Detana! TwinBee (1992). Play Free Online

Summary

Detana!! TwinBee – known in Europe as Bells & Whistles – arrived on the PC‑Engine in early 1992 and later slipped onto Nintendo’s Virtual Console, debuting in North America in 2009. The title keeps the series’ cute‑bee aesthetic while cranking up the arcade feel, thanks to its two‑button layout that varies by region and a charge‑hold ‘Big Shot’ meter at the screen’s bottom. Shooting clouds to reveal bells remains core, but new purple and black bells add a tail‑shield and speed‑slowdown respectively, and the GwinBee craft can be paired for broader beams or a vertical five‑way spread in co‑op mode. After clearing the first loop you can tackle a tougher second pass, and a special GwinBee jump‑out destroys everything when both ships line up beside it. Critics praised its bright graphics, lively soundtrack by Konami Kukeiha Club, and faithful arcade translation, though a few found the music a bit grating; Famitsu scored it 24/40 and it earned a solid 24.79 / 30 in a PC‑Engine fan poll.

Storyline

Detana!! TwinBee, the TurboGrafx‑16 sequel, takes place several years after the original TwinBee. Players step into the cockpits of Light and Pastel, the series’ first female and male pilots, and fly the iconic TwinBee and its partner WinBee. An SOS from Princess Melora warns that the alien warlord Iva is invading the peaceful planet Meru, and the duo must repel the hostile forces. The storyline is framed by the audio drama TwinBee Paradise, which officially names the heroes. The game’s simple premise—defend Meru and rescue the princess—drives its colorful vertical‑shoot‑‘em‑up action.

Edited by Maya Carter