Xbox takes a page from Nintendo's playbook in a move gamers will love

One of the best things about the Nintendo Switch is the ability to play older games.

In fact, I’d venture to guess I’m not the only elder-millennial who purchased the Switch not to gain access to the latest titles, but to have an easy way to play past favorites on my TV, including classic Super Mario Bros. games and even some early Sega Genesis games. 

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Now, Xbox plans to take a page from Nintendo’s playbook and offer some classic arcade games to Xbox Game Pass subscribers.

Here’s where you’ll find these retro arcade classics, along with some details about which old favorites you can expect to discover in the newly updated Xbox library.

Xbox is adding retro arcade games to Game Pass

Xbox has teamed up with Antstream Arcade to add some vintage gaming greats to the Xbox Game Pass library. Thanks to the collaboration, those who sign up for Xbox Game Pass will now have access to more than 50 beloved titles from years gone by.

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A Microsoft news release about the update explained the goal, stating, “This initiative is a step in our commitment to game preservation and backwards compatibility, allowing players to experience many timeless games on modern devices.”

The retro arcade games will be available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers this month, and the newly added titles will be playable on consoles, PCs, and other supported devices that have cloud gaming available.

Of course, it’s worth noting that Antstream Arcade already offers its own app, with 1,000 officially licensed retro titles available. However, the partnership with Microsoft will bring some of these classic arcade games directly to Xbox users, make them available on more devices, and add new play options that are sure to delight gaming fans.

Complete list of retro arcade games now available on Xbox Game Pass

Wondering exactly what games Xbox will be adding to Game Pass? The list of retro arcade games that will now be available on Xbox includes:

• Activision Prototype #1 — Atari 2600
• Atlantis — Atari 2600
• Atlantis II — Atari 2600
• Barnstorming — Atari 2600
• Baseball — Atari 2600
• Beamrider — Atari 2600
• Bloody Human Freeway — Atari 2600
• Boxing — Atari 2600
• Bridge — Atari 2600
• Caesar II — DOS
• Checkers — Atari 2600
• Chopper Command — Atari 2600
• Commando — Atari 2600
• Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood — DOS
• Cosmic Ark — Atari 2600
• Crackpots — Atari 2600
• Decathalon — Atari 2600
• Demon Attack — Atari 2600
• Dolphin — Atari 2600
• Dragster — Atari 2600
• Enduro — Atari 2600
• Fathom — Atari 2600
• Fire Fighter — Atari 2600
• Fishing Derby — Atari 2600
• Freddy Pharkas Frontier Pharmacist — DOS
• Freeway — Atari 2600
• Frostbite — Atari 2600
• Grand Prix — Atari 2600
• H.E.R.O. — Atari 2600
• Kaboom! — Atari 2600
• Laser Blast — Atari 2600
• Mechwarrior — SNES
• Mechwarrior 2: 31st Century Combat — PS1
• Megamania — Atari 2600
• Pitfall II: Lost Caverns — Atari 2600
• Pitfall! — Atari 2600
• Police Quest — Amiga
• Pressure Cooker — Atari 2600
• Quest for Glory I: So You Want to Be a Hero — DOS
• Riddle of the Sphinx — Atari 2600
• River Raid — Atari 2600
• River Raid II — Atari 2600
• Robot Tank — Atari 2600
• Sky Jinks — Atari 2600
• Space Quest 6 — DOS
• Space Quest II — Amiga
• Space Treat Deluxe — Atari 2600
• Spider Fighter — Atari 2600
• Star Voyager — Atari 2600
• Tennis — Atari 2600
• The Adventures of Willy Beamish — Amiga
• The Dagger of Amon Ra — DOS
• Thwocker — Atari 2600
• Title Match Pro Wrestling — Atari 2600
• Torin’s Passage — DOS
• Trick Short — Atari 2600
• Vault Assault — Atari 2600
• Venetian Blinds — Atari 2600
• Zork I: The Great Underground Empire — DOS
• Zork Zero — DOS

Xbox has also indicated that it plans to add games over time, and the number of retro arcade games that will be playable to Game Pass subscribers should grow to over 100.

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How to play retro arcade games on Xbox

If you want to get your hands on these titles and start enjoying games from your youth, you’ll need to download the app via your Game Pass membership. You can also search for “Retro Classics” on your console or using the Xbox app on your computer.

After downloading, you have the option to save your progress on the classic games so you can reload from where you started. This is a first for many of the games on this list. You’ll also be able to play against others within the global community, which should bring new life to old gaming classics.

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Xbox is going all in to maximize gaming revenue

This new move is the latest in Microsoft’s efforts to go all-in on Game Pass, which the company has been promoting more heavily recently, including by offering day 1 availability for some of the company’s biggest games, as well as providing access to the popular Minecraft and Call of Duty franchises.

The company’s efforts appear to be paying off. While device sales were down 6% year-over-year, gaming and content revenue have been performing well.

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The company’s latest earnings revealed gaming revenue was up 5% year-over-year in the first quarter, increasing by $270 million to hit $5.7 billion for the January-March period. Content and service sales were also up 8% year-over-year, which Microsoft attributed to improved Game Pass offerings.

Now, retro games can be added to this list of Game Pass offerings and may drive an uptick in new subscriptions.

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