Hanagumi Taisen Columns
Encyclopedia
is a falling-blocks puzzle video game developed by Sega
in 1997, as a spin-off from Sakura Wars
and Columns
series. The game was released in Japan
for Sega Saturn
and ST-V arcade board.
As an added bonus, while playing you can perform attacks against your opponent similar to the special attacks in the Sakura Wars series. You can also eliminate some of the lower gems in your area. These can both be performed after creating enough gem chains to fill up your super meter. You can also store your attacks to make them even more powerful the next time you fill the meter. At the third storage, you must either attack or erase some of your gems.
The game ends when either you or your opponent's gem area is filled to the top, leaving no room for more gems.
With every character you complete the arcade mode with you will receive a full screen image portraying your character as Cinderella alongside Ichiro. These can be viewed in the options menu.
There is also a separate story mode in which you as Ichiro go around the Imperial Theatre (similar to the FREE mode in the Sakura Wars games) along with your chosen partner playing random games of Columns against the other members of the Troupe. Just like the arcade mode, when completing the story mode, you are given a special full screen image of the character you completed the story with, which can be viewed in the option menu.
There is also a one-player classic mode of Columns where you simply play as long as you can without filling up the screen with gems. Also in one-player mode is a Challenge mode, in which you are given certain challenges to fulfill in a certain time limit.
The game also features a two-player versus mode.
. Whenever you play a game of Columns, the music played is usually the instrumental theme song of the character you are facing.
The opening theme song is the first part (before the lyrics start) of the opening theme from Sakura Wars (1), "Geki! Teikoku Kagekidan". The game's ending theme is a shortened version of the end theme of Sakura Wars (1), "Hanasaku Otome".
Sakura Wars Columns 2 features similar gameplay options as its predecessor such as arcade mode, story mode, versus mode as well as a challenge mode.
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
in 1997, as a spin-off from Sakura Wars
Sakura Wars
is a Japanese media franchise created by Ouji Hiroi, and is developed and owned by Sega and licensed by Red Entertainment and Sega. The franchise centers on a series of dramatic fantasy and science-fantasy tactical role-playing adventure video games, which consist of tactical wargame and dating sim...
and Columns
Columns (video game)
is a puzzle video game, first created in 1989 by Jay Geertsen. Early versions of the game were made and ported among early computer platforms, and then the Atari ST, until 1990, when Jay Geertsen sold the rights to Sega, where it was ported to several Sega consoles.-Description:The game takes...
series. The game was released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
for Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
and ST-V arcade board.
Gameplay
The game plays like the classic Columns game series, except you get the privilege of playing as members of the Imperial Floral Assault Troupe. Each member has their own strengths and weaknesses as pertains to playing.As an added bonus, while playing you can perform attacks against your opponent similar to the special attacks in the Sakura Wars series. You can also eliminate some of the lower gems in your area. These can both be performed after creating enough gem chains to fill up your super meter. You can also store your attacks to make them even more powerful the next time you fill the meter. At the third storage, you must either attack or erase some of your gems.
The game ends when either you or your opponent's gem area is filled to the top, leaving no room for more gems.
Characters
The following characters are available to play as:- Sakura Shinguji
- Sumire Kanzaki
- Maria Tachibana
- Iris Chateaubriand
- Ri Kohran
- Kanna Kirishima
- Yuri, Kasumi, Tsubaki (As a team, "Wind Division") (Unlockable)
- Ayame Fujieda (Unlockable)
- Ikki Yoneda (Unlockable)
Game modes
In the game you can play as any of the members of the Imperial Floral Assault troupe that were featured in the original Sakura Wars game. In the arcade mode (aka "Cinderella Mode"), you face off against every other member in a match of columns. The story behind the arcade mode is that every member is fighting over who gets the lead role in the upcoming play of "Cinderella" to play opposite of Ichiro Ohgami (who will play the prince). The losers of the games get bit parts, such as a tree or the wicked stepsisters, to name a few.With every character you complete the arcade mode with you will receive a full screen image portraying your character as Cinderella alongside Ichiro. These can be viewed in the options menu.
There is also a separate story mode in which you as Ichiro go around the Imperial Theatre (similar to the FREE mode in the Sakura Wars games) along with your chosen partner playing random games of Columns against the other members of the Troupe. Just like the arcade mode, when completing the story mode, you are given a special full screen image of the character you completed the story with, which can be viewed in the option menu.
There is also a one-player classic mode of Columns where you simply play as long as you can without filling up the screen with gems. Also in one-player mode is a Challenge mode, in which you are given certain challenges to fulfill in a certain time limit.
The game also features a two-player versus mode.
Music
The game features mostly recycled music from the first Sakura Wars game composed by Kohei TanakaKohei Tanaka
Kohei Tanaka may refer to:* Kohei Tanaka , Japanese composer* Kohei Tanaka , Japanese footballer...
. Whenever you play a game of Columns, the music played is usually the instrumental theme song of the character you are facing.
The opening theme song is the first part (before the lyrics start) of the opening theme from Sakura Wars (1), "Geki! Teikoku Kagekidan". The game's ending theme is a shortened version of the end theme of Sakura Wars (1), "Hanasaku Otome".
- The end theme, "Hanasaku Otome" can be listened to if the Sega Saturn game disc is placed in a CD player.
Sequel
The game has a sequel on the Dreamcast (JP) system. Just as this game is based on the first Sakura Wars game, Sakura Wars Columns 2 is based on the second game in the series and features new characters such as Kaede Fujieda, Orihime Soletta and Reni Milchstraße.Sakura Wars Columns 2 features similar gameplay options as its predecessor such as arcade mode, story mode, versus mode as well as a challenge mode.