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Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine

From Sonic Retro

"Mean Bean Machine" redirects here. For the Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear versions, see Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (8-bit). For the Sonic Mania boss, see Mean Bean Machine (Sonic Mania boss).

n/a

Mean Bean title.png
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Virtual Console, Steam, RealOne Arcade, Nintendo Switch Online
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Sound driver: Cube/Noriyuki Iwadare
Genre: Puzzle
Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code Rating
Sega Mega Drive
US 		1993-12[2] $? 1706
Videogame Rating Council: GA
Sega Mega Drive
EU 		1994-01[3][4] €? 1706-50
Sega Mega Drive
UK 		1994-01[3][4] £44.99[5][6] 1706-50
Sega Mega Drive
AS 		199x  ? ?
Sega Mega Drive
KR 		199x ₩? GM93040JG
Sega Mega Drive
FR 		199x  ? ?
Sega Mega Drive
AU 		199x $99.95[7] FDRR00SMC
Sega Mega Drive
PT 		199x  ? ?
Sega Mega Drive
BR 		199x R$? ?


Wii Virtual Console
US 		2006-12-11[8] 800[8]pts ?
ESRB: Everyone
Wii Virtual Console
EU 		2006-12-08[9][10] 800[9]pts ?
PEGI: 3+
Wii Virtual Console
DE 		2006-12-08[9][11] 800[9]pts ?
USK: 0
Wii Virtual Console
AU 		2006-12 800[12]pts ?
OFLC: General (G)


Nintendo Switch Online
US 		2021-10-25[13] $sub ?
Nintendo Switch Online
EU 		2021-10-26[14] €sub ?
Nintendo Switch Online
UK 		2021-10-26[15] £sub ?
Nintendo Switch Online
AU 		2021-10-26[16] $sub ?


RealOne Arcade
US 		2002-11-14[17] $? ?
Steam
US 		2010-09-13[18] $4.99[19] 34286
ESRB: Everyone
Steam
EU 		2010-09-13[18] €4.49[19] 34286
PEGI: 3+
Steam
UK 		2010-09-13[18] £3.99[19] 34286
PEGI: 3+
Steam
AU 		2010-09-13[18] $6.99[19] 34286
OFLC: General (G)
Steam Linux
US 		2019-02-01[20] $4.99[21] 34286
ESRB: Everyone
Steam Linux
EU 		2019-02-01[20] €4.49[21] 34286
PEGI: 3+
Steam Linux
UK 		2019-02-01[20] £3.99[21] 34286
PEGI: 3+
Steam Linux
AU 		2019-02-01[20] $5.99[21] 34286
OFLC: General (G)
Steam OS X
US 		2019-02-01[20] $4.99[21] 34286
ESRB: Everyone
Steam OS X
EU 		2019-02-01[20] €4.49[21] 34286
PEGI: 3+
Steam OS X
UK 		2019-02-01[20] £3.99[21] 34286
PEGI: 3+
Steam OS X
AU 		2019-02-01[20] $5.99[21] 34286
OFLC: General (G)

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, also known as Dr. Robotnik and his Mean Bean MachineMedia:Mbm md eu alt cover.jpg[22] in Europe outside the UK and Dr. Eggman no Mean Bean Machine (ドクターエッグマンのミーンビーンマシーンMedia:Smc gc jp back cover.jpg[23]) in the Japanese version of Sonic Mega Collection, is a Sega Mega Drive puzzle game, based on the earlier Japanese puzzle game Puyo Puyo. It was released to the North American and European markets in November 1993.

Story

The opening sequence displayed by waiting on the title screen.

Unlike other Sonic the Hedgehog games, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine occurs in the universe of the television show Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, featuring its version of Dr. Robotnik and his cohorts Scratch, Grounder and Coconuts. Sonic himself does not appear in the game and is never referenced - instead the protagonist is thought to be a character called Has Bean, who can be seen dancing during each match.

Robotnik has hatched a plan to ensure that no music or fun remains on the planet Mobius. To do this, he kidnaps the citizens of Beanville and stuffs them into a giant robotising machine called the Mean Bean-Steaming Machine (hence the game's title) to make them into his robot slaves. The player must foil Robotnik's plans by defeat each of the 12 robot guards, and finally Robotnik himself, to foil his evil plans. Their battles take the form of competitive puzzle gaming.

Mean Bean Machine entered production before Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog had aired, so characters in the game do not accurately reflect those in the show. Eight of the robots were in fact stated as bounty hunters hired by Robotnik to stop Sonic in the first episode of the series, and all, save for Dragon Breath in Stage 11, lack speaking roles (and are subsequently not seen in the series again).

Gameplay

A match against Arms.

