Play Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (beta) Online

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine was released for the Sega Genesis, though the beta version I played was never officially published. It was developed by Compile and published by Sega, slotting into the Genesis library as a puzzle game with a Sonic the Hedgehog theme. This was during a period when the console was full of arcade-style experiences and character spin-offs.

You control a cursor to rotate and drop pairs of colored beans into a well. Your main goal is to clear beans from your own screen while sending garbage beans to your opponent's side. The signature mechanics involve creating chains by matching four or more beans of the same color, which causes them to pop and send the garbage over. You also have to manage the rising floor, which pushes your beans upward if you take too long. The game starts simple but quickly becomes frantic as the opponent's attacks speed up. It feels like a constant, tense race to set up bigger combos before you get buried.