Weird XBox features you never remember.

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's icon TamagotchiTamaHero24 TamagotchiTamaHero24]

So, XBox has always struggled with its identity. This has resulted in a wide variety of features or gimmicks that we all tend to forget.

To share a few for me: I literally had to have it told to me ON THIS SERVER that the original XBox had pressure sensitive face buttons. The system also has console compatible DVDs that have playable demos on them! The only one I have is 2003’s Hulk, which has a playable level of the Hulk game on it.

Not all gimmicks were bad though! Being… a PC in a damn box, you got some features that PC games and early DVD stuff had! Some games had multiple games on one disc, even including some more videos and demos. A very PC thing to do, that was a pretty good deal back then! It also uses a neat looking original XBox front end.

Also, memory cards. On both the original and 360, you could get memory cards.


Why? For what reason? And why do I kinda still want one?

 

[SBLAST91]

A notable weird accessory is the xbox 360 camera, I remember playing Viva Pinata and being like this exists???? and ever since I gained a weird fascination with it LOL.

 

[dasComa91]

A wonderfully strange gimmick on the original Xbox was the controller for Steel Battalion.
You had to learn how to use it before you could even talk about having fun.
The controller officially only works for two games, and you can't officially play one of them anymore because it was an online title.
Nevertheless, I love this thing. It just makes you feel like a damned pilot of a walking tank.

Post automatically merged: Mar 26, 2025

Why? For what reason? And why do I kinda still want one?

the collector speaks from you

Post automatically merged: Mar 26, 2025

The system also has console compatible DVDs that have playable demos on them! The only one I have is 2003’s Hulk, which has a playable level of the Hulk game on it.

I got the Star Wars Episode 3 DVD for Christmas. This DVD included a Star Wars Battlefront 2 demo, only for the Xbox. That was pretty cool back then. Funnily enough, I also got the game itself that same Christmas. XD

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's icon TamagotchiTamaHero24 TamagotchiTamaHero24]

A notable weird accessory is the xbox 360 camera, I remember playing Viva Pinata and being like this exists???? and ever since I gained a weird fascination with it LOL.

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HUH?!

Post automatically merged: Mar 26, 2025

I got the Star Wars Episode 3 DVD for Christmas. This DVD included a Star Wars Battlefront 2 demo, only for the Xbox. That was pretty cool back then. Funnily enough, I also got the game itself that same Christmas. XD

Amazing.
Got the game and the demo on the same day. That’s some good stuff. Shoutouts to 2005 for being a crazy year in history.

 

[LaserMoose]

Hmm... not quite a feature, but the reason behind the name Xbox was because it was short for "DirectX box", as the system ran off of a modified Windows 2000 by using DirectX 8.1, hence the common PC ports found on the system. The marketing team didn't like the name initially, however the name was popular during their focus testing and was thus chosen as the final name.

Additionally, the original Xbox was the first system capable of using Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound natively. This was a feature possible on PS2, however it was only in specific FMV scenes or for movies, and not during normal gameplay.

 

[LaserMoose]

I miss the the x360 blades UI they removed it shortly after I got mine.

A very sleek design for sure. I unfortunately missed the blades completely, as I was a late 360 owner.