Ask X3F: Backwards Incompatibility

by Richard Mitchell { Aug 12th 2008 at 5:30PM }

It's a short Ask X3F this week. Why? Because we have next to zero questions to answer. Sometimes, that's just how it happens. As such, it won't take you very long to read it this week. We know, it makes us sad too. But look at it this way, with the time you save on reading Ask X3F, you can get other things done. Important things ... like chores! Or, failing that, you could always play some video games. We understand that's a pretty popular activity these days.

Fun fact: this is the second time we've featured Chronicles of Riddick as the headline image for Ask X3F. See if you can find the other one. It will be fun, we promise!

Got a question for Ask X3F? Maybe you have a story or some information you'd like to share? Send it all to ask [at] xbox360fanboy [dawt] com.

Hey guys.

As a college gamer with very limited space, I can only bring a few consoles with me when I move into my dorm. This presents a problem for me, however. I've begun recently picking up a number of original Xbox titles that I either missed, didn't know about, or couldn't afford at the time they came out. The thing is, however, that not all of them are backwards compatible, or some, like Mercenaries, don't run very well at all. Since I won't have room to bring my original Xbox with me, I've been wondering if you, or anyone else, can get an update on the backwards compatability list -- more specifically, if they're still working to make more games backwards compatible, and if so, when we might expect an update, since it'll have been an entire year since the last update come November. This way, I can know whether or not to bother bringing any of them along, in the hope that an update will come soon making them playable.

In all the glitz of the recent titles being released, has Microsoft just slowly and silently killed the backwards compatability program, phased it out in favor of the Xbox Originals downloads, or has it just gotten lost in the mix, but is still alive and kicking?

Thanks for anything you can find out.

Cheers!

-- Kinuki

The short answer is that the likelihood of another Back Compat update is super, super slim. Frankly, we were all surprised that we got one last November. Back in January, Microsoft's Albert Penello said, "I don't know if we have plans to do any more [backwards compatibility] releases" further noting that he believed that Microsoft had "hit the point of diminishing returns" in regards to backwards compatibility. It seems that whatever titles are left would require individual attention, which sounds very costly and time consuming, especially when Microsoft has current generation titles to sell. While it's certainly possible that another update is in the works, we'd say backwards compatibility is done.

Sorry.

Hey guys,

I was wondering if a none celebrity guest for the fancast could work. like a none celebrity... celebrity
guest that is a loyal fancast listener and reader of the X3F goodness. thanks! =]

JC
GT: AAJAK

And whom might you suggest we invite? Hmmmm? You? Would you like that? Would you like to spend some quality time with your idols? It's okay, we can totally understand that. The answer to your question is that it could work. In fact, we've even considered such things in the past. Unfortunately, we typically record the Fancast when most people should be at work. That and, you know, the whole idea just smacks of effort. But who knows, anything can happen.

That's it for this week, folks. Keep sending your questions to: ask [at] xbox360fanboy [dawt] com.

Tags: ask-x3f

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

jax sedrin @ Aug 12th 2008 5:46PM

Dammit.

There's about 10 original xbox games still sitting on my shelf that I didn't get a chance to play before the DVD drive on my original xbox crapped out... like Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath. Looks like I'm just screwed.

So... can anyone give me an accurate and complete description of what it's like to play Stranger's Wrath?

Qube @ Aug 12th 2008 7:35PM

I'm not sure if this is what you want to hear or not, but Stranger's Wrath is a fantastic experience. It's one of my fave's from the Xbox era.

To give you an "accurate and complete description" would take longer than this comment section allows, so I'm going to steal a quote from Game Chronicles:

"Stranger’s Wrath is one of the most original designs and interesting twists you can put on the FPS genre while maintaining an equal amount of classic platform and action gameplay."

http://www.gamechronicles.com/reviews/xbox/oddworld/strangerswrath.htm

jajaes @ Aug 13th 2008 9:16AM

Ya, its a good game but when i listend to this when i played it, it made it better

You walk on like a woman in suffering
Won't even bother now to tell me why
You come along, letting all of us savor the moment
Leaving me broken another time

You come on like a bloodstained hurricane
Leave me alone, let me be this time
You carry on like a holy man pushing redemption
I don't want to mention, the reason I know

That I am Stricken and can't let you go
When the heart is cold, there's no hope, and we know
That I am crippled by all that you've done
Into the abyss will I run!-

AH! AH! AH! OW!

