《Megapanel》是由Namco（當時以 Namcot 名義）於1990年在Sega Mega Drive推出的原創益智遊戲。雖然初登場時僅限日本地區，但多年來透過迷你主機與復刻合輯，逐漸被更多海外玩家認識。在玩法上，將十五拼圖般的滑動機制與落下式方塊遊戲的緊迫節奏結合起來，創造出一種當時少見、至今仍顯得獨特的遊戲結構。在縱向 11 格、橫向 6 格的狹長場地中，透過移動唯一的空格，讓面板左右滑動與重新排列，並在同色面板橫向或縱向達到三個以上時使其消除。消除後的上層面板會自然落下，可能進一步形成新的組合。而隨著時間推進，新的面板會以整排方式從底部升起，把整個盤面不斷往上推，直到某個面板或空格越過最頂端便宣告結束。雖無續關與密碼設計，但成功依賴的是即時反應與布局判斷的結合，讓遊戲在單純的規則中維持相當緊湊的挑戰性。

整體視覺風格在當時的 MD 平台上格外醒目。畫面底部會出現一名可愛的女導航角色，她以小對話框對玩家進行提示或鼓勵，增添遊戲中的互動感。而在特別的 Pin-up 模式中，遊戲更是以一系列風格多變的少女插圖串連起進度——從學生服、體育少女、魔女、科幻系機械少女到兔女郎與泳裝角色，各具特色又帶點輕度性感的風格，使得本作在益智遊戲以外也留下鮮明印記。插圖大多帶著漫畫化、帶點幽默的日本90年代風格，而沒有跨入成人領域，展現的是當時遊戲市場常見的輕鬆萌系氛圍。

遊戲的模式也相當豐富。Exercise模式是一人挑戰型玩法，必須依據畫面右側的任務條件前進，例如達到特定分數或消除某種顏色一定數量。整體共有三十關，並能從四個Lesson中選擇不同起點，讓熟悉操作的玩家直接面對較高難度。Pin-up 模式則是本作最具話題性的內容，每一關的右側都有被方塊遮蔽的插圖，只要在主盤面成功消除面板，就會使得代表炸彈的標記掉落並炸開右側對應位置的遮蔽格。若一次消除四個以上，便可掉落多顆炸彈，大幅揭開插圖；遮蔽方塊分為一次即可破壞的黃色與需兩次命中的綠色。每五關會對應一位角色，共展現四張不同階段的插圖。雖然遊戲中共有十位人物，但一次遊玩僅會遇到五位，其中第一位與最後一位固定，其餘三位則隨機選擇，因此若想收集所有插圖便必須重複遊玩。Pin-up 模式提供多條生命，盤面被頂到最上方會損失一條，而每累積一萬分還能獲得額外生命，使其節奏介於競技性與收藏樂趣之間。

雙人對戰模式則將滑動機制轉化為攻防戰。兩名玩家各自使用獨立的盤面，但只要一次消除四個以上，或者成功消除特殊的攻擊面板，便能把無法破壞的 X 面板丟到對手場上，使其盤面迅速變得難以清理；相對地，若能消除防禦面板，就能把自己場上堆積的 X 面板全部清除。比賽採三回合制，先取得兩勝者為優勝。開局前還可調整難度、初始堆高以及使用的顏色數量，使得對戰玩法變得更具策略感。

本作中的少女角色也構成玩家間長期討論的一部分。例如帶著黑貓的年輕魔女 ANNA REGINA，以及帶有濃厚科幻色彩、身體連接線材、漂浮射擊的戰鬥人偶 MILIA，都是當時頗為新鮮的角色設計。此外還有運動少女、學生服角色、健康膚色的金髮泳裝女孩等，各自擁有四幅風格延伸的插圖，並在通關時一併播放，強化遊戲的收藏魅力。

從市場評價來看，《Megapanel》並未如《Tetris》或《Columns》般在主機史上成為巨作，但在益智遊戲愛好者與復古玩家之間，它被普遍視為「機制獨特、思維節奏特別」的作品。以十五拼圖式的邏輯思考與升起式盤面帶來的時間壓力混合成一種少見的玩法，既需要計畫，亦要求速度；而Pin-up模式則讓遊戲附帶娛樂性與收集動力，使玩家印象深刻。雖然當年未推出海外移植，但在2022年收錄於《Mega Drive Mini 2》之後，越來越多玩家開始重新審視這款作品，並普遍將其評為「小眾但值得一玩」、「有深度且具個性」的佳作。

