The cloud-based Amazon Luna platform allows online game lovers to stream a curated selection of games without dealing with the console-buying chaos.
It may still be in its nascent stage, but cloud gaming touted to become the future of gaming, has already attracted the attention of major companies. Amazon Luna, the latest entrant into could gaming ecosystem, has taken the market by storm and already threatening to take the race for the world’s best game streaming service available.
The March 2022 official launch followed a long invite-only pre-launch period after an announcement in September 2020.
Since cloud gaming is becoming a sensation, Amazon is up against top dogs like Nvidia’s GeForce NOW and Microsoft’s xCloud, among others. Backed by the renowned Amazon Web Service (AWS) and Twitch, some top-tier Android mobile game fans contemplate ditching them for Amazon Luna.
In this guide, we’ll unravel Amazon’s premium gaming service, explain what it is, how it works, and whether it’s worth your attention.
What is Amazon Luna?
Amazon Luna is a cloud gaming platform power-driven by the Amazon Web Service (AWS), the tech giant’s cloud computing platform. Like other cloud gaming ecosystems, users can stream games directly and instantly to different devices.
As a result, gaming enthusiasts no longer need to download, update or store games on their devices as long as they have a reliable high-speed internet connection.
Amazon Luna users, particularly those subscribed to Luna Plus, are given access to a Netflix-like catalog of games, similar to Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud gaming platform, that they can access by paying a monthly subscription.
And just like Amazon Prime Video, users have access to channels where they can unlock more content from specific publishers after spending an extra monthly fee.
You don’t need specific hardware to access Amazon Luna. However, the firm has a specifically dedicated controller running the service. It also has a built-in Wi-Fi receiver, similar to the now non-operational Google Stadia controller, which helps eliminate third parties, reducing input latency.
Amazon Luna is worth your attention if you’re a fan of online games where even a millisecond determines whether your character lives or dies.
Moreover, if you have friends or family members who enjoy online games but can’t yet pay for the service, Luna Couch, a kind of couch co-op experience by the game, come in handy. Your buddies can join and play alongside you if you’re a paid subscriber.
How Does Amazon Luna Work?
Luna runs on Amazon’s cloud architecture as a cloud-based gaming service, and the games’ audio and videos are streamed directly to your device. Luna’s Controller directs the cloud-based inputs via the internet so you can control the game remotely.
You must have a compatible device like a PC or smartphone and a high-speed internet connection to enjoy Luna. Since it’s a subscription service, a monthly payment must be made to continue gaining access. Also, Luna doesn’t have a console, but users can access it via Fire TV if they stick with Amazon hardware.
One great advantage of being cloud-based is users’ freedom to freely switch between devices such as computers, smartphones, Fire TVs, or others and maintain their progress. The system saves your game progress on the cloud, making it possible to change devices in real-time, and you can continue playing on the new device as if nothing had changed.
For example, if you were playing on TV and someone else needed to watch their favorite program, you could transition and continue playing on your smartphone.
Amazon Luna Features
Come of the most notable features that give Amazon Luna an edge over other game live-streaming platforms include the following:
#1. Intuitive Interface
Compared to similar gaming platforms, the Luna interface looks more well-organized and curated as the home screen features dedicated rows of stuff, including genre-specific suggestions and editor’s picks. Users have an easy time filtering through titles that are arranged according to membership plans or game types.
#2. Luna Couch
This feature, unique to Amazon Luna, allows subscribers to invite friends to play with them without subscriptions. The invited friends only need a device, internet access of at least 10 Mbps, and an Amazon account.
#3. Luna Wireless Controller
Amazon introduced a high-performance Amazon Luna Controller designed to bring the ideal gaming experience to the Luna ecosystem.
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Official Luna Wireless Controller | Buy on Amazon |
The Controller lets users instantly switch between different devices using cloud-direct technology.
#4. Twitch Integration via a Broadcast Button
This new feature facilitates a quick and easy way to stream your games on Twitch when you’re playing on Windows, macOS, or Fire TV. Users can stream their gameplay, including microphone and webcam input, using a QR code to connect their smartphone and use it as a webcam for streaming.
#5. Luna Phone Controller
This feature is ideal for users who want to use Luna on Fire TV but haven’t yet bought a Controller. You can use it to transform your phone into a controller. The feature is handy for players who want to test the service before they can spend money buying the actual controller.
Luna’s Play Requirements and Where You Can Play
Luna Amazon works effectively on Macs and PCs via Chrome or Amazon’s Fire TV devices. While they don’t yet have an App, it works on Android devices through Chrome. It also works iPads and iPhones via the Safari browser.
The Luna ecosystem delivers 1080p and 60 frames per second, meaning it’s easily compatible with most phones and web browsers. The ideal internet speed for streaming a 1080p game over Luna is at least 10Mbps, and a Wi-Fi connection of 5GHz. However, some games could become grainy if you play on a Fire TV Stick 4K connected to a 4K TV.
Amazon Luna is a cloud-based gaming service designed to work with a wide array of hardware without too many restrictive specification requirements as with other PC games. Nonetheless, you need to adhere to the following basic requirements:
- PC: at least Windows 10 that supports
- Mac: OSX 10.13+
- Fire TV Devices: You need Fire TV Stick Lite or Fire TV Stick 2nd and above. Alternatively, Fire TV Stick 4K or Fire TV 3rd generation or better or Fire TV Cube, Insignia Fire TV Edition, or Toshiba Fire TV Edition
- Chromebook
- Fire Tablets: From 2019 Fire 7 to 2018/2020 Fire HD 8, or 2019/2021 Fire HD 10
- Browsers: Chrome web browser version 83+ for PCs, Macs, or Chromebook and the Safari web browser (iOS14) for iPhones and iPads
Next, we will discuss the subscription plans and prices of the Amazon Luna.
