Columns
From Sega Retro
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System(s): Sega System C, Sega Mega Drive, Sega Game Gear, Sega Master System, FM Towns, MSX, NEC PC-8801, NEC PC-9801 PC Engine, Sharp X68000, Super Famicom | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher: Sega, SystemSoft, Laser Soft, Telenet Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer: Sega, SystemSoft, Telenet Japan, Laser Soft, Compile, Media Factory, Marigul | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre: Puzzle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CERO
Missing Parameter! |
Columns (コラムス) is a puzzle game created by Jay Geertsen in 1989. The rights were sold to Sega in 1990, who brought the game to the Sega System C arcade board, with its subsequent success seeing the game released on a wide variety of platforms. Columns is frequently seen as Sega's answer to Tetris. In Brazil it is known as Shapes and Columns.
Gameplay
Columns is a falling-block puzzle game. Like Tetris, the aim of the game is to try and stay alive - "columns" fall from the top of the screen, landing on-top of each other, and should the "pile" reach the top of the screen, the game is over. Success is determined by strategic placing of columns, and as the game progresses, the rate at which the columns fall increases.
In Columns, each column is made up of three coloured jewels stacked on top of each other. If three or more jewels of the same colour are aligned horizontally, vertically or diagonally, the jewels will be destroyed, and any jewels placed above will fall downwards. Unlike Tetris, the reliance on gravity means gameplay is combo-driven - repeated combos will spawn a "magic jewel" (in most versions of the game), which when collided with a normal jewel will eliminate all jewels of that colour on-screen. Games are played on a 6x13 grid, and points are awarded by destroying jewels (players also receive a bonus for starting the game at higher difficulties). In the majority of versions, hints will be displayed for the player up until level 3.
There are six coloured jewels in total:
Many home versions of the game allow for the graphics to be changed, most notably the Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear variants, as well as home computer ports by SystemSoft.
Controls
There are only four buttons utilised in Columns. and move a falling column left or right across the screen, respectively, while speeds up the rate at which the column falls.
The remaining button is used to "rotate" the column as shown below:
In most ports of this game there is no option to rotate the columns in the opposite direction, but that can be done in the Game Gear version. Columns can only be rotated while they are moving, however a certain amount of leeway (i.e. about a second) is given to columns which have just "landed".
Modes
Game modes differ depending on the version of Columns:
"Arcade"/Original
All versions of the game have an interpretation of the "arcade" (or "classic") columns described above - an theoretically endless game in which columns continue to fall until the screen is filled.
2-Player
"Standard" 2-player mode, found in the arcade version of the game is largely identical to the arcade mode above, except two players are supported. It is not a competitive mode, so players can join and leave at will. Some versions remove this mode for logistical reasons, for example, the Sega Game Gear port where the handheld nature of the console renders this mode largely pointless, and the PC Engine version, in which the console only has one control port as standard.
Versus
Offered in most non-arcade versions of the game, versus has two players compete against each other, the winner being the player who lasts the longest. Unlike other puzzle games of this nature (perhaps most notably, Puyo Puyo), there are no methods of "attacking" your opponent, so is very similar to the above.
Flash Columns
Flash Columns, featured in the Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear versions of the game, has the player must mine their way through a set number of lines to get to a flashing jewel at the bottom. The faster the player accomplishes this, the higher his or her rank will be.
Time Trial
Exclusive to the Mega Drive version, time trial involves wither the original "arcade" game or flash columns to be played as a three minute time-limited game.
Doubles
Also exclusive to the Mega Drive version, this can be seen as a cooperative two player mode, in which the original mode or flash columns can be played on the same screen.
Stone
Exclusive to the PC Engine version when playing on a PC Engine GT/TurboExpress (TODO)
Freeze
Exclusive to the PC Engine version when playing on a PC Engine GT/TurboExpress (TODO)
History
Development
Columns was originally conceived by Jay Geertsen while working at Hewlett-Packard in 1989. It was originally created for the HP-UX operating system (utilising the X Window System), however the relative obscurity of the platform, particularly amongst home consumers, saw ports to other systems. Nathan Meyers brought it to DOS for IBM PC customers (1989), Chris Christensen to the Macintosh (1990) and John Rotenstein for Windows 3.x (1990). It was also brought to the Atari ST in 1989.
In early 1990, Geertsen sold the rights to Sega, who has controlled the license ever since. Sega is not thought to own the code of the aforementioned versions, just the mechanics surrounding the game.
Legacy
Following its success in arcades, Columns was brought to the Sega Mega Drive, in the form of a very accurate arcade conversion. The Mega Drive Columns was the first puzzle game to hit the system in most territories - though Tetris had seen a Mega Drive release in Japan in 1988, legal issues forced it to be removed from shelves and the game has been rarely mentioned since. Columns is a relatively small game by Mega Drive standards, and so has been re-released multiple times across many compilations. It was also re-released several times between 1993 and 1996 in North America, presumably to try and clear old stock.
Columns was a launch title for the Sega Game Gear, which debuted in Japan in October 1990. It was also brought to the Sega Master System later in the year.
SystemSoft were given the rights to publish Japanese home computer versions of the game between 1991 and 1992, including the PC-8801, PC-9801 and Sharp X68000. MSX and FM Towns versions were handled by Telenet Japan, while a PC Engine port was brought to the system by Laser Soft. Perhaps most peculiarly, Media Factory were given the rights to produce a Super Famicom version, released in the very late year of 1999. It was distributed through the Japan-exclusive Nintendo Power rewritable cartridge service and is the only Sega property to see an official release on Nintendo's Super Famicom.
There have been multiple sequels to Columns, starting with 1990's Columns II: The Voyage Through Time and 1993's Columns III: Revenge of Columns. The System C version of the game was released as part of the Sega Saturn compilation, Columns Arcade Collection. The Mega Drive version has also been released on Steam and as part of the Wiis Virtual Console service. Multiple unlicensed versions of the game exist, as well as many clones.
Throughout its life, Columns has never achieved the same level of success as Tetris, however continues to see sequels to this day.
Promotional Material
Mega Drive JP TV advert
Physical Scans
System C Version
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Mega-Tech version
Mega Drive Version
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80 | |
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Based on 29 reviews |
Mega Drive, US (Sega Classic) |
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Master System Version
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84 | |
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Based on 24 reviews |
Game Gear Version
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80 | |
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Based on 13 reviews |
Game Gear, JP (Meisaku Collection) |
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FM Towns Version
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MSX Version
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NEC PC-8801 Version
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NEC PC-9801 Version
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PC Engine Version
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75 | |
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Based on 3 reviews |
PC Engine, JP |
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Sharp X68000 Version
Super Famicom Version
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External Links
- Sega of Japan Virtual Console page (Japanese)
- Sega of Japan 3DS VC catalogue page (Japanese)
- Columns on Steam
Games in the Columns Series | |
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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 | |
Super Columns (1990) | |
Columns Related Media | |
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- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 64
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 71
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 57
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 10
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 66
- ↑ File:MeanMachines UK 02.pdf, page 78
- ↑ File:Raze UK 04.pdf, page 32
- ↑ Buzz! Computers (UK) (+0:00)
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 35
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 94
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 55
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 139
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 133
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 16
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 131
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 81
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 104
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 116
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 78
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 50
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 165 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 56
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 70
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 72
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 71
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 22
- ↑ File:ACE UK 48.pdf, page 74
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 74
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 84
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 147
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 70
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 143
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 61
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 38
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 74
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 88
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 91
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 126
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 166
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 68
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