Summary
People around the world have been asking forbackward-compatibleconsoles to be the standard for a long time. Finally, that has become a reality with theXbox Series Xand PlayStation 5 being backward compatible from day one. That said, these systems cannot play every game released before their debuts.
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 thebest backwards-compatible Xbox games?
Updated June 09, 2025 by Mark Sammut:The specifications have been added for every listed backwards-compatible Xbox game, including their developers and genres.
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 Transformedis a fantastic spin-off that plays like a dream, still looks pretty nice, and has a decent amount of content.Sonicfans 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 toSonic & All-Stars Racing Transformedis in the works. If that announcement never comes to pass, at least fans can play this splendid title across multiple generations of Xbox consoles.
Unfortunately, 2018’sZone of the Enders: The 2nd Runnerremaster 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’sZone of the Enders HD Collection, which contains both games in the franchise.
The 2nd Runneris 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.
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’sF.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.
Along withTony Hawk’s Pro Skater,Skateset the standard for extreme sports games.Skate 2builds upon the very solid foundations of its predecessor, dropping players into an urban open-world filled with challenges, guards, and rails to grind.
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.
An Xbox 360 exclusive,Dead Or Alive 4is a strong entry in a fighting franchise that produces nothing but great games. Released in 2005,Dead Or Alive 4doesn’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 4has free-flowing combat built upon a rock, paper, scissors system – strikes trump throws, throws beat holds, and holds defeat strikes.
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 inLost OdysseyandBlue 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 Odysseyis the superior experience. Boasting a turn-based battle system that harkens back to Square’s ’90s JRPGs,Lost Odysseyfeatures an epic story, a large map to explore, and stellar visuals. Although its antiquated gameplay might put off people more accustomed tomodern JRPGs, anyone fond of the classics would be doing themselves a disservice if they did not giveLost Odysseya try. The same goes forBlue Dragon.
Lionhead Studios’Fablegames 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 – especiallyFableandFable 2 –delivers engaging adventures filled with whimsical characters and ambitious mechanics.
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 newFablegame becomes a reality; even if that day never comes to pass, the original trilogy will still be available as some of thebest backward-compatible Xbox games.
A contender for the most exciting collection included in theXbox’s final backward compatible additions, theMax Paynetrilogy 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 Payneis haunting, entertaining, and unforgettable.
While the franchise’s bullet time mechanic is very much a product of the post-Matrixera, that does nothing to hamper just how fun these games are to play. At this point, it doesn’t seem that likely that aMax Payne 4will see the light of day anytime soon, so it is at least nice to have the trilogy available on modern consoles.
It is always a good day whenTimeSplitterssteps into the spotlight. Producing some of the most enjoyable multiplayer-focused shooters of the early 2000s,TimeSplitters 2andFuture Perfectare 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.
As these games were never released on PC, the franchise isn’t particularly easy to revisit all these years later. TheXbox’s backward compatibility programshould increaseTimeSplitters' visibility, hopefully fueling interest in the franchise as anew entry is currently in development.
Fallout’s 3D era has been largely a success, even if there have been a few bumps along the way. Bethesda’s mainline entries are (mostly) highly regarded, but an argument could be made that the best modernFalloutwas not developed by the license’s owner.
Obsidian’sFallout: New Vegaslaunched in a rough, buggy state, but once those issues were ironed out, the game’s strong writing and world-building could shine through unimpeded. The amazing thing is that, even after all these years, the game’s strengths and weaknesses have remained the same. More importantly, the former far outnumber the latter.
