When the Xbox was first introduced to the market, it sold like hotcakes, outselling even the notorious Sony PlayStation line. Xbox’s toll free numbers(Click here) were most likely ringing off the hook for inquiries and reservations due to its popularity. The number of gamers that switched from the Sony PlayStation to Xbox may be due to a number of factors.

The first factor could be the online features of Xbox Live. Although users need to shell out some cash in order to access it, it has been said to be worth every penny. Also, Xbox remains to be more secure and has been subject to less hacking attacks and problems than the free PlayStation Network. With Xbox, gamers get what they pay for. Secondly, the Xbox 360 controller fits any player’s hand comfortably. Their thumbsticks are accurate and timely as compared to Sony’s DualShock controller. This is a major difference and advantage for Xbox because it manages to give players a far more entertaining gaming experience when it comes to shooting games. “Finally, if you want to network your console to your Windows-based PC or your Windows Phone, the Xbox 360 is the way to go. While you can link the PS Vita to your PS3, it’s trickier to network Sony’s console with your home PC. To be fair, Microsoft could do a much better job making this process easier themselves, but with their SmartGlass technology and Windows 8, linking all your Windows products together will be easier than ever.” (Erik Kain)

There are always going to be games that you will never forget and a lot of them can be found on the original Xbox. Before, console gaming was a mishmash of achievement hunting and 13-year olds screaming into microphones in FPS matches; it was as pure as it got. Whether you’re now a 360 gamer, or drifted towards card games, there’s always something special about getting your Xbox controller out and sitting down for some Halo 2.

Microsoft dropped Xbox Live support for the Xbox Original in what has to be one of the most ill-advised moves in gaming history. They flipped the switch and everything went dark, totally ignoring the fact that the Halo 2 MLG scene was huge. That was a sad day for gamers everywhere. There are also some really rare treasures which you’re more likely to emulate than actually play due to the ridiculous prices of classic gaming titles. One of these classic titles would be Jet Set Radio Future, whose mechanics, art style and soundtrack revolutionized what open-world extreme sports games could be.

There are a lot of games like this and they’re all capable of being emulated but it’s always worth seeing if you or anyone you know has a hard copy lying around. Emulation is one of those funny grey areas but it ultimately comes down to this : if it’s second hand, the developer doesn’t benefit and you’re paying through the nose for something that may not be as up-to-standard in 2011 as it was way back then. Enjoy the games you have today and if you do get a bit nostalgic for past titles, stick to the ones that you can get without too much of a hassle.