Microsoft made its presence known in the home console market with the original Xbox in 2001. With Sega leaving console production behind and Nintendo and PlayStation still going strong, this was the perfect time for a new company to jump into place. Of course, if the Xbox didn’t have some quality games, it’s unlikely it’d still be going on today. Let’s look back on the top ten original Xbox games of all time.
Related: The 10 best games on Xbox Game Pass
The 10 best original Xbox games ever
Burnout 3: Takedown
The first couple of Burnout games were really fun, but it was the third entry that truly cemented the series as one of the best arcade-style racing games ever. In Burnout 3: Takedown, the emphasis is placed on battling it out with other cars. You get takedowns by forcing other racers to crash as you slam them into walls and other cars. To further incentivize this playstyle, the Road Rage mode was introduced which is won by reaching a certain number of takedowns in a time limit. Crash Mode returned and was improved, making it one of the most iconic racing game modes ever. The whole point was creating the largest wreck possible in a busy intersection. It’s a shame that Burnout games don’t really get made anymore because this game was the total package for fun, intense arcade racing you don’t see anymore.
Fable
Whenever people think of the Fable series, they often first think of Peter Molyneux’s over-promising features. While the game does not actually feature you planting a seed and watching a tree grow over time, this adventure was a great start for what turned out to be a very successful Xbox-exclusive series. You played as a hero, working for the Hero’s Guild and completing various quests in the world of Albion. This fantasy world is filled with many recognizable creatures and has a very distinct form of comedy that captured many fans. This laid the groundwork for a couple of really good sequels and is one of the reasons people are eagerly awaiting the future reboot of the series.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
At the time of San Andreas’ release, Grand Theft Auto was largely seen as a PlayStation game because of GTA 3 and Vice City having such prominent success on the PS2. With San Andreas, it was proven that Xbox could easily handle open-world, sandbox crime games. You play as CJ, who has returned home following the death of his mother and is instantly pulled back into a life of crime. While this game can’t compete graphically with GTA 4 and 5, it was seen as a big step forward for the series and many look back on it fondly outside of the shoddy remaster in 2021.
Halo: Combat Evolved
While the original Xbox needed a lot of the games on this list to succeed, it would have had no chance to survive without the first Halo game launching alongside it exclusively. This was the reason to own an Xbox in the early 2000s and was easily the biggest reason to jump off the PlayStation or Nintendo train. Bungie’s initial entry under Microsoft had the best feeling controls for a home console first-person shooter at the time, and everyone was enamored with this sci-fi epic. Halo is still considered Xbox’s biggest IP mainly because of how strong of an impression the original game made with the new console.
Halo 2
Following up on such a massive hit in Halo: Combat Evolved wasn’t going to be easy, but Halo 2 does that brilliantly. Similar to the first one, this game features a campaign that players still fondly look back on today — outside of that cliffhanger ending. It also added vastly improved multiplayer, which was the strongest selling point for Xbox Live. Like the original being a key reason the console succeeded, this game was a driving force in making sure Xbox Live became a thriving online multiplayer spot for players. Like the original, you can still play this classic through the Halo: Master Chief Collection.
Jade Empire
Jade Empire is one of the original Xbox’s cult classics. It sold poorly but is fondly remembered by those who played it. It was made by Bioware, best known for the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series, following the success of another game you’ll find below. Jade Empire had you playing as the Spirit Monk, a martial arts trainee under Master Li. You will make various choices along the way that will decide your alignment and affect the outcome of events. You will regularly expand your arsenal by learning new techniques as you become the ultimate fighting machine.
Jet Set Radio Future
Jet Set Radio Future is a reimagining of the original Dreamcast game that has been adjusted to play better. The main goal is to skate around the area and find graffiti tags left by rival gangs and cover them with your mark. The time limit in the original game has been removed and the world has been made more wide open and explorable. This game is a constant reminder of yet another forgotten franchise that had promise under Sega.
Psychonauts
When Psychonauts released, 3D platformers were losing their grip on the industry in favor of first-person war shooters. This resulted in the game having horrible sales numbers. Luckily, it became a cult classic and was revived with a sequel much later on. The first game is an inventive and interesting take on people’s mental illnesses. You play as Raz, who is a wannabe Psychonaut, or psychic agent who infiltrates people’s minds. He will go all around the summer camp he snuck into to find out why his peers have had their brains stolen and nail down who is the cause of it all.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars has always been a massive franchise, but Knights of the Old Republic is usually considered the best game under this IP. You play as a Jedi who wakes up with amnesia and fights against Darth Malak’s forces in round-based combat. You will continually receive light side and dark side points deciding which side of the force your character will lean toward in this epic RPG.
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay
It is generally accepted that movie video games, especially from the 2000s are pretty horrible. Somehow, The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay is one of the few exceptions. Vin Diesel portrays the role of Riddick in this prequel to Pitch Black which has you working to stealthily escape from the Butcher Bay prison. You will have to use your bare hands and any items laying around as makeshift weapons to get out of this area that no one has escaped before.
