There are a lot of games from previous console generations which will be backwards compatible with the Xbox Series X and currently are playable on the Xbox One. Microsoft is planning to release the newest version of their Xbox line of video game consoles later in 2020 during the holiday season and, in contrast to the slow reveal of information from Sony about their upcoming PlayStation 5, players already have a good bit of information about just what exactly the new Xbox Series X is bringing to the table.
However, one things players don't yet know for sure is just when inside the Holiday 2020 release window Microsoft will make the Xbox Series X available to purchase, or how expensive it will be. Thankfully, the company is not expecting any delays with its production despite the current ongoing global situation, and players have already begun to receive video footage from next-gen Xbox games like The Ascent. Until the Xbox Series X arrives, people looking to jump into another game right this minute have a LOT of options.
With the Xbox Series X (and the Xbox One) players don't just have new games to look forward to in the coming months, but also a massive back catalog accessible though the console's backwards compatibility functions. According to Eurogamer, "both downloadable and disc-based Xbox 360 and original Xbox games work on Xbox One and Xbox Series X," but only on a game-by-game basis, meaning not every single retro Xbox game will work on Microsoft's newest console. However, there is a large list of titles which will run fine on either the Xbox One or the upcoming Xbox Series X, and the full list of backwards compatible games has been included below.
Original Xbox Games Playable On Xbox Series X & Xbox One
The following list contains every game for the original Microsoft Xbox console which is available to play via backwards compatibility on both the Xbox Series X and the Xbox One:
- Armed and Dangerous
- Blinx: The Time Sweeper
- Bloodrayne 2
- Breakdown
- Conker: Live and Reloaded
- Crimson Skies
- Dead to Rights
- Destroy All Humans!
- Full Spectrum Warrior
- Fusion Frenzy
- Grabbed by the Ghoulies
- Hunter: The Reckoning
- Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb
- Jade Empire
- King of Fighters: Neowave
- Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction
- MX Unleashed
- Ninja Gaiden Black
- Panzer Dragoon Orta
- Panzer Elite Action: Fields of Glory
- Pirates!
- Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
- Psychonauts
- Red Faction 2
- Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy
- SSX 3
- Star Wars Battlefront
- Star Wars Battlefront II
- Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
- Star Wars Jedi Starfighter
- Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
- Star Wars Republic Commando
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
- The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow
- Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict
All Xbox 360 Games Playable On Xbox Series X & Xbox One
Thanks to the popularity of services like Xbox Live Arcade, as well as a number of high-quality third- and first-party titles, the list for backwards compatible Xbox 360 games for the Xbox Series X and Xbox One is much longer. There are a number of fantastic games featured below, including some which gain enhancements if played on an Xbox One X. Games that can be made better in this manner have been marked with an asterisk.
- 0 day Attack on Earth
- 3D Ultra Minigolf
- A Kingdom for Keflings
- A World of Keflings
- Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation
- Aegis Wing
- Age of Booty
- Alan Wake
- Alan Wake's American Nightmare
- Alaskan Adventures
- Alice: Madness Returns
- Alien Hominid HD
- Aliens vs Predator
- Altered Beast
- AirMech
- Anomaly Warzone Earth
- Aqua
- Army of Two
- Assassin's Creed*
- Assassin's Creed 2
- Assassin's Creed 3
- Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag
- Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
- Assassin's Creed Liberation HD
- Assassin's Creed Revelations
- Assassin's Creed Rogue
- Assault Heroes 2
- Asteroids and Deluxe
- Astropop
- Axel and Pixel
- Asura's Wrath
- Babel Rising
- Band of Bugs
- Banjo Kazooie*
- Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts*
- Banjo Tooie*
- Batman: Arkham Origins (disc version only)
