Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine

Last updated

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
Sonic Mean Bean Machine.jpg
North American cover art
Developer(s) Compile
Publisher(s) Sega
Director(s)
  • Tetsuo Shinyu
  • Takayuki Yanagihori
  • Masanobu Tsukamoto
Producer(s)
  • Yoji Ishii
  • Noriyoshi Oba
  • Masamitsu Niitani
  • Max Taylor
Programmer(s)
  • Manabu Ishihara
  • Tsukasa Aoki
Composer(s)
  • Masanori Hikichi
  • Masayuki Nagao
Series
Platform(s)
Release
  • Sega Genesis, Game Gear
  • Master System
Genre(s) Falling block puzzle
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine [a] is a falling block puzzle game developed by Compile and published by Sega. It was released for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive in North America and Europe in November 1993, and ported to the Game Gear in 1993 and Master System in 1994.

Contents

The game is a Westernised version of Puyo Puyo (1991), and replaces its characters with those from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, primarily the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog animated series. The Puyo Puyo character Carbuncle appears under the name "Has Bean" and makes different animations depending on how the player plays the game. The gameplay is similar to puzzle games such as Tetris , in which the player organises coloured shapes as they descend a board. The plot sees Sonic antagonist Doctor Robotnik kidnapping residents from Beanville and turning them into robots. The game received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the gameplay but criticising the difficulty.

Premise and gameplay

Gameplay of the final stage DRMBM Screenshot.png
Gameplay of the final stage

The game is set on the planet Mobius, which is inhabited by bean-like creatures. Doctor Robotnik conceives a plan to bring terror to the world by kidnapping the citizens of Beanville and turning them into robot slaves, and eventually creating an army that will help him rid the planet of fun and joy. To achieve this, he creates the "Mean Bean-Steaming Machine" in order to transform the bean-like creatures into robots. Putting his plan into motion, Robotnik sends out his Henchbots to gather all the bean-like creatures and group them together in dark dungeons so they can be sent to the Mean Bean-Steaming Machine. [4] The rest of the game's story revolves around the player character, "Has Bean", [5] and their journey to stop Robotnik's henchmen by breaking into the dungeons and freeing the bean-like creatures.

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is based on Puyo Puyo , an Asian falling-block puzzle game. In the story, players must rescue Beanville from Dr. Robotnik and his army of Badniks. In Scenario Mode, the player plays against 13 increasingly challenging computer opponents. In the multiplayer 1P vs 2P Mode, two players battle against each other, and in Exercise Mode, players can simply practice. [6] [5] The Game Gear and Master System versions feature an additional mode, Puzzle Mode, in which players must attempt to clear predetermined sets of beans.[ citation needed ] On each player's grid, groups of beans fall from the top of the screen and can be moved and rotated until they reach the bottom. When four beans of the same colour are matched together, they disappear from the grid, causing any beans above to drop. [7] [8] [9] These beans can trigger other matches, resulting in chain combos. [9] By performing chain combos, players can send grey "refugee beans" to hinder their opponent. These beans cannot be matched normally and can only be removed by completing a match adjacent to them. [10] A player loses when beans spill over the top of the board, leaving them unable to add more beans into the grid. [11]

Levels and characters

All 13 characters have a different strategy of gameplay. For example, Coconuts puts beans towards the sides of the grid. [12] All these characters cameo in the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog episode "Super Special Sonic Search and Smash Squad". [13] Coconuts, Grounder, Scratch, and Dr. Robotnik himself are the main antagonists of the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.

