AntStream Arcade is a streaming service for retro games, which allows you to play retro games on the go, regardless of your platform. All reviews (unless stated otherwise) are based on the Developer/Publisher providing myself with a review code, which i am grateful for, but does not influence my outcome.

The service boasts free to play access to over a thousand retro games, and has achievements, tournaments, challenges and leader boards to keep you entertained. Found here:- AntStream Arcade

From the get go, the service is free, yup free, no gimmicks. To achieve this the site does have paid ads on there to ensure the site is able to be maintained and regular content to be added. Now, there is a paid option if you so choose, which then removes those ads if your fed up with seeing them. The idea being is that this is to become a viable streaming service like Netflix. Personally I would put this more down to be like Xbox’s Gamepass Ultimate, but for retro games.

To start, you create an account and download the latest software, be it desktop or app for mobile devices, and your good to go. With one you can play across multiple devices (from gaming consoles to smart tv’s, phones and tablets).

Once you log in, you are then greeted by quite a simple but effective layout which showcases off some of the elements you can mess about with and enjoy. The main page is to show off the games which have been added and the tournament challenges for the week. Below these are a number of game selections based on a particular genre like FPS, platform or fighting.

The next tab over is the search engine, which I would personally use to really see how many games are available for your pleasure. Here you can choose to filter by platform, game title or genre. Looking at the plethora of games on show, you can tell the developers are hard core retro fans as they just don’t include one game from one particular platform. Some games came out on multiple platforms and back then, this could mean drastically different games depending on which it was on. The mega drive version of a game would be very different from the Spectrum, but regardless, you have access to them all. This in itself speaks volumes in terms of developers commitment to ensuring you as the consumer get the vey best service, as well as ensuring the historical nature of each game is kept alive.

Next is your profile, which shows of your social standing, challenges you completed, and your favourite games. This is great as it means you don’t have to re-search for the game you enjoy the most. The next tab is your achievements list, which is currently small but is something that will be increased upon as the service evolves. Here instead of individual game achievements which would be horrendous to provide, being that these games never had any, its based on the amount of different games you play, particular challenges and how often. Either way, who doesn’t like achievements!!

Next to that is an inbox for communication with friends, devs and updates on the service provided. After that is the tournaments tab where you can join tournaments against fellow users in a bid to win in site currency which then allows you to use said currency to join more impressive tournaments.

For me, this is a bit of miss element as id rather much more use said currency into something more personal like a background, better avatar or towards a reduction on the monthly subscription. And finally, the last tab is for your settings, which is self explanatory.

Gameplay

Testing a variety of games I can say without a doubt the system is smooth depending on your bandwidth. The games themselves run really well regardless of peripheral, be it controller, touchscreen or keyboard. That’s right, the system allows you to choose which ever is good for you and gives you a handy explanation of what does what. You cannot however rebind keys, which may or may not be an issue depending on how you to prefer to play.

Now I can’t tell if these games are using a particular emulator, a variety of them, or simply streaming the game from a hub somewhere, but regardless, I had no issues at playing any of the games I chose to jump into.

Each game can also be saved to ensure you don’t loose progression in case of an outage or you loose connection. This is just another well thought out option that allows to jump back in where you left off at any time, and I for one am personally thankful for this as some of these retro games were a sod to complete with limited lives!

In terms of sheer numbers the content available is fantastic with a huge selection of beloved, forgotten and even ones I had no idea existed. The list of games is huge and the developers have stated that they intend to keep increasing the numbers which is superb.

There is a saying that it only takes ‘’one game to get you fully onboard to a platform’’, and this is most certainly true for me. Zero Tolerance was my end all and be all of a game and to be able to play this on the go anywhere is a sheer delight that makes this service invaluable. And with titles I had never even heard before, it genuinely is keeping me entertained beyond those games that I already know and love.

Graphics

Again this could be down to the emulator, but every game looks crisp in its retro goodness, with a stable framerate (depending your bandwidth) smooth and enjoyable. Regardless of the game, they all seem to be really well optimised and ready to show off they beauty they once held. Another superb aspect is the gaming artwork for each game, that really shows off how games were marketed back in the day. If you’re a fan of old school cover artwork, you can enjoy them in all their glory here.

There is even the date it was released, the genre and even a short blurb telling more about what you are going to play. This isn’t needed but again showcases off that the developers are going way beyond what is needed to preserve the history of these games.

Sound

Again similar to graphics, the sound is crisp and works superb. And whilst I cannot hear any enhancements, I would still recommend in using a good headset to really enjoy and bask in the gaming sounds of old. Similar to the graphics, I heard no lag between what was being played and what was coming out of my headset.

Verdict
This leads me onto the rating of the service:-
Now I rate services in order of, avoid, on sale, great purchase and must own. My rating for AntStream Arcade is a "Must Own".

This service is a godsend to those like myself that have an affinity for retro gaming, and who were originally looking into getting a separate device to play said retro titles. Not only do we not have to worry about getting a device and the hassle of setting it up, we can now enjoy for free, these beloved game anywhere at anytime regardless of the platform.

The service is free, and depending on the games and your skill and patience, would give you hundreds of hours of entertainment. If you would like to upgrade to the premium ad-free membership, it costs £9.99/month, or £7.99/month if you sign up for a full year's worth of game time upfront.

For those that care about game preservation this is great. For those that want to play retro games anywhere, this is great. For those that just want to play retro games for nothing, this is great. In all honesty, I can’t find a downside to this service. If you just want to bring back some old school memories or start enjoying retro gaming, jump on this. It wont cost you anything, so what have you got to loose?

AntStream Arcade Review