You remember the hype at E3 2015? Microsoft dropped a bomb. They basically said, "Here are 30 games for 30 bucks." It was called Rare Replay, and honestly, it felt like a clerical error. There was no way they were giving away Banjo-Kazooie, Perfect Dark, and Viva Piñata in one box for the price of a large pizza.
But they did.
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Now, years later, you've probably seen it sitting in the digital bargain bin or buried in your Game Pass library. You might think it's just a dusty museum piece. You'd be wrong. In 2026, Rare Replay isn't just a nostalgia trip; it's one of the most technically interesting "rare" collections ever put on the Xbox One.
The weird truth about the Rare Replay Xbox One library
Most people think this is just a disc with 30 ROMs. It's not. It’s actually a Frankenstein’s monster of emulation, native ports, and backward compatibility.
Take Grabbed by the Ghoulies. On the original Xbox, it was... fine. In this collection, it’s a full 1080p, 60fps native port. It feels like a completely different game. Then you have the ZX Spectrum titles like Jetpac or Atic Atac. Those are running on a custom wrapper that lets you rewind time.
Did you ever actually beat Battletoads on the NES? No. Nobody did. But with the rewind feature in Rare Replay, you can finally get past that Turbo Tunnel without throwing your controller through a window.
What's actually in the box?
The variety is honestly kind of staggering. You have:
- The Early Years: Slalom, R.C. Pro-Am, and Cobra Triangle. These are tough. Like, "designed to eat your quarters" tough.
- The N64 Golden Era: Killer Instinct Gold, Blast Corps, and Jet Force Gemini.
- The Modern Era: Kameo: Elements of Power and both Viva Piñata games.
There’s a catch, though. If you buy the physical disc, you’ll notice something annoying. The Xbox 360 games aren't actually on the disc’s main menu in the same way. They install as separate apps. It’s a bit janky. You click Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts in the Rare Replay menu, and the console basically exits the collection to launch the 360 emulator. It works, but it’s not as seamless as the older games.
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Why some Rare classics are missing
Let’s address the elephant in the room: GoldenEye 007 and Donkey Kong Country.
They aren't here. Well, GoldenEye eventually showed up on Xbox in 2023, and if you own Rare Replay digitally, you usually get it for free now. But for a long time, the legal nightmare of James Bond and Nintendo-owned monkeys kept this collection from being "perfect."
Rare was a Nintendo powerhouse before Microsoft bought them in 2002. Because of that, anything with Mario or DK stayed with the Big N. It’s a bummer, but honestly, the inclusion of Conker's Bad Fur Day—the original N64 version, not the censored Xbox remake—makes up for a lot of it.
The hidden gems nobody talks about
Everyone goes for Banjo, but you should really play Blast Corps. It’s a game about driving bulldozers and mechs into buildings to clear a path for a nuclear carrier. It’s chaotic. It’s weird. It’s peak 90s Rare.
Then there’s Solar Jetman. It’s probably one of the most underrated NES games ever. The physics are floaty and difficult, but once you get the hang of towing ship parts through gravity wells, it’s addictive.
Playing Rare Replay on Series X vs. Xbox One
If you’ve upgraded to a Series X or S, Rare Replay gets a massive "hidden" boost.
The Xbox One struggled a bit with Nuts & Bolts and Perfect Dark Zero. Frame rates would dip when things got busy. On the newer hardware, Auto HDR kicks in, and the 360 games run much smoother. The loading times—which were a nightmare in Viva Piñata—basically disappear.
The "Snapshots" are the real MVP
Rare didn't just dump these games. They added "Snapshots." These are mini-challenges, sort of like NES Remix.
Instead of playing through all of Battletoads Arcade, you can jump into a challenge where you have to survive a specific wave of enemies. It’s perfect for when you only have ten minutes and want a hit of nostalgia without the commitment. Plus, completing these unlocks "Rare Revealed" videos. These are legitimate documentaries. You get to see footage of cancelled games like Kameo II and Conker: Gettin' Medieval. For a gaming nerd, that stuff is gold.
How to get the most out of it today
If you’re looking to dive back in, don't just stick to the hits.
- Check your settings: For the older 2D games, you can turn on a CRT filter. It adds scanlines and a slight curve to the screen. It looks way better than the raw, jagged pixels on a 4K TV.
- Re-map your controls: Jet Force Gemini has famously weird controls. Rare actually patched in a "Modern" control scheme specifically for this collection. Use it.
- Earn those stamps: Every milestone you hit in a game earns you stamps. Stamps level up your "Rare Rank." High ranks unlock the best behind-the-scenes videos.
Rare Replay is a weird, beautiful time capsule. It’s a reminder of a time when developers were allowed to be completely bizarre. It’s 30 years of British gaming history packed into one app.
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Your next steps
If you already own the game, check your "Ready to Install" section. If you haven't played since 2023, GoldenEye 007 should be sitting there waiting for you as a digital entitlement. If you're a physical collector, look for the disc version; it’s becoming one of those "must-have" items for Xbox One shelf-fillers because it's such a complete package. Start with Blast Corps or Viva Piñata—they hold up surprisingly well in 4K.