Interview with Oleg from AMAMiZU Games about Space Warpster

What happens when two brothers turn their lifelong passion for retro gaming into a hands-on development project? You get Space Warpster, a high-speed arcade shooter that breathes new life into the 80s aesthetic. I sat down with Oleg from AMAMiZU Games to talk about their journey from the ZX Spectrum to Steam, the challenges of "pure skill" gameplay, and how they’re crafting a modern homage to the classics we grew up with.

Oleg, could you tell us a bit more about the team at AMAMiZU Games? Who are the people behind the studio, and what drives your passion for game development?

AMAMiZU Games is a very small and personal project - it’s just the two of us, two brothers, Oleg and Alex. We’ve been playing games since childhood, so gamedev feels like a natural extension of that shared passion. Initially, this wasn’t meant to be anything big or commercial. We simply wanted to try ourselves in gamedev as a hobby, to understand how games are made from the inside. Over time, that curiosity evolved into a more serious commitment - not just playing games, but creating something complete and polished ourselves.

What was the core idea or "spark" that led to the creation of Space Warpster? Was there a specific gap in the current arcade shooter market you wanted to fill?

Space Warpster started more as a learning project where the goal was to go through the entire cycle of making and releasing a finished game. The main motivation was to gain hands-on experience: gameplay desing, code, mechanics, and actually shipping a product. So the “spark” wasn’t so much a market opportunity, but the desire to create something complete and learn everything that comes with it.

Space Warpster is clearly inspired by 1980s arcade shooters. Which specific classics from that era served as the primary inspiration for both the gameplay and the visual style of this project?

Yes, a lot of the inspiration comes from our early experience with the ZX Spectrum 48K, which was our first computer. That platform shaped our taste in games and aesthetics. In terms of specific titles, we were heavily inspired by classics like R-Type, Xecutor, Zynaps, Cybernoid, to name a few.

The description mentions a mix of organic obstacles and mechanical enemies. How did you balance these two distinct themes within the level design?

This mix is actually a direct homage to the games we grew up with. Many classic shooters combined futuristic “space tech” with strange, almost biological "alien-like" creatures. To be completely honest, it's the result of me learning how to draw stuff in "pixel art" style :).

The game emphasizes "pure skill" and precision without shortcuts. How did you ensure the controls feel responsive enough to meet such a high difficulty floor?

We aimed to capture the challenge of classic shooters, especially those from the ZX Spectrum era. At the same time, we’re aware that many of those games would feel overly harsh by modern standards. So we're still trying find a balance here.

Music is crucial for the retro experience. Can you tell us more about the process behind the synth-infused soundtrack and how it enhances the on-screen action?

Music was a priority from the very beginning. Most of the soundtracks were composed by my brother Alex, with a few tracks contributed by me as well. We primarily used Ableton Live with many software synthesizers for music and sounds effects, focusing on synth-driven sounds to create a retro atmosphere. With a demo-scene touch perhaps :). The goal was to make the gameplay feel more “alive.”

The game features mid-combat upgrades that enhance firepower. How do these upgrades force players to adapt their strategy when facing end-level bosses?

Upgrades are a classic element of 2D arcade shooters, and we wanted to stay true to that tradition. In Space Warpster, they appear randomly, which adds variability to each playthrough. There are 5 upgrades in the demo so far, but we think about adding a few in the release version.

Please, add Space Warpster to your wishlist on Steam.