As much as people like to frown upon the whole 'console war' thing, it actually gets us the best rewards in the long run. Just think about it; there'd be no impetus for top-tier businesses to change their plans if the competition weren't posing a threat, and when that comes to video games, seeing the two multi-billion dollar titans that are Sony and Microsoft clash over all sorts of policies continues to only benefit the consumer. Last generation we saw Sony implement trophies as a response to the runaway success of achievements, and after Sony 'won E3' by refusing to go conform to a world without second-hand games, Microsoft fired back by securing timed exclusives and free backwards compatibility. Such major steps forward reframe the Xbox One's chances across 2016, and thankfully if you've just picked up one of the consoles recently, you're getting the best version of the hardware so far. That said, the new dashboard and its myriad of tricks and secrets can evade even the most hardcore of gamers, but that's where this article comes in.
10. Learn How To Download Your Free Xbox 360 Games
Microsoft made a pretty big song and dance about their backwards compatibility functionality, and although you just need to throw in an old disk from the approved online list to play your old favourites, they've added that every upcoming 360 title on the Games with Gold program would be playable digitally, too. However, trying to access the older titles through the XO dashboard can be a nightmare, as although they're listed through the standard search functionality, there's no download link or even a price attached - instead you'll just see 'Bundle Only' listed where the download link should be. It can be very confusing, and it's down to Microsoft's emulation workaround. See, the games aren't available for download through the Xbox One's storefront for whatever reason, so you have to boot up the Xbox Store page either through the Internet Explorer app or on another device, log in and set them off downloading. Once they're activated on your account, heading to the 'Games & Apps' section and scrolling to the right will show a 'Games available' tab, and inside will be your 360 titles. Phew. Bonus tip: If you're after something a little newer, a Gold Xbox Live subscription will net you the free version of any Xbox Preview game, Project Spark's ongoing public beta and even a great version of Killer Instinct that has one character but still lets you go online, complete tutorials and fight to your heart's content.