- BattleBlock Theater
- Battlefield 1943
- Battlefield: Bad Company
- Battlefield: Bad Company 2
- Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
- Battlefield 3 (disc version only)
- Battlestations Pacific
- Bayonetta
- Bejeweled 2
- Bejeweled 3
- Bellator: MMA Onslaught
- Beyond Good and Evil HD
- BioShock
- BioShock 2
- BioShock Infinite
- Blazing Angels
- Blood Knights
- Blood of the Werewolf
- BloodRayne: Betrayal
- Bloodforge
- Blue Dragon
- Bomberman Battlefest
- Boom Boom Rocket
- Bound by Flame
- Borderlands
- Borderlands 2
- Braid
- Brave: The Video Game
- Brain Challenge
- Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway
- Brutal Legend
- Bullet Soul
- Bullet Soul -Infinite Burst-
- Bully
- The Bureau: XCOM Declassified
- Burnout Paradise
- Burnout Revenge
- Calbela's Dangerous Hunts 2013
- Cabela's Hunting Expeditions
- Cabela's Survival: Shadows of Katmai
- Call of Duty 2
- Call of Duty 3
- Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
- Call of Duty: Black Ops
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
- Call of Duty: Ghosts
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
- Call of Duty: World at War
- Call of Juarez Gunslinger
- Capcom Arcade Cabinet
- Carcassonne
- Cars 2: The Video Game
- Castle Crashers
- Castlestorm
- Castlevania: Harmony of Despair
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate HD
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
- Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
- Catherine
- Cars: Mater-National
- Centipede and Millipede
- Child of Eden
- Civilization Revolution
- Contra
- Comic Jumper
- Comix Zone
- Command and Conquer 3 Tiberium wars
- Command and Conquer 3 Kane's Wrath
- Command and Conquer Red Alert 3
- Command and Conquer Red Alert 3 Commander's Challenge
- Commanders: Attack
- Condemned: Criminal Origins
- Costume Quest
- Costume Quest 2
- Counter-Strike: GO
- Crackdown*
- Crackdown 2
- Crazy Taxi
- Crysis
- Crysis 2
- Crysis 3
- Crystal Defenders
- Crystal Quest
- Dante's Inferno
- The Darkness
- Darksiders*
- Darksiders 2
- Dark Souls
- Daytona USA
- Dark Void
- Dead Rising 2: Case Zero
- Dead Rising 2: Case West
- Dead Space
- Dead Space 2
- Dead Space 3
- Dead Space Ignition
- Deadfall Adventures
- Deadliest Warrior: The Game
- Deadliest Warrior: Legends
- Deadly Premonition
- DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue
- Defense Grid
- Dig Dug
- Deus Ex: Human Revolution
- Dirt 3
- Dirt Showdown
- Discs of Tron
- Disney Bolt
- Divinity 2: The Dragon Knight Saga
- Domino Master
- Doom
- Doom II
- Doom 3 BFG Edition
- Doritos Crash Course
- Double Dragon Neon
- Dragon Age: Origins
- Dragon Age 2
- Driver San Francisco
- Duck Tales: Remastered
- Duke Nukem Forever
- Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project
- Dungeon Siege III
- Earth Defense Force 2017
- Earth Defense Force 2025
- Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon
- Earthworm Jim HD
- Eat Lead
- Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion*
- Enchanted Arms
- Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
- Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
- Escape Dead Island
- F1 2014
- Fable Anniversary*
- Fable II*
- Fable II Pub Games
- Fable III
- Fable Heroes
- Faery: Legends of Avalon
- Fallout 3*
- Fallout: New Vegas
- Far Cry Classic
- Far Cry Instincts Predator
- Far Cry 2
- Far Cry 3
- Feeding Frenzy
- Feeding Frenzy 2
- Flashback
- Fighting Vipers
- Fight Night Champion
- Final Fantasy XIII*
- Final Fantasy XIII-2*
- Final Fight: Double Impact
- Forza Horizon*
- Foul Play
- Fret Nice
- Frogger
- Frogger 2
- From Dust
- Frontlines: Fuel of War
- Fuel
- Galaga
- Galaga Legions
- Galaga Legions DX
- Garou: Mark of the Wolves
- Gatling Gears
- Gears of War
- Gears of War 2*
- Gears of War 3*
- Gears of War: Judgment
- Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved
- Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
- Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved
- Ghostbusters
- Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime
- Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
- Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
- Ghost Recon Future Soldier
- Gin Rummy
- Girl Fight
- Goat Simulator
- Go! Go! Break Steady
- Golden Axe
- Golf: Tee It Up!