You don't know what your power has done to me
I want to know if I'll heal inside
I can't go on with a holocaust about to happen
Seeing you laughing another time

You'll never know why your face has haunted me
My very soul has to bleed this time
Another hole in the wall of my inner defenses
Leaving me breathless, the reason I know

That I am stricken and can't let you go
When the heart is cold, there's no hope, and we know
That I am crippled by all that you've done
Into the abyss will I run!-

Into the abyss will I run!

[DAVID DRAIMAN'S GUITAR SOLO]

AHHHHHH!

You walk on like a woman in suffering
Won't even bother now to tell me why
You come along, letting all of us savor the moment
Leaving me broken another time

You come on like a bloodstained hurricane
Leave me alone, let me be this time
You carry on like a holy man pushing redemption
No One to mention, the reason I know

That I am stricken and can't let you go
When the heart is cold, there's no hope, and we know
That I am crippled by all that you've done
Into the abyss will I run!-

Into the abyss will I run!-
I can't let you go!
Yes I am stricken and can't let you go!!

Haston @ Aug 12th 2008 5:51PM

Ask X3F: Riddick-ulous edition

May 27th 2008.

Found it.

AnthonyGalindoX @ Aug 12th 2008 5:58PM

I heard the reason Riddick isn't Back-Compat is because they wanted you to but the remake instead of playing the old game. I hope that remake gets picked up by someone else, I sold my copy of Butcher Bay when I heard about the remake.

StLouisRibs7734 @ Aug 12th 2008 5:56PM

Couldn't you get like, Justin from Joystiq and have all you group on him?

Aero @ Aug 12th 2008 6:32PM

I now have a horrible image in my head D:

AnthonyGalindoX @ Aug 12th 2008 5:59PM

oops, that's supposed to say "buy" the old game, not "but".

Zack @ Aug 12th 2008 6:00PM

I want my Otogi 2 goodness. :(

ryan @ Aug 12th 2008 6:06PM

hear, hear! beyond good and evil as well!

Jayslacks @ Aug 12th 2008 7:10PM

Oh, God. Otogi 2 is the best button-mashing monster ever. Beats Devil May Cry 4 by a ton...

Digital Limit @ Aug 12th 2008 6:02PM

Yeah, where's the remake at?

Joe @ Aug 14th 2008 3:00PM

Still waiting on MGS 2

Disco Ball @ Aug 12th 2008 6:15PM

Here's the list of titles:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/backwardcompatibilitygameslist.htm

Dracula Jones @ Aug 12th 2008 6:33PM

Dang, JC, you are VERY terrible at spelling "known."

offday @ Aug 12th 2008 6:36PM

Oh. THAT'S what he was trying to say? Holy crap.

QuasarSquirrel @ Aug 12th 2008 6:42PM

I think he was going for 'non' man.....

AoE @ Aug 12th 2008 6:42PM

holy crap you're right! To be honest even after reading the question/answer I wasn't entirely sure what he meant there >_

ZEBRA NINER @ Aug 12th 2008 6:52PM

I thought he meant, NON-celebrity. You know, a listener isn't a celebrity.

Jason @ Aug 12th 2008 7:00PM

I think he actually meant "non".

Dracula Jones @ Aug 12th 2008 7:58PM

I suppose you gents is correct in the "non" assumptions. I think it is sufficient to say the dude is not a professional speller.

Erik Stroud @ Aug 12th 2008 8:09PM

glad I want the only one confused. I though he meant like, a c list celeb.

Boff @ Aug 13th 2008 4:52AM

At least he's consistent!

Azshros @ Aug 13th 2008 9:56AM

I thought he meant "Nun" celebrity.... i was confused

offday @ Aug 12th 2008 6:34PM

Bonus points to X3F for understanding that last question. I read it 5 times, and still couldn't figure it out.

