The Sega puzzler turned classic, where you line up three coloured gems. Simple, elegant, perfect for short sessions : a must in the genre.
Your verdict
Category
Puzzle4 players3+
Description
The player aligns coloured gems to create chains in this Sega Mega Drive cult puzzle. Published by Sega, released in the United States in November 1990. Puzzle game aligning three identical gems vertically or horizontally, progressive levels and solo and versus modes.
Columns review
3/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Polished"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Only three moods, but each goes the distance: an oriental theme on muffled percussion, a more melancholy piece carried by a flute line, a last one close to hypnotic. The loops are long and free of aggressive hooks, designed to accompany hours of play without ever tiring the ear.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Lining up three gems of the same colour, horizontally, vertically or diagonally, and watching them vanish in a sparkling cascade: the mechanic clicks in seconds. The tension climbs as the fall speeds up and chains become vital. Hypnotic and inexhaustible, this arcade-born puzzle grabs you for endless sessions.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Lining up three gems of the same color to make them vanish, vertically or diagonally, sets a soothing tempo that insidiously spirals out of control. Watching the heap climb, chasing the saving combo and beating your score push you to restart the instant game over hits. The concept is minimal and a touch repetitive, yet this cascade of precious stones keeps an immediate, lasting grip.
The North American edition of Columns is Sega/HAES's puzzle in a large Genesis print. Collector value comes from the game's position as one of the era's official Genesis pack-ins (bundled with certain consoles), and from the standalone cartridge staying less widespread than the bundle versions.
Better with friends
A column puzzler where you line up gems in threes to clear them before the stack buries you. In versus the competition turns snappy: a single well-placed combo dumps extra blocks onto your opponent. Simple to grasp yet tricky to dominate, it sparks last-second reversals and restarts with a flick for an instant rematch between two players.
Is Columns still worth playing in 2026?
A puzzle by Sega often compared to Tetris, Columns offers an original system where you align three symbols of the same colour to make them disappear. The cascade effect system brings real satisfaction and the two player versus mode remains excellent for local evenings. Visually minimalist but with perfect readability, the title keeps obvious charm and remains an excellent competitive puzzle on Mega Drive. For anyone wanting a classic pad puzzle or to challenge a friend, a warm recommendation still valid today indeed truly.
