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Backward compatibility is not something to be treated lightly. Bringing games from across various generations to modern consoles is technical ingenuity at its finest. This process can mean upscaled resolutions and enhanced features, but it mostly allows people to stick to one console. While not the first console to offer the feature, the Xbox One’s backward compatibility program helped bring it back to prominence. What are the best backward compatible Xbox games?

Updated January 31, 2022 by Mark Sammut: In November 2021, Microsoft confirmed that the backward compatibility program was coming to an end. While this announcement was disappointing, the project was undoubtedly a success as it made hundreds of Xbox and Xbox 360 games playable on the Xbox One and, by extension, the Xbox Series X/S. Without backward compatibility, games like Blinx: The Time Sweeper and Gunvalkyrie might have been doomed to complete obscurity; furthermore, this project simply enhanced the value of the Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. For people who missed out on these releases during their original runs, a few more of the best backward compatible Xbox games have been added to this article.

19 Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Xbox 360)

Outside the Nintendo ecosystem, good kart racers are in short supply, so the few that do exist need to be cherished and preserved. Debuting in 2012, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is a fantastic spin-off that plays like a dream, still looks pretty nice, and has a decent amount of content. Sonic fans are obviously the target audience, but someone does not need to have an interest in the Blue Blur to appreciate this game’s tight controls and fun gameplay.

Sega has given no indication that a sequel to Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is in the works. If that announcement never comes to pass, at least fans can play this splendid title across multiple generations of Xbox consoles.

18 Zone Of The Enders HD Collection (Xbox 360)

Unfortunately, 2018’s Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner remaster was only released on PS4 and PC, perhaps because the game came with VR headset support. Fortunately, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One owners can play 2012’s Zone of the Enders HD Collection, which contains both games in the franchise.

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The 2nd Runner is the main reason this collection is worth picking up as it greatly improves upon its predecessor’s combat and presentation. It is also a very challenging and punishing game, albeit one that gives players all the tools they need to succeed.

17 F.E.A.R. Trilogy (Xbox 360)

A trio of first-person horror games, F.E.A.R. sadly only lasted a single generation, but the series produced some gems in that time. While the sequels are solid shooters in their own right, 2005’s F.E.A.R. is the franchise’s crowning achievement, delivering an experience that genuinely manages to be unsettling.

The story revolves around a special forces team who are called in to contain a supernatural threat in the form of the iconic Alma. It is best to go into these games blind, and the first entry’s story and scares hold up well.

As an added bonus, F.E.A.R. and F.E.A.R. 3 have also received an FPS boost.

16 Skate 2 (Xbox 360)

Along with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Skate set the standard for extreme sports games. Skate 2 builds upon the very solid foundations of its predecessor, dropping players into an urban open-world filled with challenges, guards, and rails to grind.

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Unlike its more accessible contemporary, Skate 2’s controls are more complex, and practice is the name of the game here. Likely, Skate 2’s gameplay loop is addictive and fun, so the journey to becoming San Vanelona’s greatest skater is never a boring one.

Revisit Skate 2 to pass the time until Skate 4 becomes a reality.

15 Dead Or Alive 4 (Xbox 360)

An Xbox 360 exclusive, Dead Or Alive 4 is a strong entry in a fighting franchise that produces nothing but great games. Released in 2005, Dead Or Alive 4 doesn’t revamp the gameplay too significantly, but it does introduce a few mechanics that expand on the combat options.

For anyone unfamiliar with this series, Dead Or Alive 4 has free-flowing combat built upon a rock, paper, scissors system – strikes trump throws, throws beat holds, and holds defeat strikes.

14 Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360)

While the genre has been better represented in recent years, Xbox is not synonymous with JRPGs. During the Xbox 360 era, Microsoft dipped its toes into the genre, spawning two awesome exclusives in Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon. These releases proved to be exceptions rather than the start of something special, but they are at least backward compatible.

Out of the two, Lost Odyssey is the superior experience. Boasting a turn-based battle system that harkens back to Square’s ’90s JRPGs, Lost Odyssey features an epic story, a large map to explore, and stellar visuals. Although its antiquated gameplay might put off people more accustomed to modern JRPGs, anyone fond of the classics would be doing themselves a disservice if they do not give Lost Odyssey a try. The same goes for Blue Dragon.

13 Fable Trilogy (Xbox & Xbox 360)

Lionhead Studios’ Fable games have a weird reputation. On the one hand, the series never quite lived up to the promises made prior to its debut; conversely, each entry – especially Fable and Fable 2 – delivers engaging adventures filled with whimsical characters and ambitious mechanics.

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If there is one thing the series excels at, it is crafting living, breathing worlds overflowing with personality and a sense of discovery. Albion is one of gaming’s all-time great settings, and it deserves to be playable across as many generations as possible. Hopefully, it is only a matter of time before a new Fable game becomes a reality; even if that day never comes to pass, the original trilogy will still be available as some of the best backward compatible Xbox games.

12 Max Payne Trilogy (Xbox & Xbox 360)

A contender for the most exciting collection included in the Xbox’s final backward compatible additions, the Max Payne trilogy can now be played on the Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. Telling the tragic story of a former detective torn by the death of his family, Max Payne is haunting, entertaining, and unforgettable.

