Reader Discussion: Remembering The Xbox

Today marks the 10th anniversary of original Xbox's release. We want to know what your favorite memories are. Throughout the day we'll be taking comments from both our Facebook and Google+ pages as well as the article comments below and adding them to this story. The best and most thoughtful comments win!

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Dan Ryckert (GI Editor)

As someone who usually hated the built-in soundtracks for sports and racing games, I was thrilled when Xbox introduced the custom soundtrack option. I spent tons of time burning my CDs to the console’s hard drive so I could listen to The Clash and Led Zeppelin instead of Sum 41 and Papa Roach. This feature alone is what made me go with Xbox versions of games like Burnout and Tony Hawk instead of the Playstation alternatives.

Tim Turi (GI Editor)

I utterly ignored the Xbox after it first launched. I remember playing the Toejam & Earl game on store kiosks and being unimpressed as a longtime fan of the series. I didn’t give the new console any more attention until friends as school were blabbering about multiple campaign playthroughs and late night multiplayer sessions of a game called Halo. Being a teenager with some disposable income, I went to my local game store and picked up an Xbox with a copy of Halo. Pretty soon I was in on all the co-op goodness and riotously fun LAN parties. For awhile I referred to the system as the “Halo Box,” but pretty soon I experienced the joy of Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic, Fable, and the Xbox’s graphical edge for the Splinter Cell trilogy. Once Halo 2 hit with Xbox Live support, I was committed.

Taylor Barclay (Facebook)

Being 10 when it came out the only game I owned for years was Halo: CE. Very fond memories of KOTOR later on as well. One of my great favorites from that era though was an under appreciated title: Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath. I miss Oddworld.

Karl Thompson (Facebook)

I remember playing Halo the first time - still an epic memory to this day. I shot down a Banshee with a rocket launcher and watched with amazement as it crashed at my feet and slid past me on the ground. Halo 2, DOOM 3, and KOTOR were other gaming milestones for me too.

Christian Davis (Google+)

I remember turning off all the lights and putting on my Turtle Beach headphones to play Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. The best Splinter Cell title in the entire franchise! Stay up all day and night to play Halo 2 was also something that I spent a lot of time on....too much time on? Nope!

Dan Robinson (Google+)

I think I am one of the few people who didn't think the Duke controller was too big. The first time I fired up Halo, I was blown away. When Xbox Live rolled out, I was officially hooked. My two favorite games for the system were the first KOTOR and ESPN NFL2k5.

toncapone2 (GI Comments)

I recently made the decision to trade in all my old Xbox games and the console itself.  As I browsed through the store while I waited for the store employee to tally the value, I reminisced about all the late night Halo parties, frustrating weekends with Ninja Gaiden and destructive fun with Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction.  At one point I almost walked back to the counter to change my mind.  When the employee finally finished he called me over and handed me the box I used to carry everything in with some stuff still in it.  "I can take all these games, but I can't take the Xbox itself because it's too old, along with a couple of games I put back in the box," he said.  I looked in the box and there was my Xbox, both controllers, Halo, Halo 2 and Hulk.  I happily took my Xbox and three games back, along with enough store credit from the other games to pick up a copy of Arkham City for the PS3.  After I'm done with Batman, guess I''ll have to have a few more Halo parties!!

Kyle Lock (GI Comments)

While all of my other friends, without a second thought, purchased and played the Playstation 2, I took my chances asking for an Xbox for Christmas. I had a dream of getting a box covered in wrapping paper and asking my grandpa for his pocket knife. I carved a circle in the center of the thin paper and removed it to see the Xbox symbol. When Christmas came, I had a sneaking suspicion that one particular box was indeed the console powerhouse but I never did ask for that pocketknife. Instead, I ripped off the covering and saw my newest addition to my gaming console collection.
I didn't have many games and the Xbox didn't really have too much to offer at launch, but one thing turned me from "The kid with that stupid Xbox" to "The kid with the awesome Xbox". That thing was the Halo demo and later, Halo itself. Hours were spent playing over "The Silent Cartographer" level as my friends and I would indulge in the amazing visuals, the great gameplay and the unbelievable replay value. After purchasing the game, playing multiplayer and annihilating everyone with the pistol on Blood Gulch was my favorite past time. It's come a long way from where it began, but the Xbox surely reignited my love for First Person Shooters.

Connor Jones (Facebook)

Doing the skyrim dragon slaying these days. But I can remember not too long ago when I was just a dark elf prisioner on a ship. Xbox somehow always did something for me that the PS2 never nailed down. Somehow smoother. More memorable. Happy birthday Xbox! -from a converted Sony fan.

Last updated 5:21 PM