Well, its time to reflect on the Microsoft press conference. There was a ton to unpack with 42 games to check out and the new Xbox One X that will play them in superior performance. Out of all the announcements though, the retro enthusiast in me yelled in triumph when Microsoft declared that original Xbox games were coming to Xbox One systems later this year. The first title they showed off was a cult classic, Crimson Skies.
While I never played a whole lot of original Xbox games, there are a ton of amazing experiences on the system. The original Xbox helped defined the current multiplayer space with hits like Halo 2 leading the charge for Xbox Live. Some of the most graphically powerful games of that generation were on the Xbox, which was a massive unit by comparison to the Nintendo Gamecube and the PlayStation 2. Allowing these games to come back into the modern age is fantastic, as this is the first time many of these titles will be available in full high definition.
Crimson Skies, at least to me, went down as one of the highest rated surprises on the system. Many of my retro buddies actually were hoping for something about Crimson Skies for E3 and while many were probably hoping for a full remake or a sequel, getting the original is pretty awesome. Blasting down my friends in this classic air combat game sounds like a fantastic weekend!
It seems like Xbox is leading the charge when it comes to keeping its history in mind, giving players a few ways to access these classic titles. While we saw that 360 backwards titles are a small fraction of the time being spent by players, it continues to be a feature that many Xbox fans adore. Just think of all the games that could come to this program. Will there be achievement support added? Full multiplayer access through modern servers? Only time will tell.
Sure, Crimson Skies is pretty awesome, but can we bring back Steel Battalion? I’d love to see E-Sports step into full mech combat simulation, massive controller and all!
For more information, check out Xbox’s official website, as well as keep an eye on Marooners’ Rock. We’ll be updating the site as E3 develops!