While the franchise’s bullet time mechanic is very much a product of the post-Matrix era, that does nothing to hamper just how fun these games are to play. At this point, it doesn’t seem that likely that a Max Payne 4 will see the light of day anytime soon, so it is at least nice to have the trilogy available on modern consoles.

11 TimeSplitters 2 & Future Perfect (Xbox)

It is always a good day when TimeSplitters steps into the spotlight. Producing some of the most enjoyable multiplayer-focused shooters of the early 2000s, TimeSplitters 2 and Future Perfect are an absolute blast to play. While their stories aren’t groundbreaking, they are fun romps through time, blending engaging fps gameplay with cool environments and quirky characters.

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As these games were never released on PC, the franchise isn’t particularly easy to revisit all these years later. The Xbox’s backward compatibility program should increase TimeSplitters’ visibility, hopefully fueling interest in the franchise as a new entry is currently in development.

10 Fallout: New Vegas (Xbox 360)

Developer Obsidian Entertainment’s first foray into the Fallout franchise was met with critical acclaim and commercial success. As a company with a commendable track record consisting of games like Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, Neverwinter Nights 2, and The Outer Worlds, Fallout: New Vegas is yet another one of their great games.

Bethesda Softworks’s decision to reach out to Obsidian Entertainment was potentially a risky venture. The result was a polished Fallout game that is considered the best of the series.

9 Perfect Dark (Xbox 360)

The Nintendo 64 cult-classic Perfect Dark is available on Xbox One as part of the Rare Replay collection. The Rare Replay collection features the same classic gameplay of Perfect Dark that wowed people at its initial release.

To top things off, the Xbox One version has a Snapshots mode that makes taking pictures a breeze. Rare Replay is the best way to experience Perfect Dark. The collection comes with 29 other games, which isn’t bad either.

8 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Xbox 360)

Before Grand Theft Auto 5 shook the industry with densely packed content on a large map, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was groundbreaking. This microcosm of California of Nevada is not immune to the effects of gang warfare and crime.

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For the first time in the series, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas incorporated RPG elements that worked seamlessly. One could work on character attributes as they wreaked havoc (or acted as a law-abiding citizen) in the fictional state of San Andreas. This masterpiece is a must-play on Xbox’s backward compatibility.

7 Ninja Gaiden Black (Xbox)

After the explosive 2004 release of Ninja Gaiden, developer Team Ninja decided to revamp the game with added content. While PlayStation got Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Xbox got Ninja Gaiden Black. With that said, both are excellent reworked versions of the original game.

Ninja Gaiden Black is heralded for its hack and slash gameplay, which was way ahead of the industry standard. Ninja Gaiden Black added difficulty modes (Ninja Dog and Master), shifted enemy layout, and made multiple tweaks to the gameplay. Also, it contains the two Hurricane DLC packs.

6 The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind (Xbox)

The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind is widely regarded as the best The Elder Scrolls game. While other games in the franchise have better graphics, Morrowind can be called better for a variety of reasons.

The game puts players in the shoes of an outsider who has to work for relationships. It’s a story where players start from the bottom and have to work their way up. This RPG is sheer perfection.

5 Mass Effect Trilogy (Xbox 360)

Rather than sort out which of the games is the best (it could be Mass Effect 2), it makes sense to group them all into one. The Mass Effect trilogy was released for the Xbox 360 and is considered one of the greatest sci-fi trilogy of all time.

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Captivating voice acting performances and solid gameplay create an unreal experience. These games have stood the test of time for a plethora of reasons, even if the originals can be hard to revisit following the release of the Legendary Edition. It was initially thought that Mass Effect 2 wouldn’t be brought to Xbox One since it’s a multi-disc game. Thankfully, the game can be played digitally, and Microsoft has found workarounds for other multi-disc games.

4 Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (Xbox)

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell is arguably the most gripping game to bear Tom Clancy’s name. As a game with an emphasis on stealth tactics, it is credited for revolutionizing gaming. Stealth-based games were very different after the release of Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell.

With many games utilizing stealth mechanics as a feature, one might wonder if there’s a place for a new Splinter Cell. For now, it can be said that Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory has hardly aged.

3 Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic (Xbox)

This acclaimed RPG from BioWare continues to be a topic of discussion now that the remake has been confirmed BioWare is one of the biggest names around when it comes to role-playing games, and KOTOR showcases the studio’s talent for strong writing and characters.

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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a spacefaring adventure that lets players carve their path as a dark side or light side Force user. The game’s integration of role-playing elements is masterful. This is one backward compatible game nobody should miss.

2 Red Dead Redemption (Xbox 360)

Red Dead Redemption 2 might be one of the most graphically impressive games of the decade, yet it wouldn’t exist without Red Dead Redemption. Playing as John Marston, players gain insight into a flawed character. His struggle to do the right thing and look out for his family creates problems for himself.

This iconic game is one of the best that Xbox has to offer. Red Dead Revolver has been also made compatible with the Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One, so people can now play through the full trilogy.

1 Portal 1 & 2 (Xbox 360)

At face value, Portal and Portal 2 look like basic puzzle games. After delving into both games of the series, there are layers of complexity that unfold. Opening up portals to reach an endpoint evolves into a game with a story involving a corrupt robot named GLaDOS. Your only device is the Portal Gun.

Portal and Portal 2 have different plots, but the concept of opening portals to advance remains. These are two of the Xbox’s best backward compatible games.

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