Xbox
PAL version
Current Status: Working!
Kernel: 1.00.5101.01
Dash: 1.00.5659.03
Personal History
This is my original Xbox that I got as a gift in 2004 sometime. Played it to death as a teen, fond memories of multiplayer at sleepovers and stuff. Also my friend bringing his Xbox over for console link LANs and my Dad hand rewiring an ethernet cable into crossover ethernet XD. Some of my favourite games of all time are on this thing, I completed San Andreas 100% twice (saved over original by accident), probably have a few thousand hours in that game alone.
Stopped using it as much by late 00s decade, left it sitting in a shed for a year in a sharehouse circa 2010, but still taken it with me wherever I have moved. Eventually I loaned it to my brother in law around 2018 not really expecting to use it again. THEN I kinda fell in love with the games again while playing some on the Xemu emulator around 2021-2022 and eventually asked for it back so I could fix it up.
It still has all of my old saves dating back to 2004, and profiles of old friends from multiplayer Halo and the like. It's now become a bit of a project to maintain.
My Games
A list of games I have/had with brief reviews.
Click on (LIVE) to see game specific revived online multiplayer status through Insignia.live
Click on |System Link| for game specific details regarding online system link support through XLinkKai (on hardware OR emulated!)
[Only on Xbox] is self explanatory.
Price Estimates
- $ = bargain bin game
- $$ = maybe pick up if fan of the genre/franchise, or on someone's recommendation. Likely cheaper on other platforms.
- $$$ = only get if it's a beloved game, even then look at other platforms first.
- $$$$ = silly price for a disc on a console with barely any exclusives that is well emulated (I don't have any of these for that reason)
Worth Playing!
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas $$
- Halo: Combat Evolved $$ [Only on Xbox] |System Link|
- Halo 2 $$$ [Only on Xbox] (LIVE) |System Link|
- Need for Speed Underground $$
- Need for Speed Underground 2 $$$
- Star Wars: Battlefront $$ (LIVE) |System Link|
- Star Wars: Battlefront II $$$ (LIVE) |System Link|
- Star Wars: Republic Commando $$$ (LIVE) |System Link|
- Mafia $$
- Unreal II: The Awakening $$ (LIVE) |System Link|
- Brute Force $ [Only on Xbox] |System Link|
- Rocky Legends $$
- James Bond 007: Nightfire $$
- Burnout 3: Takedown $$
- Tony Hawk's Underground $$$ |System Link|
- Fable $$
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic $$$
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II $$$
- Star Wars: Jedi Academy $$ (LIVE) |System Link|
- Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 $$$
My most played and fav GTA. Xbox version has a bug where if you save game in Madd Dogg's mansion, the basketball minigame breaks (patched or not present on other platforms). PC has SAMP, MTA, and roughly one million mods though.
The 'killer app', worth playing through at least once 'as intended' (this version on hardware or emulation). Still holds up today, with fun local multiplayer.
The 'killer app' 2, improves on the first game in essentially every way.
The greatest racing game of all time, although quite difficult at times. PS2 version supports online play (with ps2online.com) as does PC.
The greatest racing game of all time 2. Introduced free roam between races, more cars, and more customization.
Basically a Battlefield game in Star Wars (first person infantry battles with limited vehicles). Extremely fun.
Improves on the first game in essentially every way, adds playable 'heroes' (OP movie characters), and space battles. Mos Eisley Assault is the most fun (every player/bot is a hero).
First person tactical squad shooter, in Star Wars. Genuinely very good, has some unique mechanics like directing squad to perform actions from hard cover points. Also makes Super Battle Droids seem very scary.
The best, most unique, and most interesting of all GTA clones. Dips into simulation elements/mechanics at times. 100% worth playing, PC has QoL mods though.
Underrated first person shooter sequel. Definitely effected by Halo derivation, but I really enjoyed the missions, maps, and story. Better played on PC though
Really interesting futuristic third person shooter with four unique characters/playstyles you are prompted to switch through to complete the game. Worth trying, disc is usually very cheap.
Pretty involved boxing mechanics that are fun to master. You also have to 'train' in between fights to improve/maintain your stats. Surprisingly decent.
Basically 'Goldeneye 007' for this console generation, the multiplayer is similarly goofy fun, even with bots. Single player is fine, some fun gadgets.
Fantastic racer with an unmatched sense of speed, super detailed crash physics, and a pop-punk soundtrack.
Probably the best THPS, very fun with an engaging custom-character story I got very invested in as a teen.
Really fun fantasy RPG with a morality system that effects gameplay/story.
Arguably the best Star Wars game ever made, and minimum top 10 RPG of all time. 100% worth playing, PC has restored content mods though (K1R)
To me, THE best Star Wars game, and maybe all-time top 5 game. Written off by many due to bugs on launch (some gamebreakers are present in Xbox version, save frequently). Better on PC with restored content mod (TSLRCM). No game has better explored moral greyness, F:NV is a close 2nd.
