Improved version of Columns on Game Gear with additional game modes. The addictive Columns formula refined. The preferred version if you only have one.
Your verdict
Category
Puzzle2 players3+
Description
The player aligns coloured gems in columns to eliminate them before they reach the top of the screen in this Sega puzzle. Published by Sega, released in Japan in September 1995. Columns puzzle with three-gem alignments, improved mechanics over the first Columns, versus mode. Japanese edition.
Super Columns review
3/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Polished"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
The jewel classic returns enriched: new modes, a refreshed presentation and the same alignment mechanic, as clear as it is addictive. Bringing down a whole cascade in one move delivers a satisfaction that never wears out. The rising tempo keeps a hypnotic tension going. Ideal for short sessions, this puzzle stays a fearsome pocket companion.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
A beefed-up take on the gem game, this version adds modes and pace to push the hunt for the perfect combo further. Watching a single piece set off an avalanche of colors rewards anticipation and immediately restarts the round. The formula stays close to its elder and ends up repeating itself, but this chase for score keeps an effective grip in short sessions.
Super Columns, a Japanese evolution of Sega's gem-matching puzzle, exclusive to Japan on Game Gear. Enriching the Columns formula with new additions, this title saw no identical Western distribution, making it sought. Its desirability lies in that Japanese exclusivity, its role as an extension of a founding classic and the interest of Sega puzzle fans.
Is Super Columns still worth playing in 2026?
An evolution of Sega's flagship puzzle, Super Columns reuses the falling gems aligned by three and adds modes and enriched mechanics. The clear principle and the combo pleasure stay intact, backed by a more colourful presentation and a well calibrated pace. The Game Gear version keeps the readability essential to scoring. The addition stays measured against the original but pleasant. For a fan of classic puzzling or someone curious about Columns variations, the title keeps a proven effectiveness and an ever present pleasure.
