There comes a time in every gamer's life when nostalgia hits, and the urge to replay your old favourites comes out of the blue. When you long for simpler times, where no account or patch was needed to just turn on and play a game or two.
Retro gaming is a timeless genre that offers something to everyone. It stirs up childhood memories for some or lets you create new ones. Despite being decades old, the gameplay can feel fresh and inviting. All you need to do is hear the hum of a theme tune, see a 2D sprite or even just a logo, and you're transported back to the heyday of gaming.
But for modern gamers, getting a chance to play these revolutionary titles is itself a challenge. Modern consoles don't have backward compatibility that lets you play games you own. Many, like the upcoming PS5 Pro, won't even have disc drives. Slowly but surely, the industry is pushing its original founders out of reach.
So what should a retro gamer do to scratch that nostalgic itch? Just how can you relive iconic titles from the industry's rich history? Well, a retro streaming platform is now available on a range of devices, which aims to bring the magic of old, to a new generation of gamers.
Antsream Arcade and the magic of a retro game
Grebit was one of the first video games I ever played. Releasing all the way back in 1990 on the Amstrad, not many people would have heard of this simple Frogger clone that saw you guide a frog through heavy traffic. At the time, the game was a revelation. But with no Amstrad in sight now, it's a game that was destined to remain a childhood memory. Or so I thought.
Antstream Arcade is a cloud gaming platform with over 1,300 retro titles you can play with just the click of a button. And seconds into booting it up, there was Grebit in all his froggy splendour, begging to be replayed. As soon as it loaded, I hurtled the poor frog right into a passing truck, just like old times. Sure, 30 years may have passed, but some things just never change.
Antstream Arcade will catch many by surprise. From the get-go, it is an explosion of colour, as splash artwork from games across the 70s, 80s, and 90s assaults your senses. The homepage is beyond busy, and it can be hard to focus on what to play against all the noise. But the carousel at the top will no doubt be your first port of all and give you a flavour of what to expect.
It has all the popular heavy hitters that are trending. You'll see the likes of Space Invaders (1978), Pac-Man (19980), and Metal Slug X (1990) all duke it out for the top spot. Each one vying for even just 5 minutes of your time.
With so many games, there is simply not enough time or space to cover everything available on the platform. This, of course, is a very good complaint to make. Games all come from a wide range of consoles, including Atari 2600, Commodore 64, Sega, Nintendo, Playstation and more. Fans of every faction should be pleased by the generous spread.
The games I did have a go at ran very smoothly and were comfortable to control. Decades of the gaming industry are here for your amusement. Some of the most fun I found were from titles released before I was even born. At this point, it will dawn on you that there would be no other reasonable way (legally, at least) to experience these titles than through Antstream Arcade.
Bubble Bobble, which was released in 1986, probably consumed most of my time this past week. Seeing those two goofy dragons floating down, paired with its signature music and sound effects, brings you immediately back to the heyday of arcade gaming you grew up dreaming about.
Some other legendary games that have become my new addictions include the iconic Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (1992), which will have you laughing from the opening scene, the racing classic Continental Circus (1987), the original Spelunker (1987), and The New Zealand Story (1988), where you control a Kiwi armed with a bow and arrow.
You can also relive many iconic Star Wars moments in games like Super Star Wars (1992). And as ageist as it sounds, I was surprised at some of the innovative features found in these games. It also made me realise just how much inspiration modern games take for free from the old classics.
Innovative controls eliminate any retro frustration
Whether you're playing on a PC, smartphone, or the recently released PlayStation version, you might wonder how retro translates with controllers. Despite the time gap, each game adapts to your platform.
For this review, I played on my PC, keyboard, and mouse without much problem. And when I plugged in my PS5 DualSense controller for an experiment, Antstream Arcade converted all the controls seamlessly. It's a nice touch, allowing gamers some leeway into how you play. Depending on the game, you might experiment with the setup for the ultimate convenience. There is a save feature in games, which might feel like cheating on some classics, but it's a welcomed feature if and when you fancy a break.
Antstream Arcade goes to great lengths to recreate the glory of arcades, too. Co-op features allow you to invite the whole family along for the fun. Global leaderboards will test the mettle of any gamer and add that competitive magic of 'high scores' into this new digital era. There are also daily challenges to compete, focusing on scores, time trials, or simply surviving levels.
One thing I will say is that the catalogue of games can change. On trying out Antstream, I was a little disappointed to see previously available titles, like Mortal Kombat 1, weren't available anymore. Hopefully, as the platform expands, these big franchises will make their well-deserved return.
Finally, the platform does have a subscription model for full access. You can then choose between a 12-month subscription or a lifetime pass. A free tier exists to give fans a taste of the action before putting any coins in the machine.
Ultimately, Antstream Arcade is quite a marvel to behold. It's like owning a little retro museum on your device, allowing you to enjoy an endless array of ancient adventures. And with new titles released weekly, it will be interesting to see what old gems from the vault are again brought out into the spotlight. Even if you haven't played many old games to reminisce over, Antstream Arcade will prove to you the magic those pioneering games had - and still have.
Antstream Arcade is now available on a range of consoles and smart devices. For more information, visit the Antstream Arcade official website here.
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