- Original release: 26th November 1993
- Developer: Compile
- Publisher: Sega
- Original Platform: Mega Drive
In Japan, this is not a Sonic related game at all. When Puyo-Puyo got a release in North America and Europe, Sega decided to overhaul the design to base it on Dr Robotnik, featuring a bunch of robots from the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon.
Puyo-Puyo/Mean Bean Machine is a colour-matching game. Two “beans” will fall down at once and you can rotate them. Match four of the same colour and they’ll vanish. At the same time, an AI opponent is competing against you. If you chain multiple combos, you’ll send a bunch of beans that don’t match and can only be removed by triggering a group of another colour next to it. First one to reach the top of the screen loses.
I could only make it to stage 3, partly due to colourblind issues (although I am bad at this style of game anyway). The beans are slightly different shapes, but it’s difficult to identify the shapes quick enough for the reaction speeds needed to compete against the AI.
Where to get
- Sonic Compilation (Mega Drive)
- Sonic Mega Collection (GameCube)
- Sonic Mega Collection Plus (PS2/Xbox)
- Steam
- Mega Drive Mini
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Mean Bean Machine is a cracking puzzle game, even though it’s far from the best version of Puyo Puyo available today. I played it for the first time when I got Sonic Mega Collection on the Gamecube. I wasn’t expecting all that much from it, but was blown away by its addictive multiplayer gameplay and fell in love with it! Ended up being probably my most played game in that collection outside of S3&K!
Nowerdays, I’d turn to other, more fleshed out takes on the Puyo Puyo series, as the first game is a bit basic. But I can’t deny that I have a real soft spot for MBM, including its surprisingly good soundtrack! Was thrilled to bits to see it appear in Sonic Mania! 😀