WinBee (ウインビー,UinBī?) is the deuteragonist of the TwinBee series, where she is almost always assigned to the second player. She has been TwinBee's partner throughout the entire duration of the series. WinBee is a female, pink-colored ship who patrols the skies of Donburi Island. She is TwinBee and GwinBee's sister. Her most well known pilot throughout the series is Pastel. She has appeared in all of the games that comprise the TwinBee series.
A mecha created by Dr. Cinnamon based on TwinBee, it is Pastel's precious partner with a feminine naïveté. She is a bit of a narcissist, but that is what makes her so mischievous and cute. Her specialties include the "Shot and Bomber" and the "Ribbon Attack", which she invented using the ribbon technique from rhythmic gymnastics. Other moves include the "Pretty A La Mode", which is very powerful on Earth, but apparently cannot be used in outer space.
WinBee is a combat aircraft that appears in the numerous installments that comprise the TwinBee series. In the traditional games, she's always assigned to the second player, while the first controls the protagonist TwinBee. Both ships are twin siblings and usually share the same skills, although in some games they have been given a few small differences in their attacks. In recent games, there's also a third green ship called GwinBee assigned to the third player. The three "Bee" ships were built by the genius scientist Dr. Cinnamon to defend Donburi Island from attacks by evil forces.
WinBee's characteristic main features are her pink color and her windshield in the shape of a heart. In older games, she was a simple piloted aircraft in the shape of a rocket and with arms shaped as boxing gloves.
In her original design, WinBee resembled a rocket with arms.
In WinBee's modern design, she has a spherical shape with arms and feet.
Starting from Detana!! TwinBee, her design changed considerably and besides a ship, she became an intelligent robot with anthropomorphic characteristics. The ship acquired a spherical shape and feet were added with which she can walk when she's not flying, and also a small mouth with which she can speak. Another important novelty of this video game was the introduction of the character Pastel, who would become the final pilot of WinBee for the rest of the series.
With the premiere of the TwinBee anime series, a new skill for the "Bee" ships was also included, and when they're not fighting they can reduce their size to ⅛ of their normal size to accompany their human pilots as pets.
Appearance
WinBee is similar to TwinBee, only that she is pink and blue, and has a blue, heart-shaped canopy. Similar to TwinBee, she has a pair of large, circular turbines on her rear, but unlike him, where they resemble big mouse-like ears, WinBee's give the appearance of being pigtails or buns from certain angles. Any blue part of WinBee’s appearance will change to purple in TwinBee Yahho!
Weapons and abilities
WinBee is a fast combat aircraft that is distinguished by having two arms with large fists that allow her to execute different attacks. In the classic games, the ship is destroyed with a direct impact, although in later deliveries a life bar was added that allows it to resist several attacks and can even recover health.
Main attacks
These are the common attacks of WinBee, their availability changes according to the game.
Normal shot: WinBee fires bullets forward.
Charge power: WinBee can accumulate the power of the normal shot for a while and then release it in a powerful special shot.
Bomb: She throws bombs with her arms to destroy the enemies on the ground. In many games, the arms are destroyed if they are damaged by the enemy and WinBee loses this attack.
Bomber: WinBee can accumulate the power of the bomb and then release a set of bombs that cause a large explosion on the ground.
Fist bump: WinBee can also attack by hitting with her fist forward. Even though this attack has a very short range, it's also extremely powerful and can stop smaller projectiles.
Chibi Blaster: WinBee's maximum weapon. Sends an army of "mini-WinBees" that flutter everywhere and kill all enemies onscreen. It has limited use.
TwinBee and WinBee can join to perform a combined shot.
Combined shot: When TwinBee and WinBee come together and take each other's arms, they can perform a more powerful combined shot than normal. If they join horizontally they attack with a ray of waves, while if they join vertically they perform a multiple shot that disperses toward the front.
GwinBee Power-Up: In some games, the GwinBee ship is an item that allows combined attacks when joining WinBee.
Throw mate: WinBee can grab TwinBee with her arms and throw him like a projectile that bounces across the screen and defeats enemies that get in his way. The thrown ship becomes invulnerable during this attack.
Bell powers
WinBee can get improvements in her arsenal when bell items appear and the player shoots them until they change color. Each bell color gives a different power that varies according to the game. These powers are:
Double shot: Changes the normal shot to a double shot.
