Sega AGES Columns II: A Voyage Through Time

Genre: Compilation / Match-3 Falling Block Puzzle

Players: 1-2 Competitive (Local / Online), Online Leaderboards

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Review:

Columns II is a Match-3 Falling Block Puzzle originally released in Japanese arcades in 1990, but from what I can tell, this release marks this game’s first appearance in outside of Japan. Columns II uses the same sort of Match-3 Falling-Block Puzzle gameplay as its Sega Genesis predecessor, but brings to the series two new game modes: Flash Columns, where players are not trying to clear the entire board but rather one specific gem, and a two-player competitive mode.

Visually, the “voyage through time” of the subtitle comes in the form of the tile sets for the pieces you’re clearing not just being gems, but a variety of different types of objects. Functionally, this can make it difficult to distinguish the different pieces with some of the tile sets, although players who prefer can change the appearance in the options menu to stay with the traditional gems.

Observant readers may have noticed that under “Genre”, I listed this release as a Compilation, and that is because this release surprisingly comes packed with the arcade version of the original Columns as well, for those who prefer its presentation or the original style of play (although this version lacks the multiplayer and other features added to the Sega Genesis version).

As for the new game play modes, Columns II’s Flash Columns is an interesting twist on the original gameplay that gets players to focus less on the board as a whole and more on getting to specific gems while avoiding skulls (with this release adding an option to turn the skulls off). And the multiplayer competitive mode (playable locally or online, though online servers are currently empty) brings this game more on par with modern expectations of Puzzle games. On top of that, this release also gives players Infinite Jewels, an alternate version of Columns II with gameplay closer to the endless mode seen in the original Columns.

It’s quite a solid assortment of options for how to play Columns… and honestly a part of me feels that all of this wonderful effort to spruce up the game is wasted on a game that… honestly, doesn’t really deserve it. I’m sorry to fans of this franchise, but in my opinion, Columns has simply never had the addictive gameplay one looks for in a Puzzle game, and all the modes and options piled onto it doesn’t change that. It’s fine, it works, but the gameplay here doesn’t make me want to sit and play this for hours on end like Tetris or Puzzle League has me doing.

Beyond the multitude of game modes here, developer M2 once again loads this release with extras and options, including save states, replays, online leaderboards, and a music player (unfortunately just for the small selection of songs in Columns II – the original Columns’ soundtrack isn’t in here).

On the whole, Sega Ages Columns II is one of their better ports, and I say this of a developer who frequently does a fantastic job porting Sega’s classics to the Switch. However, it’s a fantastic port of a pair of middling games. There’s nothing wrong with Columns and Columns II, but there’s nothing truly compelling about them either, and as much as this release does a great job loading them up with features, in the end they’re still just middling games.

tl;dr – Sega Ages Columns II marks the first time this 1990 arcade Match-3 Falling Block Puzzle game has been released stateside, and what’s more, it comes with the original Columns and a slew of game modes and options. This is a phenomenal port, but sadly it’s a fantastic port of two mediocre Puzzle games. Fans of the genre and collectors may find some interest in this release, but others are better off looking to better games in the genre.

Grade: C+

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