Pre-huzzah: Psychonauts spotted on back-compat list

66 Comments by Ludwig Kietzmann Dec 12th 2006 6:55PM
Filed under: Microsoft Xbox, Microsoft Xbox 360

For a brief moment in time, an updated version of the Xbox 360's backwards compatibility list was exposed for all the internet to see. Though it was yanked in a matter of minutes, one new entry stood out like an atomic mushroom cloud in a serene, children's playground. Not to imply that Psychonauts is capable of melting children or flooding large masses of land with deadly radiation, but its presence was rather devastating to the psyche.

In case you weren't aware (and clearly you aren't much of the time), Tim Schafer and his team at Double Fine did extraordinary things with Psychonauts, managing to take the seemingly incompatible platformer and adventure genres and mash them together like two pieces of clay. That's before they twisted the whole mess into a variety of amusing shapes.

Oh, there's a whole bunch of other new games too. However, when asked about the exact release date of this December update, Microsoft warned us that the list is not final. "We'll have more news soon -- as I'm sure you're aware with any software development, things can change at any time so we want to make an announcement when we're sure we've got the final, solid list."

View the non-final, slightly wobbly list of additions after the break.

[Thanks Nick! Thanks to Richard from Xbox 360 Fanboy for remembering to take a screenshot.]

The following games are listed as "new" in the preliminary December update list:

All-Star Baseball 2005
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Dead or Alive Ultimate
Destroy All Humans!
Dynasty Warriors 4
Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick
Fahrenheit / Indigo Prophecy
Family Guy
Far Cry: Instincts
Incredibles
I-Ninja
Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Moto-GP
MX Unleashed
Open Season
Pariah
Psychonauts
Rainbow Six: Lockdown
Rapala Pro Fishing
Scarface
Shark Tale
Shenmue II *
Splinter Cell: Double Agent
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
Ultimate Spider-Man
Wakeboarding Unleashed: Featuring Sean Murray
Whacked!
Winback 2: Project Poseidon
Xiaolin Showdown

* Also goes by the name of "How about a game of Lucky Hit?"

Tags: backwards compatibility, BackwardsCompatibility, Emulation, Emulator, Mortal Kombat, MortalKombat, Psychonauts, Shenmue, XBL, XBLA, Xbox back compat, Xbox Live, XboxBackCompat, XboxLive

(Page 1) Reader Comments

directhex: Dec 12th 2006; 7:05PM

Ooh! Shenmue 2!

All I need now is JSRF, and I'm sold on the 360.

Neil: Dec 12th 2006; 7:05PM

I'm sorry but Indigo Prophecy should be headlining this story. Psychonauts is great and all but it's still just a zany platformer.

Brimmo: Dec 12th 2006; 7:09PM

Why is everyone creamin themselves over Psychonauts. I mean, yeah, it's a quality game and all but is there seriously no other game that isn't compatible that no-one wants more than Psychonauts?

Is Outrun working on it yet?

logikil: Dec 12th 2006; 7:10PM

For the love of Games, Where the hell are Chronicles of Riddick, Panzer Dragoon, JSRF, and a couple others i can't think of at the moment. At the very least give me those 3 freaking games, i am not asking for much.

Brimmo: Dec 12th 2006; 7:11PM

Sorry for the gramatical error in the last message...as if it really matters...

Brandon: Dec 12th 2006; 7:12PM

They still need to add the Otogis, the Oddworlds,Panzer Dragoon and Chronicles of Riddick for me to be happy.

qbix: Dec 12th 2006; 7:13PM

Destroy all Humans, MK, Buffy and Psychonauts are good titles. Too bad I already played Psychonauts on my PC a few weeks back thanks to Valve. It's a little too late MS, but thanks anyways. I might give it another run when I'm bored with GoW, Viva Piñata, Small Arms, and Splinter Cell.

Ludwig Kietzmann: Dec 12th 2006; 7:13PM

No Neil, *I'm* sorry. :) Indigo Prophecy was great, but flawed in several major ways. It was at its worst when it stopped being an interactive film and tried to be a game again. "Ah yes, the murderer is clearly BLUE BLUE YELLOW GREEN GREEN."

Psychonauts has psychotic meat bunnies. Case closed. :)

daxter1985: Dec 12th 2006; 7:17PM

OMG you gotta be kidding me still no mechassult?!?

Tom Whitaker: Dec 12th 2006; 7:29PM

In the name of all that is holy, where are Timesplitters 2 and 3?

