Columns III: Revenge of Columns

From Sega Retro

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ColumnsIII Title.png

Columns III: Revenge of Columns
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Virtual Console, Steam
Publisher: Sega, VIC Tokai (US)
Developer:
Genre: Puzzle

















Release Date RRP Code
Wii Virtual Console
JP ▼ 		600pts600
Wii Virtual Console
US ▼ 		800pts800
Wii Virtual Console
EU ▼ 		900pts900
CERO
Missing Parameter!

Columns III: Revenge of Columns, known as Columns III: Taiketsu! Columns World (コラムスIII 対決！コラムスワールド) in Japan, is an entry in the Columns series of puzzle games developed by Sega in 1993 for the Sega Mega Drive. The game was only released in Japan and the US, with VIC Tokai publishing it in the US (consequently, the incorrect myth that VIC Tokai also developed the game is very widespread). The game has been brought to the Wii's Virtual Console service.

Gameplay

Columns III adds several new gameplay features, including new puzzle modes and up to five simultaneous players. Most notably it introduces the "Crush Bar," a competitive-play gambit which is now a staple feature of the Columns series appearing in every game since (each time with a different name).

Columns III removes the single-player solo mode and brings the focus to competitive gaming. Like with Columns, the D-pad moves blocks and B cycles the jewels. Each character now has a meter under the "next block" bar that counts up from 0 to 30 each time a player removes jewels. Once it goes over 10, the player can hit A or C to "crush" whichever jewels are currently falling from the opponent's board, removing them and adding a row of bricks to the bottom of his field called the "Crush Bar." This will also lower your own Crush Bar. In multiplayer games with 3 or more players, A and C decide which opponent to crush (to the left or to the right, respectively).

Sometimes, one of your jewels will glow. You must remove the glowing jewel, called a Flashing Stone, before it stops glowing in order to do something devious to the competitor for a short period of time, such as making his jewels black and white (impairing visibility), flipping the game board upside down, or making him unable to cycle jewels. Finally, a special type of block sometimes appears called a Magic Stone which takes the form of two triangular jewels with a square jewel in between. If you place the block with the upward pointing triangle touching the jewels on the board, your opponent will be crushed. If you place with the downward pointing triangle touching, your Crush Bar will go down. If you place with the square touching, all jewels on your board of the color of the jewel that is touched will be removed from the board (though no crush points will be awarded for consequential clears).

The Japanese version of Columns III also includes a 2-on-2 multiplayer mode.

Production Credits

Game Design: Marsh, Kyamura
Programming: Moveq Tab
Graphic Design: Kayamame
Sound Production: Ker Akiyan
Assistant Design: Locky P
Data Entry: Dance End, Ojyamamusi
Manual Script: Yoikotachi, Winds
Production: XYZ
Special Thanks: Koz, Ogy, Yumeko. H, K.M., Sunset, Saru Man
Presented By Sega

Promotional Material

  • ColumnsIII MD US PrintAdvert.jpg

    US print advert

  • ColumnsIII MD US PrintAdvert 2.jpg

    US print advert 2

Digital manuals

  • Steam manual

Physical Scans

Mega Drive Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
74
87
80 №17, p39
85 №18, p95[1]
80 №56, p61
Sega Mega Drive
 81
Based on
5 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
50
[2]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
73
[3]
Cool Gamer (RU)
50
[4]
Computer & Video Games (UK) NTSC
85
[5]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
74
[6]
Game Players (US) NTSC-U
87
[7]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
50
[8]
MAN!AC (DE) PAL
78
[9]
Mega (UK) NTSC-J
80
[10]
Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-U
84
[11]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) NTSC-J
85
[1]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-J
80
[12]
SuperGamePower (BR)
70
[13]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
75
[14]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
80
[15]
Video Games (DE) NTSC-U
72
[16]
Sega Mega Drive
 73
Based on
16 reviews

Columns III: Revenge of Columns

Mega Drive, US
ColumnsIII MD US Box.jpg
Cover
ColumnsIII MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, JP
ColumnsIII MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
Columns3 MD JP CartTop.jpg
Columns3 md jp cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, KR
ColumnsIII MD KR Box.jpg
Cover
Columns3 MD KR cartback.jpgColumns3 MD KR cart.jpg
Cart

External Links



Games in the Columns Series
Columns (1990) | Columns II: The Voyage Through Time (1990) | Columns III: Revenge of Columns (1993) | Stack Columns (1994) | Super Columns (1995) | Columns '97 (1996) | Hanagumi Taisen Columns (1997) | Columns Arcade Collection (1997) | Columns GB: Tezuka Osamu Characters (1999) | Hanagumi Taisen Columns 2 (2000) | Columns Crown (2001) | Columns Jewel (2005) | Columns Deluxe (2008) | Jewelpet Kira Kira Mahou no Housekibako (2009) | Sega Ages Columns II (2019)
Columns Taisen Mode Tsuki (1991) | Columns (Mame Game) (1997) | Columns (Pocket Boy) (1997) | Columns for Zaurus (2001) | Columns for Clié (2002)
Unlicensed Columns games
Sega Master System
 Super Columns (1990)
Columns Related Media
Music
 Columns・Columns II (1991)
Book
 Hanagumi Taisen Columns Official Guide (1997) | Hanagumi Taisen Columns 2 Perfect Guide (2000)
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 File:MeanMachinesSega18UK.pdf, page 95 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega18UK.pdf_p95" defined multiple times with different content
  2. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 49
  3. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "November 1993" (JP; 1993-10-08), page 26
  4. ↑ Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 52
  5. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-15), page 103
  6. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "April 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 40
  7. ↑ Game Players, "Vol. 7 No. 6 June 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 54
  8. ↑ Hippon Super, "November 1993" (JP; 1993-10-02), page 42
  9. ↑ MAN!AC, "06/94" (DE; 1994-05-11), page 54
  10. ↑ Mega, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-20), page 39
  11. ↑ Mega Fun, "06/94" (DE; 1994-05-18), page 105
  12. ↑ Sega Power, "July 1994" (UK; 1994-05-05), page 61
  13. ↑ SuperGamePower, "Maio 1994" (BR; 1994-0x-xx), page 36
  14. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
  15. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 10
  16. ↑ Video Games, "6/94" (DE; 1994-05-25), page 98
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