Status Reset_Tears Apr 27, 2020
I've long been a fan of Columns, the falling blocks game that always seemed to get a bad rap. It's not the best puzzle game in the world, but that doesn't mean it's no fun. And I think it would be remembered much more fondly if people played Columns III more than the original, since III improved on the formula …
I've long been a fan of Columns, the falling blocks game that always seemed to get a bad rap. It's not the best puzzle game in the world, but that doesn't mean it's no fun. And I think it would be remembered much more fondly if people played Columns III more than the original, since III improved on the formula in many ways and is overall just a much more memorable experience. III has charm to it; it made an attempt at having fun presentation.
Where does II fit in to all this? Columns II was an arcade release, but it's now available to play on the Switch as part of the Sega Ages lineup. There are two modes available: Flash Columns and Vs Columns. The goal in Flash is to eliminate the specific flashing gems buried down below, to clear each level. So you're not really focused on setting up chains, as much as trying to work out the best way to get rid of the gems in your way. It takes a lot of planning ahead, and gets really, really tough. (The difficulty curve is... steep as hell, lol.) Vs Columns meanwhile is the two-player mode, which is basically just the Puyo Puyo take on the formula. Get good chains, and force your opponent's screen to move upward. I would like to play some people online, but I'm 99% sure I'd get pummeled to dust within 2.7 seconds, in the event I do actually manage to find anyone to go against.
The bottom line though... Columns II is more Columns. It's not quite as good as III in my opinion, but the two modes it offers are both fine for what they are. You'll be rotating three gems at a time, and that's all there is to it. Good. Clean. Fun.