If the game emulation speed is low, you can try to increase it by reloading this page without ads or choose another emulator from this table.
Other platforms:
This game can be played also in a versions for
SMS and
SNES. Others are coming soon.
Columns is a match-three 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.
Columns was one of the many Tetris-like puzzles that appeared after that game's great success in the late 1980s. It 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 Column 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 Jewels.
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.
More details about this game can be found on
Wikipedia.org.
Find digital download of this game on
GOG
or
Steam.
Videogame Console:
This version of Columns was designed for Sega Genesis (known as Sega Mega Drive in Europe), which was the first ever 16-bit
video game console manufactured
by Sega in the years 1988 - 1997. It was a direct competitor to the SNES console and the successor of the well known 8-bit console Sega Master System.
The unit price of Genesis was approximately $ 190 and worldwide about 40 million units of this console were sold. More information about Sega Genesis
can be found here.
Recommended Game Controllers:
You can control this game easily by using the keyboard of your PC (see the table next to the game). However, for maximum gaming enjoyment, we strongly recommend using a USB gamepad that you simply plug into the USB port of your computer. If you do not have a gamepad, buy a suitable USB controller on Amazon or AliExpress or in some of your favorite online stores.
Available online emulators:
5 different online emulators are available for Columns. These emulators differ not only in the technology they use to emulate old games, but also in support of various game controllers, multiplayer mode, mobile phone touchscreen, emulation speed, absence or presence of embedded ads and in many other parameters. For
maximum gaming enjoyment, it's important to choose the right emulator, because on each PC and in different Internet browsers, the individual emulators behave differently. The basic
features of each emulator available for this game Columns are summarized in the following table:
If you like Columns you'll probably like also some of the similar games in the overview below. The games you see here
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This version of Columns was designed for Sega Genesis (known as Sega Mega Drive in Europe), which was the first ever 16-bit
video game console manufactured
by Sega in the years 1988 - 1997. It was a direct competitor to the SNES console and the successor of the well known 8-bit console Sega Master System.
The unit price of Genesis was approximately $ 190 and worldwide about 40 million units of this console were sold. More information about Sega Genesis
can be found 
