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5 Xbox Originals We Want on Game Pass in 2022

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With the number of quality titles there are on Xbox Game Pass, it would seem like an insult to reach out and ask for more. And yet, here we stand, still as stone with a never-ending list of games that we'd give a left arm just to have conveniently placed on the network. Do we feel ungrateful about that? Sure. But we're also going by the code of if you don't ask for it — then you'll never receive it. So what do we do? Why, we give Microsoft a gentle nudge every once in a while, of course.

As far as Xbox originals go, Game Pass hardly boasts an eternal void of them, nor does it try to push them into the spotlight when they do eventually come about. Instead, they're left out to rot in the pits of the evolving catalog, ready for us to unearth and enjoy their neglected fruits. However, if for some reason we were ever given the chance to push more Xbox originals into the limelight, then we'd happily pick these five in a heartbeat. Microsoft, take notes.

5. SSX Tricky

For years, SSX fans have begged for EA Big to return to the slopes and carve up a well-deserved remake for one of their greatest snow-soaked achievements to date. SSX Tricky, being an absolute gem of a snowboarding game, was honestly what defined many great, great days during the PlayStation 2 and Xbox era. Sadly, the gaming giant has yet to resurrect the alps and move the necessary mountains to make such a thing happen.

But that's a remake. What we need right now, in this very moment, is a bog-standard port for Game Pass. Nothing technical or overdone — just a straight-up, no-nonsense, run-of-the-mill copy and paste template. Will it happen? Well, it's probably best not to get our hopes up, though it is worth maintaining the pressure on EA, just in case they decide to have a sudden change of heart in the near future.

 

4. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

As grateful as we are for the upcoming reboot of the beloved Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, it still doesn't quite quench our thirst at this exact moment in time. But with that said, with the franchise gearing up for a reboot, the chances of seeing the original drop on Game Pass does seem somewhat likely. Just take a look at Psychonauts, for example. The moment the sequel was announced as a day one exclusive — the original was suddenly inducted into the library. Well, here's hoping it's the same sort of deal with Prince of Persia.

It feels long overdue — the remastered trilogy, that is. It's something Ubisoft has been promising for well over a decade, and yet never found the time to make it happen. But now, with Sands of Time expected to roll out to Xbox Series X/S, perhaps it's time to nudge the acclaimed developer for another attempt at bagging its original for Game Pass. Just an idea.

 

3. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Game Pass has had a pretty healthy relationship with LucasArts and the long arm of video games in the past. And although the subscription platform does currently accommodate its fair share of Star Wars games (Squadrons, Battlefront, and Jedi: Fallen Order, to name a few), it has yet to induct one of Xbox's earliest achievements. That, of course, being Knights of the Old Republic.

Being the fastest selling game of 2003, it was only natural for OG fans to band together to form the common goal of bringing it back to next-gen consoles. Lo and behold, Sony picked it up again and struck back with a PlayStation 5 remake. And while that's all well and good, it's still a ways off from being released, meaning our hunger for its galactic kingdom continues to churn at deafening volumes. Good thing we have Game Pass to help satisfy our appetites, right, Microsoft?

 

2. Ninja Gaiden

Ninja Gaiden is one of those series that has continued to mine gold from a single nugget without having to so much as replace the pickaxe along the way. And considering the franchise has been around since the Atari Lynx days (that being the late-1980s), the fact it still thrives today just goes to show its true colors, and how its popularity has remained at an all-time high after three decades.

Okay, so technically, Ninja Gaiden Black did find its way onto the Game Pass frontline a few years back before ultimately being pulled in 2019. Its many sibling releases, on the other hand, struggled to see the light of day for all the while Xbox plucked classics from the cellar. Plus, being one of the highest rated series of a console generation, a light refresher probably wouldn't go amiss these days. Here's hoping.

 

1. Project Gotham Racing

Before Forza cruised the winding path to everlasting success, the likes of Project Gotham Racing paved the very concrete on which it navigated. And for years, PGR stood as the go-to racing platform for Xbox, spanning four main instalments plus spin-offs through to 2009. But despite fading out and succumbing to the power of its rival franchises, its global following remained at an all-time high for years to come.

It's been nearly fifteen years since Bizarre Creations released a Project Gotham Racing game, meaning a remaster or well-oiled reboot wouldn't exactly to amiss right about now. But as it stands, we'll happily settle for a direct port to Game Pass. And while you're at it, Microsoft — how about just uploading the whole portfolio for nostalgia's sake? We know a few million PGR fans that wouldn't mind.

 

So, if given the chance, which Xbox originals would you have put on Game Pass for 2022? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.

 

Looking for more content? You could always take a look at one of these lists:

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Jord is acting Team Leader at gaming.net. If he isn't blabbering on in his daily listicles, then he's probably out writing fantasy novels or scraping Game Pass of all its slept on indies.