Twinbee
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Image from Detana! Twinbee.
Twinbee is a game series by Konami, which consists mainly of vertical shooters, although it has delved in other genres as well. It stars the eponymous bee-shaped robot Twinbee and its "female" counterpart Winbee. In some games a green bee named Gwinbee appears, which acts either as a powerup or a playable character. Unlike other Konami shooters, Twinbee has a cuter design and ambiance (like Fantasy Zone), which is referred to by fans as "cute 'em up".
While the series was very popular in Japan, in America it has been almost unheard of, with only one game released. In Europe three games in the series were released, though the franchise is known as Pop 'n' Twinbee, instead of just Twinbee, since the Super NES shooter was the first game released there.
Contents
Powerup
In Twinbee shooters, powerups are obtained by catching bells. In order to make them appear, the player must shoot the clouds, a specific enemy, and other targets. A bell will come out, and it will start falling to the bottom of the screen.Shooting the bells make them "jump" to the top of the screen. If a bell is shot enough times, it will change color. This can be done multiple times. Each color gives a different powerup, although in some games, some will turn into an enemy.
In Twinbee, there is heavy emphasis on cooperative gameplay. In some games, both characters can join together to enhance their abilities, such as powerful shots, droping more bombs at once, sharing energy, etc.
Games in the series
- Twinbee: An original arcade vertical shooter, Twinbee plays similar to Namco's Xevious. Players use Twinbee or Winbee in a short string of six levels that repeats indefinitely, with a boss at the end of each. A Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and a MSX version were later made, as well as a port for PlayStation. The NES version was re-released for the Game Boy Advance under Nintendo's Famicom Mini label, only released in Japan.
- Stinger: Known as Moero! Twinbee: Cinamon Hakasei wo Sukue in Japan, this is the only game in the Twinbee series that was released in the United States and Canada. Some enemy force kidnaps Dr. Cinnamon (creator of the "Twinbees") and Twinbee, Winbee and Gwinbee must rescue him. Originally for the Famicom Disk System, this game allowed up to three players simultaneously. Unlike its predecessor, Stinger has horizontal shooter levels (like Gradius) in addition to the vertical ones. Since the Famicom Disk System never appeared in North America, the American version was released as a cartridge, however, it lost the three player option (it can be played with two players, though), the story scenes were deleted and the difficulty was altered. At the end of the Nintendo Entertainment System's life, Konami rereleased some of their classic FDS games in Japan, in cartridge format, and Stinger was one of them. Unlike the American version, the Japanese one is the same as the disk based one.
- Twinbee 3: Poko Poko Daimaou: The last game for the Famicom, it ditches Stinger's horizontal levels, which makes this more in line to the first title.
- Detana! Twinbee (aka Bells & Whistles): An arcade release, also ported to PC Engine, X68000, PlayStation and Sega Saturn (the latter two bundled with Twinbee Yahho!) It has no relation from the original and Famicom games. While not too different, gameplay wise, from its predecessors, Detana! improves vastly on graphics and audio. It also introduces new characters, like Twinbee's and Winbee's characters (Light and Pastel, respectively) and other characters that will remain in the subsequent games. It was the most popular game in the series in Japan, and paved the way for some merchandise products (including audio dramas and an Original Video Animation). This also introduced cutscenes that played between stages, which usually showed Pastel and Winbee getting one up on Light and Twinbee.
- Twinbee DA!: A port of the original Twinbee for the Game Boy. In Europe it is known as Pop'n Twinbee.
- Pop'n Twinbee: A Super NES game. It is one of Detana!'s sequels, though they play different. Pop uses a large energy bar, which if it depletes, the game is over. The player starts the game with no lives, although it is possible to earn them later. When playing with two players, it is also possible to share energy.
- Twinbee: Rainbow Bell Adventures: Also for Super NES. The first real departure in the series, Rainbow Bell Adventures is a side-scrolling platformer. Also released in Europe, though the level order, some dialogue and the back-up system (the European version uses passwords, the Japanese one uses battery) are different. Notably, You cannot play some of the Japanese levels in the European version.
- Twinbee Yahho!: Another sequel for Detana!, originally released in arcades, and later ported to the PlayStation and Saturn (along with Detana! Twinbee). Included a vocal theme song, among other vocals, with Winbee greeting the arcade owner each time it is booted, and various snatches of dialogue from most of the characters.
- Twinbee RPG: Featuring 3D graphics and made for the PlayStation, this simplistic role playing game, set in the complete universe of the series, is possibly the final game in the series.
Appearances in other games and media
- Wai Wai World: Twinbee is one of two playable ships (Vic Viper being the other one) in the second to last stage, which is a generic vertical shooting stage.
- Wai Wai World 2: Twinbee is a playable character in certain levels. However, the levels in which he is playable are not just vertical shooting stages, but on-rails shooting stages in the vein of Space Harrier, as well.
- Parodius series: In most of the series, Twinbee and Winbee made an appearance as playable characters, while Shooting Star (the enemy red ship in Twinbee Yahho!) is playable in Sexy Parodius. Also, while Parodius is more of a parody of Gradius, it features the bell powerup system in addition to the Gradius's bar system one, as well. Both systems works in parallel and give different powerups. Also, the bell system's powerups are temporary, while the bar system not.
- Konami Krazy Racers: Pastel is a playable character in this kart-racing game with Konami characters. Since Pastel is available from the beginning this game represents her first time as a primary-tier character. It is the second game released in United States with a Twinbee character.
- Music from the game is remixed in another game by Konami, Beatmania III, which later featured in a remix for the Konami game, Dance Dance Revolution.
Trivia
- At one point the original Twinbee game was supposed to be released in the U.S. as Bells & Whistles. However, the release was cancelled for reasons unknown. The code for Bells & Whistles is present within the Twinbee coding and can be accessed through the use of a DIP switch.
- It has been rumored that the design of the Renault Twingo was partially inspired by the ships from the game; however, Renault has made no statement regarding this.
- Michiru Yamane (who composed ), composed the music for Detana! Twinbee, Pop'n Twinbee and Twinbee Yahho!.
- Pastel, rather than Light, is used more often in merchandise and cameos. This is evidenced by a 'color bug' turning the Parodius Twinbee pink, making it Winbee who is attending the parody tournament, for the early games, and that it is Pastel, rather than Winbee, who is driving the kart in Konami Krazy Racers. Also, Cutscenes in the later Twinbee games favor Pastel seriously, and Pastel's merchandising is more widespread.
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