All the characters come in this order:

Levels [14]
CharacterLevel
Arms1
Frankly2
Humpty3
Coconuts4
Davy Sprocket5
Skweel6
Dynamight7
Grounder8
Spike9
Sir Ffuzzy-Logik10
Dragon Breath11
Scratch12
Dr. Robotnik13 (Final Boss)

Development and release

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is a Westernised version of Puyo Puyo (1991), a Japanese falling-block puzzle game developed by Compile and released for the MSX2 in 1991. [15] [16] Fearing that the game would not be popular with Western audiences, Sega replaced the characters of Puyo Puyo with those from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, particularly those from the 1993 Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog animated series. [17] The game was ultimately released in November 1993 in North America and Europe. An 8-bit version was also released for the Game Gear in the same year and the Master System in the following year, adapted from the Japanese Nazo Puyo game. [18] [19]

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine has also appeared in retrospective compilations, such as the Sonic Mega Collection for the GameCube in 2002, [20] Sonic Mega Collection Plus for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2004; which also contains the Game Gear version, [21] and Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection (known as Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection in Europe) for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2009. [22] In 2006, Sega released the game on the Wii's Virtual Console. [7] In 2010, it was released on Microsoft Windows via Steam. [23] In June 2013, the Game Gear version was released for the Nintendo 3DS via its Virtual Console emulation service. [24] In 2021, it was released on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. [25]

Reception

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine received generally positive reviews. It holds an average score of 7.8/10 at Metacritic, based on an aggregate of 13 reviews. [27]

Critics praised the various aspects of gameplay, although the puzzle genre's difficulty and overuse were negative factors. Andy Dyer from Mega acknowledged that the game had a simple concept and also observed that it did not provide enough of a challenge. [33] Lucas Thomas of IGN enjoyed the game's array of puzzles and recognised that its design was intended to encourage two-player competition. [7] Reviewing the Mega Drive version, Damien McFerran of Nintendo Life similarly echoed Thomas' opinion of the game's intention to encourage two-player competition, and also noted that it provided a "decent" challenge despite viewing that a single player could get bored easily. [32] In contrast, Andrew Webster of Gamezebo criticised the high level of difficulty and the game's general accessibility due to its "ancient" password save system. [34] Aaron Thomas of GameSpot found the game difficult to recommend due to the availability of free Puyo Puyo clones on the PC, but commended its basic mechanics, a wide range of game modes, and gradually increasing difficulty. [31] Eurogamer 's Kristan Reed labelled the game as a "fairly unapologetic reskin" of Puyo Puyo and thought that Sega decided to "shoehorn" it into the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise in order to enhance their sales, although Reed admitted the gameplay was solid and addictive. [15] A reviewer from Jeuxvideo.com questioned the game's originality, saying that "stacking beans to make them disappear is not a new concept" but would still satisfy fans of the genre. [8] Amanda Tipping from Computer and Video Games thought that the game was as addictive and as puzzling as the Tetris series, and also preferred the game's colourful visuals as opposed to Tetris. [29] GamePro reviewer Andromeda found the game most enjoyable when using an offensive strategy. [30]

The Game Gear version was well received. In a retrospective review, Ron DelVillano from Nintendo Life praised the game's wide variety of game modes but noted the soundtrack's lack of diversity. DelVillano also thought that the graphics had not aged well as of 2013, but accepted that games in the puzzle genre did not require prominent visuals. [18] In a similar vein, a reviewer from Joypad  [ fr ] opined that the game's graphics were not "a joy" to look at, but understood that it was "normal" for a game of that genre. [35] Neal Ronaghan of Nintendo World Report lauded the game's addictive and "fun" puzzle gameplay but admitted it contained flaws due to the limitations of the Game Gear. [19] In 1995, Mega Zone included the game in their "Top 50 Games in History". [36]

Related Research Articles

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog 3</i> 1994 video game

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a 1994 platform game developed and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. Like previous Sonic games, players traverse side-scrolling levels while collecting rings and defeating enemies. They control Sonic and Tails, who attempt to retrieve the Chaos Emeralds to stop Doctor Robotnik from relaunching his space station, the Death Egg, after it crash-lands on a mysterious floating island. Sonic 3 introduces Knuckles the Echidna, the island guardian, who lays traps for Sonic and Tails.

