Original Xbox Review: The Big Black Box That Started It All
7.5/10 — Microsoft Xbox (2001)
Pros
- Halo, KOTOR, Fable and other genre-defining games
- Built-in hard drive and Ethernet were ahead of their time
- Powerful for its generation
- Some games playable on modern Xbox consoles
Cons
- Huge and heavy
- The original "Duke" controller is enormous
- Online play ended in 2010
- Aging hardware; clock capacitors can leak
When Microsoft entered the console market in 2001, few people gave it much chance against Sony and Nintendo. The original Xbox was a big, black, PC-inspired box with a green jewel on top, and it didn’t win the generation. But it put Microsoft firmly on the map, and it laid the foundations for everything Xbox has done since.
Design
The Xbox is enormous, and heavy too. It’s essentially a PC in a console case, built around an Intel Pentium III processor and an Nvidia graphics chip. Its launch controller, known as “The Duke”, was famously huge, and was soon replaced by the smaller Controller S, which became the standard.
What really set the Xbox apart was what was inside. A built-in hard drive meant game saves, custom soundtracks and faster loading, and the built-in Ethernet port made it ready for broadband online gaming before most rivals.
Games
Halo: Combat Evolved defined the Xbox. It proved that first-person shooters could work brilliantly on a controller and its control scheme is still copied today. Halo 2 then became the console’s biggest online hit. Beyond Halo, the library includes Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Fable, Jade Empire, Ninja Gaiden, Project Gotham Racing and Jet Set Radio Future.
Xbox Live
Xbox Live, launched in 2002, was the first truly unified online console service, with friends lists, voice chat and a single gamertag across games. Online play for original Xbox games ended in April 2010, so the console is offline only today, though the community has kept some multiplayer alive through unofficial services.
Buying one today
Original Xbox consoles are now over 20 years old. Check the console works reliably, and be aware that the internal clock capacitor in many units can leak and damage the board, so many collectors remove it. The console outputs standard definition by default, and you’ll want component cables or an HDMI adapter for a modern TV. Many of its best games are also playable on Xbox One and Series X|S through backwards compatibility.
Verdict
The original Xbox is a landmark console. It was big and clunky, but it brought Halo, Xbox Live and the hard drive to console gaming, and its best games are still a joy. For collectors and fans of the era, it’s well worth owning, with a little care.