- GRID Autosport
- GRID 2
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Greg Hastings Paintball 2
- Gripshift
- Guardian Heroes
- Gunstar Heroes
- Guwange
- Gyromancer
- GYRUSS
- Half-Minute Hero - Super Mega Neo Climax
- Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (disc version only)
- Halo 3*
- Halo 3: ODST
- Halo 4
- Halo: Reach
- Halo: Spartan Assault
- Halo Wars
- Hard Corps: Uprising
- Hardwood Backgammon
- Hardwood Hearts
- Hardwood Spades
- Harms Way
- Heavy Weapon
- Hexic 2
- Hexic HD
- Hitman HD Pack
- Hitman: Blood Money
- Hydrophobia
- Hydro Thunder
- I Am Alive
- Ikaruga
- ilomilo
- Infinite Undiscovery
- Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
- Interpol
- Iron Brigade
- Jeremy McGrath's Offroad
- Jet Set Radio
- Jetpac Refuelled
- Jewel Quest
- Joe Danger
- Joe Danger 2: The Movie
- Joust
- Joy Ride Turbo
- Just Cause
- Just Cause 2
- Kameo: Elements of Power*
- Kane and Lynch 2
- Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
- King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie
- King of Fighters 98 Ultimate Match
- King of Fighters 2012 Unlimited Match
- King of Fighters Sky Stage
- King of Fighters XIII
- Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
- Lazy Raiders
- Left 4 Dead
- Left 4 Dead 2
- LEGO Batman
- LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
- LEGO Indiana Jones 2
- LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game
- LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
- LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
- LEGO Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars
- Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII*
- Lode Runner
- Lost Odyssey
- Lost Planet
- Lost Planet 2
- Lost Planet 3
- Lost Planet Colonies
- Lumines Live!
- Luxor 2 Arcade
- Madballs Babo: Invasion
- Mafia II
- Magic: The Gathering
- Magic 2012
- Magic 2013
- Magic 2014 - Duels of the Planeswalkers
- Marathon: Durandal
- Marlow Briggs and the Mask of the Death
- Mars: War Logs
- Mass Effect
- Mass Effect 2
- Meet the Robinsons
- Mass Effect 3
- Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond
- Medal of Honor: Airborne
- Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
- Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker HD Edition
- Metal Slug 3
- Metal Slug XX
- Midnight Club LA
- Midway Arcade Origins
- Might and Magic Clash of Heroes
- Mirror's Edge*
- Missile Command
- Monaco: What's Yours is Mine
- Monday Night Combat
- Monkey Island: SE
- Monkey Island 2: SE
- Monopoly Deal
- Monopoly Plus
- Moon Diver
- Motocross Madness
- Ms. Splosion Man
- MS.PAC-MAN
- Mutant Blobs Attack
- Mutant Storm Empire
- Mutant Storm Reloaded
- MX vs. ATV Reflex
- N+
- NBA Jam: On Fire Edition
- NeoGeo Battle Coliseum
- NiGHTS into Dreams
- Ninja Gaiden 2*
- Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge
- Nin2-Jump
- Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
- Operation Flashpoint: Red River
- Orcs Must Die!
- Outland
- Overlord
- Overlord 2
- Pac-Man
- Pac-Man Museum
- Pac-Man Championship Edition
- PAC-MAN CE DX+
- Peggle
- Peggle 2
- Perfect Dark*
- Perfect Dark Zero*
- Persona 4 Arena
- Phantasy Star II
- Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds
- Pinball FX
- Plants vs. Zombies
- Poker Smash
- Portal: Still Alive
- Portal 2*
- Port Royale 3 Pirates and Merchants
- Prey
- Prince of Persia
- Prince of Persia (2008)
- Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands
- Pure
- Putty Squad
- Puzzlegeddon
- Puzzle Quest
- Puzzle Quest Galactrix
- Puzzle Quest 2
- Quantum Conundrum
- R-Type Dimensions
- Radiant Silvergun
- Rainbow Six Vegas
- Raiden IV
- Rainbow Six Vegas 2
- Raskulls
- Rayman Legends
- Rayman Origins
- Rayman Raving Rabbids
- Rayman 3 HD
- Red Dead Redemption*
- Red Faction: Armageddon
- Resident Evil: Code Veronica X
- RoboBlitz
- Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis
- Rumble Roses XX
- Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien
- R.U.S.E.
