Columns (Genesis)

I believe i'm expert at colour-matching puzzle game. I have played 3 Puzzle Quest, Puzzle & Empires and Bejeweled. I've prepared for another game with same gameplay. Not entirely the same only the basic rule which is: match the 3 or more thing with the same color. The game that i mentioned is Sega's Columns (1990).

It looks like 2 disputing husband & wife are about to have  toast that will seal their peace treaty. But both of wives put poison on it thus explaining that  overly fizzing drink that the husbands hold. Then they have conversation like "You go, first! No, you first" while the wives are very worried and scared in each corner. Good for all of you! [High Sarcasm]

 

If you wait the screen for too long, there's instruction on how to play the game. Move the joystick to move the jewel column and a single button to rotate the jewel from top to bottom. To erase the jewels and earn score, you have to arrange 3 jewels or more with the same color in horizontal, vertical, and diagonal. After you place 1 column another one will come with different arrangement from previous ones. Don't let the columns reach beyond the top or your game is over. Even though this is Sega Genesis port, Sega don't bother to change joystick into d-pad. Such in-exemplary idleness. Shame on you, Sega!

 

The instruction also tell there's will be hint in form of blinking jewel that you can clear with column you control, if you pick Easy mode.

 

And if you pick either medium or hard mode, there's chance that magic jewel appears. It can erase any jewels with same color with the one that it contacts to.

 

Chain reaction pump up the juice? What juice? Oh, i get it. Combo will boost my score, is what the game tries to say, right? So make chain matching whenever you can. Okay, i know the gist. Let's get started!

 

I'm going to choose easy mode, for warm-up. As i play this alone, there's no 2nd player here. So focus to watch on the left board which is mine, please! Just simple remainder.

 

I have made a horizontal line of ice-cube jewel with exactly 3 columns. So far so good!

 

Here comes 4-of-a-kind!    

 

I can put the red gem to the most left for diagonal match. But if i put it here i can make combo match of red then green. "Chain reaction pump up the juice" the game said. So i do that.

 

Yes, sometime a column of same jewel appears. Put it anywhere! You can't go wrong.

 

I think the "survival" key in this game is to prioritize making diagonal match over other ones. Because it's more "flexible" than the others. But no matter i do, there's always residual "debris" in the board. If you play Tetris, you can clean the board by simply fill the gap in the pile and if you get the wrong-shaped blocks, you can mitigate the problem by rotating it at least a bit. But it's not so simple or easy in Columns case. Because you need the exact proper jewel to clear them and more often than not the game gives you different jewels from what you need. Maybe if you can rotate the column by 90^o degree, the game will be less troublesome and more fun. But the title said "Columns" not "Columns & Rows". So i stick to "diagonal match" mind for now.   

 

Yes, i put the new column where it should be in the left corner but the configuration is wrong! I should put the red jewel in the middle for diagonal match. I begin to feel like an idiot here.  

 

Unintentionally, i made 2 diagonal match of ice-cube jewel and purple ones. Hooray!    

  

I have created what i like to call Junction Match. In Bejeweled or other game that i mentioned, Junction Match has shape of T, L, +, or cross. In Puzzle Quest, i must have keen observation toward said match or i will end up totally defeated. I'm glad my sharp instinct is usable in this game. 

Starting level 3, the columns drop too fast for me and i'm in big trouble on 4th level. Heavy_negativevocalization03.wav 3:

 

PopCap, help! Have mercy on me, Sega! Please! 3X

 

This time, i hit the medium mode. I can be in 3th level without pile that i gather from 0th level but i don't get hints for 3 levels. I can live with that.

Again, i unintentionally make small miracle. I have created another Junction Match.  But i had no idea before about this kind of shape counts as Junction Match as it's not in shape of T, L, +, or cross. Columns registers diagonal arrangement as match, now that i think about it. So it makes sense.

Uggh! Another case of me doing "right placement but wrong configuration" at the same place on top of that. The orange should be in bottom, stupid! -_-#

 

Yes, i pulled a sick chain match but that doesn't mean i must celebrate it with smoking weed, Sega. No, thanks!   

 

Finally, the magic jewel! How i'm longing for thou. I stamp it on blue jewel and all of its peer are gone for good but there's still other ones. I think hitting the ice cube is right decision as there's 9 of them. Yes, i should hit the orange jewel for best result (because there's 10 of them) but i must remind you that i'm in level 7 here so the column moves very fast that my reaction can barely keep up.

 

Another 4-of-a-kind! And i know where i have to put that red jewel next. I feel like i can survive this much longer.

 

Okay not for long. At least i can go 1 more level than in previous screenshot. There's no limit to continue but i choose to end here.

 

Moreover, i hit number 1 ranking. I believe i'm done with this game!     

 

See that expression of the angel on leftside? That's my tired expression about this game at the moment. Though i will comeback someday. Sega's Columns (1990) is what i like to describe as matching color with bit Tetris style. It's the basic of Puyo Puyo or its brethren. So Columns could be defined as pioneer of the genre, i reckon. But i can't enjoy it not as much as Bejeweled. The reason is simple, it deploy rush factor: the column automatically descend and will be faster as you progress to next level. So no matter how cunning my mind to color matching department, my reflexes can't keep up so i rely mostly on my luck instead of my skill. But again, i can't enjoy very much Beghouled which is Bejeweled version of Plant Vs Zombie where there's zombie wave come at you which i consider it as rush factor. So it's kind of moot point. I like puzzle game with unlimited time limit afterall. The music is kind of grainy but appropriate with puzzle nuance and its pace is faster if the columns almost reach the top. That's nice touch on music department. The graphic on the jewels remind me of Nestle's Fox's candies. The gridline on the board is helping the player to predict jewels placement and further to assist on jewel matching.

To put it simply, Columns (1990) is decent puzzle game though still rough in my opinion. If you're puzzle gamer with quick reflexes, you probably like it and i can recommend you to take it. Me? No. I can only think sharp and straight within relaxing pace. That's probably other way to say that i'm lazy kind of puzzle gamer. Very lazy ones.