Do recent 360s have backwards compatibility with original XB games as standard?

[JazzFunk]

Just wondering. Been a bit down over woman-stress this week, so this afternoon I've decided to get a 360 to take my mind off stuff.

I'm not gonna use XBox Live for a fair bit, so I'm wondering if the more recent machines have all those backwards compatibility patches for original Xbox games built in, or will I still have to use Live to get them?

Anyone know??

[egparadigm]

Hmm... Not sure. You can download an ISO and burn a CD which can be used to install it if not:

http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/backwardscompatibility.htm#disc

You can also order a CD if you've no burner.

[JazzFunk]

^Cheers for the above. Didn't have enough cash so Mr Numpty bought a hard drive-less Arcade pack, was driven by tunnel vision impulse because I set out to buy a 360 and HAD to have one. I doubt there's enough onboard memory (256mb!) within the Arcade 360 to accommodate the contents of that CD!

[MyNameIsBruce]

Theres only one way to find out Jazz!

[sj33]

Backwards compatiblity requires a hard drive, I'm afraid.

The backwards compatibility isn't brilliant though. It's not compatible with all games, and the software emulation is very inaccurate. If you have a proper XBox, use that.

[JazzFunk]

^Yeah, I might as well stick to my old XBoxes, regarding BC, all three of them(!) I so wish it was sometimes so easy...but it never is.

Too many friggin' wires colliding with the SCART box, about five or six consoles in use, pulling out and pushing in, it's like negative sex, it's an absolute bastard.

[JazzFunk]

F*cking loving Crackdown, mind. And it's oooooold.

[fallenangle]

My brother had woman trouble earlier this year and he went out and bought a new car. I tried to persuade him to a cheaper comfort spending solution: a XB360 for himself or, better still, one for me instead. I told him such generosity would make him feel better about himself and his relationship going down the Swanee. For some reason he just wouldn't go for it and went for the car instead

You can easily pick up an original used XBox for less than half the price of a separate XB360 HDD. Get it soft-modded and with all that allows you to do it's still a great piece of AV/gaming kit even now.