Columns
Columns — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Columns on?
- Columns was released on Arcade, Sharp X68000, Linux, Wii, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, PC (Microsoft Windows), TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine, Mac, FM Towns, Super Famicom, Sega Master System/Mark III, HP-UX, DOS, Sega CD, Sega Game Gear, Atari ST/STE, PC Engine, PC-8801, PC-9801, MSX2, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy Color, iOS, ZX Spectrum.
- When did Columns release?
- Columns was first released on March 1, 1990.
About Columns
Go back in time to a bygone civilization: the ancient world of Phoenicia. There you will play a simple and captivating game where sparkling, rainbow-coloured jewels drop one after another. According to the ancient merchants, by arranging three or more of the same jewels horizontally, vertically or diagonally, you shall perform miracles.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Arcade, Sharp X68000, Linux, Wii, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, PC (Microsoft Windows), TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine, Mac, FM Towns, Super Famicom, Sega Master System/Mark III, HP-UX, DOS, Sega CD, Sega Game Gear, Atari ST/STE, PC Engine, PC-8801, PC-9801, MSX2, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy Color, iOS, ZX Spectrum
- Developer
- Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
- Publisher
- Tec Toy
- Game modes
- Single player, Multiplayer, Split screen
- Themes
- Fantasy, Educational
- Series
- Columns
Details via IGDB.
Reception
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Master SystemDetails ↓ | 1990 | $10 | $22 | — | 7 reviews | Low (look-alike) |
| Sega GenesisDetails ↓ | 1990 | $7 | $19 | $60 | 11 reviews | Medium |
The cheapest way to own it loose is the Sega Genesis version ($7).
Also released on: Arcade · Sharp X68000 · Linux · Wii · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · PC (Microsoft Windows) · TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine · Mac · FM Towns · Super Famicom · Sega Master System/Mark III · HP-UX · DOS · Sega CD · Sega Game Gear · Atari ST/STE · PC Engine · PC-8801 · PC-9801 · MSX2 · Super Nintendo Entertainment System · Game Boy Color · iOS · ZX Spectrum. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Prices are per version and are not interchangeable, and neither are the reviews: conversions in this era were often built by a different studio than the original, so a score earned on one machine says nothing about how another plays.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Master System · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-28
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $7 | $18 | $29 |
How often it sells
- Loose: about 6 times a year
- Complete: about 2 times a month
- Sealed: about once a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-28.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $3.18 in Jul 2009, $14.97 five years ago, and $10.23 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | $3.25 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $5.29 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $6.13 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $2.48 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $4.99 | $9.47 |
| Jan 2015 | $4.95 | $19.99 |
| Jan 2016 | $6.60 | $9.95 |
| Jan 2017 | $10.00 | $4.27 |
| Jan 2018 | $9.04 | $13.06 |
| Jan 2019 | $13.23 | $18.50 |
| Jan 2020 | $13.31 | $13.91 |
| Jan 2021 | $14.20 | $17.47 |
| Jan 2022 | $14.20 | $21 |
| Jan 2023 | $15.01 | $21 |
| Jan 2024 | $9.39 | $24 |
| Jan 2025 | $14.26 | $24 |
| Jan 2026 | $18.26 | $23 |
| Oct 2026 | $10.23 | $22 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date |
|---|---|
| North America | September 1990 |
| Europe / PAL | November 1990 |
- Region
- NA+EU
- Released
- 1990
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Master System version
Sega's falling-jewels puzzler is a cheap, easy pickup that Mean Machines Sega called one of the most addictive games on the system.
Columns is a match-three puzzle game designed by Jay Geertsen, with Sega bringing it to its consoles, the Master System included. It reached North America in September 1990 and Europe in November 1990.
Mean Machines Sega said the colour-matching arcade puzzle action might not sound exciting but is one of the most addictive games available on the Master System, and its later games guide called it a very good Tetris clone and a great buy.
What the press said at the time
| Mean Machines Games Guide | May 1992 | OVERALL 90% |
| Mean Machines Sega Issue 3 | December 1992 | OVERALL 90% |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 5/10, 6/10, 5/10, 6/10 | |
| Computer and Video Games | 88% | |
| GamePro | 18/25 | |
| Console XS | 91% | |
| Sega Power | 93% |
“Make sure Columns has a place in your collection - you'll be surprised how often you play it.”
“This hasn't aged at all - it's still just as brilliant as it was when it first appeared,. … It's in a class of its own - if you haven't got it and like puzzle games, buy it NOW!”
“Columns miant not sound exciting, but it's one of the most addictive games”
“The colour-matching arcade puzzle action of Columns might not sound exciting, but it's one of the most addictive games available on the Sega. Play it and see for yourself!”
Undated scores are from the review table in the game's Wikipedia article, limited to reviews of the Sega Master System version.
Also on other platforms
HP-UX · Mac · MS-DOS · Arcade · Genesis · Sega CD · Game Gear · Atari ST · PC Engine · FM Towns · PC-8801 · PC-9801 · X68000 · MSX2 · Super NES · Game Boy Color · iOS · ZX Spectrum
| MSX2 | Compile |
| MSX2 | Telenet Japan |
| HP-UX | Jay Geertsen |
- Game Gear. The Game Gear version was the console's first pack-in game, with a soundtrack transposed and rearranged for the handheld's sound chip.
- Game Gear. The Game Gear version lets you change the jewels to fruit, squares, dice or card suits.
