The Xbox 360 has debatably the greatest library of both exclusives and third-party titles of any Xbox system. There are even a few Japanese-developed games from various companies exclusive to it, which is surprising now, given the low popularity of Xbox in Japan.
There are so many great 360 games that a lot are forgotten about, neglected, or just not discussed much. Most of the hidden gems are still in a good price range, though with the Xbox 360 store closure on Jun 27, 2025, it’s very likely the prices will rise after that date.
2012
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
One Xbox Live Arcade game that’s criminally obscure is Wrecked: Revenge Revisited. It’s a four-player vehicular combat game where you race and battle your opponents to become the last one standing. It’s a ton of fun and very fitting for the XBLA downloadable format.
This isn’t a title you can play for hours on end, but it’s great to play in short bursts every once in a while. Considering there’s no PC port, you may want to pick this game up before the 360 or PS3 digital storefronts shut down in the future.
2006
Xbox 360
Not only isDead or Alive Xtreme 2a hidden gem in the literal sense, but a physical one as well. Xtreme 2 is quite an uncommon 360 game, and you can go through a whole gaming convention and may only find it a few times. The game itself is highly entertaining and enjoyable.
There are many more minigames this time than the original, which is great for variety, and the new ones on offer, like Jet Ski Races, are fantastic. What really makes this a blast is the English voice acting. The English VO is so cheesy you’d think it came from 4Kids Entertainment. Along with the unique item descriptions for each girl, you’llhave many laughs throughout. Xtreme 2 is a great game to chill out and relax in, and those titles can be hard to spot.
2010
One of the more well-known hidden gems, at least in the collector community, is the 2010 Splatterhouse. It has a fairly high price for both PS3 and Xbox 360 due to its high cult following but poor critical and commercial reception. For a 3D beat-‘em-up, it’s pretty good, with a nice variety of levels and solid voice acting.
It’s a game made for Splatterhouse fans as many references and aspects from previous games return, and you’re able to even play the original three titles as unlockables. Just be warned that, likeDead Space 3, its opening moments are terrible. Level three and beyond is far superior to those opening two chapters.
2007
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
AfterMax Payne, quite a handful of similar bullet-time John Woo-esque action games came afterward, and out of them, Stranglehold is the best one. Coming from Mr. Woo himself and Midway Games, Stranglehold is a sequel to Woo’s action masterpiece Hard Boiled. The gameplay here is pure awesomeness.
Not only do you have the trademark slow-mo dives, but the amount of destructibility in the environments and the way they flow into the combat makes it stand out from the likes of Max Payne. There are great abilities, too, like the rampage mode and the ultimate one where you blast and spin around as dives fly out. At seven levels long, it ends right when it needs to and doesn’t overstay its welcome.
2013
Never has there been a more ironic game title than Remember Me. Developed by Don’t Nod, which later made the very successfulLife Is Strangeseries, Remember Me has so much going for it. The art direction and environment still look good to this day, and its story, while not original, is very well executed. Memories are the core theme here, and it’s fascinating, especially with the extremely well-done memory remixing segments.
Its combat does the job, although hardcore action game fans will likely find it shallow. What helps here is the killer soundtrack. Out of the entire Capcom game library, Remember Me stands asone of the best soundtracks, and every type of music is good here. It really helps make the combat feel better than it actually is.
2008
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PC
The final few Activision James Bond games are all over the place in terms of quality, but the best one was 007: Quantum of Solace. This game wasn’t made by any ordinary studio within Activision, as Treyarch themselves developed it using the same engine asCall of Duty. Being made by the futureBlack Opsdevelopers is likely why this game feels so much better than future COD-style Bond titles afterward, which had no involvement from Infinity Ward, Treyarch, or even Sledgehammer.
Despite being called Quantum of Solace, most of the title follows Casino Royale and does an excellent job recapturing the movie while delivering a solid FPS. Even the multiplayer was really fun, and it was so sweet to see the Facility map fromGoldenEye 007return.
A rather disliked title within the Suda51 community isNo More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise. An enhanced version of the original Wii game, it is objectively worse, but it’s still a fun alternative regardless. There’s tons of additions, including bosses from No More Heroes 2 and new minigames, which will give you a good laugh. This port is so disliked mainly due to the poor performance, at least on the PS3.
The Xbox 360 version has none of the technical hiccups you see on PS3, making it a much better version to play. Many don’t know about this because the 360 port never escaped Japan, unlike the PS3 version, which was localized by Konami. Unfortunately, Heroes' Paradiseis region-lockedon the 360, so you will need a Japanese or hacked console to play it.
Xbox 360 (Series X|S Backwards Compatible), PlayStation 3
TheNierfranchise didn’t really kick off in popularity until the second game,Automata. The original game received poor reviews at the time and was a very ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ release. This is a crying shame, as the original Nier is an absolute masterpiece and the best entry in the franchise for many in the community.
The story here is ungodly good and still effective today. There is a remastered version on modern platforms, but that edition contained several changes. The vanilla experience is still worth playing today, and it runs at 60fps on Xbox Series X|S, making it the definitive way to play the game.
2009
Xbox 360 (Series X|S BC), PlayStation 3
Another game that got poor reviews is Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard. The gameplay is alright for a third-person cover shooter, but what makes it good is the writing. Eat Lead has a great premise, with you essentially playing as current-day Duke Nukem.
Matt Hazard is a washed-outlead video game herowho hasn’t seen a large hit in years but is attempting a big comeback. The rest of the story is a wild ride that never lets up. Complete with great voice acting, these elements make Eat Lead worth a playthrough alone. Unfortunately, there’s not much replay value, so it’s wise to pick up this title for cheap.
Xbox 360 (Series X|S BC), PlayStation 3, PC
After 16 years, the fourth installment in the Sparkster series finally came to fruition. Rocket Knight and the whole series, for that matter, are truly special platformers that feel amazing. The main gameplay element is being able to blast off in all eight directions, not only for navigational purposes but also to kill enemies.
You can ricochet off walls, too, which adds a lot of depth. The movement makes this game so much fun to play. It is short, only lasting a few hours, but there is replay value with multiple difficulty modes, and the game often goes on sale for dirt cheap. You’ll definitely get your money’s worth here.