Two players compete, each with their own rectangular play area comprising a grid 12 beans (previously Puyos) high by 6 wide, meaning that 72 beans (including garbage) can fit. Various colours of beans fall into the play area. The player must attempt to place four identically coloured beans adjacent to each other, at which point they will disappear. A player loses when beans pile to the top of their play area (actually the third column from the left), so it is essential to clear as many beans as possible, in order to keep the screen empty.

Players can send Refugee Beans (aka Garbage, and Ojyama) to their opponent's play area by creating chain reactions. These beans are both annoying and helpful: they can only be cleared when adjacent to another bean that is being removed, but they are very useful for making chain reactions. The more beans that link up, the more garbage is sent. Players may also activate step chains (aka Rensa) so that even more garbage is scored.

If garbage beans fall into the player's play area, they cannot be grouped like normal beans (i.e. 4 in a row will not disapper) Garbage is erased when a neighbouring group of beans erase (e.g. if a vertical line of 4 beans in column 2 forms adjacently next to a vertical line of 4 garbage beans in either column 1 or column 3, the garbage disappears). However, this does not cause garbage to be sent to the opponent.

Scenario Mode

This is the game's story mode, in which Has Bean must "Battle Robotnik's ranks of robot flunkies in order to save Beanville!" The player competes against computer-controlled characters in 12 stages. Most of these characters are also found in the pilot and 1st episode of the show, and each one is based on a corresponding character from the original Puyo Puyo game. The pilot even has a scene that looks striking similar to the continue screen in this game.

List of opponents

Stage Opponent Based on Passwords
Easy Normal Hard Hardest
1 Arms Draco Centauros N/A N/A N/A N/A
2 Frankly Suketoudara RedRedRedHas HasRefugeeYellowYellow GreenRefugeeYellowYellow BlueBlueGreenYellow
3 Humpty Sukiyapodes RefugeePurpleRefugeeGreen BlueRefugeeRedYellow YellowPurpleRefugeePurple GreenYellowGreenRefugee
4 Coconuts Harpy RedRefugeeHasYellow YellowBlueRefugeePurple BlueGreenRefugeeBlue PurplePurpleRedHas
5 Davy Sprocket Sasoriman RefugeeBlueBluePurple HasGreenBlueYellow RedPurpleGreenGreen GreenRedPurpleBlue
6 Skweel Panotty RefugeeRedRefugeePurple GreenPurplePurpleYellow YellowYellowRefugeeGreen PurpleRefugeeGreenYellow
7 Dynamight Zombie PurpleYellowRedBlue PurpleBlueGreenHas PurpleRefugeeBlueBlue BluePurpleGreenHas
8 Grounder Witch YellowGreenPurpleHas GreenHasRefugeeYellow RefugeeYellowHasYellow RefugeePurpleHasYellow
9 Spike Zoh Daimaoh YellowPurpleHasBlue BluePurpleHasHas PurpleBlueBlueGreen PurpleGreenHasRefugee
10 Sir Ffuzzy-Logik Schezo Wegey RedYellowRefugeeHas HasRedYellowRefugee RefugeeGreenRedYellow GreenBlueYellowHas
11 Dragon Breath Minotauros GreenPurpleBlueRefugee RefugeeRedRedBlue BlueYellowYellowHas GreenPurpleHasRed
12 Scratch Rulue RedHasHasYellow GreenGreenRefugeeYellow GreenRefugeeRefugeeBlue RedGreenHasBlue
13 Dr. Robotnik Satan YellowHasBlueBlue PurpleYellowHasRefugee HasRefugeePurpleHas RedRedRefugeeYellow

VS mode

Up to 2 players can play either in VS Mode or in Exercise Mode. In VS Mode, each player can choose between 5 difficulty settings, labeled 1-5 (Easiest to Hardest, where 1 is the lowest drop speed, and 5 is the fastest). In VS Mode, one player must defeat the other in the same way as in Scenario mode. If a player selects Level 1, they play with 4 colours of beans, however, the other levels include 5 colours. Furthermore, in Levels 4 or 5, the game begins with the play area already containing garbage: for Level 4, 18 beans (3 rows); for Level 5, 30 beans (5 rows).

Exercise mode

Exercise Mode (modernly known as Endless Puyo Puyo), is a form of practice play where 1 or 2 players can battle out. This mode has three difficulty levels: easiest, normal, and hardest (Level 1, 3 or 5). On easiest, players start with only 4 colours. To level up, the player has to keep erasing beans. Helpers (Big Puyo or Has Bean) will appear when the player gets stuck on Level 1 the first time, but they can only appear once. For Level 3, at random times, Has Bean will drop from the screen to help out. When Carbuncle is placed on a colour, it travels in a random direction, following downwards, changing all beans to that colour. For Level 5, at random times, a Big Puyo will drop from the screen. When Big Puyo falls, it occupies 2 columns of the grid, and when placed, squashes all beans and removes them from the grid.

