Xbox 360 owners will be happy to hear that the Xbox 360’s backwards compatibility list has been updated once again. The new BC update adds an additional 37 titles (including some which are Japan exclusives) to the previous list, which contained more than 250 original Xbox games. Following statements made by Microsoft’s Peter Moore earlier this year, it sounded as though the 360 was headed for a halt to any further BC development. Moore stated, "Nobody is concerned anymore about backwards compatibility… let’s move on…" But with the new release of BC titles, Moore’s comment that "nobody is concerned anymore" takes a backseat to reality–gamers want BC functionality on their game consoles.
One particular title, Psychonauts, whose plot revolves around a training center for counter-psycho-terrorism, drew an especially happy reaction from the game’s designer, Tim Schafer. Regarding the inclusion of his game on the new BC list, he said, "It looks official! Yeee haw! I want to thank all the fans who mailed Microsoft on our account! It wouldn’t have happened without them!"
The incorporation of backwards compatibility in next-gen game consoles has certainly proven to be a pain in the neck for console manufacturers, as evidenced by our recent story on the PS3’s BC woes. What companies have realized, however, is that backwards compatibility is important to many gamers.
Here are the games included in the update:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Burnout 3: Takedown (support updated)
Conker: Live and Reloaded
Dead or Alive Ultimate
Destroy All Humans!
Dynasty Warriors 4
Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick
Ex Chaser (Japan only)
Family Guy
Far Cry: Instincts
Farenheit/Indigo Prophecy
I-Ninja
Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
MotoGP
Muzzle Flash (Japan only)
MX Unleashed
Open Season
Pariah
Plus Plumb 2 (Japan only)
Psychonauts
Psyvariar 2 Extend Edition (Japan only)
Rainbow Six: Lockdown
Rapala Pro Fishing
Rent-A-Hero no. 1 (Japan only)
Scarface
Shark Tale
Shenmue II
Soul Calibur II (North America only)
Splinter Cell: Double Agent
Tenerezza (Japan only)
The Incredibles
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
Ultimate Spider-Man
Wakeboarding Unleashed: Featuring Sean Murray
Whacked!
Winback2: Project Poseidon
Xiaolin Showdown
