Antonblast is Already Profitable

The audacious action-platformer Antonblast, from developer Summitsphere, has recouped its entire production budget less than one month after its initial release. Antonblast, which serves as a sequel to the brick-breaking Mario Bros./Breakout mashup Antonball, was developed by a small team led by designer, co-coder, and composer Tony Grayson.

Released for PC on December 3, 2024, Antonblast has been ranked among the best games of the year, enjoying critical and commercial success. The game puts players in the shoes of an enraged demolition worker, Dynamite Anton (or his female counterpart Dynamite Annie), pitting them against a jealous Satan in a quest to regain their stolen booze. Relying on aggressive dash mechanics, the game leans into a rabid mix of chaotic action and rampant destruction.

Related

What Game Springs To Mind When You Think of an Arcade?

Back before we had so much technology at our fingertips, video games were a little harder to come by. On a hot summer day, kids would gather at the arcade to play video games and chat, something that a lot of gamers have nostalgia for. In fact, a lot of our well-beloved franchises got their start in these little arcades. For me, I always think of games like Pac-Man and Space Invaders when I think of arcades. Even though I was born long after the arcade days, I remember being able to play those games at different places while waiting. My dad was always talking about how hard it was to complete the entire Pac-Man game and how eventually, the game would just glitch out once you got to a high enough level.

Grayson took to his Bluesky account to announce that, after Antonblast‘s delayed release on Nintendo Switch, the game has gone on to recoup its entire development, production, and marketing budget. Drawing on titles as far ranging as Crash Bandicoot and Wario Land, the relentless pace and bold, colorful visuals have found a happy home with gamers, making the game profitable in notably short order.

Antonblast Rides Growing Wave of Popularity to Financial Success

The popularity of Summitsphere’s output was already building before the launch of Antonblast, as evidenced by its clear-cut Kickstarter win. As reported by GameMaker, the campaign for the new game, without which the studio would have been, as Grayson puts it, “on the streets”, was fully funded in just three days. Fueled by healthy word of mouth and a budding Antonball fan base, the Kickstarter ultimately went on to collect almost twice its stated $75,000 goal.

Despite Antonblast‘s early performance issues on Switch, the game’s success is a major win for the small team behind it, ensuring that, according to Grayson, it’s “going to be making a lot more games for a lot longer.” That’s good news for fans of the studio, which it seems is determined to mine the enduring game design principles of early classics like Q*bert, Bubble Bobble, and more for all they’re worth. Summitsphere has also produced the 2D platformer Annalynn, which likewise takes inspiration from a number of 80s arcade games.

With its newfound success, Antonblast‘s developer is claiming its place in the neo-arcade canon. What Summitsphere chooses to spin its recent accolades into next is yet to be announced. It claims to have some major plans in the works but has yet to share any details. For now, fans will have to sate their appetite for Satan-thwarting destruction with the current title and keep their fingers crossed for further installments in the burgeoning franchise.

Your changes have been saved

My List

My Favorite Games
My Played Games
My Games Wishlist

ANTONBLAST

Platformer

Action

Adventure

Puzzle

Systems

Released

December 3, 2024

Developer(s)

Summitsphere

Publisher(s)

Summitsphere

Engine

GameMaker

ESRB

Teen // Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Language, Suggestive Themes, and Use of Tobacco

Steam Deck Compatibility

Unknown

Number of Players

1

PC Release Date

December 3, 2024

Nintendo Switch Release Date

December 3, 2024

Expand