25 Years Later, How Many Original Xbox Launch Games Have You Played?

As Xbox approaches its 25th anniversary, the console's original North American launch lineup is back in focus. The milestone will be officially celebrated on November 15, but the anniversary also offers a chance to look back at the first games available on the platform.

The launch lineup consisted of 20 titles, including several well-known releases such as Halo: Combat Evolved, Fuzion Frenzy, Dead or Alive 3 and Project Gotham Racing. The list also featured less prominent games, including Arctic Thunder, Dark Summit and Mad Dash Racing.

The complete North American launch lineup was:

4x4 Evo 2; Airforce Delta Storm; Arctic Thunder; Cel Damage; Dark Summit; Dead or Alive 3; Fuzion Frenzy; Halo: Combat Evolved; Mad Dash Racing; Madden NFL 2002; Nascar Heat 2002; Nascar Thunder 2002; NFL Fever 2002; NHL Hitz 2002; Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee; Project Gotham Racing; Shrek; Test Drive Off-Road: Wide Open; Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x; and TransWorld Surf.

Some of these games remain playable on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, while others are still limited to the original Xbox. Project Gotham Racing, Shrek and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x remain frequently requested additions to Xbox's backwards compatibility library, although licensing issues appear to make their inclusion unlikely.

Cel Damage and Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee are among the launch titles that can still be played on modern consoles. Despite their age, both are highlighted as games that remain worth revisiting. NHL Hitz 2002 is also singled out as a personal favorite among the more obscure releases.

Sources: Pure Xbox.