Video games listed among the best of the Xbox (console)

At least video games have been listed as some of the best of the original Xbox. Despite a four-year lifespan, criticism towards the design of the console and its controller, and a poor player reputation of "being nothing more than a Halo machine", the Xbox established Microsoft as a major player in the video game console market. The library, slightly below 1,000 games, covered a variety of genres, such as role-playing, shooter, racing, horror, stealth, and party. Video game franchises such as Halo, Fable and Forza were introduced on the console.

Unlike the same console generation's competitors, Nintendo's GameCube and Sony's PlayStation 2 (PS2), which heavily depended on memory cards for data storage, the big, heavy Xbox console was designed more closely to a desktop computer with DVD-ROM and a hard drive. This enabled 733 Hz processing power, which allowed for custom soundtracks, fast loading times, and some of the most photorealistic graphics of the time. This resulted in several exclusive titles. However, numerous multi-console games were also released on the Xbox. Destructoid considered several Xbox ports of games also released on the PS2 and GameCube as the best of the three.

The Xbox is also perceived as the spiritual successor to Sega's final home console, the Dreamcast, with its ports of PC games that would not function on other consoles and focus on online multiplayer. Some franchises previously only on PC, such as The Elder Scrolls, made their console debuts. The Xbox was revolutionary in online gaming, as it introduced cloud storage, online voice chatting and Game Passes to the industry. Several releases were influential, such as Halo: Combat Evolved which inspired several first-person shooters.

List

+YearGameGenreDeveloperPublisher 2001Dead or Alive 3FightingTeam NinjaTecmoHalo: Combat EvolvedFirst-person shooterBungieMicrosoft Game Studios2002The Elder Scrolls III: MorrowindAction role-playingBethesdaMechAssaultShooterDay 1 Studios, FASA StudioMicrosoft Game StudiosMetal Gear Solid 2: SubstanceStealthKonamiJet Set Radio FutureActionSmilebitSegaOtogi: Myth of DemonsAction role-playingFromSoftwarePanzer Dragoon OrtaRail shooterSmilebitSegaShenmue IIAction-adventureSegaSteel BattalionVehicle simulationCapcomTimeSplitters 2First-person shooterFree Radical DesignEidos InteractiveTom Clancy's Splinter CellStealthUbisoftTony Hawk's Pro Skater 3SkateboardingNeversoftActivision O22003Beyond Good & EvilAction-adventureUbisoftCrimson Skies: High Road to RevengeArcade flightFASA StudioMicrosoft Game StudiosPrince of Persia: The Sands of TimeAction-adventureUbisoftProject Gotham Racing 2RacingBizarre CreationsMicrosoft Game StudiosSoulcalibur IIFightingProject SoulElectronic ArtsSSX 3SnowboardingElectronic ArtsStar Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicRole-playingBioWareLucasArtsTom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3Tactical shooterUbisoftTony Hawk's UndergroundSkateboardingNeversoftActivisionTop SpinSportsSalt Lake Games Studio, PAM DevelopmentMicrosoft Game Studios2004BreakdownAction-adventureNamcoBurnout 3: TakedownRacingCriterion GamesElectronic ArtsThe Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher BayStealthStarbreeze Studios, Tigon StudiosVivendi Universal GamesESPN NFL 2K5SportsVisual ConceptsSega of AmericaFableAction role-playingBig Blue Box StudiosMicrosoft Game StudiosGrand Theft Auto: San AndreasAction-adventureRockstar GamesHalo 2First-person shooterBungieMicrosoft Game StudiosNinja GaidenHack and slashTeam NinjaTecmoStar Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith LordsRole-playingObsidian EntertainmentLucasArtsTom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora TomorrowStealthUbisoft2005Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30First-person shooterGearbox SoftwareUbisoftDoom 3First-person shooterVicarious VisionsAspyr MediaFable: The Lost ChaptersAction role-playingLionhead StudiosMicrosoft Game StudiosFar Cry InstinctsFirst-person shooterUbisoftForza MotorsportSim racingTurn 10 StudiosMicrosoft Game StudiosHalf-Life 2First-person shooterValveElectronic ArtsIndigo ProphecyAction-adventureQuantic DreamAtariJade EmpireAction role-playingBioWareMicrosoft Game StudiosNinja Gaiden BlackHack and slashTeam NinjaTecmoOddworld: Stranger's WrathShooterOddworld InhabitantsEA GamesPsychonautsPlatformDouble Fine ProductionsMajescoTom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos TheorySleathUbisoftUnreal Championship 2: The Liandri ConflictArena shooterEpic GamesMidway Games2006Outrun 2006: Coast 2 CoastRacingSumo DigitalSega

Publications For instances of at least four citations, they are in the notes section displaying which publications considered the entry one of the best.

Destructoid – 2025 Digital Spy – 2016 Digital Trends – 2024 For The Win – 2022 GameRevolution – 2013 GamesRadar – 2025 GameSpot – 2026 GameSpy – 2005 HobbyConsolas – 2017 IGN – 2025 Kotaku – 2017 Paste – 2021 Pure Xbox – 2021 Racketboy – 2011 Stuff – 2011 Time Extension – 2023

Notes

References