game
icon
title Columns (World)
set name columns
manufacturer Sega
year 1990
genre Puzzle (hof)
category Puzzle / Drop (hof)
driver status good
driver source segac2.c
snapshots MW: in game / CT: in game | title / EJ: in game / PS: in game | title | scores
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rating

79% after 91 votes
 
clones Columns (Japan)
Columns (US, cocktail)
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display
colour emulation good
palette 2048
display type raster
orientation horizontal
resolution 256x224
frequency 60.000000Hz
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sound
sound emulation good
channels mono
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controls
players 2
nplayers 2P sim
controls 8 way joystick
buttons 1
coin slots 2
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hardware
cpu 68000 @ 8.948862MHz
audio YM3438 @ 7.670453MHz
audio SN76496 @ 3.579545MHz
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data
version added .037b09
last change(s) .057
roms
name size crc set flags sha1
epr13114.32  131072  ff78f740  columns    0a034103a4b942f43e62f6e717f5dbf1bfb0b613 
epr13113.31  131072  9a426d9b  columns    3322e65ebf8d0a6047f7d408387c63ea401b8973 
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cabinet art
cabinet columns.png columns.png
marquee columns.png
control panel columns.png
flyer columns.png
PCB columns.png
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additional information
info 0.37b9 [David Haywood, Aaron Giles]

TODO:
  • Wanted: 317-0149.27 EPM5032
Bugs:
  • When you switch stones and the whole stone is not yet in-screen and the last move wasn't a winner ("stones deleted"), there won't be any switching-sound. I know this is a bug but it could be an in-game bug ... anyone thinks this is an in-game bug too? Jonemaan (ID 01107)
WIP:
  • 0.125u1: Roberto Fresca added 'Background Music' dipswitch to clone Columns (US, cocktail).
  • 0.102u4: Arzeno Fabrice added clone Columns (US, cocktail).
  • 14th December 2005: David Haywood - Thanks to Arzeno Fabrice the US version of Columns is now supported (the old 'US' set is actually a World set). The US set is slightly different to the other sets, it has the WDUD logo, then an additional Sega logo previously only found in Columns 2, a dipswitch to enable cocktail mode and different music (although I have no idea WHY they changed the music, the new music doesn't fit with the game at all, it's the music from Columns 2 when it uses the standard graphic pieces).
  • 0.57: Fixed rom names.
  • 0.37b10: Changed 68000 CPU1 clock speed to 7670442 Hz and SN76496 to 3579540 Hz.
  • 0.37b9: David Haywood and Aaron Giles added Columns (US) (Sega 1990) and clone (Japan).
  • 15th September 2000: David Haywood submitted a very preliminary Sega C2 driver, currently supporting only Puyo Puyo, Columns and Columns II.
Other Emulators:
  • Sega System C2
Recommended Games:
Romset: 256 kb / 2 files / 60.6 zip
history Columns (c) 1990 Sega.


Sega's answer to the legendary "Tetris", the rules of Columns are simple : a column of 3 square pieces - stacked one on top of the other - drops from the top of the screen into the play area. As with 'Tetris', the column puzzle pieces can be moved left and right as they fall, but unlike "Tetris", they cannot be rotated. Instead, pressing a button will cause the order of the colored blocks in a column to shift by one position.


The object of the game is to place columns at the bottom of the pit in such a way that lines of 3 or more like-colored blocks are created (either horizontally, vertically or diagonally). When this happens, these blocks disappear, and any blocks resting upon them immediately fall onto the recently vacated space. This will often cause additional lines to be arranged, producing a 'cascade' effect. The key to a long game (and, ultimately, a high score) is to set up these cascades wherever possible.


While not achieving the same legendary status as the mighty "Tetris" (something that no puzzle game can realistically hope to achieve), the 'Columns' series has managed to garner a dedicated following of its own and is a respected example of the genre.


- TECHNICAL -


Sega System C hardware


Main CPU : 68000 (@ 8.948862 Mhz)

Sound Chips : YM3438 (@ 7.670453 Mhz), SN76496 (@ 3.579545 Mhz)


Screen orientation : Horizontal

Video resolution : 320 x 224 pixels

Screen refresh : 60.00 Hz

Palette colors : 2048


Players : 2

Control : 8-way joystick

Buttons : 1


- TRIVIA -


Released in June 1990.


- UPDATES -


The US version is slightly different :

* 'Winners Don't Use Drugs' screen added.

* Sega logo screen during the attract mode added.

* Cocktail mode dip-switch.

* Different music.


- SERIES -
  1. Columns (1990)
  2. Columns II - The Voyage Through Time (1990)
  3. Columns III - Revenge of Columns (1993)
  4. Stack Columns (1994)
  5. Super Columns (1995, Sega Game Gear)
  6. Columns '97 (1997)
  7. Hanagumi Taisen Columns - Sakura Wars (1998)
  8. Hanagumi Taisen Columns 2 (2000, Sega Dreamcast)
  9. Columns Crown (2002, Nintendo Game Boy Advance)
resource links view in MAWS
view in CAESAR
view high score and replay at MARP
view in Progetto EMMA (Italian)
view in arcade-history.com
view in GameFAQs
view in KLOV
view in KLOV
view in System16
view in System16
view in The Arcade Flyer Archive
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cheats
cheats
code comments
00000000:FFFCC1:00000009:FFFFFFFF  Infinite Credits
60000000:000000:00000000:00000000 
00000000:FFD2B5:00000000:FFFFFFFF  Manual Bind Mode PL1
00000000:FFC867:00000000:FFFFFFFF  Infinite Magic Jewel PL1:EASY LEVEL Only
00000001:FFC834:00000007:FFFFFFFF  Get Magic Jewels Next! PL1
00010001:FFC835:00000007:FFFFFFFF  Get Magic Jewels Next! PL1 (2/3)
00010001:FFC833:00000007:FFFFFFFF  Get Magic Jewels Next! PL1 (3/3)
00000000:FFC81A:00000027:FFFFFFFF  Maximum Jewels PL1
00010000:FFC81B:0000000F:FFFFFFFF  Maximum Jewels PL1 (2/2)
60000000:000000:00000000:00000000 
00000000:FFD2F5:00000000:FFFFFFFF  Manual Bind Mode PL2
00000000:FFC9D7:00000000:FFFFFFFF  Infinite Magic Jewel PL2:EASY LEVEL Only
00000001:FFC9A3:00000007:FFFFFFFF  Get Magic Jewels Next! PL2
00010001:FFC9A4:00000007:FFFFFFFF  Get Magic Jewels Next! PL2 (2/3)
00010001:FFC9A5:00000007:FFFFFFFF  Get Magic Jewels Next! PL2 (3/3)
00000000:FFC98A:00000027:FFFFFFFF  Maximum Jewels PL2
00010000:FFC98B:0000000F:FFFFFFFF  Maximum Jewels PL2 (2/2)
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