Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, also known as Dr. Robotnik and His Mean Bean Machine in parts of Europe, Dr. Eggman's Mean Bean Machine in Japan, and Dong Gu Ri Te Chi Jak Jeon in Korea, is a Puyo Puyo game released for the Sega Mega Drive, Game Gear, and the Sega Master System. Set in the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog universe, it is the first Puyo Puyo reskin and the second Western Puyo Puyo release, and features Dr. Robotnik wanting to turn the beans of Beanville into robot slaves. This is also one of the very few games in which Sonic does not appear at all. The Mega Drive version was re-released in Sonic Compilation for Mega Drive, Sonic Mega Collection for the Nintendo GameCube in 2002 Sonic Mega Collection Plus for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2004; which also contains the Game Gear version, and Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2009.
Gameplay
The game is played with two opponents, each controlling one of two grids. Beans fall from the top in groups of two, coming in various colours and one pair falling each "turn". The player must attempt to arrange the beans into groups of at least four beans all of the same colour; should they do this, the beans in the group will disappear.
Players must also contend with clear, or 'mean' beans which are deposited in the player's grid by their opponent removing larger chains of beans. If a player is able to cause a chain reaction by removing one set of beans, and hence causing another set to group and disappear, and so on, the resultant number of refugees deposited will be far higher. Refugee beans cannot be removed by being arranged into groups of four; the only way to remove them is to remove normal beans adjacent to the refugee. A player can attempt to send refugees to their opponent in order to frustrate their attempts to remove beans.
The aim of the game is to keep the third column (from left to right) from filling up (failure to do so causes the player to lose) and to prevent the opposition from doing likewise. As the game is played, Robotnik's henchmen become increasingly skilled and beans begin to fall faster, making it more difficult to arrange them into desirable configurations. Upon the completion of a level, the game gives the player a password enabling them to start from that point in the game next time they play.
Opponents list
Characters in parentheses indicate the original Puyo Puyo character the characters' respective playing level was based from.
- Stage 1: Arms (Draco)
- Stage 2: Frankly (Suketoudara; however, like Zoh Daimaoh, the board shakes when beans are dropped)
- Stage 3: Humpty (Sukiyapodes)
- Stage 4: Coconuts (Harpy)
- Stage 5: Davy Sprocket (Sasoriman)
- Stage 6: Skweel (Panotty)
- Stage 7: Dynamight (Zombie)
- Stage 8: Grounder (Witch)
- Stage 9: Spike (Zoh Daimaoh; however, the board doesn't shake when beans are dropped, not even as in Frankly's and Dragon Breath's stages the boards do)
- Stage 10: Sir Ffuzzy-Logik (Schezo)
- Stage 11: Dragon Breath (Minotauros; however, like Zoh Daimaoh, the board also shakes when beans are dropped)
- Stage 12: Scratch (Rulue)
- Stage 13: Dr. Robotnik (Satan; however, after all his robots, he is the human final boss and the only character who has the lone frame)
Story
Dr. Robotnik has hatched a plan to ensure that no music or fun remains on Mobius. To do this, he kidnaps the jolly citizens of Beanville and stuffs them into a giant roboticising machine called the Mean Bean-Steaming Machine (hence the name, Mean Bean Machine), so that they become devious little robot slaves, as well as getting rid of them. The instruction manual states that the disappearing Beans are sent to the Mean Bean Machine, regardless of which character does this. The game ends after a face-off with Robotnik.
Music
The music used in the Mega Drive version of Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine are an assortment of remixes from the original Puyo Puyo game as well as having its own soundtrack. These include:
- The Title Theme uses minor chords from the beginning part of Memories of Puyo Puyo.
- The Password music is Memories of Puyo Puyo (but without the bridge).
- The VS Mode music is Final of Puyo Puyo (without the intro).
- The Panic music is a remix of Final of Puyo Puyo.
- Dr. Robotnik's Intermission music is a looping segment from Brave of Puyo Puyo.
- Exercise Mode uses Sticker of Puyo Puyo.
- The Cast music is a heavily arranged version of Theme of Puyo Puyo.
- The Credits music is Sunset of Puyo Puyo.
- The Game Over music is a remix of the Dorian segment of Sticker of Puyo Puyo.
A few tracks that were unused from the game include renditions of Theme of Puyo Puyo, Brave of Puyo Puyo, the original Puyo Puyo win fanfare, an arrangement of the BGM in Stages 9–12, and a fast-paced arrangement of Dr. Robotnik's BGM. Unlike Kirby's Avalanche, where the only original music was Warning of Puyo Puyo, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is the only western release of Puyo Puyo game to feature music from the original Puyo Puyo game.
Releases
The game was released in November 1993 for North America markets. The game was never released as a standalone game in Japan. Compile declined the opportunity most likely because the game was too similar to the popular Puyo Puyo, whose sequel was, at the time, already in development (Puyo Puyo Tsu). When the game finally reached Japan, thanks to Sonic Mega Collection, it became known in that country as Dr. Eggman's Mean Bean Machine.
An 8-bit version was also released for the Sega Master System and the Game Gear in 1993, which featured similar game play, but also included a "Puzzle Mode", in which the player must clear a series of flashing beans amidst a large pile.
On December 11, 2006, Sega released the game on the Wii's Virtual Console, at a price of 800 Wii Points.
The game's latest appearance is in Sonic Origins Plus for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, Nintendo Switch and Steam. The version used here is the Game Gear version.
Reception
The game, released for the Game Gear, received positive reviews. The Genesis/Mega Drive versions both received 76%.
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| Main series: Puyo Puyo • Puyo Puyo Tsu • Puyo Puyo SUN • Puyo Puyo~n • Puyo Puyo Fever • Puyo Puyo Fever 2 • Puyo Puyo 7 Compile-era |