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                  Columns GB (Japanese version) FAQ
                           Done By: Ethan84
                     e-mail:jezg_84@hotmail.com
                              Version 1.0
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Contents:

1.- Version History
2.- Introduction
3.- Playing Columns
4.- Puzzle Solutions
5.- Credits and Acknowledgements
6.- Copyright

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1.- Version History

Version 1.0 (7/21/01) - I began and finished writing this FAQ. Unless I
discover new things, this will be the final version of this FAQ.

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2.- Introduction

Columns GB is a Puzzle game for the Gameboy Color first made by Sega
Enterprises in 1990 and then re-programed by Media Factory in 1999. Although I
made this FAQ using the Japanese Version in an Emulator (I don´t know if the
game is available in the USA), I found the game very easy to play. In fact, the
game is very similar to other games like Panel de Pon. Of course, it has its
dfferences. And the main purpose of this FAQ is precisely talk about Columns
GB.

Note: In the presentation screen, the name of the game is Columns GB
"something". I don´t know what it means because I don´t know Japanese. So some
things especially in the menus are translated by logic.

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3.- Playing Columns

The main purpose of Columns is to disappear the colored blocks that are falling
down in a number of three blocks through the screen. The rule is that they have
to be of the same color and shape and also they have to be in a line consisting
of minimum 3 blocks. The lines can be done horizontally, vertically or
diagonally. Of course, if a block reaches the top of the screen, you will
loose. But the game is not as simple as that. You have the possibility to
create combos and chains by disapearing more than 3 blocks or also disappearing
more than a one type of block in a continuous way.

There is a special set of blocks that consists of three blinking bubbles that
will disappear all the blocks of the same color as the one touched by these
special blocks.

The controls are very simple. With left and right you move the series of
blocks. With down, you make the blocks fall faster than usual. With A, you
change the other of the blocks rotating them in a clock-wise direction. Note
that after the blocks land, you still have a few seconds to move or rotate the
blocks. With start, you can pause the game and then select to continue the game
or exit it.

Now let's take a look to the options. First, after choosing your character
(they seem like characters of the cartoon "Astroboy") and his name, you will
decide if it is a 1P game or a V.S. game. I suppose that the V.S. mode is the
classical mode where two players compete against each other, making combos and
all that stuff.

In the Main Menu, we have the following options:

Clssic, where you can play normally the game.
Puzzle, where you are given 8 stages to complete several puzzles in one
movement.
Result, where you see your records.
Options, where you can modify many things in the game.

The Options are the following ones:

Game Level, where you select the level of difficulty , that can be easy,
normal, or hard.
Jewels, where you select the type of the blocks you want to play with.
BGM, where you select if you want background music or not.
Ranking, you see some records.
Data Erase, where you can select to reset all data.
Exit, where obviously you return to the previous screen.

After seeing this, Columns is not very easy. If you have experience in playing
Puzzle games, this will not be very difficult. It is like the combination of
Tetris and Panel de Pon.

When playing, you will see in the upper-left corner the next set of blocks that
will come down, so be sure to plan carefully all your movements so you can make
a combo or a chain whenever possible.

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4.- Puzzle Solutions

Here are the solution to the 8 puzzles that are in the game. I don´t know if
there are more, so if I found something, surely it will be posted here.

Stage 1
Just let the set of blocks fall down the way it is coming.

Stage 2
Drop the blocks to the right of the blocks that are already down.

Stage 3
Let fall the set of blocks down but with the red bubble between the other two.

Stage 4
Move the set of blocks all the way long to the left and let it fall down.

Stage 5
Just let the set of blocks fall down they way they are coming.

Stage 6
Just let the set of blocks fall down in the same direction they are coming but
with the green block down.

Stage 7
Let the set of blocks fall down the same direction they are coming.

Stage 8
Let the set of blocks fall down the same direction they are coming but with the
red bubble down.

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5.- Credits and Acknowledgements

This guide was written by Ethan84.

If you have any doubts, comments, suggestions, or contributions, you can make
them by sending an e-mail to: jezg_84@hotmail.com

Thanks to:

-Gamefaqs (www.gamefaqs.com), for publishing my guide.

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6.- Copyright

Copyright (c) 2001, Ethan84. All rights reserved. This work may not be
published without my permission. It may only be used for personal purposes.