I enjoyed it.

Oh and Metal Wolf Chaos, which I featured on the channel before. You play the vice president of America and get to blow stuff up in a highly advanced mech. My usual Tuesday afternoon.

Unfortunately, quite a few of the best racing games on the original Xbox are missing too. Titles such as Project Gotham Racing, which I am making a video about, the original Forza Motorsport, Quantum Redshift and OutRun 2. The Coast 2 Coast version of that is worth a fair few quid.

All hope is not lost, however, as Microsoft and Sega’s BFF relationship might result in a few of the games I listed coming back with fancier graphics – albeit these will likely not be free. And maybe other old licences may end up in the hands of active development studios.

TimeSplitters and Koch Media, a division of THQ Nordic, being a prime example of this. We may also see Microsoft continue to add cool visual trickery to titles that are currently missing it, which is no bad thing.

Can I play old Xbox games another way?

For those who get the original Xbox bug, you can actually do what is known as a softmod and enjoy any and all games digitally. My copy of Max Payne was £2 and I think Forza Motorsport was a mere £1.50. Hours of entertainment for nothing.

It’s not even a complicated process. I’ve added a two terabyte hard drive to two of my original Xbox consoles and I plan to do it again to the Crystal variant I recently picked up for £40. However, I will be saving how you do that for another video.

What I will say now is that the original Xbox had around 1,000 games released over its lifespan and there are quite a few I would suggest are worth visiting or revisiting. And that the original Xbox is a great emulator for older consoles such as the Mega Drive or Genesis, NES and the SNES.

So maybe it’s time to sneak into the spider-ridden attic to see if you have any Xbox games that are now backwards compatible or a dusty console you could get going. Just be sure to Google ‘Xbox clock capacitor’ first – you will thank me later.

Source: Xbox