<i>Puyo Puyo</i> (video game) 1991 puzzle video game

Puyo Puyo (ぷよぷよ) is a puzzle video game released in 1991 by Compile for the MSX2. Since its creation, it uses characters from Madō Monogatari. It was created by Masamitsu "Moo" Niitani, the founder of Compile, who was inspired by certain elements from the Tetris and Dr. Mario series of games.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog</i> (1991 video game) 1991 video game

Sonic the Hedgehog is a 1991 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Genesis/Mega Drive. It was released in North America on June 23 and in PAL regions and Japan the following month. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog, who can run at near supersonic speeds; Sonic sets out on a quest to defeat Dr. Robotnik, a scientist who has imprisoned animals in robots and seeks the powerful Chaos Emeralds. The gameplay involves collecting rings as a form of health, and a simple control scheme, with jumping and attacking controlled by a single button.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog</i> (8-bit video game) 1991 video game

Sonic the Hedgehog is a 1991 platform video game developed by Ancient and published by Sega for the Master System and Game Gear. It is a companion to the 16-bit Sega Genesis game Sonic the Hedgehog for the 8-bit Sega Master System and Game Gear consoles. Ancient—a studio founded by composer Yuzo Koshiro—was contracted to develop the game. The 8-bit Sonic is a side-scrolling game similar in style to the 16-bit game, but reduced in complexity to fit the 8-bit systems.

<i>Sonic 3D Blast</i> 1996 video game

Sonic 3D Blast, known in PAL regions as Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island, is a 1996 platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series for the Sega Genesis and Sega Saturn. As Sonic the Hedgehog, the player embarks on a journey to save the Flickies, birds enslaved by Doctor Robotnik. The player must guide Sonic through a series of themed levels to collect Flickies and defeat Robotnik. Though it retains game mechanics from prior Sonic games, Sonic 3D Blast is differentiated by its 2D isometric perspective, with pre-rendered 3D models converted into sprites.

<i>Sonic & Knuckles</i> 1994 video game

Sonic & Knuckles is a 1994 platform game developed and published by Sega. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog or Knuckles the Echidna in their quests to save Angel Island; Sonic tries to stop Doctor Robotnik from re-launching his orbital weapon, the Death Egg, while Knuckles scuffles with Robotnik's minion, EggRobo. Like previous Sonic games, players traverse side-scrolling levels at high speeds while collecting rings and defeating enemies.

<i>Sonic Blast</i> 1996 platform video game

Sonic Blast is a 1996 side-scrolling platform video game known for its use of pre-rendered visuals. To stop Doctor Robotnik from using Chaos Emerald shards to fortify his base, the player controls Sonic the Hedgehog and Knuckles the Echidna through 15 levels. As a Sonic the Hedgehog series platformer, the characters run and jump to reach the end of a level while defeating enemy robots and collecting rings. In separate bonus stages, the player must run forward and collect rings to earn one of the Chaos Emerald shards.

<i>Sonic Spinball</i> 1993 video game

Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball, also known as Sonic Spinball, is a 1993 pinball video game developed by Sega Technical Institute and published by Sega. It is a spinoff of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog, who must stop Doctor Robotnik from enslaving the population in a giant pinball-like mechanism. The game is set in a series of pinball machine-like environments with Sonic acting as the pinball.

<i>Kirbys Avalanche</i> 1995 video game

Kirby's Avalanche, known in Europe as Kirby's Ghost Trap, is a puzzle video game developed by Compile and Banpresto and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in North America and Europe in February 1995. It is a Western release of the Japanese Super Puyo Puyo featuring characters from the Kirby series. There was not a Japanese release, and the game remains the only Kirby title not released there. In Europe and Australia, the game was re-released on the Wii's Virtual Console service on July 27, 2007 and in North America on September 24, 2007. The game was re-released for the Nintendo Switch Online service on July 21, 2022.

<i>Sonic Drift</i> 1994 racing game

Sonic Drift is a 1994 racing game based on Sonic the Hedgehog developed and published by Sega for the Game Gear. Players control one of four characters as they race to the finish line, with 18 tracks themed after levels in 1991's Sonic the Hedgehog.

