Konami's Twinbee sequel on Famicom Disk System. Two-player shooter, bells to collect, and enemies from a fantasy world.
Moero TwinBee: Cinnamon-hakase wo Sukue! was developed and published by Konami for Famicom Disk System in January 1986 — the Famicom sequel to TwinBee, a cute-'em-up vertical shooter featuring the robot ships TwinBee and WinBee fighting through fantasy environments. Players shot clouds to release bells — catching bells in different colors provided power-ups, while missing them was a loss. Two-player cooperative mode had both ships sharing screen space. Moero TwinBee sold approximately 1.8 million copies and is one of the best-selling Famicom Disk System titles.
About this game
Released for the Famicom Disk System in November 1986, Moero TwinBee: Cinnamon Hakase o Sukue! is the sequel to Konami's beloved arcade shooter TwinBee. Unlike most vertical shooters of the era, it introduced horizontal side-scrolling stages alongside the classic vertical sections, creating a hybrid structure that kept players off-balance. The bell power-up system — catching bells that change colour to modify TwinBee's weapon — became the defining mechanic of the entire series.
Key Features
Vertical and horizontal scrolling stages mixed in the same game — a structural innovation for 1986; bell power-up system — shoot falling bells to change their colour and activate different weapon effects; two-player simultaneous cooperative mode; Cinnamon Hakase rescue narrative tying the stages together; Famicom Disk System's storage allows for longer and more varied stage designs.
Gallery
The Story Behind
The TwinBee series was Konami's answer to the growing shooter genre of the mid-1980s, distinguished by its deliberately cute aesthetic — round cartoon ships, pastel colours, cheerful music — in sharp contrast to the military and sci-fi aesthetic of most contemporaries. Moero TwinBee's Famicom Disk System release took advantage of the medium's larger storage capacity to create a more elaborate experience than the original TwinBee cartridge, helping establish the series' identity beyond its arcade origins.
Tricks & Tales
The bell system in Moero TwinBee requires the player to shoot bells as they fall — each shot changes the bell's colour, and releasing a bell in the right colour activates a specific power-up. Catching bells while keeping your existing weapon active without accidentally changing it is a skill that separates casual players from veterans. The game was renamed 'Stinger' in North America for the NES, with the whimsical Japanese title considered too unusual for Western marketing in 1987.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
FDS version (Japan, 1986): Original with Famicom Disk System features. NES version released in North America as Stinger in 1987. A Famicom cartridge version was also released in Japan in 1993.
Maintenance Tips
The drive belt is the most critical maintenance item. The original rubber belt (approximately 31mm diameter) stretches and eventually fails after decades of storage, preventing the drive from reading disks. Replacement belts are widely available from retro hardware suppliers and require no special tools -- a documented procedure exists in multiple collector guides. After belt replacement, the drive may need alignment, which is a more involved process. The RAM adapter board contains electrolytic capacitors that should be recapped if the unit is used regularly -- leaking capacitors can damage the PCB and corrupt disk reads. Clean the battery compartment with vinegar and a cotton swab if corrosion is present. FDS disks should be stored in their cases away from magnetic sources.
Going deeper
Explore the machine this game ran on, and what to check before you buy or care for one:
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese Moero TwinBee: Cinnamon Hakase o Sukue! copies regularly.
What hardware do I need to play a Famicom Disk System game?
An FDS game requires three components: a Famicom console, the RAM Adapter (which plugs into the cartridge slot), and the Disk Drive unit (connected to the RAM Adapter). The drive requires its own power supply (six C-cell batteries or an AC adapter). Without both the RAM Adapter and disk drive, FDS disks cannot be played. The Famicom Disk System was sold exclusively in Japan and was never released elsewhere.
Are Famicom Disk System disks and drives still reliable after 35+ years?
Disk reliability varies — the magnetic media can degrade over time. More commonly, the rubber drive belt inside the FDS disk unit degrades with age, causing read errors even on undamaged disks. Belt replacement is the most common and important FDS maintenance repair. If you plan to use FDS games, have the drive belt inspected before use. A working drive with a fresh belt can read original disks reliably.
How does saving work on Famicom Disk System games?
FDS games save directly back to the floppy disk itself — there is no internal battery backup. Data is written to the disk after the save command is given, so the disk can be overwritten. To protect original game data, cover the write-enable notch with tape to make the disk read-only. Many collectors keep one play copy and one archival copy for important titles. Never power off the Famicom during a disk write operation.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy Moero TwinBee: Cinnamon Hakase o Sukue!
A short checklist for buying a used Famicom Disk System disk wisely — useful with any seller, anywhere.
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Choose a seller who tests it before shipping
A copy that has actually been powered on and checked is a known quantity. An untested one is a gamble you only settle after it arrives.
Look for a seller who states it was function-tested and says what they confirmed. A serious seller can tell you exactly what was checked.
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Inspect the disk and its shell
Disk System media is fragile — the magnetic disk can wear, and saves are written back onto the disk itself.
Ask whether it was tested and reads reliably; look for cracks or a warped shell in photos.
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Make sure it fits your console
This is Japanese Famicom Disk System media and requires a Famicom with a working Disk System drive.
Play it on a matching Japanese console or a region-free system, and confirm the listing states the region.
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Mind the drive belt on the console side
Disk System drives commonly need a replacement belt to read reliably — this is a console matter, not the disk.
If reading is unreliable, the console's belt is the usual culprit, not the game.
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Read the seller's reviews and return policy
A 100% positive record across thousands of sales is close to a guarantee — packing, communication and problem-solving all work for everyone. A return policy protects you if something is off.
Read the feedback and confirm a clear return window before you buy.
The last step before buying anywhere is knowing what it's worth.
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Rooms this game lives in
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