Columns III: Revenge of Columns represents a significant tonal shift for Sega’s premier puzzle franchise, moving away from the meditative, zen-like atmosphere of the original toward a frantic, combat-oriented experience. This sequel emphasizes the "versus" aspect, introducing a story mode where the player navigates a trap-filled pyramid to battle various supernatural entities in gem-stacking duels. The core mechanic remains the same—matching three gems of the same color vertically, horizontally, or diagonally—but the addition of magical items, such as the "Crushers" and "Flash Columns," adds a layer of aggression that transforms every match into a high-stakes tug-of-war.
Visually, the game retains its vibrant, ancient-civilization aesthetic but polishes it for the mid-90s, featuring more expressive character portraits and dynamic backgrounds. The most notable technical inclusion is the support for up to five players using a multi-tap, a rarity for the Mega Drive that elevates the title into a chaotic and essential party game. However, the difficulty curve in the single-player campaign can be unforgiving; the AI often exhibits frame-perfect placement and relentless speed, making the acquisition of magical power-ups feel less like a tactical advantage and more like a mandatory requirement for survival against the later bosses.
While it lacks the pure, haunting simplicity that made the first game a pack-in classic, Revenge of Columns is arguably the more technically proficient title for players who enjoy the competitive edge found in series like Puyo Puyo. It stands as an interesting artifact of 1993, released just as the puzzle genre was beginning to diversify into more complex, character-driven territory. Interestingly, while UK gamers were diving into titles like Zoop in 1995—a game that saw a European release but notably never arrived on the Japanese Mega Drive—they were largely denied a physical retail version of this Columns sequel, as it remained exclusive to the Sega Channel service in PAL territories.
