In our latest Antstream Arcade Twitch Superstar feature, we chat to another of the wonderful people spreading the retro gaming glory of Antstream Arcade via streaming platforms. This week, we proudly present Ash aka AshSaidHi, answering questions on her gaming history, favourite games, Antstream Arcade and more.
You can catch Ash on Twitch at https://www.twitch.tv/ashsaidhi and on Twitter @ashsaidhi.
On with the retro inquisition!
Antstream Arcade: Hello Ash! What are your earliest memories of gaming?
Ash: Hello! My earliest memories are watching my mom and dad play on the Amiga 500. I distinctly remember them playing games like Defender Of The Crown, Barbarian, Eye Of The Beholder and Dungeon Master, to name a few. I also remember trying to play Dragon Warrior on the NES before I could even read! I grew up with games and played a lot with my mom, dad and cousins. Those are my earliest, and favourite memories.
AA: Which games and consoles first captured your imagination?
Ash: My first console was the NES, and I played a lot of Legend Of Zelda and Super Mario. I also remember struggling through Milon’s Secret Castle – that one was tough! But I think the first game that really captured my imagination was The Secret Of Mana for the Super Nintendo. I used to pour over the manual and draw all the enemies, characters and weapons in my drawing pad. I played it for hours and hours on end, spending my time just flying and exploring the world and listening to the music
AA: But your favourite game of all time is another famous SNES RPG…
Ash: Yes, I really love The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past, chiefly because of its exploration and fun factor. I can play that game over and over and never get tired of it. The music is amazing, and playing it puts me in a really happy mood. I remember vividly when I was a child, I pretended to be sick so I could stay home from school and play this game!
AA: Naughty naughty! When did you start streaming and how did you come up with the name?
Ash: I started broadcasting in the March of 2019 and wanted to come up with a name that would not only be a call to action but also a memorable way to share who I was. So I came up with the catchphrase ‘Don’t forget to tell your friends Ash Said Hi!’ which is also an acronym of my name. Streaming started when I moved jobs and had more free time to take up some hobbies. I decided to broadcast, and that decision was the best one I ever made. It’s taught me a lot, I’ve made a lot of friends and it allows me to share joy with many people. I focus on retro and Nintendo in particular because it has an incredible community – but I also just love connecting with people through the joy and nostalgia of games.
AA: How do you choose which games to stream?
Ash: Honestly, I go with my gut on the day. I take a look at the games I own and just pick what feels right. I will also say broadcasting on Twitch is a great way to catch up on my backlog which is another reason why I love playing retro – I get to experience games I missed out on.
AA: What do you think of Antstream Arcade?
Ash: I absolutely love it! The first time I saw it was when I caught RetroGradeTom playing Super Star Wars. He was having so much fun, so I instantly downloaded it and tried it out. I had a blast! I love that Amiga games are available as sometimes running real Amiga hardware I get guru meditation crashes. With Antstream Arcade, I never have to worry about that or disk rot, so it makes me happy that these games are available and super convenient to play. I am all about game preservation and it is really awesome that people who might not have grown up with these games will have a way to experience them on Antstream. I like the idea of the tournaments too – I am pretty competitive and love challenging myself, so a friendly tournament is always a fun time.
AA: Indeed it is! Do you get a good response streaming Antstream Arcade?
Ash: It is SO MUCH FUN! The first time I streamed Antstream, I got the best response from my community. It was awesome because everyone was asking me to play games I had never played before, and without that I’d have missed out on a lot of really fun experiences. I also got to find out what people played when they were growing up and we share a lot of good memories as we tried the games in the Antstream library.
AA: What games and improvements would you like to see to Antstream Arcade?
Ash: I hope that more arcade games make their way onto the platform, and also more Nintendo games. Oh, and Frogger!
AA: We’re on it! And finally, AshSaidHi, on a scale of 1 to 10, how geeky are you?
Ash: Def a 10. If you need proof, take a look at the collection in my room!
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