History

Development

When it came to bringing the series to America, the game's Western producer, Max Taylor, had approached audio director David Javelosa with directly composing new tracks for the localized version. Javelosa created a number of songs in MIDI format, including the title screen and some level themes, and sent the files off to Sega of Japan for translation to the Mega Drive. He also recalls that musician Barry Blum contributed a single track to the final localized game.[24]

A lot of the music in Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine was reused, albeit remixed and/or resynthed by sound engineer Masanori Hikichi, from Masanobu Tsukamoto's (and possibly, though not likely, Einosuke Nagao's) songs from the original Puyo Puyo score:

  • Brave -> Stage 13 intro (arrangement)
  • Final -> 2P VS theme (the intro was removed, some notes are missing), Warning theme (arrangement)
  • Memories -> Password Screen theme (the entire third section was removed)
  • Sticker -> Exercise theme (slightly modified bassline), Continue theme (arrangement of the first part)
  • Theme -> Cast of characters (arrangement)
  • Sunset -> Staff Roll (identical; in fact both songs shared the same purpose in their respective games)

Additionally, nearly straight arrangements of Brave and Theme are in the game, but unused, and the ending cutscene music is inspired by Theme's structure. Masayuki Nagao is also credited, although he and Einosuke Nagao are completely different persons and are unrelated.

Release

In South Korea, Samsung released the game under the name Dong Gu Ri Te Chi Jak Jeon, however for unknown reasons, a number of early cartridges were in fact copies of the Japanese release of Puyo Puyo with the Dong Gu Ri label.

Legacy

The Mean Bean Machine boss in Sonic Mania.

An 8-bit version was later released for the Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear in December 1993. As the Mega Drive version was based on that system's version of Puyo Puyo, the 8-bit version was based on Puyo Puyo for the Game Gear. It contains an extra Puzzle Mode, which was based on the just-released Nazo Puyo.

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine did not see an official release in Japan until the 2000 PC release of Sega Archives From USA Vol.2.

Despite its Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog influences, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine would be referenced in other Sonic games, serving as the primary inspiration behind the Mean Bean Machine boss fight in Sonic Mania in which the player battles against Dr. Eggman in a recreation of the game. Later Puyo Puyo games would also include references to the Sonic series, including the inclusion of Sonic the Hedgehog as a bonus character in Puyo Puyo Tetris 2.

Hidden sound test

If the game is played on a Japanese Mega Drive, you will be able to access the game's sound test in the options screen (which is an unlockable in Puyo Puyo). However, the game has region lockout. You can either change the region while running or using a patch code to bypass the region check or enter this code at the screen with player 2's controller:

A A Up Right Down Left B B Right Down Left Up C C Down Left Up Right Start Start

Note: You only get one chance to enter the code. Mess up and you have to reboot the console to try again.

  • BGM 02: Menu and High Score List
  • BGM 03: Dr. Robotnik Pre-Fight Cutscene
  • BGM 04: Danger Mode
  • BGM 05: Stages 1-4
  • BGM 06: Stage 13
  • BGM 07: Stages 9-12
  • BGM 08: Stage 13 Clear
  • BGM 09: Game Over
  • BGM 0A: Character Parade
  • BGM 0B: Staff Credits
  • BGM 0E: Password Screen
  • BGM 11: Practice Stage
  • BGM 12: Vs. Mode
  • BGM 13: Stages 5-8
  • BGM 16: Stages 9-12 Intro
  • BGM 17: Stages 1-4 Intro
  • BGM 18: Stages 5-8 Intro
  • BGM 19: Stage Clear
  • BGM 1A: Theme of Mean Bean Machine
  • BGM 01: Stages 9-12 Alternate (Unused)
  • BGM 0C: Puyo Puyo - Stage Clear (Unused)
  • BGM 0D: Null
  • BGM 0F: Puyo Puyo - Brave (Unused)
  • BGM 10: Puyo Puyo - Theme (Unused)
  • BGM 14: Stage 13 Critical (Unused)
  • BGM 15: Strange Cheering and Whooshing sound

Versions

Comparisons

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine/Comparisons

Also released on

Production credits

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: sega:Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine/Production credits

Manuals

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine/Manuals

Magazine articles

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: sega:Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine/Magazine articles

Promotional materials

Artwork

  • Cover art

Physical scans




Sega Mega Drive
 88 Sonic Retro Average
Based on 2 reviews
Publication Score Source
GamesMaster (UK) 92 №13, p72/73
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) 84 №20, p32/33
Mega Drive, US
Meanbean-box-us.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, EU
Meanbean-box-eu.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, FR
Mbm md eu alt cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, PT