Amazon Luna Subscription Plans and Prices
Now that we’ve seen how it works, let’s interrogate the different price points of Luna Amazon.
The Prime Gaming Plan
This is the Amazon Luna free plan, but it comes with an Amazon Prime membership. While this is a free trial, the games are decent and relatively recent. Users here can enjoy a small selection of games, and the list keeps changing monthly. Overall, this plan is ideal for anyone who wants to taste Amazon Luna before buying.
Luna-Plus Plan
The Luna-Plus (Luna+) is Amazon Luna’s standard package and is highly recommended for gamers interested in streaming a decent game selection. At $7.99 monthly, Luna+ offers all the leading genres, including many standout titles and some lesser-known games that fill the library evenly.
Family Plan and Retro Channel Plan
These two alternate plans are specifically designed for families and retro gamers. At $5.99 monthly, the family plan offers a wide selection of family-friendly games, mostly rated E or E10+. The Retro plan costs $4.99 monthly, providing a library of retro or retro-styled games.
Ubisoft+ and Jackbox Channels Plan
Amazon has specifically designed the Ubisoft+ and Jackbox around individual companies. The Ubisoft channel offers several games at a relatively high price of $17.99 per month, with the Jackbox channel featuring the Jackbox party games at a paltry $4.99 a month.
Amazon Luna vs. GeForce Now: Similarities & Differences
Amazon Luna and NVIDIA’s GeForce Now are recognized names in the cloud gaming market, offering their players plenty of opportunities. While there may be some differences in pricing, both platforms provide users a chance through free trials to enjoy some games so they can decide whether they want to join in. Both platforms do pretty similar stuff.
Besides offering its controller that can connect via Wi-Fi, Amazon Luna supports Bluetooth, giving it an advantage for players who want to play on Windows, macOS, Android, Chromebook, and more. Other features include a library offering 180 games and subscription plans where high-end games are pricier.
On the other hand, GeForce Now is better known for offering a great game library specially designed for serious gamers. However, NVIDIA doesn’t provide the games directly but connects with game stores like Steam, Epic Games Store, and others. Rather than sell games, users can play games on other platforms, and while there’s a free plan, you need to pay to get better specs and play longer than one hour.
Best Games Available on Amazon Luna
Users can quickly get the line they love most, whether it’s a sports, racing, RPG, or platformer fan-oriented game. It’s the quality and variety of games at the disposal of players that counts.
Amazon Luna has outdone some competitors by dividing the available games, over 180 currently, into library channels. The following are a few we have covered so you can understand.
#1. Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus has retained the tactical, methodical gunplay of its predecessors that produced a series of first-person shooters that place the series on the franchise map.
The designers of Metro Exodus expanded their imagination and dropped you into a line of explorable areas that are tenser than the previous linear level of its predecessors. The game immerses players into a post-apocalyptic world that’s not necessarily convenient for human survival.
#2. Saints Row
The Saints Row available at Amazon Luna is a revamped 2022 version that adds a real spark of change. The current edition is jam-packed with wacky humor and high-level gameplay by offering an impressive sandbox to ignite a player’s chaotic actions.
The game that plays like an open-world game of some years ago is presented charmingly and nostalgically that resonates well with anyone who has experienced the earlier Saints Row projects.
#3. Resident Evil
Capcom’s Resident Evil is a titivated version of a game that experienced a rough patch in the early 2010s but revitalized after switching over and taking a first-person angle.
Amazon Luna+ features Resident Evil 7, the go-to game for anyone who enjoys horror games. Nonetheless, players who desire a more conventional introduction to the series can start with Resident Evil 2.
#4. Control
Control by the Remedy Group is an action-packed science fiction game that’s been developed within the boundaries of the Federal Bureau of Control.
Control’s Jesse Faden arms players with empowering abilities they can use during battles as they explore an unnatural building searching for her brother. This environment boasts many unexplained phenomena.
#5. Far Cry2
Far Cry2 is an open-world shooter where even the most minor decision you make affects the game’s eventual outcome. The setup is in a malaria-stricken, war–torn African country, and you’re a mercenary forced to deal with corrupt warlords on both sides of the war.
Your business is to hunt an evil arms dealer – Jackal – who’s perpetuated conflict for ages. You must use subversion, brute force, and cunning to identify, neutralize and eliminate an enemy with numbers and superior firepower.
Amazon Luna: The Bottom Line
Amazon Luna is your go-to platform if you’re looking for good online games; you can play across different devices like computers, phones, and Fire TV. Additionally, you should be able to enjoy an extensive library of games across all the popular genres for only a few bucks monthly.
Suppose you’re interested in playing good video games and staying informed about the latest blockbusters. In that case, you may want to take advantage of the seven-day free trial offered by Amazon Luna and Amazon Prime and get a taste of it.
While there’s stiff competition from older platforms like Game Pass Unlimited or Stadia, Amazon Luna still ranks very well, given that it is amongst the newer entrants into the gaming world.
Next, check out the best Google stadia controllers to buy.