Apidya (Commodore Amiga)

 

Amiga Box Art

Apidya is a classic horizontal scrolling shooter game that was developed by German studio Kaiko and published by Play Byte in 1992 for the Amiga. Despite being labeled as "II" in the title, it is not a sequel to any game, but rather the digits were placed there as a joke. The game has been highly praised by critics and fans alike, receiving positive reviews and high scores upon release.

The game is set in a fantasy world where players take control of a bee, named Ikuro, who is on a mission to find an antidote for his poisoned wife and seek revenge on the evil Hexaae. The gameplay is fast-paced and action-packed, with players having to navigate through five themed levels, each divided into several stages. The levels are filled with enemies and obstacles that players must defeat or avoid in order to progress.

First Level

One of the most notable features of Apidya is its power-up system, which is similar to that of the classic game Gradius. Players can collect power-ups from defeated enemies, which can be used to upgrade the bee's weapons and enhancements. The game also includes a 'build-up' weapon, similar to the 'beam' weapon in R-Type, which allows players to hold down the fire button to produce a hissing noise and releasing the fire button will then cause the bee to fire a large, organic projectile (a giant bee stinger) which can wipe out waves of small enemies, or damage larger ones.

Gameplay Video

Credit: World Of Longplay

Another great aspect of Apidya is its co-operative two-player mode, which allows players to team up and play the game together. The second player controls a smaller companion drone, which can launch small projectiles and shield the first player. The drone can sustain 5 small projectiles per life but won't survive large projectiles or collisions and the stage doesn't reset if it dies, the large bee is the alpha which must survive to advance. The alpha bee dying resets the stage as with normal play minus end stage bosses for the first 3 stages. An alternating two player mode is also possible.

Scene 2 - Fish boss

The musical soundtrack to the game was composed by game musician Chris Huelsbeck. A high-quality arrangement of the soundtrack was released as a CD album in 1992. The soundtrack of level 4 features several samples from L.A. Style's James Brown Is Dead. There have also been live performances of the game's music, such as an Apidya suite performed live by a full symphonic orchestra in 2003 at the Symphonic Game Music Concert series in Leipzig, Germany, and Music from Apidya was part of the 2006 PLAY!, a Video Game Symphony concert in Stockholm, Sweden.

In conclusion, Apidya is an excellent example of a classic horizontal scrolling shooter game that is sure to provide hours of entertainment. Its fast-paced gameplay, challenging levels, and unique power-up system make it a must-play for fans of the genre. And with the great two player mode, it's a game that can be enjoyed with friends and family. The game's musical score and live performance is also a cherry on top. Overall, Apidya is a game that is sure to be loved by fans of the genre and is a game that stands the test of time.