Play Baku Baku Animal Online

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Game Info

Cover art of Baku Baku Animal

4.7 / 5

1 vote

Platform
Sega Master System
Genres
Puzzle
Developers
Minato Giken
Publishers
Sega · Tec Toy Indústria de Brinquedos S.A.
Release date
October 15, 1996

Summary

Baku Baku Animal, often just called Baku Baku, is a surprisingly deep falling‑block puzzle that pairs animal heads with their favorite foods. You line up a rabbit on carrots, a dog on bones, a panda on bamboo, or a monkey on bananas, and when the match is made the animal devours the food, scoring points based on how many tiles were eaten in one bite.

What makes the game addictive is its two‑player duel: every successful bite sends a random block cascade into your opponent’s field, forcing them to scramble while you keep the chain going. The play modes—practice, normal and hard—let newcomers learn the basics before the pressure ramps up, and the occasional “BB coin” clears a chunk of tiles, turning the tide in a single move.

Critics praised Baku Baku for its cute graphics, catchy sound effects, and the sheer strategic depth hidden behind its simple premise. Reviewers on the Saturn called it the best next‑generation puzzle game, and it even snagged a "Classic/Puzzle Game of the Year" award from Computer Gaming World.

Beyond the consoles, the title has been cited in academic articles on tile‑matching games and even inspired a dance‑track EP, cementing its quirky legacy in the puzzle‑gaming pantheon.

Storyline

Baku Baku Animal on the Sega Master System puts players in the shoes of Polly, a plucky girl entered in a royal competition. The king is looking for a new zoo keeper for his daughter’s ever‑growing menagerie, and each contestant must battle their way through a series of challengers. Every opponent greets Polly with a unique line, and the game branches with different responses depending on whether she wins or loses – for example, a bug‑type foe taunts, “How lucky, my opponent is only a little girl!” only to be met with Polly’s retort, “Hmph! How rude! I’ll show you who’s the weak one!”

Victory comes when Polly piles her rival’s playfield all the way to the top, clearing the board and securing the coveted zoo‑keeper position. The dialogue and win‑condition together give the title a quirky, competitive charm that stands out among Master System puzzlers.

Edited by Maya Carter

Game Screenshots

  • Screenshot 1 of Baku Baku Animal

Multiplayer

Game modes
Single