Columns (also called Jewels) is a puzzle arcade game and console game with many similarities to Tetris, which was released by Sega in 1990.

Description

The game takes place inside a tall well-shaped playing area, as in Tetris. Columns of three different symbols (such as differently-coloured 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.

Whilst 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 touching, those symbols disappear. The pile of columns then settles under gravity. If this causes three or more symbols to touch again, 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.

Like Tetris, the columns fall faster and faster as the player progresses. The goal of the game is to play for as long as possible before the well fills up with symbols.

Ports

As with Tetris, Columns has been cloned many times on different computers. There was an Amiga clone called Squigs, and there is also an online Java game heavily based on it called Yahoo! Towers , which allows up to eight players to compete against each other. Also, because it was made by Sega, it was also available on the Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, Game Gear and others.

External Link

• KLOV entry for Columns