This game got my Nan into video games. She would finish her housework and then settle down with this game. The air smelling like cigarettes, dettol, and tea, she would sit for hours playing this while I sat and watched and awaited my turn to play Street Fighter 2.
This game isn’t even that great, but it will always remind me of her.
This game isn’t even that great, but it will always remind me of her.
Out of all the old-school puzzle games that I have tried out, this has gotta be one of the most boring and basic of the bunch. It’s still a good game, and it can keep you entertained for a good bit, but it doesn’t really do enough to keep my attention for more than 10 minutes. Who knows, maybe the sequels will be more engaging, but for now, I’ll just leave it at that. I apologize to all the big Columns enthusiasts out there……… all two of you.
Game #416
Game #416
if you get far enough in this the columns start falling so fast theres no way you can even control where they go
Fun fact, this game was the one that made me realize that not all games I emulate on my 3DS are gonna fill the screen the same way. Playing this on my 3DS via TwilightMenu caused a lot of overscan on the sides. The idea of this happening genuinely never crossed my mind before and it seems like this is an issue with all genesis games? I don't really have an issue as long as it doesn't inhibit my ability to play by having things like the UI or enemies/level layout being cropped too bad. But the reason I was able to tell so easily here was because of the two player screen setup.
Anyway, as for the actual game: it was fine. Got way too fast way too quickly for my liking though.
Anyway, as for the actual game: it was fine. Got way too fast way too quickly for my liking though.
One day I will die. My flesh will no longer recall memory, and my atoms will scatter. But as inconsequential as I am, or as this game is, or as is this the brief little event where I played half a game because my wife recognized it at Round 1 and I had to stop playing so we could move along and jeer at the awful music - as long as I live, and maybe in a cycle of reincarnation, and maybe in the Akashic Records somewhere, eternally exists my discomfort at the ugly visuals, the piercing trebly FM synth bell tones, and the awful control behind this miserable game. It is seared into my being, my gray matter forced to replay the minor cringing feeling through the rest of my body from the recesses of my memory, a reaction to becoming one with this disposable market share grab at Tetris. It tangentially influences my personality like a star billions of miles away. It is nothing to me, and everything.
I don't need to think about it ever again. Why must my brain remember this so vividly in response to seeing it on this website? What use does this do for my life, or anyone else's life, or the universe? At least it makes me think about this stuff, in the same way an interaction with someone at a Wendy's or a particularly loud fart might.
God is dead. Life is wonderful. Just don't play Columns.
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"like Tetris but a bit better" - Glenn Rubenstein on Columns, Wizard Magazine, 1993
I don't need to think about it ever again. Why must my brain remember this so vividly in response to seeing it on this website? What use does this do for my life, or anyone else's life, or the universe? At least it makes me think about this stuff, in the same way an interaction with someone at a Wendy's or a particularly loud fart might.
God is dead. Life is wonderful. Just don't play Columns.
---
"like Tetris but a bit better" - Glenn Rubenstein on Columns, Wizard Magazine, 1993
when i think of memorable puzzle games i don't think of this
Tetris but 16-bit jewels
Not really interesting enough for me to return to at any point over more interesting puzzle games to zone out to, but it wasn’t incomprehensible or frustrating and I liked that you could get matches in some frankly bizarre patterns. Also lmao Christ what is that backstory. Do future games in this series have some kind of goofy story mode about the secrets of the Phoenicians? They should.
A conversation with someone eager to prove how smart they are, but it feels as if they're trying to convince themselves more than any audience.
I suppose it's marginally better than Tetris but it isn't really that fun still. But I will give credit for it having a morning interesting layout and pretty solid music. Played it for 10 minutes and probably will never play it again.
6.0/10
6.0/10
Played similarly to Puyo Puyo, only except it's in a stack of 3 and you shuffle the pattern rather than turning the 'column' around.
humans and wavelengths came with the very genesis we don't really have an idea on, the way you have created humans that desire for the Light, and the ways humans are able to think that if they were to live in a world that was only filled with destruction and death they'd rather die, is the evidence that it's each humans's birthful liberty to be able to live the Light and it's wavelengths they desire.
