Columns (video game)
Encyclopedia
is a puzzle
video game, first created in 1989 by Jay Geertsen. Early versions of the game were made and ported among early computer platforms, and then the Atari ST, until 1990, when Jay Geertsen sold the rights to Sega
, where it was ported to several Sega consoles.
While a column is falling, the player can move it left and right, and can also cycle the positions of the symbols within it.
If, after a column has fallen, there are three or more of the same symbols connected in a straight line horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, those symbols disappear. The pile of columns then settles under gravity. If this causes three or more other symbols to become aligned, they also disappear and the pile settles again. This process repeats as many times as necessary. It is not uncommon for this to happen three or four times in a row - it often happens by accident when the well is becoming crowded. If the well fills beyond the top of the screen, the game ends.
Occasionally, a special column called the Magic Jewel appears. The Magic Jewel flashes with different colors and when it lands, it destroys all the jewels with the same color as the one underneath it.
The columns fall at a faster rate as the player progresses. The goal of the game is to play for as long as possible before the well fills up with symbols.
Some ports of the game offer alternate game modes as well. "Flash columns" involves mining their way through a set number of lines to get to a flashing jewel at the bottom. "Doubles" allows two players work together in the same well. "Time trial" involves racking up as many points as possible within the time limit.
. This version was slightly different from the Mega Drive version. The Game Gear version had different music, sounding more like a flute or woodwind. While the columns themselves were updated for the Genesis version, the overall decoration was less like a cartoon in the Game Gear version and instead more artistically designed. Lastly, the Game Gear version had a feature that allowed the player to change the jewels to fruit, squares, dice, or card shapes (clubs, diamonds, spades).
s and spinoffs were produced: Columns II: The Voyage Through Time
(arcade), Columns III: Revenge of Columns (Mega Drive), Columns '97 (Arcade and Saturn), Sakura Taisen Hanagumi Taisen Columns 1 and 2 (Saturn and Dreamcast), and many compilations and re-releases (Columns Arcade Collection on the Saturn, Sega Ages vol 07: Columns on the PS2) as well. Because Columns was made by Sega
, versions were made available on the Sega Master System
, Mega Drive, Mega-CD, Game Gear
, Saturn
, and Dreamcast. Additional versions of the game have also been made available on TurboGrafx-16
, Game Boy Advance
, and PlayStation 2
. The Game Boy Color
version was specifically called Columns GB: Osamu Tezuka
Characters. It featured many of his characters such as Kimba
and Astroboy and also featured slightly less known characters such as Unico
.
Columns has been cloned many times on different computers. There was an Amiga
clone, released by Avisoft, called Coloris. There is also an online Java
game heavily based on it called Yahoo!
towers, which allows up to eight players to compete against each other. An unofficial ZX Spectrum
version was made by Russia
n coders Piter in 1991
The Pelican VG Pocket offers a clone called "Jewel Master" that adds the ability to rotate columns horizontally like Super Columns
.
On November 7, 2006, Columns was released as part of the game Sega Genesis Collection
for the PlayStation 2
and later on another release of Sega Genesis Collection for the PlayStation Portable
. On December 4, 2006 Columns was released on Nintendo
's Virtual Console
for 800 Wii Points. It is also included on Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection
for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Most recently the game was ported to iOS
by Sega. It comes in a package deal from the App Store along with a version of Puyo Pop for $5.,The Game Will Be Release On Playstation Network And Xbox Live Arcade,Late 2011 And Early 2012.
In 1999, developers Marigul reprogrammed a Super Famicom
version of Columns with a Versus Mode that features different music, characters and game play similar to the original and was released by Media Factory
.
, an arcade game based on the Jewelpet
franchise can be considered a spiritual sequel to the series as it has the same gameplay as Columns.
, presumably after the Greek
Moira
of the same name, related to the Greek flavor of some of the game's art. The other main songs include Atropos
and Lathesis
, other Moirae.
Puzzle
A puzzle is a problem or enigma that tests the ingenuity of the solver. In a basic puzzle, one is intended to put together pieces in a logical way in order to come up with the desired solution...
video game, first created in 1989 by Jay Geertsen. Early versions of the game were made and ported among early computer platforms, and then the Atari ST, until 1990, when Jay Geertsen sold the rights to Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
, where it was ported to several Sega consoles.
Description
The game takes place inside a tall, rectangular playing area. Columns of three different symbols (such as differently-colored jewels) appear, one at a time, at the top of the well and fall to the bottom, landing either on the floor or on top of previously-fallen "Columns"While a column is falling, the player can move it left and right, and can also cycle the positions of the symbols within it.
If, after a column has fallen, there are three or more of the same symbols connected in a straight line horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, those symbols disappear. The pile of columns then settles under gravity. If this causes three or more other symbols to become aligned, they also disappear and the pile settles again. This process repeats as many times as necessary. It is not uncommon for this to happen three or four times in a row - it often happens by accident when the well is becoming crowded. If the well fills beyond the top of the screen, the game ends.
Occasionally, a special column called the Magic Jewel appears. The Magic Jewel flashes with different colors and when it lands, it destroys all the jewels with the same color as the one underneath it.
The columns fall at a faster rate as the player progresses. The goal of the game is to play for as long as possible before the well fills up with symbols.
Some ports of the game offer alternate game modes as well. "Flash columns" involves mining their way through a set number of lines to get to a flashing jewel at the bottom. "Doubles" allows two players work together in the same well. "Time trial" involves racking up as many points as possible within the time limit.
