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I think it's important to remember that video games can sometimes cause you to think and
act relatively quickly, much like a hand to a hot stove. Unbelievers might think it's
simply an activity we do to waste the most precious years of our lives. Fortunately for
us, we know better. Puzzle games are part and parcel of my experience, and when you
are squaring off against an opponent, human or computer, it's a race to line up as many
shiny gems as fast as we can. Then rinse and repeat against the next combatant. It's the
premise of Columns III: Revenge of Columns, which builds upon the original Columns with
more puzzle battle action and enemies in the style of Mean Bean Machine. Kind of. Columns
III Revenge of Columns sashayed its way onto the Genesis in 1993 to the delight of fans
of the first game, whether they experienced it on the 16 bit console or Game Gear. If
you've ever read the romantic story of Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter's exploration
of King Tut's Tomb, then you already know the premise behind Columns III. You're a treasure
hunter searching for cash money in an ancient pyramid. Although I'm sure Howard Carter had
a tougher time crawling through sarcophagi and surviving the Mummy's Curse rather than
trying to line up three or more gems before the board fills up. There are a few variations
from the original Columns that have been added to challenge even the most worthy puzzle battler.
Certain attacks can be used on your opponent or vice versa, including turning your screen
upside down. Defeat your opponent in a best out of 3 game series and receive magic items
that will aid you along the way. That's all there really is to it. Columns III doesn't
miss a beat from its predecessor in terms of addictive and challenging gameplay, not
to mention music that will dance around in your head at some fairly inopportune times
after a considerable amount of time playing this game. You've been warned.