TwinBee goes '3D Classic' on 3DS, mostly

Next week, Nintendo of Japan will release a 3DS "3D Classics" version of Twinbee -- which, if you're not familiar with the 3D Classics line, means a remake of the game, using the original graphics, with added 3D effects. And, uh, if you're not familiar with Twinbee, it's the first in a series of "cute-em-ups" from Konami in which a bulbous little ship shoots at enemies and collects power-ups in the form of bells.

The reason Nintendo would pick Konami's NES version of Twinbee for 3D Classics treatment is pretty easy to guess: like Xevious, it features both aerial shooting and bombs that can be shot at the ground, and having the action on these two planes is a good showpiece for 3D effects. What's a little harder to understand is that, while every other 3D Classics game has been updated for the 3DS's widescreen display, Twinbee is in the original NES aspect ratio, with a border of red curtains.

Maybe this is some kind of emulation with added 3D, instead of a full remake like the other games. Maybe the enemy patterns would have had to be moved around too much. Or maybe somebody got lazy.