Maelstrom Respawned

◆  A tribute to Maelstrom (1992)

MAELSTROM RESPAWNED

A faithful reimagining of the 1992 Mac classic — for iOS, macOS, and the small space between memory and muscle.

Coming soon Download on the iOS App Store Coming soon Download on the Mac App Store

v1.0 · 2026.04 · iOS 17+ / macOS 14+

Three decades after the original broadcast, the rocks are still out there — tumbling through the dark, refusing to be forgotten.

In 1992, a small studio in Pennsylvania released a shareware game that taught an entire generation how to drift. Maelstrom was a love letter to Asteroids, written for the early Mac — pixel-perfect, brutally tuned, and absolutely unforgiving.

We grew up with it. We saved every screenshot. And when the source went open and the original team gave us their blessing, we set out to do the only thing worth doing: rebuild it, faithfully, for the devices in our pockets.

Classic Mode is the 1992 game, re-rendered cleanly, frame-perfect. Tribute Mode is what we always wished it could become — new sprites, new physics, and a multiplayer Gameverse where the swarm finds you no matter where you hide.

※ With deepest gratitude to

  • Andrew Welch Original game design & code · Ambrosia Software, 1992
  • Ian Gilman Original sprite art & visual design
  • Mark Lewis Additional art & assets
  • Bryan Bobruk Original sound design
  • Sam Lantinga & SDL community Open-source release · kept Maelstrom alive

Maelstrom Respawned is an unofficial tribute, fully attributed to Ambrosia Software and the original creators above. We just wanted to play it again.

Journal — dispatches from the studio

Notes from the workshop.

Issue 01 · spring 2026

Lead piece In preparation

The first dispatch is being written.

We're keeping a small journal alongside the build — process notes, decisions, and the occasional letter. We'd rather publish nothing than publish filler, so this slot is intentionally held until the first piece is ready.

Author — to be credited Studio Soon
Upcoming dispatches
№ 001—

Devlog

In preparation—
№ 002—

Field notes

In preparation—
№ 003—

Essay

In preparation—
№ 004—

Letter

In preparation—

Chapter two — Trajectory

What's next.

  1. Q2 · 2026

    TestFlight Beta

    Coming soon → Join the list

    Opening soon. Join the waitlist and we'll send the invite the moment Classic Mode passes review.

  2. Q3 · 2026

    Public launch on iOS & Mac App Store

    Universal purchase across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

  3. Q4 · 2026

    Tribute Mode arrives

    New sprite set, reworked physics, daily seeds. More to come.

  4. Q1 · 2027

    Gameverse multiplayer

    Co-op drift sessions and competitive swarms. Sign up via the waitlist for early access.

  5. Later · 2027

    Mod tools & sprite kits

    Open licensing for community sprite packs and level seeds.