Mega Drive, AU
DRMBM MD AU cover.jpg
Cover
Meanbean-box-au.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, Asia
Meanbean-box-asia front.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, KR
DRMBM MD KR Box.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, SG/MY/BN
Meanbean-box-SG MY BN front.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, BR
DRMBM MD BR cover.jpg
Cover

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 c7ca517f
MD5 4d6bdac51d2f5969a91496142ea53232
SHA-1 aa6b60103fa92bc95fcc824bf1675e411627c8d3
1MB 1993-09 Cartridge (US)
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 70680706
MD5 900edd585f9716cd2f8000791dc2b096
SHA-1 8cdaca024585aab557e9a09732a298e5112ee15b
1MB 1993-09 Cartridge (EU)
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 e32f0b1c
MD5 9565c34a058fb301a4691174d2151858
SHA-1 a698c4eda62032d1f98b3e4f824b6475c2612859
1MB 1993-09 Cartridge (KR)
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 4d0e5273
MD5 5b6e55ccc0daabf1c2a8cead5d6cdacf
SHA-1 312f9a283bebc5d612a63afd2cf67eb923f4f074
1MB 1993-09 Cartridge Prototype Download.svg (520 kB) (info) Page

External links

References

  1. ↑ based on producers Yoji Ishii, Noriyoshi Ohba and other CS1 (1993) staffers
  2. ↑ [gamepro, issue 53, page 91 gamepro, issue 53, page 91]
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 [cvg, issue 146, page 93 cvg, issue 146, page 93]
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 [segapower, issue 50, page 41 segapower, issue 50, page 41]
  5. ↑ [cvg, issue 152, page 61 cvg, issue 152, page 61]
  6. ↑ [megapower, issue 7, page 59 megapower, issue 7, page 59]
  7. ↑ [mz, issue 35, page 39 mz, issue 35, page 39]
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/HHdm70KQa2FIGw-d7Ek2QtVXEHtjRVnA (Wayback Machine: 2010-11-22 23:52)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 http://www.nintendolife.com/games/megadrive/dr_robotniks_mean_bean_machine (Wayback Machine: 2017-06-24 20:11)
  10. ↑ https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Virtual-Console-Wii-/Dr-Robotnik-s-Mean-Bean-Machine--277028.html (archive.today)
  11. ↑ https://www.nintendo.de/Spiele/Virtual-Console-Wii-/Dr-Robotnik-s-Mean-Bean-Machine--277028.html (archive.today)
  12. ↑ http://www.nintendo.com.au/index.php?action=catalogue&prodcat_id=41&prod_id=19734&pageID=4 (Wayback Machine: 2012-04-03 02:01)
  13. ↑ @NintendoAmerica on Twitter (archive.today)
  14. ↑ @NintendoEurope on Twitter (archive.today)
  15. ↑ @NintendoUK on Twitter (archive.today)
  16. ↑ @NintendoAUNZ on Twitter (archive.today)
  17. ↑ http://games.real.com/allgames.php?mode=spnav (Wayback Machine: 2004-08-02 23:32)
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 https://steamdb.info/app/34286/ (Wayback Machine: 2017-05-22 03:07)
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 http://steamdb.info/app/34286/ (Wayback Machine: 2013-05-22 21:13)
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 https://steamdb.info/app/34286/history/?changeid=5755300
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 21.6 21.7 http://steamdb.info/app/34286/ (Wayback Machine: 2019-09-08 20:24)
  22. ↑ File:Mbm md eu alt cover.jpg
  23. ↑ File:Smc gc jp back cover.jpg
  24. ↑ Interview: David Javelosa (2023-12-09) by Alexander Rojas


Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (16-bit)
Mean Bean title.png

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Sonic the Hedgehog games for the following systems
Sega Mega Drive

Sega Mega-CD
Sega 32X
  1991  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Eraser     1992  Sonic the Hedgehog 2     1993  Sonic the Hedgehog CD | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sonic Spinball     1994  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Sonic & Knuckles     1995  Chaotix | Sonic Classics     1996  Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island    
Steam
  2010  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Spinball | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island | Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing     2011  Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles | Sonic Adventure | Sonic Generations     2012  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I | Sonic the Hedgehog CD | Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II | Sonic Adventure 2     2013  Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed     2015  Sonic Lost World     2017  Sonic Mania | Sonic Forces     2019  Team Sonic Racing     2022  Sonic Origins | Sonic Frontiers     2023  Sonic Colours: Ultimate | The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Superstars     2024  Sonic X Shadow Generations    
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Mac OS X

Mac App Store
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  2013  Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing     2019  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic Spinball | Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sonic Racing     2022  Sonic Speed Simulator     2023  The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Dream Team    
Wii Virtual Console
WiiWare
  2006  Sonic the Hedgehog | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine     2007  Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Sonic Spinball | Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island     2008  Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit) | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)     2009  Sonic Chaos | Sonic & Knuckles     2010  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I    
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