It’s been another cracking year at Antstream Arcade, stuffed full of new games, challenges and tournaments. So with New Year’s Eve imminent, join us as we celebrate the most popular retro games this year in the Antstream Arcade Greatest Hits Of 2022 compilation, along with some of the biggest and brightest new games that have debuted in 2022.
First up, we have the little yellow chap who’s still delighting gamers 42 years after first appearing in arcades. Namco’s Pac-Man remains one of gaming’s most recognisable icons, so it’s no surprise to see the dot-munching fellow appear as one of the most popular games on Antstream Arcade.
MORTAL KOMBAT! Midway’s ground-breaking 1992 beat-‘em-up is the next super-popular game on Antstream Arcade as fans continue to enjoy kicking and punching seven shades of something out of their mates. Fight!
SNK’s gloriously over-the-top run ‘n’ gun series is a big hit on Antstream Arcade, especially with our inclusion of the local simultaneous multiplayer mode. Antstreamers love taking control of an elite soldier in the Peregrine Falcon squad and grabbing a heavy machine gun for some uncontrolled mayhem!
A sharp turn of tone for the next Antstream Arcade hit of 2022, Taito’s Bubble Bobble. As with Metal Slug, players love the social aspect of Bubble Bobble’s local multiplayer mode on Antstream Arcade. In 2022, Antstreamers dedicated themselves to helping Bub and Bob rescue their girlfriends.
A sequel was inevitable when Galaxian became a mega-hit for Namco in the late seventies. Fortunately, the arcade company was up to the task, creating a brilliant follow-up most notable for its Boss Galaga and tractor beams. For pure shooting action, Galaga was a fashionable choice for Antstreamers in 2022.
Also top of the 2022 gaming pops on Antstream Arcade is this classic platform game from Data East. Antstreamers love the challenge of negotiating Chef Pepper’s kitchen and serving juicy burgers to impatient customers.
Antstream Arcade fans clearly love arcade platform games, and when this genre combines with a James Bond-style spy caper, you’ve got another hit for 2022 in the shape of Namco’s Rolling Thunder.
The final game in this very special retro compilation is an indisputable legend of videogames. First released into arcades in 1978, gamers are still revelling in the simple blasting action of Taito’s Space Invaders, the original and most iconic shoot-‘em-up of all time. Like all of these classic videogames, it’s available to stream, for free, on Antstream Arcade.
Dozens of new games have appeared on Antstream Arcade this year. From shoot-‘em-ups to homebrew and in-depth DOS games, these are the most notable new releases in 2022.
Homebrew
Homebrew and indie games blossomed on Antstream Arcade in 2022. Leading the way were excellent 16-bit titles such as Tanglewood, The Curse Of Illmoore Bay and Perfect Pair, with the Amstrad CPC producing several awesome new retro games such as Chaos Rising, Xyphoe’s Nightmare and Ice Slider.
New Platform: DOS
DOS games finally arrived on Antstream Arcade in February, with a secret game put on the system for eager PC gamers to find. The honour belonged to the cartoon point-and-click adventure Day of The Tentacle, and it was soon joined by further LucasArts games The Dig, Sam & Max Hit The Road and Full Throttle. Expect more DOS in 2023!
Arcade Love
Arcade games continue to prove popular on Antstream Arcade, and 2022 saw many more wonderful games of coin-op origin appear. First up was the brilliant tunnel shooter Tempest, closely followed by fellow Atari games Black Widow and Breakout. Then, in May, it was the turn of Irem and its renowned shoot-‘em-up R-Type, quickly followed with its equally-tough sequel. Talking of Irem, this year also saw its excellent games Dragon Breed, Cosmic Cop, Lode Runner and Spelunker II all debut on Antstream Arcade.
More Arcade Love
Some quirkier arcade games appeared on Antstream Arcade this year. Horror game Splatterhouse arrived to shock lily-livered gamers, while Jaleco’s cute driving platformer combo City Connection pulled up in September. For first-person shooter fans, the crazy Beast Busters and Mechanized Attack provided the on-rails shooting pandemonium.
New Platform: Gameboy
January saw the advent of another new platform on Antstream Arcade – the Nintendo Gameboy! 2021’s Worm Blaster was the first and was quickly followed by the racing games Jeep Jamboree and Banishing Racer, and run ‘n’ gunner Fortified Zone. Look out for more Gameboy love in 2023!
More Great Games
There were plenty more fantastic games over several platforms new to Antstream Arcade this year. Here are some of our favourites:-
With 2022 done and dusted, all that remains is for us at Antstream Arcade HQ to thank you for playing Antstream Arcade this year! To keep up to date with new games in 2023, make sure you join our Discord server. Happy New Year!