Game Gear
Columns was the first pack-in game for the Sega Game GearSega Game Gear
The was Sega's first handheld game console. It was the third commercially available color handheld console, after the Atari Lynx and the TurboExpress....
. This version was slightly different from the Mega Drive version. The Game Gear version had different music, sounding more like a flute or woodwind. While the columns themselves were updated for the Genesis version, the overall decoration was less like a cartoon in the Game Gear version and instead more artistically designed. Lastly, the Game Gear version had a feature that allowed the player to change the jewels to fruit, squares, dice, or card shapes (clubs, diamonds, spades).
Ports and sequels
Many sequelSequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
s and spinoffs were produced: Columns II: The Voyage Through Time
Columns II
Columns II or Columns II: The Voyage Through Time was the sequel to Columns. It featured the normal puzzle game play, but was only released in Japan as an Arcade machine...
(arcade), Columns III: Revenge of Columns (Mega Drive), Columns '97 (Arcade and Saturn), Sakura Taisen Hanagumi Taisen Columns 1 and 2 (Saturn and Dreamcast), and many compilations and re-releases (Columns Arcade Collection on the Saturn, Sega Ages vol 07: Columns on the PS2) as well. Because Columns was made by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
, versions were made available on the Sega Master System
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
, Mega Drive, Mega-CD, Game Gear
Sega Game Gear
The was Sega's first handheld game console. It was the third commercially available color handheld console, after the Atari Lynx and the TurboExpress....
, Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, and Dreamcast. Additional versions of the game have also been made available on TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
, Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
, and PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. The Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
version was specifically called Columns GB: Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka
was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
Characters. It featured many of his characters such as Kimba
Kimba the White Lion
, known in the United States as Kimba the White Lion, is an anime series from the 1960s. Created by Osamu Tezuka and based on his manga of the same title which began publication in 1950, it was the first color animated television series created in Japan. The manga was first published in serialized...
and Astroboy and also featured slightly less known characters such as Unico
Unico
is a manga and anime character by Osamu Tezuka. Unico is a baby unicorn with white fur, a pink mane, and little cinnamon bun-shaped ears, who was born with the very special gift of making all living creatures lighthearted and happy....
.
Columns has been cloned many times on different computers. There was an Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
clone, released by Avisoft, called Coloris. There is also an online Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
game heavily based on it called Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
towers, which allows up to eight players to compete against each other. An unofficial ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
version was made by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n coders Piter in 1991
1991 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*Microprose creates Civilization, Sid Meier's most successful game .*Electronic Arts releases James Pond 2 and Road Rash for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, starting a series of games that were popular in the 1990s....
The Pelican VG Pocket offers a clone called "Jewel Master" that adds the ability to rotate columns horizontally like Super Columns
Super Columns
Super Columns was a video game released by Sega for the Game Gear in 1995. It was later included on the Coleco Sonic, along with the original Columns, to which it is a sequel...
.
On November 7, 2006, Columns was released as part of the game Sega Genesis Collection
Sega Genesis Collection
The Sega Mega Drive Collection is a video game compilation for the PlayStation 2 and PSP, compiled and emulated by Digital Eclipse and released in the U.S. in 2006 and Europe and Australia in 2007...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and later on another release of Sega Genesis Collection for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
. On December 4, 2006 Columns was released on Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
for 800 Wii Points. It is also included on Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, known as the Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection in PAL regions, is a compilation of video games developed by Backbone Entertainment for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles...
for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Most recently the game was ported to iOS
IOS
iOS is an operating system for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Apple TV.IOS may also refer to:-Companies and organisations:* Illinois Ornithological Society, American state-based bird club...
by Sega. It comes in a package deal from the App Store along with a version of Puyo Pop for $5.,The Game Will Be Release On Playstation Network And Xbox Live Arcade,Late 2011 And Early 2012.
In 1999, developers Marigul reprogrammed a Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
version of Columns with a Versus Mode that features different music, characters and game play similar to the original and was released by Media Factory
Media Factory
is a Japanese publisher. It was founded on December 1, 1986, and its headquarters are situated in Shibuya, Tokyo. It is a subsidiary of Recruit Co., Ltd...
.
, an arcade game based on the Jewelpet
Jewelpet
is a toy line created as a joint venture between Sanrio and the toy division of video game giant Sega. The toy line was originally released on January 15, 2008, focusing on animals named after jewels, birthstones and minerals, who can use magic using their eyes...
franchise can be considered a spiritual sequel to the series as it has the same gameplay as Columns.
Music
Tokuhiko Uwabo composed the music for Columns. One of the most recognizable songs in Columns is called ClothoClotho
Clotho is one of the Three Fates or Moirae, in ancient Greek mythology. Her Roman equivalent is Nona. Clotho was responsible for spinning the thread of human life. She also made major decisions, such as when a person was born, thus in effect controlling people's lives...
, presumably after the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Moira
Moirae
The Moirae, Moerae or Moirai , in Greek mythology, were the white-robed incarnations of destiny . Their number became fixed at three...
of the same name, related to the Greek flavor of some of the game's art. The other main songs include Atropos
Atropos
Atropos or Aisa , in Greek mythology, was one of the three Moirae, goddesses of fate and destiny. Her Roman equivalent was Morta.Atropos or Aisa was the oldest of the Three Fates, and was known as the "inflexible" or "inevitable." It was Atropos who chose the mechanism of death and ended the life...
and Lathesis
Lachesis (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Lachesis was the second of the Three Fates, or Moirae, also known as the Triple Moon Goddesses or the Lunar Dieties. Each phase of the moon representing each of the fates - Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos...
, other Moirae.