Megapanel is an original puzzle game released by Namco—then operating under the Namcot label—in 1990 for the Sega Mega Drive. Although it debuted exclusively in Japan, it gradually reached a wider audience overseas through mini consoles and retro compilations in later years. Its gameplay blends the sliding mechanics of a classic fifteen-puzzle with the rising-stack tension of falling-block games, resulting in a structure that was uncommon at the time and still feels distinctive today. The player manipulates a tall, narrow grid measuring eleven spaces high and six spaces wide, using a single empty square to slide adjacent panels and reorganize the board. When three or more panels of the same color align horizontally or vertically, they vanish. Panels above then fall into place, sometimes creating new matches automatically. Meanwhile, new rows steadily rise from the bottom, pushing the entire field upward until any panel—or even the empty space—reaches the top, at which point the game ends. With no continues or password system, success depends on a mixture of quick reflexes and deliberate spatial planning, giving the straightforward ruleset a consistently tense, engaging rhythm.

While Megapanel lacks a conventional story, its presentation stands out vividly among titles on the MD platform. A cute female navigator appears along the bottom of the screen, offering comments and encouragement through small text windows, lending the game a charming sense of interaction. In the special Pin-up mode, the game further distinguishes itself by showcasing a sequence of character illustrations that appear as the player clears blocks. These characters range from schoolgirls and sporty heroines to witches, sci-fi androids, bunny-girls, and swimsuit models, all rendered with a lightly playful, mildly seductive style characteristic of early-1990s Japanese pop aesthetics. The images maintain a humorous, manga-like tone without crossing into explicit content, reflecting the lighthearted “moe-flavored” sensibilities common in that era’s console market.

The game offers several modes, each with its own appeal. Exercise mode functions as a single-player challenge course in which players progress by fulfilling mission objectives displayed on the right side of the screen—such as reaching a target score or clearing a certain number of panels of a specific color. There are thirty stages in total, and players may choose from four different starting “Lessons,” each beginning at a later point in the course for those who want a tougher challenge right away. Pin-up mode, the most talked-about element of the game, features an illustration on the right side that is concealed by blocks. Clearing panels causes bomb markers to drop, breaking corresponding tiles that cover the artwork. Clearing four or more blocks at once produces multiple bombs, allowing large portions of the image to be revealed at once. The cover tiles come in two types: yellow, which break with a single bomb, and green, which require two hits. Every five stages correspond to one character and reveal four progressively detailed illustrations. Although the game features ten characters in total, each playthrough only displays five of them—the first and last are fixed, while the other three are chosen at random—giving the mode a built-in incentive for repeated runs. Players are given multiple lives, losing one whenever the field rises to the top, and earning extras with every ten thousand points, creating a balance between arcade-like tension and collection-driven motivation.

The two-player versus mode reshapes Megapanel’s sliding mechanics into a competitive attack-and-defense system. Each player controls an individual board, but clearing four-panel matches or removing special attack panels sends unbreakable X-blocks to the opponent’s field, quickly clogging their space. Conversely, clearing defensive panels eliminates all X-blocks on one’s own board. Matches are played in a best-of-three format, and players can adjust difficulty, starting height, and the number of colors in the puzzle before the battle, allowing for widely varying match dynamics.

The cast of girls featured in the Pin-up illustrations has remained a topic of fond discussion among fans. Characters such as ANNA REGINA—a young witch accompanied by her black cat—and MILIA, a sci-fi battle doll whose body is connected by cables as she fires while levitating, exemplify the creativity of the designs. Others include sporty heroines, school uniform girls, and a healthy, tanned blonde in a series of swimsuit illustrations. Each character’s four images appear consecutively as players advance, reinforcing the game’s appeal to collectors and retro art enthusiasts.

In terms of reception, Megapanel never achieved the iconic status of titles like Tetris or Columns, yet it has earned lasting respect among puzzle-game aficionados and retro players. Its blend of fifteen-puzzle logic with the constant upward pressure of rising-stack gameplay creates a rare hybrid that demands both planning and speed, while the Pin-up mode adds memorability and charm. Although it never received additional ports or an international release during its original run, its inclusion in the Mega Drive Mini 2 in 2022 rekindled interest and helped introduce it to a new generation. It is now frequently described within retro communities as a niche but distinctive game—challenging, inventive, and rich with personality.