Antstream Arcade for Xbox – Console Service Review

Greetings, PC Master Race warriors. Here I am, forced to leave my glorious PC setup to dive into the world of consoles and review Antstream Arcade for Xbox. Yes, the service exists for PC and even cell phones, but in this specific case I was called to review the service on the console. What we won't do for the salary, right?

YES! I'm away from my ultrawide monitors and my RTX 4090 GPU, and now I need to see how the mere mortals on consoles have fun. So without further ado, let's see what this platform has to offer for the commoners.

What is Antstream Arcade?

Antstream Arcade is a retro game streaming service that lets you play classic games directly from your Xbox, without the need for downloads. The idea is to offer a vast library of old games, from the Atari era to the arcades of the 90s. And, of course, all of this from the “convenience” of your console.

Functionality and Interface

Antstream’s interface is relatively simple and straightforward. You sign up, log in, and you’ll have immediate access to a large collection of classic games. Navigation is intuitive, which is to be expected from a console worth its salt, but of course, it doesn’t come close to the flexibility and customization that a PC offers.

That said, it's a pretty decent service in terms of design, everything is well placed, separated, and nice to look at.

Game Catalog

Here, I have to admit, Antstream really shines! The variety is impressive, with titles that will make you feel that nostalgia for arcades and old consoles. The service includes platform games that many in Brazil never had the chance to know, such as Amiga and Commodore 64. Yes, we are talking ONCE AGAIN, look at that, about computers, my friends. Titles like Speedball 2 remember that, since the beginning, PCs have been the true masters of games.

I laughed so much when I saw it (and remember my young days) Way of the Exploding Fist, released as far as I know, only for computers. Man, there's a lot of nostalgia involved here. An excellent fighting game for its time (the 80s). There's also the great Dragon Ninja from the arcades, a fighting game that was also a huge hit in the arcades of my time. Another game that I swore I'd never see again is Impossamole, a platform game for computers, and it comes in 2 versions that you can choose at any time, the Amiga version and the Commodore 64 version.

We also have several Super Nintendo games, one detail here is the popular Top Gear, which many kids (and girls) played a lot in the 90s. We also have a good variety of Neo Geo games. Some gems like games from the El Viento series for Mega Drive are also present!

But it doesn't stop there. Antstream also brings MSX and even ZX Spectrum games, which arrived in Brazil in the 80s. It's a trip back in time to an era when games were simple but challenging, and for many of us, it was the beginning of our passion for gaming. In short, the list is varied, with more than 1000 titles currently available.

Streaming Performance and Quality

The streaming quality is decent, but don’t expect the same smoothness and precision you’d get playing locally on a PC. There’s a slight lag that can be annoying in games that require quick reflexes. Plus, the graphics quality is limited by older games, so no 4K or 60 FPS here, my friends.

Additional Features

Antstream also offers challenges and leaderboards, adding an extra layer of competition and that urge to play again just to beat your friend's score. It's a worthy attempt to modernize the retro gaming experience, and we also have the popular achievements, both for Xbox and for the service itself.

Conclusion: Is it worth it?

To sum it up: yes, it’s worth trying! For about 150 bucksyou have an impressive variety of retro games to play. So yes, Antstream Arcade offers a nostalgic and charming experience, especially for those who appreciate the history of video games and want to relive or discover the classics of platforms such as Amiga, Commodore 64, MSX and ZX Spectrum.

At its core, Antstream Arcade for Xbox is a great addition for retro gaming fans who want a little nostalgia in their living room. It’s a great platform for those who want to explore the rich history of video games. It’s a unique opportunity for new players to discover titles that defined generations and for veterans to revisit their roots. It’s a true time capsule, bringing the best of the past into the present with convenience and accessibility.

Now, for PC masters, this is a fun curiosity, but hardly something that will keep us from our superior setups. So, yes, it was a… different experience. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go back to my world of incredible graphics and perfect gameplay.