Super Columns

Super Columns is a tile-matching puzzle game that expands upon the classic Columns formula. Released by Sega for the Game Gear in 1995, it was published across all regions: Japan on May 26, North America on June 5, and Europe later that year. The gameplay is similar to Tetris, where players manipulate falling columns of colored gems to line up three or more horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. This sequel enhances the experience with new block types, including Glitter Columns (which remove all gems of a certain color), Reversal Columns (which flip the entire grid upside down), Magic Columns (which clear gems above a section), and Lanterns (which can clear a whole row, column, or diagonal). In addition to standard Endless and Flash modes, a Story Mode is included where players must defeat five opponents to retrieve a stolen mystical amulet.

Game Gear

Released exclusively for the Game Gear, this entry takes full advantage of the handheld with a comprehensive puzzle experience. The core addition is a robust Story Mode, which plays as a split-screen contest where the first to win two out of three matches advances. During these matches, players can sabotage opponents by sending stone blocks to their playfield, speeding up their columns, or temporarily disabling their ability to spin their gems. A dedicated Versus Mode allows two players to compete via link cable. GamePro praised its variety of addictive game modes, simple controls, and clean graphics. The soundtrack was composed by Tatsuyuki Maeda. For puzzle enthusiasts, Super Columns remains a solid and feature-rich entry in the Game Gear's library.