Top 9 Xbox Games for Xbox One

Ever since Phil Spencer made the announcement on E3 that the original Xbox games will be downloadable for the Xbox One, there is no shortage of speculation as to which ones will come out. So far, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge is the only confirmed game, but I’m sure there will be fan input, just like the Xbox 360, as to what games they want from the original system.
Since there is no shortage of debate, here is my list (in no particular order) on what Microsoft should release as Xbox downloads.
Disclaimer: I’m not including games/franchises such as Halo, GTA San Andreas, Doom 3, and Battlefront (to name a few), because the superior versions are already out for either the Xbox 360 or Xbox One. I’m sure there are some that are holding on to these versions for dear life, but at this point it’s, well, pointless to re-release them since they are dated.
 

1. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) I

Even though this is no longer considered “canon” (thanks, Disney!), Knights of the Old Republic is still one of the best stories in the Star Wars universe. You didn’t need to have characters from the “Episode” arc like Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Rey, Palpatine, Leia, etc. to have a great Star Wars story. You just need Star Wars lore like Wookies, Twi’leks, the Force, droids, lightsabers, etc. and making moral decisions for your custom character, and boom, you get Star Wars. This game also had one of the most shocking twists in gaming history, which made me go WTF when I first played it.
 

2. KOTOR II: The Sith Lords

Not as good as the first, but your Jedi guide, Kreia is very interesting character. She’s very Nieztschean in her philosophy and dialogue, challenging the practicality of your moral codes. You can also use your influence to strengthen up your characters, if you use it well.
 

3. GTA: Vice City

As much praise as GTA IV and V have received, I kind of missed the cartoony ambiance of the GTA games from the sixth-gen (Vice City and III). The way you interact with people on the streets and their reactions/dialogue are extremely funny and, well, fun. It doesn’t take itself too seriously like GTA IV, in my opinion. What’s great about this game from the original Xbox is you can import your MP3 music and play them into your vehicle (any one of them would do); let’s hope it can be done again as an Xbox One re-release. Oh, and hookers, carjacking, killing Haitians and Cubans, drug-dealing, corrupt politicians, and VCPR.
 

4. The Punisher

This game could be viewed as the “sequel” to the 2004 movie since Thomas Jane provides the voice of the title character, and he does a rather good job at it. The gameplay is a bit simple but you get to interrogate enemies by scaring them in the most brutal fashions (drilling their eyes, slamming window doors on their faces, dipping their heads in hot cooking oil, etc). Dialogue is also funny too. You also encounter other characters from the Marvel universe such as Kingpin, Black Widow, Nick Fury (not Samuel L. Jackson, sorry), Iron Man, and Bullseye.

5. Star Wars: Republic Commando

Like the KOTOR series, this game is no longer “canon”, but it does a great job giving a different perspective from a Clone Trooper’s point-of-view. It’s standard FPS, but you really do take command of a squad that actually does make a difference to your missions.
 

6. Capcom vs. SNK 2

With the upcoming Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite, let’s go back to a time when the Vs. games were actually a thing (Marvel vs. Capcom, X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom). What’s unique about this game (besides the original) is you can adapt which “brand” fighting style you want to adopt (either Capcom or SNK). Almost every fighter from Capcom vs. almost every fighter from SNK was stuff fighting game dreams were made.
 

7. Def Jam: Fight for NY

This game was the MMA/UFC before it became cool. It might be a bit difficult to get a license since it starred real-life hip-hop artists and actors like Snoop Dogg, Ice-T, Danny Trejo, Warren G, Carmen Electra, Ludacris, etc. But fighting as these characters was a lot of fun. Very diverse gameplay with up to three different styles of fighting (Street fighting, wrestling, submission, kickboxing, and martial arts). You can also buy stylish clothes, which doesn’t affect gameplay, but adds a nice touch to it.
 

8. Gauntlet: Dark Legacy

Sure, the game might feel like a button masher, but picking a diverse set of characters and not having to insert coins to regain health (arcade version) is what made this one a joy to play, albeit repetitive. Co-op is the best way to play.
       9. Max Payne The graphics did not age well, but the gameplay still holds up. It plays very smoothly and you’ll get some insight on how down-and-out cop feels amidst the rampant corruption in Max Payne’s city. So the message of the game is this: painkillers are good for your health.
 
So, what do you think? Are there any games for the original Xbox you’d like to include? Comment down below.