Face it, both Xbox and PlayStation want to go the all-digital route. With numerous systems released without a disc drive, users are more likely to buy all their games digitally. However, what about games you may’t buy digitally and can only play via the disc?

That is where the disc drive comes to save the day. OnXbox Series X, there are a handful of delisted Xbox One games you may play via the disc, as well as a truckload of backward-compatible original Xbox and 360 games. Tons of classic titles you can’t buy on the store are still playable via physical media.

After several lackluster entries in theMortal Kombatfranchise, including the fan-hated Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, the series needed a shakeup. Mortal Kombat 9 delivered just that because it was probably the best fighting game of the generation up till that point. With amazing visuals and running at 60fps on Unreal Engine 3, MK 9 was a technical marvel.

The story mode was great,the character roster was incredible, and it offered a truckload of content at release. Tag team battle was available at launch, unlike future fighting games like Dead or Alive 6. The base game works on Series X, but you’re best off purchasing the physical Komplete Edition, which includes all the DLC. Everything will be included in the installation once you pop in the disc.

The final mainline game in the Driver series, Driver: San Francisco, is a big cult hit in Ubisoft’s catalog, akin to the first Crew. With aunique body-swapping mechanicsimilar to that awesome highway scene in The Matrix Reloaded, Driver: San Francisco proves to be an incredibly fun action-focused racer.

Unfortunately, in 2016, the game was not only delisted on Xbox but all storefronts, including the PC, which is where most played it. Thanks to physical media and backward compatibility, playing on Xbox Series X is the easiest way to play the game if you don’t plan on sailing the seven seas for a PC download.

2003 was a banger year for action-adventure games, especially by Ubisoft. Beyond Good & Evil is an all-time great, but Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is up there as well. An absolute classic sixth-gen title; it plays so well, and the pacing’s so good, it’s one of those games you’re able to replay every year.

Even the Easter eggs are stellar. While the original Sands of Time is still available on PC storefronts, you can no longer buy it digitally on Xbox. Even with the remake, many people will want to check out the original, and you can only do so on Xbox via the disc.

Activision has a bunch of delisted Marvel games in its library, but many of them have physical releases. One of the more notable titles is Deadpool. A hack-and-slash romp starring the infamous Merc with a Mouth, it’s a fun playthrough even if, gameplay-wise, it’s just alright.

The reason why the game’s worth at least one playthrough is the writing, as High Moon Studios nailed the fourth-wall-breaking persona Deadpool is known for. Sadly, the price forphysical Xbox One copies is ridiculous, at over $70, so it may not be worth it.

Back in 2017, two gamesruled the landscape of multiplayer horror: Dead by Daylight andFriday the 13th. People had their favorites, but ultimately, Dead by Daylight won out, which is a shame because no other multiplayer horror title has been able to replicate the genius design on offer here.

Yes, the game’s delisted, and the multiplayer servers are likely coming to a close in 2024, but many people forget there’s a campaign. You can play ten missions inspired by scenarios from the films, and they’re fun, playing similarly to Hitman. There’s even exclusive kill scenes not found in multiplayer. This will inevitably be the only playable component of the title, and it’ll act as a reminder of the greatness this game once had.

Insomniac’s Spider-Man games are some of the biggest exclusives on PlayStation, but there is one Spider-Man title you can play on Xbox, at least if you have the disc. It’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2, a game better than the movie, although that’s not saying much, considering the quality of that film.

Being the final Activision Spider-Man title, it features all the bells and whistles you’d expect at this point in the game series. It’s a decent time, though, one of the weaker Activision Spider-Man titles. Almost all the games, minus Spider-Man 3, are fun to play, so similar to Tony Hawk, you’re good no matter which game you try out.

Somegames have stories that are so goodthat they redeem all the other flaws in the title. Spec Ops: The Line is one of them, as it’s a rather mediocre third-person shooter, but the gameplay isn’t what matters here. Everyone who plays this game remembers the story as it’s a narrative masterpiece commenting on the popular shooters at the time and the real-life issues that would actually occur in these types of scenarios.

Even the title screen is an absolute masterpiece, changing as you play through it. In 2024, Spec Ops: The Line was delisted from all storefronts. Unless you go the way of the pirate, the best official way to play is via an Xbox Series X.

2007

Valve

Almost all of Valve’s Xbox 360 catalog has been delisted, and while Left 4 Dead 2 is probably the best game out of the lot, the best ‘game’ to play on the Series X is The Orange Box. The Team Fortress 2 360 servers are still online, and it isn’t a ghost town, as you may still get into a ten-person lobby quite easily.

Keep in mind that this is vanilla Team Fortress 2, and this 4K enhanced version has to be the easiest and safest method of playing it today. The Half-Life 2 titles and Portal 1 are great as well, and it’s awesome playing them at 4K resolution on something that’s not a PC.

Despite Arkham Origins getting shafted numerous times, with the Rocksteady titles being declared a trilogy, Origins is a must-play chapter of the Arkham Saga. Don’t skip it because it kicks all sorts of asses. Yes, it reuses a lot of stuff from Arkham City, including much of the game map, but that doesn’t stop it from being an awesome experience.

You have a great holiday-themed atmosphere with plenty of snow and the same incredible combat from Arkham City, but the boss fights really put Arkham Origins above and beyond. WB Games Montreal did not mess around here because Arkham Origins has some of the best boss fights in the entire series. That Deathstroke boss is Metal Gear Rising levels of stellar.

Back in the early days of the Xbox 360, movie games were notorious for their poor quality, but one game that stood out was Peter Jackson’s King Kong. Still, to this day, this game feels incredibly fresh, and the level of immersion is a large reason for that.

There’s no HUD elements whatsoever, making survival on Skull Island a much more tense and immersive experience. The setpieces here still work really well, and it helps that the game’s very faithful to the film. Playing as Kong is also a total blast, beating up creatures to death. There’s sadly no reply value, but it’s still a great one-playthrough title.