Cannon shot: Changes the normal shot to a large shot.
Laser: Changes the normal shot for a laser shot.
3-Way: Changes the normal shot for a special attack that disperses projectiles in three different directions to the front.
Option: Activates a "mini-WinBee" assistant that follows the player and attacks with the normal shot. These are also invulnerable, but are destroyed if WinBee takes damage. Up to four "Options" can be activated at the same time. Some games provide the ability to choose their behavior.
Barrier: A force field that surrounds the ship and protects it from all kinds of enemy attacks. It is destroyed after receiving several hits.
Attacks in land mode
In land mode, WinBee uses an Olympic ribbon as her main attack.
In her robot form, WinBee is a small spherical android that can walk and fight on the ground without the need of a pilot.
Acceleration: When running, WinBee becomes faster and faster, and can use this impulse to attack with a sweep.
Jump: WinBee performs a jump that acts as an attack to crush enemies.
Olympic tape: WinBee uses an Olympic ribbon to attack enemies by spreading it like a whip.
Fist blow: Attacks the enemy with her fists.
Special hit: WinBee accumulates power in her fists and shoot a ball of energy.
Turbo propeller: WinBee accumulates power in her turbines and launches herself at great speed. This ability serves to make huge leaps to the sky and also as an attack to run over and destroy enemies and break rocks. Her thrusters can be used to land slowly during a fall.
Bellpower: By touching bell items, WinBee can gain various powers, such as temporary invulnerability, a laser gun, Options, Barrier, Speed-Up and ribbon.
Power-ups in Parodius
In the Parodius series, WinBee uses a different power-up system similar to that in the Gradius series.
Speed Up: Makes WinBee faster.
Rocket Punch: Shoots her boxing gloves like powerful rockets that go through and destroy enemies, and then return to her arms.
Tailgun: Changes the normal shot for a double shot that attacks forward and backward.
3-Way: Changes the normal shot for a triple shot that attacks forward, diagonally-up and diagonally-down.
Option: Activates a "mini-WinBee" assistant that follows WinBee and replicates all of her shots. Up to three "Options" can be activated at the same time.
Shippo Barrier: Transforms the "Options" into protective and indestructible shields that block attacks and enemies.
WinBee's pilot in the original TwinBee. He is Dr. Cinnamon's son and the first pilot of the ship. He is also Annamon's brother, who pilots TwinBee. In the year 2801, he rides the ship for the first time to rescue Donburi Island from an invasion leaded by the evil King Spice.
WinBee's pilot in Moero TwinBee and TwinBee 3. She corresponds to the third and last generation of pilots and is the great-granddaughter of Dr. Cinnamon. In the year 2901, she rides the WinBee ship to fight against Gattlantis, the descendant of King Spice, who kidnaps Cinnamon.
WinBee's pilot in Wai Wai World 2: SOS!! Parsley Castle. In the third stage of the game, his teammate Red Rickle (Player 1) pilots TwinBee and this character (Player 2) pilots WinBee along Donburi Island.
She is the most recognized pilot of WinBee. She was introduced in Detana!! TwinBee and since then is her official pilot. Pastel is the second pilot of WinBee, daughter of Donnamon and granddaughter of Dr. Cinnamon, and is also cousin of Light, the second pilot of TwinBee, and the big sister of Mint, who pilots GwinBee.
Chime is WinBee's pilot in the Detana!! TwinBee manga by Mine Yoshizaki. She is Pastel's descendant from the far future. She is still under the guidance of Dr. Cinnamon, who survived all this time by putting himself in cryogenic sleep, in a plot similar to that from Moero TwinBee.
TwinBee (1985 - arcade, NES, MSX): WinBee appears as the second player's ship. TwinBee is a shoot 'em up in aerial view where the ship acquires her characteristic attacks, the ability of gaining special powers by collecting bells and the ability to join both players' ships to perform a powerful special attack. The story of this game takes place in 2801, where WinBee engages in her first battle to defend Donburi Island from an invasion by the evil King Spice's army. In this game, WinBee looks like a rocket with gloves and is piloted by Donnamon, one of Dr. Cinnamon's two sons.
In Moero TwinBee, new levels were added where WinBee can be seen in side-view.
