TwinBee Da!!
- Platform:
- Release: Oct 1990
- Developer: Konami
- Publisher: Konami
- Composer:
- Genres: shmup
- Other platforms:
December 20, 2024
I dare you to fell Cyber Poppo
TwinBee Da!! (known as “Pop’n TwinBee” in Europe) was the fourth title in the TwinBee series. A saga that went beyond video games, expanding into anime, manga, and even radio.
It is one of the pioneering sagas of the Cute ‘em up style. In contrast to its sister series Gradius (Konami released the first game of both series around the same time), which features a more serious classic sci-fi aesthetic, TwinBee stands out for its cartoonish style and humorous tone.
The title we’re discussing today, TwinBee Da!!, is a fun vertical shmup with simple mechanics, a short playtime, and easy to complete with little practice.
What I liked the most
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I love the power-up mechanics involving shooting the bells. Depending on how many times you shoot the bell, it changes color or pattern, granting points, speed boosts, double shots, or even a ghost ship that follows you and fires its own bullets.
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The 2-player mode is fantastic… although, of course, it requires another Game Boy, another cartridge, and the “Game Link” cable.
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The ability to start the game on any of the four initial stages. For example, if you start on the fourth stage, the next will be the first, and so on. Once you’ve completed the first four stages in any order, you’ll progress to the fifth stage and then the sixth, which consists solely of the final boss.
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The music changes when you get a power-up, and the variation depends on the stage you’re in.
What didn’t win me over
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The bosses are extremely easy and don’t pose much of a challenge. If you’re loaded with power-ups, some of them can be defeated in just a few seconds.
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The bomb-throwing mechanic for ground targets feels a bit imprecise; at times, it doesn’t aim where you’d like it to.
