The original xbox is still an incredible system, and the number of games that are available for it can be pretty staggering. I'm creating this guide to give you some ideas for great games so you don't end up with some of the ones that will just make you feel like you've wasted your money.

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic (KotOR): This is absolutely one of the best games available on the original xbox and its Game of the Year award was very well deserved. Even people who aren't into Star Wars will enjoy this game. One of the best aspects of the game is the ability to play as light side or dark side, and how much that truly effects the game. The plot is phenomenal, with a HUGE plot twist toward the end that you might not see coming. And speaking of the game's end sequence, the ending is completely different whether you play light side or dark side.

Madden 2005/NCAA Football 2005: Why 2005 instead of 2007? Newer isn't always better. The 2005 version of Madden was the last one release for the original xbox to include the full featured Owner Mode, which is where you can have a lot of fun with the game. It allows you to track your ticket sales, build a new stadium, move the team, even set prices for items at your concession stand. And, if you have NCAA Football, you can import your graduating class into Madden and follow those players careers through the pros.

Kung Fu Chaos: If you can find this game, buy it. At it's core, it's a fun fighting game that puts you into a parody of an old Kung Fu movie. Actually, the game puts you into a lot of different movies, such as when you have to fight your way off a sinking Titanic. Where the game really shines, though, is as a party game. After each fight, you have the option of watching the replay. What makes this special is the style in which it's done. The replay runs like a really old kung fu movie (complete with scratches on the film and frame skips), and gives you some camera angles you definitely didn't see while you were playing.

True Crime: Streets of LA : Okay, this game isn't everybody's cup of tea, but it's worht playing if only for the voice overs done by none other than Christopher Walken. Don't get me wrong, Russell Wong's voice acting as main character Johnny Kang is great as well, but Walken just adds something to any project he's involved in. This game, like KotOR, can be played good or evil. In fact, there are branching story paths depending on how your playing the game. And failing a mission doesn't mean the game has to end. For example, if you need to get to a crime scene within, say, two minutes, and you get there in two minutes ten seconds, you can choose to replay the mission or continue the game having gotten there late. Plus, the options for upgrading your character are interesting. You can choose to upgrade hand-to-hand combat, firearms, and or driving skills, so time you play it can be completely different.

Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind : You want open ended gameplay, here it is. Morrowind has an exceptionally well written main story, plus tons and tons of side quests. With three noble houses, three main guilds, and at least one "hidden" guild, there are hundreds of hours of side quests in the game. I actually played this one for over 100 hours before getting to the second mission in the main story line.The NPCs are all well done, the world of Morrowind is HUGE, with absolutely no "invisible walls". With the right spell or piece of equipment, there is literally no mountain too high to climb. Plus, there's a bit of humor in the game. For example, if you're in the right place at the right time, you'll see the end results of the the Icarus Spell.

Fable: The Lost Chapters : Do not, I repeat, DO NOT buy the original version of Fable. Every bit of content from the first version of Fable is included in The Lost Chapters, plus tons more. In the original Fable, you'd come to a place and say "there seems to be something missing here". Like the stage in the back of the school in Browerstone South. It seemed like something should happen there. The stage is used in The Lost Chapters, and to very comic effect, plus you get a "Chicken Kickin'" contest, and a lot more. The game itself is just the right level of difficulty, and there's as much humor as there is adventure. Plus, your characters growth is completely up to you. You can play as sword bearing warrior who doesn't use any magic or stealth, as a thief who stays as far away from his enemies as possible, or as a dark wizard who uses his magic to terrify the townspeople as often (or more often) than to defeat his enemies.

Halo and Halo 2: Okay, so every xbox owner probably already has these games in their library, but I still want to add them here. What sets these games apart is the enemy AI. The aliens in Halo and Halo 2 are tough opponents who will work together and come at you from odd angles. One of my favorite things about the game, though, is listening to the aliens while I'm fighting them. They'll shout things (in their squeaky little voices) like "Take Cover!" or "Here He Comes" or "Sarge? Sarge? I'm scared sarge."

Forza Motorsport: There are lots of raceing games for Xbox, but none of them compare to Forza Motorsport. Like Playstation's Gran Turismo, you have the ability to collect hundreds of cars, modify them, and race them on a number of tracks. One of the game's great advantages is the modeled damage. Hit a wall and you scrape the paint off your car, or loose your bumper, or have all the glass in the car shatter. It adds a lot to the overall feel of the game. Plus, if you're a real gear head, the level of customization available for the cars is amazing and you can spend all day in your garage tweaking every component to get the perfect setup.

There are a lot of other great games for Xbox, and a lot of truly abysmal games, but these are the core that every xbox owner should have in their library.