Moero TwinBee: Cinnamon-hakase o Sukue! (1986 - FDS, NES): WinBee appears as the second player's ship. This game maintains the classic style and attacks from the first game and expands it by also implementing side-scrolling levels to the mixture. This game actually takes place a century after the original, where WinBee has a new pilot called Whip, who is the great-granddaughter of Dr. Cinnamon.
In TwinBee 3, WinBee can be selected as the main character.
TwinBee 3: Poko Poko Daimaō (1990 - FC): WinBee appears as the second player's ship, but can also be chosen by the first player in the game's options. She maintains her classic attacks and also acquires a triple shot and a laser. Her pilot is once again Whip in this game, who must rescue GwinBee who was captured by the Demon King Poko Poko.
TwinBee Da!! (1990 - GB): A very similar game to the original, where the protagonist is TwinBee and, as always, the second player controls WinBee. This game returns to the first generation of pilots, with Donnamon once again piloting the ship to fight the evil Dr. Nikki, who seeks revenge for the defeat of his creation, King Spice, in the first game. WinBee maintains her classic attacks.
Detana!! TwinBee (1991 - arcade, multiplatform): Video game starring TwinBee and WinBee. This title presents an important aesthetic redesign of the ships, where WinBee acquires her modern spherical appearance with hands and feet. This title also introduces the pilots of the second generation, where WinBee is piloted by Pastel, who will remain as her definitive pilot for the rest of the series. WinBee features her classic attacks and also gains the ability to charge up energy to execute more powerful shots.
WinBee acquires the powerful "Chibi Blaster" in Pop'n TwinBee.
Pop'n TwinBee (1993 - SNES): WinBee appears as the second player's ship. For the first time, she has a life bar that allows her to withstand several hits before being destroyed and can also be reloaded with items. She also acquires the ability to perform short but powerful punches and to throw her partner like a projectile. This game also eliminates the old drawback where WinBee lost her arms when taking damage.
Pop'n TwinBee: Rainbow Bell Adventures (1994 - SNES): This is the first video game where the ships appear in their land mode. It is a side platform title where the player can choose to play as TwinBee, WinBee or GwinBee. WinBee can now run and jump through the level, has the ability to attack by punching and can destroy enemies and rocks that block the road by shooting out from her turbines. She can also gain powers by acquiring bells, which include a powerful laser revolver and her exclusive Olympic ribbon attack.
TwinBee Taisen Puzzle-Dama (1994 - PS): Action puzzle game where WinBee appears as one of the opponents in story mode.
TwinBee Yahho!: Fushigi no Kuni de Ōabare!! (1995 - arcade, PS, Saturn): Video game starring TwinBee and WinBee. An option is added at the beginning of the game where the player is able to choose between four different types of attack when using charged shots. In addition, the player can now collect powerful instant power-ups while on the field that work in conjunction to the classic bells system. These new weapons include the Flamethrower, Volcano Shot, Spread Gun and Super Bombs.
TwinBee PARADISE in Donburi Shima (1998 - PC): Interactive game that includes several minigames, hosted by the characters of the TwinBee series.
TwinBee RPG (1998 - PS): A role-playing game that follows the story of a young protagonist who accidentally comes to the world of TwinBee and becomes his pilot. The WinBee ship is piloted by Pastel and joins the team from the second level. WinBee stands out for her healing abilities, which can restore the team members' HP. She also has her well-known Olympic ribbon attack.
Wai Wai World 2: SOS!! Parsley Castle (1991 - FC): The third level of this video game contains a very faithful recreation of the first TwinBee game, where the player controls TwinBee and the second player WinBee. The ships have all of their typical attacks and power-ups, which are activated by collecting items and bells. The game also includes a bonus pseudo-3D level with WinBee seen from behind where the player has to collect as many bells as possible.
Gokujō Parodius! ~Kako no Eikō o Motomete~ (1994 - arcade, SNES): A Gradius-styled shoot 'em up where WinBee is one of the characters selectable by the second player. She maintains some classic attacks, such as the triple shot and options, and also acquires some new skills, such as firing her fists like rockets and the "Tailgun" shot that attacks back and forth at the same time.
Jikkyō Oshaberi Parodius (1995 - SNES, Saturn, PS): In this game, WinBee also appears selectable for the first player. She maintains the same attacks from the previous game and is also given the exclusive "Shippo Barrier" ability, which transforms her "Options" into indestructible protective shields.