Neccy: Dec 12th 2006; 7:34PM

AHA! I knew it was about time for a backward comaptabilty update, though they always seem to leave me wanting to see a longer list, well baby steps I guess.

It still puzzles me though why there are not a lot more NEW XBOX games on there (I belive scarface is a new title) surely microsoft & game developers can get it sorted so all new releases are compatable, it's in thier best interests to sell more copies of the game.

Jim: Dec 12th 2006; 7:35PM

Where is Timesplitters 2 and 3?!?! I have been waitin forever to play those on a 360. ALso how about Star Wars Republic Commando?

Polar: Dec 12th 2006; 7:37PM

A while after I bought my 360 I sold all of my other consoles except my DS lite and Dreamcasts.

Got really tired of waiting for Chronicles of Riddick compability thou, so I bougt myself a Xbox Demo Kiosk for my Riddick and Panzer Dragoon pleasure.

Would still be nice with Riddick compability for my 360.

scorp: Dec 12th 2006; 7:49PM

In case you weren't aware (and clearly you aren't much of the time) nic wey 2 insalt readers

Brandon: Dec 12th 2006; 7:52PM

Great, I just get Psychonauts, it's getting added to the back compat list, and I have to send my 360 into the repair center. Oh well. Looks like I'll have to get Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit now. I agree with the other people saying Riddick should be on there.

pattyblades: Dec 12th 2006; 7:56PM

where is tesm?!

Ludwig Kietzmann: Dec 12th 2006; 7:58PM

Scorp, that's exactly how I like my readers. In salt, perhaps with an accompanying mint sauce...

Alex Keen: Dec 12th 2006; 8:04PM

Still plenty of great titles MIA. Great to see Indigo Prophecy is back from the dead, but where is Phantom Dust and Kung Fu Chaos?

ALH: Dec 12th 2006; 8:05PM

Panzer and JSRF plz.

Buckshot: Dec 12th 2006; 8:10PM

SHENMUE II!!!! THE CONSOLE GODS ARE PLEASED!!!!

Caffeinate: Dec 12th 2006; 8:13PM

Amen on the Phantom Dust. Most overlooked game on the Xbox.

Mind you, Breakdown, Beyond Good & Evil, Conker, Chronicles of Riddick, MTG: Battlegrounds and Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath have yet to appear so I'm not appeased yet.

In fact, I won't be appeased until the whole list is there, but I'm hard to please anyhow.

Sean: Dec 12th 2006; 8:15PM

Still no Beyond Good & Evil. I won't cry about it - I went out and bought another copy for the GameCube a few weeks ago. But damn, that game deserves more love.

I hope Psychonauts makes the final cut. It would give me an excuse to finally play it. That and Indigo Prophecy.

Johnny Hundo: Dec 12th 2006; 8:22PM

Warriors, come out and playyyayyyy.

First dibs on Warriors replacing Psychonauts as the poster child for backward combatibility issues??

Hundo

GOD: Dec 12th 2006; 8:27PM

Indigo Prophecy, DOA, Destroy All Humans! This is the best back-compat update thus far. If they would just add Mercenaries and I might actually ditch my xbox.

eight: Dec 12th 2006; 8:29PM

Psychonauts... Indigo Prophecy and no X-men Legends!! Please i'm begging you. thats all i want.

Atilac: Dec 12th 2006; 8:44PM

PANZER DRAGOON ORTA!!!!!!!! plz M$, make it happen.

Lucas: Dec 12th 2006; 9:07PM

Mercenaries(my favorite game) is the only thing keeping me from buying a 360.

SuperJumpMan: Dec 12th 2006; 9:07PM

This is still bull sh#t. Give me more! Like the thing! Though I am sh1tless bout shenmue 2, beat it and loved it.

Ryan: Dec 12th 2006; 9:19PM

Seriously, Panzer Dragoon Orta, please.

Judd: Dec 12th 2006; 9:24PM

Right before the Wii came out my brother told me about a promotion they had at Gamecrazy to get 50% extra trade in on a system, if you're buying a system. So $55 on an Xbox would get you $72.50 towards a Wii. I knew I needed to get into Shenmue 2 because I figured it was such an older Xbox title if it wasn't a launch BC game, it never would be. So I went on the longest gaming binge of my life, pulling the only all nighter I have ever had and played about 30 hours from Friday-Sunday. Damn it, if I would've known.

Still if Microsoft is bringing this title back, maybe they have an interest in the series. Please convince Yu Suzuki to make Shenmue 3. PLEASE!