<i>Sonic Labyrinth</i> 1995 video game

Sonic Labyrinth is an action-puzzle game developed by Minato Giken and published by Sega for the Game Gear in 1995. The game features Sonic the Hedgehog exploring maze-like stages from an isometric perspective. Dr. Robotnik has robbed Sonic of his trademark speed, so Sonic walks slowly but can roll into a ball and dash across the stages.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble</i> 1994 platform game

Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble is a 1994 platform game developed by Aspect and published by Sega for the Game Gear. It is the sequel to Sonic Chaos (1993) and features classic side-scrolling Sonic gameplay. The player controls either Sonic the Hedgehog or Miles "Tails" Prower as they venture to protect the powerful Chaos Emeralds from Doctor Robotnik, Knuckles the Echidna, and series newcomer Nack the Weasel. Sonic and Tails' unique abilities, as well as various power-ups, can assist the player in gameplay.

<i>Sonic Chaos</i> 1993 video game

Sonic Chaos is a 1993 platform game published by Sega for the Master System and Game Gear. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog and his sidekick Miles "Tails" Prower in their quest to retrieve the Chaos Emeralds from Doctor Robotnik, who has stolen them to construct nuclear weapons. Gameplay involves running through stages, collecting rings, and defeating enemies. It is largely based on the Master System version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and is thus considered a follow-up to that game. Chaos is the first Sonic game for the Master System and Game Gear to feature Tails as a separate playable character with his own unique abilities.

<i>Sonic Gems Collection</i> 2005 compilation video game by Sega

Sonic Gems Collection is a 2005 compilation of Sega video games, primarily those in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The emulated games span multiple genres and consoles—from the Sega Genesis to the Sega Saturn—and retain the features and errors of their initial releases with minimal edits. Player progress is rewarded with demos of other Sonic games, videos, and promotional artwork spanning the history of the Sonic franchise. While its 2002 predecessor, Sonic Mega Collection, comprises popular Sonic games, Gems Collection focuses on more obscure games, such as Sonic CD (1993) and Sonic the Fighters (1996). Other non-Sonic games are included, but some, such as the Streets of Rage trilogy, are omitted in the Western localization.

<i>Pac-Attack</i> 1993 puzzle video game

Pac-Attack, also known as Pac-Panic, is a 1993 falling-tile puzzle video game developed and published by Namco for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis. Versions for the Game Boy, Game Gear and Philips CD-i were also released. The player is tasked with clearing out blocks and ghosts without them stacking to the top of the playfield — blocks can be cleared by matching them in horizontal rows, while ghosts can be cleared by placing down a Pac-Man piece that can eat them. It is the first game in the Pac-Man series to be released exclusively for home platforms.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog 2</i> (8-bit video game) 1992 video game

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a 1992 platform game developed by Aspect and published by Sega for the Master System and Game Gear. It is the sequel to the 8-bit Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) and follows Sonic as he attempts to get the Chaos Emeralds back to rescue his friend Miles "Tails" Prower from Dr. Robotnik. Like the first Sonic the Hedgehog, players run through levels at high speeds while collecting rings and defeating enemies. Although it shares the same title with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the Sega Genesis and their releases coincided, the games have little in common and share no levels.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog 2</i> 1992 video game

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a 1992 platform game developed by Sega Technical Institute (STI) for the Sega Genesis. Players control Sonic as he attempts to stop Doctor Robotnik from stealing the Chaos Emeralds to power his space station. Like the first Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), players traverse side-scrolling levels at high speeds while collecting rings, defeating enemies, and fighting bosses. Sonic 2 introduces Sonic's sidekick Miles "Tails" Prower and features faster gameplay, larger levels, a multiplayer mode, and special stages featuring pre-rendered 3D graphics.

<i>Puyo Puyo 2</i> 1994 video game

Puyo Puyo 2 is a 1994 puzzle video game developed and published by Compile. It is the second installment in the Puyo Puyo series and the sequel to Puyo Puyo (1992).

