| Introduction
Way back when we only had the Gameboy Classic, puzzle
games reigned supreme and rivals were well aware that
to muscle in on Nintendo's market share they needed
a title to match the addictiveness and pure simplicity
of Tetris. While Atari's LYNX had Chips Challenge, SEGA
decided to go head to head and released Columns which
came packaged with their Game Gear. Columns was both
similar and different enough to gain attention but never
really managed to steal the pole position from the original
Tetris. So, fast forward over a decade and amazingly
we find a SEGA title on a Nintendo machine. The previously
unthinkable is now a reality but with the GBA already having
a fair few puzzlers and Tetris getting a re-release,
is it worth your money?
GamePlay
For those of you who haven't encountered Columns
before the object is simple. Groups of three blocks
fall (which you can change the order of) and you must
match colours in horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines
so that they disappear and so on. Columns Crown contains
all the classic gameplay but with the addition of a
plot. Princess Dazzle needs to locate all the precious
jewels from around the Kingdom in order to bring her
crown back to its former glory. The Kingdom in question
here is composed of the various parts of the game and
as the jewels seem to appear on a random basis you'll
be puzzling your way through hours of gameplay before
you locate all 24.
At the beginning you're introduced to her two classmates
(a boy and a girl) who can be renamed as you wish. Then
it's over to the Survival Mode which is where you'll
locate many of the missing jewels in the classic Columns
environment. This really is a game where both practice
and perseverance are the only routes to success so although
after a few tries you may find the 'easy' option a little
too simple there's much to master here. There are special
combos and bonus blocks which will save you from certain
death but using them wisely is the key to longevity
and ultimate success. There's also the added problem
of thieves meaning even when you locate a gem you may
still lose it along the way so simply perfecting one
Game Mode is not enough. Stolen items can be reclaimed
in the Vs. Mode but you'll require different and more
tactical skills to succeed here.
What separates Columns Crown from the original is
the number of game modes on offer. In addition to the
Survival Mode there are several other challenges. In
Flash Columns you attempt to clear all the sparkling
jewels from the field before the time runs out. The
Vs. Mode is possibly the most fun though where the developers
have allowed a two player experience with only one cart
which obviously we'd like to see more of. The objectives
in Vs. are both tactical and puzzle based and at the
beginning of the game each player is asked to chose
a selection of Magic Gems. These are activated when
a given amount of points are gained and can be very
useful for defeating your opponent.
Controls
Although this is an update of an old title it has
managed to retain the simplicity of control that made
the original a classic. Every game mode is chosen from
a front end menu and things really don't get much more
complicated when the game commences. Guiding the blocks
down with the directional control and changing order
with the 'A' button is simple enough until the speed
increases when it can become as challenging as a tricky
platformer and manic shooter combined.
Graphics
The graphics on display are wonderful throughout
and although simple in design everything has been implemented
with great skill and care. The intro explains a little
about the plot and introduces the characters with some
excellent Manga style visuals presented in a slide show
format. Obviously the most important aspect of the visuals
is the gameplay graphics and Columns Crown does not
disappoint. The clarity within all the various game
modes is excellent so claiming you didn't see a falling
block or special combo opportunity is just not an option
here.
Sound & Music
Everything has been taken care of in the audio department
so Columns Crown represents one of the few handheld
titles which is a joy to listen to. The title music
is some of the best and most ambitious GBA sound chip
music I've heard. The developers could easily have gone
for a less impressive sample so the sheer quality of
the sound throughout this game has to be applauded.
Final Comments
Columns will always be viewed as the less famous
cousin of the mighty Tetris but that really is no indication
of its quality. This edition not only includes all the
classic gameplay but also enough extra modes to keep
you going for some time. This is by no means a 'fly
through' title. If you're a puzzler fanatic and enjoy
applying more thought than button bashing to your gaming
pleasure then this is well worth trying out. Columns
has aged very well and reinforces the concept that good
ideas always last no matter how simple.
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