Now that games like Mortal Kombat:Armageddon are out, is there anything at all of interest coming out for the Xbox? I guess God of War 2 will be the last hurrah for the previous generation. Oh yea, and Ludwig, I agree with you, Indigo Prophecy wins the award for "Biggest Buildup with a Crappy Payoff" ever in a video game.

Syphon: Dec 12th 2006; 9:38PM

Sigh...
All I want is for PGR2 & JSRF to be BC. Just those 2 games & I will no longer care for any other title that makes the list.

Roy: Dec 12th 2006; 10:02PM

Shenmue II sucked on the xbox, why bring it to the xbox 360. The games controls ruined the entire fuckin experience. If you have the option, the euro dreamcast import of it is highly recommended. One of the best(in my humble opinion) games out.

Nick James: Dec 12th 2006; 10:07PM

They still need the last two Prince of Persia games, as well... I have such a huge urge to play Two Thrones right now.

Dark Morford: Dec 12th 2006; 10:20PM

Glad to see DOA:U on the list. Now we just need MechAssault, Elder Scrolls III, and DOAX, and my Xbox collection will all be back-compat!

Thomas: Dec 12th 2006; 10:31PM

aegies, if you notice Family Guys on there too..

Thats what.. a whole Month old.. Im quite shocked.. But the one Ive been waiting for is there.. Sweet..

My Bro has an old Xbox and has been itching to play Destroy All Humans on my 360.. Every so often he asks if it made the list yet.. Ive only played a lil of it at his house, so the games still new to me.. I cant wait.. Then he can have is Halo2 back.. :)

baby sea tuna: Dec 12th 2006; 10:49PM

Holy crap, Buffy! I just got this back from my friend last night, along with my (now) semi busted Xbox. Man, I hope they get it working soon so I can play through it again.

Duck: Dec 12th 2006; 11:28PM

Okay, so they make Open Season, Incredibles, and Shark Tale backward compatible, yet SW Republic Commando and RalliSport Challenge 2 aren't.

Dave: Dec 12th 2006; 11:52PM

I'm still waiting for Riddick.

Kamizar: Dec 12th 2006; 11:59PM

Phantom Dust or GTFO...

joe smith: Dec 13th 2006; 12:07AM

I liked psychonauts, but it was hardly the second coming of gaming. If it was so damned great, and worth all this hype, how come it couldn't manage to sell a couple of copies?

Mally: Dec 13th 2006; 12:58AM

JET SET RADIOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Thats all i want

Dr. John A. Vengeance: Dec 13th 2006; 12:58AM

Having five new games to play is awesome and all (Psychonauts, Indigo Prophecy, Shenmue II, Wakeboarding Unleashed, and Ultimate Spider-Man, just in case you were wondering), but I'm still missing a ton of games. Where's Stranger's Wrath, all the other SEGA games (Toejam and Earl, Panzer Dragoon, GUNVALKYRIE, Jet Set Radio Future, etc.), MGS2: Substance, Mercenaries, Phantom Dust, Castlevania, and Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks?! :(

Cuja: Dec 13th 2006; 12:58AM

Panzer Dragon Orta is top of my list, along with Soul Calibur II, Warriors, and DOAXBVB.

ole' gravy leg: Dec 13th 2006; 1:09AM

what about soul calibur 2, the capcom 2d fighters, and guilty gear ???

Jayslacks: Dec 13th 2006; 3:22AM

When the hell will Otogi and Otogi II become backcompact!!! Those two games are the most awesome and underrated games in the history of the universe! What do I have to do! Who do I have to pay! Geez!

jmzD: Dec 13th 2006; 4:37AM

MORTAL KOMBAT: ARMAGEDDON!!!

Thank you much.

Gareth Oakley: Dec 13th 2006; 5:03AM

Nice to see Shenmue II added to the list. Still want JSRF though :-)

Autocrawler: Dec 13th 2006; 5:41AM

In the time it took them to release the patch, I simply bought the far superior PC version of Psychonauts instead: 1600x1200 16xAF, 6xAA...mmmm :P

DevilsArm: Dec 13th 2006; 6:38AM

i want conker live and reloaded backwards already............ damnit its the only reason why i wont sell my xbox T_T

TheH2s: Dec 13th 2006; 7:54AM

They still don't have Beyond Good & Evil on this list. :( BG&E is about 1000 times better than Psychonauts. Actually it's better than most games on the current backward compat list.

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