How the other versions reviewed
| Arcade | Computer and Video Games | 87% |
| Game Gear | Famitsu | 7/10, 7/10, 8/10, 5/10 |
| TurboGrafx-16 | Famitsu | 8/10, 7/10, 7/10, 5/10 |
| Arcade | Sinclair User | 79% |
These are the other versions’ scores, not this one’s. Ports of this era were frequently built by different studios, so they do not transfer.
Before you buy
The European cart costs noticeably less than the US one, loose and complete, and neither is expensive. The US loose price sits below the middle of its group. Look for the manual in a complete copy.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardboard box release | $68 | $70 | — |
| European (PAL) release | $7 | $25 | $118 |
| Japanese release | $10 | $20 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a week
- Complete: about 2 times a week
- Sealed: about 2 times a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-29.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $0.38 in Jan 2008, $2.80 five years ago, and $6.98 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $0.38 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $0.75 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $0.75 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $0.75 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $0.87 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $0.87 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $3.00 | $4.99 |
| Jan 2015 | $3.03 | $3.75 |
| Jan 2016 | $3.45 | $7.00 |
| Jan 2017 | $4.14 | $8.49 |
| Jan 2018 | $4.71 | $8.82 |
| Jan 2019 | $4.73 | $9.67 |
| Jan 2020 | $4.53 | $9.33 |
| Jan 2021 | $4.72 | $9.17 |
| Jan 2022 | $4.29 | $12.01 |
| Jan 2023 | $4.38 | $13.72 |
| Jan 2024 | $4.23 | $12.70 |
| Jan 2025 | $7.23 | $12.89 |
| Jan 2026 | $7.75 | $13.98 |
| Oct 2026 | $6.98 | $19.42 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Barcode | Known board |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | September 1990 | 010086017014 | ?? (Sega) · MPR-13193-T / 171-5927 |
| Europe / PAL | 1990 | — | ?? (Sega) · MPR-13193-T / 171-5927 |
| Japan | 30 June 1990 | 4974365540357 | — |
- Region
- NA+EU+JP
- Released
- 1990
- Authenticity
- Med
The Sega Genesis version
A simple, addictive falling-jewels puzzler that is a cheap, easy Genesis pickup.
This is the Genesis version of Columns, the match-three puzzle game designed by Jay Geertsen and brought to Sega's consoles by Sega itself. The Mega Drive game came out in Japan on 30 June 1990, in North America in September 1990 and in Europe in 1990. Tokuhiko Uwabo composed the music for this version.
Mean Machines Sega called it Sega's answer to Tetris and an excellent puzzle game, pointing to its time-trial options, three difficulty settings, nine starting levels and a two-player head-to-head mode.
What the press said at the time
| Mean Machines Sega Issue 3 | December 1992 | 88% |
| MegaTech Issue 17 | May 1993 | 88% |
| MegaTech Issue 18 | June 1993 | MT RATING: 88% |
| MegaTech Issue 23 | November 1993 | 88% |
| MegaTech Issue 26 | February 1994 | 88% |
| MegaTech Issue 27 | March 1994 | 88% |
| Sega Pro Issue 36 | September 1994 | 82% |
| GameRankings (aggregate) | 56.3% (retrospective) | |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 6/10, 7/10, 5/10, 7/10 | |
| AllGame | 3.5/5 | |
| Console XS | 84% |
“Sega's answer to Tetris, this puzzle game is excel lent. There's a huge variety of options, including arcade-style time trials, three different difficulty set tings, nine different starting levels and a two-player head-to-head mode which adds to the game's last ing appeal.”
“Hypnotic music and graphics make this almost unputdownable. Two player competition mode is superb. Sometimes success is as much down to accident as design (which may not be that bad).”
“Hypnotic music and graphics make this almost unputdownable. Two player competition mode is superb. … Sometimes success is as much down to accident as design (which may not be that bad).”
“Hypnotic music and graphics make this almost unputdownable. … Sometimes success is by sheer fluke.”
Undated scores are from the review table in the game's Wikipedia article, limited to reviews of the Genesis version.
How the Sega Genesis version differs
Sega ported Columns to the arcade and then to the Genesis in 1990, and the two versions were nearly identical.
Also on other platforms
Master System · HP-UX · Mac · MS-DOS · Arcade · Sega CD · Game Gear · Atari ST · PC Engine · FM Towns · PC-8801 · PC-9801 · X68000 · MSX2 · Super NES · Game Boy Color · iOS · ZX Spectrum
- Game Gear. Columns was the first pack-in game for the Game Gear, in a version slightly different from the Genesis one.
How the other versions reviewed
| Arcade | Computer and Video Games | 87% |
| Game Gear | Famitsu | 7/10, 7/10, 8/10, 5/10 |
| TurboGrafx-16 | Famitsu | 8/10, 7/10, 7/10, 5/10 |
| Arcade | Sinclair User | 79% |
These are the other versions’ scores, not this one’s. Ports of this era were frequently built by different studios, so they do not transfer.
Worth knowing
- Ranked. Mega magazine placed Columns at number 34 in its Top Mega Drive Games of All Time.
Before you buy
Among US carts it sits below the middle, so a standard copy is an easy, cheap buy. The European loose cart usually costs about the same as the US one, while a complete European copy usually costs more. The Japanese loose cart usually costs more, and its cartridge has a different shape from a Western one. A cardboard-box edition is priced separately from the plastic-case copy and usually costs far more, so check which one a listing really is. If you pay more than a casual price, ask for a photo of the board and compare it with the board listed on this page.
Columns screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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