Basically a Jedi Knight game (Star Wars on Quake), but you create your own character this time. THE best representation of lightsaber combat in any game, they dismember/instant kill (unlike the LED bats from other games), with different stances and playstyles, and like pixel specific swing controls. I think it plays better on PC with Mouse + Keyboard though, and there is a stronger online play community there.
This is hands down the best NFS game before Underground. Still in the 'exotic' sports car era of the earlier games with cop chasing.
Haven't played yet, but looks good
- Mercenaries $$
- Shenmue II $$
- True Crime: New York City $$
- Blinx: The Time Sweeper $$
- Crimson Skies $ [Only on Xbox] (LIVE)
- TimeSplitters 2 $$ |System Link|
- Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee $$
*Haven't played yet* got it because I adore Pandemic Studios games, this apparently has an unmatched open world emergent gameplay vibe (do 'anything' however you want)
*Haven't played yet* received it from a friend. Meant to be good
*Haven't played yet* received it from a friend, they rate it.
*Haven't played yet* received it from a friend.
*Haven't played yet* received it from a friend.
*Haven't played yet* received it from a friend. Quite literally Goldeneye 007 for this generation (most of the same dev team, and similar look/controls)
*Haven't played yet* received it from a friend.
Meh/Skippable/When In The Mood
- Tony Hawk's Underground 2 $$$
- James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing $$
- True Crime: Streets of LA $
- Spartan: Total Warrior $$
- Midtown Madness 3 $ [Only on Xbox] (LIVE) |System Link|
- Project Gotham Racing $ [Only on Xbox]
- Delta Force: Black Hawk Down $$ |System Link|
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon $ (LIVE) |System Link|
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 $ (LIVE) |System Link|
- Medal of Honor: Frontline $
- Medal of Honor: Rising Sun $
- Conflict: Vietnam $$
- Battlefield 2: Modern Combat $
- Madden NFL 2003 $
- WWE RAW 2 $$ [Only on Xbox]
- NHL 2K6 $
- Rugby League $
- Rugby League 2 $
Bam Magera's Tony Hawk's Underground. There's some new stuff, but I wouldn't say it is an improvement over the first. Story is whatever.
Odd but engaging third person espionage shooter trying to be a film. Melee system was quite fun, especially in the repeatable training simulations (has an endless horde mode)
This game had some groundbreaking stuff, like it's map size and realism to actual LA, and it's morality system. That said I fucking hate it with a passion, every mission is one of three things; shoot everyone, melee everyone, or attempt stealth then shoot/melee everyone, over and over and over again.
This was like Total War gone single soldier mode. Had some interesting melee for it's time, but I think there are better hack n slashes.
Very arcadey racer, nothing too special.
Weird racer where you win with 'style points' and not necessarily by placing first. I also hate the physics, neither arcade nor simulation enough to settle into either playstyle.
First person tactical shooter. Has 'rules of engagement' which was interesting, but it serves the propaganda more than the gameplay
First person tactical shooter. Had wider open landscapes compared to others in the genre (less close quarters), which the graphics of the era did a disservice to (can't see shit).
First personal tactical shooter that has you planning the routes your team takes in each mission. The AI is pretty meh, so they often end up walking into fire and dying.
There was a time before COD. Pretty meh
There was a time before COD (Pacific Theatre). More engaging than frontline.
Tropey third person squad shooter
Pretty awful console-ified Battlefield game. Plays totally differently, where you take control of bots in the map.
Yearly sports title. I'm not a sports person nor american, but I remember the training minigames were actually kinda fun.
I think I got this because I had fond memories of WCW/NWO Revenge on N64, this doesn't compare. I've heard the PS2 exclusive wrestling games are the better of this generation
Yearly sports title. Got this due to fond memories of Wayne Gretsky's 3D Hockey on N64, doesn't compare.
Sports game. Idk what you would get from this today even as a fan, with 20+ year old rosters.
Sports game 2
Troubleshooting/Repairs
- I removed the clock capacitor by bending it back and forth until it snapped off (I didn't have soldering stuff at the time)
- The disc tray was sluggish and getting stuck. I got a spare rubber band for it, but it was actually for the 360 disc drive (many sellers don't make that clear or just lie and say it will work with the original Xbox drives). I ended up putting the old one in some just-boiled water to try and shrink it slightly, and it worked! disc drive functions as normal now.
Screen flickers near-constantly and briefly blacks out every few minutes. The video in this post looks the same, replies are suggesting it could be leaking capacitors or failing GPU. I plan to replace all the capacitors at some point as they are pretty cheap and I can get help with soldering. For now I am leaving it turned off :(FIXED: I replaced the effected capacitors and made a post about it
Resources
- ConsoleMods.org Xbox:Versions page - Has a lot of technical info and toubleshooting links
- Xemu Website - free cross platform Xbox emulator
- Insignia Website - free fan-made replacement for Xbox Live on original consoles and Xemu
- XLink Kai Website - free cross platform player-to-player network (like an online system-link replacement) that works with original Xbox consoles and the Xemu emulator (and many other consoles/emus)