Microsoft’s sophomore home console, the Xbox 360, holds an important place in gaming industry history, particularly when it comes to the early days of online gaming. Launched in 2005, the console saw Microsoft lean more into its network capabilities, both in terms of multiplayer gaming and the Xbox digital storefront. For subsequent consoles, Xbox has included an extensive backwards compatibility program, while Xbox Game Pass subscribers have access to plenty of older games digitally as part of their subscription. However, not all of the hidden gems for the Xbox 360 are still available on modern platforms.
Whether it be because of licensing or just general oversight, there are plenty of fan-favorite games that remain unavailable on modern platforms. We’re highlighting the 360 titles that aren’t part of Xbox’s backwards compatibility program or included in the Xbox Game Pass subscription. That means that, for these titles, the only way you can play them is if you have them already downloaded on a functioning Xbox 360 or still own the physical release. These are five classic Xbox 360 games that are unplayable today on modern platforms through legal means.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
NetherRealm Studios/Warner Bros. Games
Before developing the “Injustice” series, NetherRealm Studios pit the iconic superheroes and supervillains of the DC Universe against the warriors of its “Mortal Kombat” franchise. Released in 2008, the game has the two universes collide as Shao Kahn merges with the cosmic supervillain Darkseid. The colorful characters from both worlds battle each other before taking on the composite warlord for the fate of both universes. The gameplay adds a rage meter to empower the fighters while stage transitions have been revamped to allow for midair combat.
While this game’s inclusion here may raise eyebrows, the fact is that “Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe” is better than you remember. The gameplay is still fast-paced and hard-hitting, even if the level of graphic violence has been toned down to allow for the inclusion of DC characters. Like many of the “Mortal Kombat” games of its era, “Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe” remains unavailable on modern platforms. As the game also never received an official PC release, that means it’s not available through digital storefronts like Steam, either.
Ninja Blade
FromSoftware/Xbox Game Studios
Before developing some of the best soulslike games of all time, FromSoftware teamed up with Xbox Game Studios for the 2009 title “Ninja Blade.” A contemporary hack-and-slash adventure in the tradition of “Ninja Gaiden,” the game begins with the outbreak of a contagion transforming those infected into monsters. The game’s protagonist is Ken Ogawa, a young ninja warrior who sets out to restore Tokyo after the city becomes a dangerous nest of horrors due to this outbreak. Boasting a cinematic presentation, many of the in-game sequences require successful completion of quick-time events in order to proceed.
Compared to contemporaries like “Devil May Cry” and “Bayonetta,” “Ninja Blade” has gone forgotten by modern audiences. The game retains much of the intensity that FromSoftware would become known for, though its propensity for quick-time events may not sit as well with modern gamers. The game isn’t available to Xbox Game Pass and has been unavailable for purchase on Steam for years. An overlooked title from a now-beloved studio, “Ninja Blade” likely is unavailable thanks to the developer’s direct partnership with Xbox Game Studios coming to a quiet end.
The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
Starbreeze Studios/Tigon Studios/Atari
Of all the movie properties to receive surprisingly solid video game tie-ins, few could have anticipated “The Chronicles of Riddick” being among the best. The 2004 game “The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay” received a sequel with 2009’s “The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena.” Fresh off escaping from the maximum-security prison, the antihero Richard B. Riddick has his spaceship overtaken by a larger mercenary vessel, the Dark Athena. Evading capture, Riddick (using his signature night vision) navigates through the spaceship, eluding and hunting the mercenaries while learning more about his new enemies.
“The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena” goes bigger and darker than its predecessor while bringing back Vin Diesel to reprise his fan-favorite role. Like the 2004 title, this game thrives on its shadowy atmosphere and brutal gameplay, while adding its own new multiplayer mode. Whether it’s due to lapsed licensing or likeness rights, “Assault on Dark Athena” is not available through Xbox Game Pass or modern platforms’ backwards compatibility programs. That means unless you have a 360 with the game installed or an old physical copy, it’s effectively gone forever.
The Xbox 360 saw several racing games released across its lifespan, but a particularly explosive highlight of the genre is “Blur.” Launched in 2010, the game blends racing with vehicular combat, as players outfit their rides with power-ups to give themselves an edge. In addition to its multiplayer and arcade modes, the game features a career mode, complete with vehicular-based boss battles to progress. This offers a welcome alternative to the more realistic driving experiences available, including video games like “Need for Speed” and other grounded racing titles.
Even though Activision has since become a Microsoft subsidiary, “Blur” remains unavailable to play on modern platforms. This may be due to the game’s original developer, Bizarre Creations, having been shut down by Activision in 2011. The game’s inclusion of real-world cars likely has also led to lapsed licensing, further underscoring why the title has been digitally delisted and left not backwards compatible. Whatever the reasoning, “Blur” is one of the better Xbox 360 original vehicular games lost to time and legalities.
Forza Motorsport 4
Speaking of realistic racing games on the Xbox 360, the “Forza” franchise thrived on the console. The mainline “Forza Motorsport” series released three titles on the 360 alone, culminating in 2011’s “Forza Motorsport 4.” With 500 vehicles available, the game features 25 courses for players to try out, with both bolstered by post-launch DLC. Reflecting its era, “Motorsport 4” also supports connectivity with the Kinect peripheral, tracking player’s head movements to intuitively control the camera.
All three of the “Forza Motorsport” games released during the Xbox 360 era are not available in Xbox Game Pass. Just like PlayStation Plus not containing past “Gran Turismo” titles on its modern consoles, this omission is likely linked to expired licensing. The game features a wide selection of real-world cars and licensed music. Continued availability would need to come from prolonged deals with every musician that participated. With that in mind, that means the Xbox 360’s best first-party racing games have been left by the wayside.
