Not only do I use XMB style menu in retroarch on all system except switch (ozone is more coherent for switch and occasional touch use), I also started using my PS3 more heavily as Media Center. Not only is it very good to use for DVD's and Blu-Rays but also it is the one console you can freely store stuff to it's HDD, and after upgrading both of my systems to 1tb, my PS3 without CFW or HEN has few hundred gigs to spare since even all of my disc installs and PSN purchases do not fill more than 500 gigs. I saved a lot of music, and even found out about a
surround capable MP3 format PS3 supports, making big collection of quad and 5.1 music in my XMB list. I saved some of my favorite music videos and such as well and it is a real joy. XMB does not support a lot of nice stuff like jump buttons, or search but the acceleration algorithm of long lists in XMB is extremely well thought out, the only thing it could have had is iPhone like letter showing in the fast scroll bar but overall if you know your music collection you can get by with just basic controls.
Also yes, as far as I know history, PSX is first instance of XMB anything, way before PS3.
I also have to say I love how small stuff about games themselves is presented by XMB. The style of rectangular icons, music and background images and info boxes every game can show when hovering on them. All of this was minimized to square thumbnails per game in PS4 and additional music and background can be there only for the additional info screen of a game, so instead getting the cool package PS3 presents you with Persona 5, PS4 version gives you the music loop and background only if you decide to see PSN posts about the game or your trophies. Overall I love how 200X-201X age of consoles had much nicer presentation of the games in the main menu, and PS3 for sure has Xbox 360 beat. There is also great theming for PS3 though most cool ones are paid. I can
link this though to you persona 5 fans, and these are some of the higher quality, fully customized themes available. You just need a USB stick PS3 can read to install these, OFW or CFW either. Heck, if I am here doing this in this novel of a post I can also leave few of my own dumps that are rarely shared and even impressed some Umineko fans online few years back.
Hyperdimension Neptunia (the 1st) Bikini Noire and Bikini Vert dynamic themes (just 3D character walking around)
3 paid JPN PSN themes,
Two Umineko When They Cry themes and Madoka anime Mami theme, non dynamic, just random wallpapers, custom icons. I also extracted the wallpapers from the Umineko themes way back when
Link 1 &
Link 2
TL;DR: Yeah. XMB is pretty great. It offers surprisingly good time for Music center, even if one scrollable list should on paper suck, there is a lot of small tweaks that make the experience generally not suck. It can play back surprisingly high quality files from variety of sources, even burned DVD's and the flourish games have in XMB list is still one of the best, and heavily downgraded in PS4 and 5, switch, etc.
