Apidya’ Special from Team Apidya and publisher ININ Games is a full, ground-up remake of the 1992 Amiga classic. It’s out now on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch, and it arrived in a big year for ININ shooters: the publisher has also just relaunched R-Type Dimensions III with a major patch.
1992 or 2026? Your Choice
The headline feature is that you can play it either way. Apidya’ Special runs in true HD widescreen with new parallax scrolling, or you can switch, at any time, to the original 4:3 home computer mode, which ININ says looks, plays and sounds exactly like 1992. For the full nostalgia trip, optional CRT effects simulate a shadow mask, scanlines and phosphor bloom.
Switch between HD widescreen and the original 4:3 presentation, seamlessly, at any time.
Optional shaders, bloom and authentic scanline simulation recreate that classic screen glow.
A second player can join as another bee, with its own weapons and abilities.
Randomised in-game events like “Night Mode” bring new enemy sprites and surprises.
Five Worlds, Twenty Bosses
The remake spans five themed worlds (Meadow, Pond, Sewers, Cyber and Lair), each with up to five levels, plus 20 unique bosses and hidden special stages. It keeps the original’s insect-themed fantasy setting and its famously stiff challenge, but adds modernised difficulty settings so that, as ININ puts it, players of all generations can enjoy it, including the original developers.
What Players Are Saying
Early reception on Steam is strong. Reviewers praise how faithful it is to the Amiga original, the Hülsbeck soundtrack, the two-player mode and the option to flip between widescreen and 4:3. One fan went as far as calling it the best Amiga shmup, while another noted that it’s short but hard, just like the original. Even one player who’d hoped for a bigger graphical overhaul said the retained low-resolution style works well.
The Road to Release
| When | What Happened |
|---|---|
| 1992 | Apidya launches on the Amiga, with music by Chris Hülsbeck. |
| 1990s | A console port with enhanced graphics is started, then abandoned. |
| June 2026 | ININ sets an August 25 launch date, opens pre-orders, and announces physical editions for PS5 and Switch. |
| August 25, 2026 | Apidya’ Special launches on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Switch. |
| August 26–30, 2026 | Team Apidya celebrates launch week at Gamescom in Cologne. |
Apidya’ Special at a Glance
| Genre | Horizontal shoot ’em up · ground-up remake of the 1992 Amiga original |
| Players | 1–2 (local co-op, Remote Play Together on Steam) |
| Content | 5 worlds · up to 5 levels each · 20 bosses · hidden special stages |
| Controller | Full controller support (gamepad recommended) · keyboard-only option |
| Achievements | 16 |
| Languages | English and German |
| Minimum PC | Windows 10 64-bit · 1.75 GHz CPU · 4 GB RAM · GTX 750 / RX 560 · DirectX 11 · 1 GB |
| Recommended PC | Windows 10 64-bit · Core i5-6400 / Ryzen 3 1200 · 8 GB RAM · GTX 1050 Ti / RX 570 · DirectX 12 · 1 GB |
Physical collectors have options, too. ININ announced a Limited Edition and a Special Edition for PS5 and Switch, with the Special Edition adding a history art book and a double-CD soundtrack collection.
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