Maxx the Slash @ Aug 12th 2008 6:38PM

This really sucks. There are tons of games that are awesome that have yet to be made backwards compatible. Capcom VS. SNK 2 EO comes to mind, since it's a go-to fighting game for those of us who can't find Marvel VS. Capcom 2 for the Xbox whose price is jaw-droppingly expensive for a USED copy. The King of Fighter Maximum Impact - MANIAX comes to mind too, since the Xbox version was rated better than the PS2 version, with online play and the voice acting language option. It should have been an obvious addition to the BC list. And lastly, The Warriors, the greatest Rockstar-made game until GTA4 came out.

zourskittles @ Aug 12th 2008 6:39PM

I actually have wanted Gladius to become get a BC update but sadly, no. I dont know many people who played it but it was fucking fun.

Tyrone Rugen @ Aug 12th 2008 6:54PM

I understood that it was important for MS to get games that share engines backwards compatible, so that related games would be easier to tackle. Hence, presumably, the attention to Barbie Horse Adventures, which undoubtedly eased the workload in making other doll horse grooming games compatible.

So why is it--and there are probably plenty of examples, so I'll pick a personal gripe--that RalliSport Challenge 2, which besides being the supreme arcade rally racer to date, is virtually technically identical to RC1; and yet is not on the list, when RC1 is? I might note one small difference between the games: one is on my shelf, and the other is not. So do I trade in RC2 for RC1 since I got rid of my Xbox 180? That misses the broader point. Substitute your own favourite missing series/engine installments.

Hey, maybe one day/month/year it'll show up as an Xbox Original, and I can buy it! AGAIN.

AoE @ Aug 12th 2008 7:42PM

well... the slight silver lining i suppose is that if it ever becomes an original... it'll mean the BC list got updated too and you'll be able to rock your retail copy. The originals use the same BC software that retail originals do...

That being said, seeing that Rallisport Challenge 2 is the best rally game to ever be released for any platform ever... I agree that I'd like to play it on my 360 instead of dusting off the original xbox to play it.

Tyrone Rugen @ Aug 13th 2008 1:23AM

Oh yeah, that's true, thank you for the pointing that out. Maybe the time leading up to BG&E2's release will see BG&E show up as an XBO to capitalize on the hype, and then I can dust off another shelved hopeful.

jas0nuk @ Aug 12th 2008 6:54PM

PLZ 2 ENABLE DRIV3R? :(

Swampfox23 @ Aug 12th 2008 7:55PM

Ah, thank you, finally another fan. I have wanted Driv3r to be added for so long. My PS2 broke so I have no way of playing it. They need to give us that as well as Parallel Lines, I would like to at least try it.

jas0nuk @ Aug 12th 2008 7:57PM

I seriously miss Driv3r. Sad but true. I never bought Parallel Lines, though.

Chad C @ Aug 12th 2008 7:33PM

i honestly got sick of waiting and sold my box of xbox games on ebay, along with my remainig PS2 games, pulled in well over 1,000$ in a weeks time.
TOTALLY worth it.

Tony @ Aug 12th 2008 7:59PM

Sucks about Riddick. I still want Rallisport Challenge 2 on there.

I'm wondering what will happen with the Riddick remake though. Wasn't that one of the games potentially being dropped due to the Activision merger?

JC @ Aug 12th 2008 8:06PM

wow I was really tired that night... morning thanks for the answer guys

Jawmuncher @ Aug 12th 2008 8:58PM

Whatever happened to that Riddick remake?

ALH @ Aug 12th 2008 9:21PM

ugh...so theyre releasing panzer dragoon orta on XB originals at some point right? I'd really love to actually finish that game without it freezing after level 3 without having to buy a different console to play it on :(

Jonah Falcon @ Aug 12th 2008 10:04PM

Isn't Reader Mail a forum for non-celebrities? :p Just answer some mail on the podcast.

esc1 @ Aug 13th 2008 12:05AM

who gives a shit.. if you want to play it that bad go out and buy an xbox for a few bones. why would you have sold it in the first place?

gaymerxbox360 @ Aug 13th 2008 12:17AM

One game I really want to play on 360 !!!

=== Deus Ex: Invisible War ===

c'mon M$ pleaaseee!

Procris @ Aug 13th 2008 5:03AM

Its a shame that there probably won't be any further backwards compat updates, i know a lot of us own Xbox 1 games that still aren't compatable. Of course i understand Microsoft will want to focus on other things but its a shame still as often making a title backwards compat gives more players a chance to go back and try something they've missed from the last gen.