- Sacred 3
- Sacred Citadel
- Saints Row
- Saints Row 2
- Saints Row: The Third
- Saints Row IV
- Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell
- Samurai Shodown II
- Sam and Max Save the World
- Sam and Max Beyond Time and Space
- Scarygirl
- Scrap Metal
- ScreamRide
- Sega Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd and Co.
- Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World
- Sega Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage
- Sega Vintage Collection: ToeJam and Earl
- Sensible World of Soccer
- Shadow Assault Tenchu
- Shadow Complex
- Shadows of the Damned
- Shinobi
- Skate
- Skate 3*
- Skullgirls
- Slender: The Arrival
- Silent Hill: Downpour
- Silent Hill: HD Collection
- Silent Hill Homecoming
- Sine Mora
- Small Arms
- Sniper Elite V2
- Soltrio Solitaire
- Sonic Adventure
- Sonic Adventure 2
- Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed
- Sonic and Knuckles
- Sonic CD
- Sonic Generations
- Sonic the Fighters
- Sonic The Hedgehog
- Sonic The Hedgehog 2
- Sonic The Hedgehog 3
- Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
- Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 2
- Sonic Unleashed
- Soul Caliber
- Soul Caliber II HD
- South Park: The Stick of Truth
- Space Giraffe
- Space Invaders Infinity Gene
- Spec Ops: The Line
- Spelunky
- Splinter Cell Blacklist*
- Splinter Cell Conviction*
- Splinter Cell Double Agent*
- Split / Second
- Splosion Man
- SSX
- Stacking
- Star Ocean: The Last Hope
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed*
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
- Steinsgate
- Strania
- Street Fighter 4
- Sega Bass Fishing
- Super Contra
- Super Meat Boy
- Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
- Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition
- Supreme Commander 2
- Syberia
- Syndicate
- Tecmo Bowl Throwback
- Tekken 6
- Tekken Tag Tournament 2
- Texas Hold'em
- Ticket to Ride
- TimeShift
- The Cave
- The Darkness 2
- The Orange Box
- The Maw
- The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom
- The Splatters
- The Walking Dead: Season One
- The Walking Dead: Season Two
- The Walking Dead: Michonne
- Too Human
- Tomb Raider Anniversary
- Tomb Raider Legend
- Tomb Raider Underworld
- Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X.
- Tom Clancy's EndWar
- Torchlight
- Tour de France 2009
- Tower Bloxx Deluxe
- Toybox Turbos
- Toy Soldiers
- Toy Soldiers Cold War
- Toy Story 3
- Trials Evolution
- Trials HD
- Triggerheart Exelica
- Trine 2
- Tropico 4
- Tron: Evolution
- Ugly Americans: Apocalypsegeddon
- Unbound Saga
- Undertow
- Unreal Tournament III
- Vanquish
- Virtua Fighter 2
- Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown
- Virtual-On (Japan only)
- Virtual On: OT
- Viva Piñata*
- Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise*
- Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings*
- Wolfenstein 3D
- Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3
- XCOM: Enemy Unknown
- XCOM: Enemy Within
- Yosumin! Live
- Zone of the Enders HD
- Zuma
- Zuma's Revenge!
With over five hundred backwards compatible games, the Xbox's library definitely has something for every kind of player imaginable. Even if some of the upcoming Xbox Series X games get delayed due to unavoidable circumstances, the amount of titles available in Microsoft's back catalog is sure to hold fans' attention for whatever length of time they have to wait. Until the next generation of Xbox arrives, there's clearly still plenty of games to play.
Source: Eurogamer