Xbox 360 Cannot Natively Play Original Xbox Discs — But Backward Compatibility Exists

No, the Xbox 360 cannot natively play original Xbox game discs. The architectures differ significantly. However, Microsoft implemented software-based backward compatibility via system updates, allowing a curated list of ~460 original Xbox titles to run on Xbox 360.

Better Alternatives for Backward Compatibility

• Xbox One / Series X|S: Offer a much larger library of playable original Xbox games (and Xbox 360 games) with enhancements.
• PC Emulation: CXBX-Reloaded and Xemu emulate original Xbox on PC.
• Original Hardware: The most authentic way to play the full library.