Since we smashed through our Kickstarter campaign, it’s been a fantastic 12 months for Antstream Arcade, full of amazing retro games, all streamed straight to your suitable device and ready to play. And although last year’s soft launch contained a fine selection of classic gaming delights, we haven’t rested on our laurels and have been busy improving the service, adding features and, of course, many more games. Join us as we delve back into the last few months to celebrate our first birthday.
Into More Territories
Initially launching in the UK only, Antstream Arcade has since grown steadily, expanding further into Europe and even the United States via early access. While our key supported locations remain the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, further access will be rolling out more and more as time goes on.
Free Trial
You asked, and we listened! For those of you who wish to have a jaunty poke around our huge collection of retro gaming treasures, we introduced a free 7-day trial in January. Naturally, we are so confident in our brilliant array of classics that we’re sure you’ll sign up, but if you want a no-cost dip into the Antstream Arcade archive, then the option is there.
Colony Expansion
While on this very blog we have been highlighting some of the prominent members of the Antstream Arcade Colony, our Discord channel is solidly growing in its role as a focal point for the Antstream community. If you’ve not signed up already, head over there now to chat about all the classic retro games that we have available, and more!
Major New Licences and Partnerships
There were already hundreds of video games available on Antstream Arcade when we launched twelve months ago, and now there are even more available thanks to the tireless work of our licensing gurus. From the bullet hell madness of Cave’s output, to the vast range of colourful and fun arcade games from SNK, Tecmo and Taito, there’s even more to enjoy today, streamed direct to your compatible device.
Niche New Licences and Games
Here at Antstream Arcade, we appreciate that it’s sometimes the lesser known gems that gets retro gamers excited, so we’re busy bringing you not just the big guns, but also those niche games that are a delight to discover, or re-discover! We’ve also even begun to present newer games for retro systems such as Below The Tower’s great puzzle platform game, Millie & Mollie, released in 2018 on the Commodore 64.
User Interface Refinements and Improvements
The very nature of Antstream Arcade means that we are constantly refining and tweaking the system in order to bring subscribers an even better user experience. Over the last year, we have focused on a much more flexible search facility which now enables you to search for games via genre, publisher and more. There are also links to popular searches so you can instantly see what everybody else is playing.
Loading And Saving
One of our most requested features was the ability to save and load progress during play. With many games needing a lot of time and effort to complete, this is something that became imperative for us, and it was duly implemented last year. Of course back in the day the option didn’t exist – if you wanted to complete that rigorous platform game, you had to leave your computer on all day!
More Challenges, More Fun
If you feel like testing your gaming skills, or fancy throwing down the gauntlet to a fellow Antstreamer, then the Antstream Arcade challenges are for you. We’ve added many more challenges recently, including for popular games such as Bubble Bobble, Space Invaders, Bomb Jack and The New Zealand Story.
The Legend Of Atari Returns
Towards the end of last year, Antstream Arcade sealed a deal with the legendary Atari to host some of its memorable games on the service. We are slowly rolling out these treats for users, and already have arcade games Battlezone, Missile Command and Asteroids ready to play, the latter two complete with challenges. With many more Atari 8-bit games also available – including the unforgettable Boulder Dash – this is a partnership that is set to produce a cavalcade of amazing games.
More Games!
Undoubtedly Antstream Arcade is all about great retro games, and we’ve added a bunch of new ones to the service over the last few months. From standout all-time arcade classics such as Space Invaders, Bubble Bobble, Bomb Jack, Solomon’s Key and Fatal Fury, to quirky home computer efforts Horace Goes Skiing, Mugsy and Tilt, you’ll never be bored on Antstream Arcade. And don’t forget Team17’s superb Alien Breed and Worms, available now!
The Future’s Bright – The Future’s Antstream Arcade
It’s been an electrifying year – but there’s more to come! We are constantly working on streamlining the Antstream Arcade experience, adding new features and content. With online multiplayer, tournaments, new formats (including Amstrad and PC-DOS) and more challenges all in the works, there’s plenty to get excited about for the next twelve months. And many many new games to play!