Apidya’ Special, a fully authentic 24-bit pixel remake of the legendary 1992 horizontal shoot ’em up, is coming in 2026 to PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
This isn’t a remaster, and it isn’t AI upscaling. It’s a passion project crafted by the original Apidya team in collaboration with a long-time fan-turned-developer, built from the ground up with hand-drawn pixel art and classic design sensibilities.
A Lost Port Reborn
Apidya’ Special is based on a never-finished console port from the ’90s, expanded with new pixel assets, additional sound effects, and fresh gameplay touches. To complete the experience, legendary composer Chris Hülsbeck is back with a newly rearranged soundtrack, featuring never-before-released tracks alongside remixed and original music.
Modern Enhancements, Retro Heart
Players can relive the game in true widescreen with new parallax effects, or switch back to the original Amiga 4:3 presentation for an authentic blast from the past. For retro purists, optional CRT-style filters bring back shadow masks, scanlines, and phosphor glow.
Key Features
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Authentic Remake – Rebuilt from scratch with handcrafted pixels; no emulation.
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Two Visual Modes – Swap seamlessly between widescreen HD and the original Amiga 4:3 mode.
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Exclusive Chris Hülsbeck Soundtrack – Completely new arrangements plus classic and remixed tracks.
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Retro Display Options – CRT shaders, bloom, scanlines, and other nostalgia-rich effects.
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Expanded Content – 5 themed worlds (Meadow, Pond, Sewers, Cyber, Lair), up to 5 levels each, 20 bosses, and hidden stages.
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New Surprises – Randomized events like “Night Mode” with new enemy sprites.
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Co-op Mode – A second player can jump in and control a helper drone.
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Accessibility Options – Modernized difficulty modes to welcome new players (and even challenge the devs themselves).
The Dream Fulfilled
“We never thought we’d return to Apidya after all these years,” said Peter Thierolf, the game’s original creator. “But with new technology, the right team, and the passion of the community, we can finally deliver the version we always dreamed about.”
First released in 1992, Apidya quickly became a cult favorite across Europe, praised for its beautiful visuals, tight controls, and unique insect-themed world. As Hardcore Gaming 101 once noted:
“Apidya is arguably the best horizontal shoot-’em-up ever released for the Amiga platform and remains enjoyable to this day.”
With Apidya’ Special, a new generation of players—and longtime fans—will finally get to see why.
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