CR Gokujō Parodius! (2005 - pachislot): Pachislot game based on the Parodius series where WinBee appears in the animations and aesthetics of the game.
Otomedius Excellent (2011 - X360): A miniature WinBee appears as one of the assistant drones ("Options") of the character Madoka. In addition, in the third downloadable stage, Donburi Island, the end level boss is none other than WinBee. Prior to the encounter, WinBee hits herself on the head against a metal tower for flying carelessly and this causes her to malfunction and turn against the player, much to Pastel's horror. WinBee's attacks include revolver gunfire, her trademark Olympic ribbon attack, "Option" assistants spinning around her, a giant punch, and the ability to release multiple bombs.
NEW LovePlus (2012 - 3DS): Dating simulator that includes a minigame called "TwinBee+", which is a reduced remake of the NES port of TwinBee. Like the original, it allows cooperative mode with TwinBee and WinBee as the main characters.
Kingdom Dragonion (2015 - iOS, Android): WinBee appears as one of the monsters that the player can add to their card collection.
Contra Returns (2021 - iOS, Android): WinBee appears as a Pet along with TwinBee.
Cameos
Konami Krazy Racers (2001 - GBA): WinBee makes an appearance when the player chooses Pastel and picks up the super helper item. WinBee also appears on the congratulations screen when Pastel comes out first.
Busou Shinki: Battle Rondo (2007 - PC): TwinBee and WinBee appear in the form of ray guns that can be equipped by the player character. When used in battle, the gun will shoot Bell Power-Ups.
Otomedius/Otomedius Gorgeous (2007-2008 - arcade, Xbox 360): TwinBee and WinBee appear briefly at the end of the game, along with Madoka.
Tokimeki Memorial 4 (2009 - PSP): WinBee appears as an enemy in a minigame where she shoots how many have points.
Following the publication of Pop'n TwinBee for the Super Famicom, a serial radio drama version with the title TwinBee PARADISE was produced, which began its broadcast on the radio station NCB on October 10, 1993. The series lasted three seasons, with the third and final season ending on March 30, 1997, and comprising a total of 96 episodes, which would then be published in CD drama collections.
TwinBee PARADISE incorporated the same cast previously introduced in both Detana!! TwinBee and Pop'n TwinBee. It also further developed and expanded TwinBee's fictional universe and many of the elements of the story presented in the radio dramas were canonized in later video games, such as TwinBee Yahho! and TwinBee RPG. Such was the case of TwinBee and WinBee's pilots, Light and Pastel, who in the games were originally unnamed.
Anime
Ganbare Goemon: Jigen Jō no Akumu (1991 - 1 episode OVA): While this anime is based on the Ganbare Goemon series, it also pays tribute to other Konami games. In one scene, Goemon and Ebisumaru enter the world of TwinBee and both become pilots that somewhat resemble Light. They soon meet Pastel (who was still called "WinBee" by this time), who pilots WinBee, and together they fly away to fight in the skies of Donburi Island, as it usually happens in the video games. Here, WinBee still has her old design and is a simple ship with fists.
WinBee using her trademark Olympic ribbon in the anime.
TwinBee: WinBee's ⅛ Panic (1994 - 1 episode OVA): Animated episode where WinBee appears with her modern design and shows many new skills that would later be implemented in the video games, such as her characteristic Olympic ribbon attack, her terrestrial mode and the ability to reduce in size. Here, WinBee speaks and has a life of her own. The pink ship's voice was interpreted by Kumiko Nishihara, who would remain her official voice for the rest of the OVAs.
Tulip Beach Stories (1998 - short): Short episode where the characters take a break day at the beach. WinBee only has a brief appearance, as the story has no fighting and focuses on the pilots instead.
TwinBee PARADISE (1999 - 3 episode OVA): This anime series maintains the same style as the 1994 anime. The episodes focus on the Light and Pastel, so WinBee appears in a secondary role as Pastel's pet and companion.
Four Gamest supplements from 1993 (volumes 85, 89, 93 and 97) contained manga of Detana!! TwinBee drawn and written by Mine Yoshizaki. Between 1994 and 1996, an official manga, also by Yoshizaki, was published in three volumes in the collection Gamest Comics (numbers 11, 39 and 76).
TwinBee appears as one of the selectable characters in Parodius Da!, although his design resembles WinBee much more, as he's colored pink instead of his usual blue color scheme and he features a split windshield.