Puyo Puyo (ぷよぷよ), previously known as Puyo Pop outside Japan, is a series of tile-matching video games created by Compile. Sega has owned the franchise since 1998, with games after 2001 being developed by Sonic Team. Puyo Puyo was created as a spin-off franchise to Madō Monogatari, a series of first-person dungeon crawler role-playing games by Compile from which the Puyo Puyo characters originated. The series has sold over 10 million copies, including the Madō Monogatari games.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine" (PDF). GamePro . December 1993. p. 91. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  2. ↑ "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine" (PDF). Sega Power . 2 December 1993. p. 41. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  3. ↑ "Prodates" (PDF). Sega Pro . Paragon Publishing. March 1994. p. 14. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  4. ↑ Compile 1993, p. 1.
  5. 1 2 Compile 1993, p. 13.
  6. ↑ Compile 1993, pp. 11–12.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Thomas, Lucas (11 December 2006). "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine review – The Genesis take on the classic puzzler, Puyo Puyo". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 22 June 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 "Test Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine sur MD". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Webedia. 21 January 2011. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  9. 1 2 Compile 1993, p. 6.
  10. ↑ Compile 1993, p. 7.
  11. ↑ Compile 1993, p. 15.
  12. ↑ Gamble (28 March 2013). Dr Robotniks Mean Bean Machine- Coconuts- I don't even. Retrieved 29 June 2024– via YouTube.
  13. ↑ WildBrain Superheroes (12 August 2014). Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog 101 - Super Special Sonic Search and Smash Squad . Retrieved 29 June 2024– via YouTube.
  14. ↑ TASVideosChannel (25 November 2021). [TAS] Genesis Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine by Flip in 07:15.7 . Retrieved 29 June 2024– via YouTube.
  15. 1 2 3 Reed, Kristan (23 January 2007). "Virtual Console: SEGA Mega Drive". Eurogamer. Eurogamer Network. p. 2. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  16. ↑ "Puyo Puyo". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on 20 February 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  17. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly staff 1993, p. 256.
  18. 1 2 3 DelVillano, Ron (18 January 2013). "Review: Dr Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (3DS eShop / Game Gear)". Nintendo Life.
  19. 1 2 3 Ronaghan, Neal (18 June 2013). "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  20. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (19 March 2003). "Sonic Mega Collection". Eurogamer. Eurogamer Network. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  21. ↑ Score, Avery (2 November 2004). "Sonic Mega Collection Plus Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  22. ↑ "Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection overview". Game Informer. Gamestop Network. Archived from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  23. ↑ "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine on Steam". Steam . Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  24. ↑ DelVillano, Ron (17 June 2013). "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine Review (3DS eShop / GG)". Nintendo Life . Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  25. ↑ Stedman, Alex (30 September 2021). "Nintendo Switch Online Expanding With N64 and Sega Genesis Games in New Membership". IGN. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  26. ↑ "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine aggregate score". GameRankings . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  27. 1 2 "Dr.Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine aggregate score". Metacritic . Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  28. ↑ Sackenheim, Shawn. "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  29. 1 2 Tipping 1993, p. 93.
  30. 1 2 Andromeda (January 1994). "Genesis ProReview: Doctor Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine" (PDF). GamePro . Vol. 6, no. 1. IDG Entertainment. p. 58. ISSN   1042-8658. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  31. 1 2 Thomas, Aaron (9 January 2007). "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine Review". GameSpot . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  32. 1 2 McFerran, Damien (12 December 2006). "Review: Dr Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (MD)". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015.
  33. 1 2 Dyer 1994, p. 49.
  34. 1 2 Webster, Andrew (8 October 2010). "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine Review". Gamezebo . Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  35. 1 2 Joypad staff 1994, p. 109.
  36. ↑ "Top 50 Games In History". MegaZone (50): 5. April 1995.

Bibliography

Notes

  1. ↑ Alternatively named Dr. Robotnik and His Mean Bean Machine in European countries outside the United Kingdom and Dr. Eggman's Mean Bean Machine (Dr.(ドクター)エッグマンのミーンビーンマシーン, Dokutā Egguman no Mīn Bīn Mashīn) in Japanese compilation releases.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.