If all of these have had been wanted to taken away, then this reality shouldn't have been created.
So it has been created for humans to live the wavelengths of the light.
Spread my revelation words.
If all of these have had been wanted to taken away, then this reality shouldn't have been created.
So it has been created for humans to live the wavelengths of the light.
Spread my revelation words.
eh
As far as falling puzzle games go, I mean its no Tetris. But Columns is a very fun game with suitable challenge and variation that can emerge throughout games.
Columns is a fine puzzle game. It doesn't do anything awful, but it doesn't do anything great either. It can be fun in short bursts, but it just lacks variety and strategy, and this isn't the puzzle game I just jump right back into instantly. It was more so just to spend more time playing on the Genesis Mini
It's not bad, but I think there are better options to crave your puzzle game fixings with fallen blocks like Tetris
It's not bad, but I think there are better options to crave your puzzle game fixings with fallen blocks like Tetris
the issue with columns and the reason why it doesn't stack up (sorry) to tetris boils down to its insistence on verticality. both tetris and puyo puyo allow for more freedom in the dimensions of how you lay down your pieces - meaning that there's more diversity in tactics during play. as a result, gameplay in columns is very limiting and feels a lot more luck-based than skill based. the aesthetic feels rather generic and the music is forgettable. with puyo on the up and up there's really no reason to return to this game.
Tetris but the pieces looked even more edible
Pretty basic with basic modes like time trial, gem clear and original. I find this better than classic Tetris but not by much. Definitely prefer Columns III with it's vs mode (player or AI). The music is solid it won't get old.
Sega's answer to Tetris is a decent, if kinda boring puzzle game. Fun fact, one of the first games I ever owned! it came bundled with Sonic and Alex Kidd with my Mega Drive, so lotta nostalgia associated with this one.
It's columns. Decent time waster puzzle game. The menu is a bit strange, and at the end of the day all the modes lead to the same ol columning gameplay. There isn't really an ending, its just columns. Play if you like columns. columns columns columns. what else do you want from me
(sonic's ultimate genesis collection 4/40)
what really can i say, just a pretty simple puzzle game. reminds me of a lot of games that came later on though. it faults pretty heavily from just looking and sounding boring, and that kind of stuff is vital in keeping someone interested in this type of game, so i can't say i'm leaning very positively
what really can i say, just a pretty simple puzzle game. reminds me of a lot of games that came later on though. it faults pretty heavily from just looking and sounding boring, and that kind of stuff is vital in keeping someone interested in this type of game, so i can't say i'm leaning very positively
Yup, it's Columns.
It's clearly a Tetris clone, picking a nationality to focus on as you clear falling blocks and whatnot, but rather than rotating blocks you decide where each one is in the column. You can clear by connecting 3 or more in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Rarely you get a block that clears all of a gem.
There's potential but like most first iterations of a Tetris clone, it doesn't do a whole lot.
It's clearly a Tetris clone, picking a nationality to focus on as you clear falling blocks and whatnot, but rather than rotating blocks you decide where each one is in the column. You can clear by connecting 3 or more in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Rarely you get a block that clears all of a gem.
There's potential but like most first iterations of a Tetris clone, it doesn't do a whole lot.
hot take: not fun!
Decent enough falling block puzzle game, pieces fall in vertical batches of 3s which you can rearrange to make a line of 3 of the same. Not much else to say, the gems look nice I guess?
All I remember is that this game goes on for a very long time and is really hard to lose at. It probably gets difficult if you get far enough or maybe I was playing with the wrong settings but I swear I played this for 30 minutes and by that point I was trying to lose but I just kept accidentally clearing blocks.
The music is a slapper so extra 0.5 star
The music is a slapper so extra 0.5 star
It's a puzzle game that you can easily spend 10 minutes on.
Worse than puyo/tetris but I don't necessarily understand the complete vitriol towards it
I didn't really need to play this for long to find out that I'm not a fan of Columns
My mum spent hours on this game for days and days and days. I said 'mum, don't you have any friends to go out and play with?'
Upsettingly fast