Pop'n TwinBee (SNES) Playthrough - NintendoComplete

A playthrough of Palcom's 1993 shoot 'em up for the Super Nintendo, Pop'n TwinBee.

Played through on the default difficulty level.

Like Parodius and Rainbow Bell Adventures, Pop'n Twinbee is another of Konami's SNES games that was translated to English and yet was released only in PAL-territories outside of its native Japan. And of the Konami SNES games that this happened with, Pop'n TwinBee is perhaps the most regrettable omission in their North American line-up.

Really, Konami, in 1993 you gave the states NFL Football while giving England Pop'n TwinBee? What a gyp.

Rather than porting the arcade game Detana!! TwinBee (Bells & Whistles) to the SNES, Pop'n TwinBee is its console-exclusive sequel that brings a few interesting quirks to the genre formula. It retains the bell power-up system from the older games in the series, as it does the ability to fire at ground targets a la Xevious, but it also now includes a charged punch move (allowing for unlimited use of an attack that can inflict massive damage at close range and/or deflect bullets) and an option-pod setup that allows you to circle the entire screen with fire.

These inclusions give the game a decidedly different feel from the company's mainstay shooter franchise, Gradius, and give Pop'n TwinBee more depth that you might presuppose from a cursory glance at its cutesy looks.

It's fast-paced and fairly difficult, but you'd never know it from the beautifully drawn anime-style sprites and backgrounds. The graphics put even Parodius to shame in their animation, use of color, and the attention to detail invested in them. The soundtrack is equally deserving of praise: it reminds me quite a bit of the music from Sparkster in its style and quality. In other words, it's top-tier stuff by SNES standards.

Overall, Pop'n TwinBee is one of the better shooters you'll find on the SNES, and it's easily one of the best looking. If you haven't given this obscure gem a go, I highly recommend procuring yourself a copy. I'd take it over Gradius III or Axelay, no questions asked.

If you'd like to see the spin-off TwinBee platformer for the SNES, you can find my video of Rainbow Bell Adventures here:    • Pop'n TwinBee: Rainbow Bell Adventure...  
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No cheats were used during the recording of this video.

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