Antstream, which is already available on various platforms such as Xbox, Windows, Android and amazon devices, has a catalog of more than 1,300 retro games that can be played on demand, including missile command, Sam and Max hit the road, asteroidsand Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
There are now several excellent retro game emulators available for Apple mobile devices, including Delta, RetroArch, and PPSSPP, which focuses on the PlayStation Portable. The challenge with these emulators is that they do not include any games. They are based on ROMs, digital copies of classic video games, which are fraught with complicated legal issues when using and purchasing them.
Antstream features a library of legally licensed retro titles that is similar to the Evercade line of gaming consoles, so users don't have to visit the dark corners of the web to get theirs.
There is hundreds of titles from old platforms such as the Commodore 64, the ZX Spectrum and the Commodore Amiga, but you will find only 28 Atari 2600 games, five from the Game Boy, two from the original PlayStation and 42 from the Super Nintendo. So even with over 1,300 games offered through the Antstream service, you may have to do a little digging to find something you actually want to play.
As much as we enjoy the Super Star Wars trilogy on SNES, that might not be enough to justify the price of an Antstream subscription. For a limited time after launching on the App Store on June 27, subscriptions will be discounted to $3.99 per month or $29.99 per year, which is slightly cheaper than the $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year that Antstream normally charges.
