Columns III
Columns III remains one of the finest puzzle experiences on the Sega Genesis. Its innovative design and addictive gameplay have earned it a permanent place in gaming history.
- Developer
- Tokai Engineering
- Released
- 1993
- Platform
- Mega Drive
- Genre
- Puzzle
- Players
- 5P
- Rating
- 4.3 / 5 (653)
- Last updated
Columns III Controls — Mega Drive Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for Columns III on our in-browser Mega Drive emulator. Plug in a USB or Bluetooth gamepad to auto-detect mappings, or rebind any key from the emulator settings menu.
| Keyboard | Console button | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| ↑ | D-Pad Up | Move up |
| ↓ | D-Pad Down | Move down |
| ← | D-Pad Left | Move left |
| → | D-Pad Right | Move right |
| X | A | Primary action (jump / confirm) |
| Z | B | Secondary action (attack / cancel) |
| S | C | Tertiary action |
| A | X | Quaternary action |
| Q | Y | Fifth button |
| W | Z | Sixth button |
| Enter | Start | Start / Pause |
These bindings cover the 6-button Mega Drive controller. Most older titles only use buttons A/B/C; the extra X/Y/Z buttons matter for Street Fighter II and other 6-button fighters.
Rebind any key from the EmulatorJS in-game settings menu (gear icon → Controls). A connected gamepad auto-maps to the same buttons.
Columns III Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of Columns III on Mega Drive before you dive in — recommended for getting a feel for the game's pacing, story beats, and difficulty curve.
Watch longplay on YouTube
"Columns III" Mega Drive longplay 1993
Columns III Cheat Codes
30 community-curated cheats for Columns III. Tick any to activate them automatically when you click "Play with cheats" — or copy a code into your own emulator.
-
5 points needed to attack opponent
A1ZA-AAA0+A1ZA-AABA+A1ZA-AABN -
6 points needed to attack opponent
A5ZA-AAA0+A5ZA-AABA+A5ZA-AABN -
7 points needed to attack opponent
A9ZA-AAA0+A9ZA-AABA+A9ZA-AABN -
8 points needed to attack opponent
BDZA-AAA0+BDZA-AABA+BDZA-AABN -
9 points needed to attack opponent
BHZA-AAA0+BHZA-AABA+BHZA-AABN -
15 points needed to attack opponent
B9ZA-AAA0+B9ZA-AABA+B9ZA-AABN -
20 points needed to attack opponent
CXZA-AAA0+CXZA-AABA+CXZA-AABN -
Attacks always remove 1 row
P5ZA-BGV2 -
Attacks always remove 2 rows
P5ZA-BLV2 -
Attacks always remove 3 rows
P5ZA-BRV2 -
Attacks always remove 4 rows
P5ZA-BWV2 -
Attacks always remove 5 rows
P5ZA-B0V2
Show 18 more cheats Show fewer
-
Attacks always remove 6 rows
P5ZA-B4V2 -
Attacks always remove 7 rows
P5ZA-B8V2 -
Attacks always remove 8 rows
P5ZA-BCV2 -
Attacks always add 1 row
PXZA-BEWL -
Attacks always add 2 rows
PXZA-BJWL -
Attacks always add 3 rows
PXZA-BNWL -
Attacks always add 4 rows
PXZA-BTWL -
Attacks always add 5 rows
PXZA-BYWL -
Attacks always add 6 rows
PXZA-B2WL -
Attacks always add 7 rows
PXZA-B6WL -
Attacks always add 8 rows
PXZA-BAWL -
Magic stone Dump adds 1 row to enemy instead of 2
P5ZA-BEYG -
Magic stone Dump adds 3 rows to enemy
P5ZA-BNYG -
Magic stone "Dump" adds 4 rows to enemy
P5ZA-BTYG -
Magic stone Dump adds 5 rows to enemy
P5ZA-BYYG -
Magic stone "Dump" adds 6 rows to enemy
P5ZA-B2YG -
Magic stone "Dump" adds 7 rows to enemy
P5ZA-B6YG -
Magic stone "Dump" adds 8 rows to enemy
P5ZA-BAYG
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Columns III released?
Columns III was released in 1993 for the Mega Drive.
Who developed Columns III?
Columns III was developed by Tokai Engineering, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
How many players does Columns III support?
Columns III supports up to 5 players, ideal for couch co-op or competitive sessions on the Mega Drive.
What type of game is Columns III?
Columns III is a Puzzle game for the Mega Drive, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play Columns III for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — Columns III runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play Columns III in the browser?
No. Columns III streams from a public archive into a browser-side Mega Drive emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in Columns III?
Yes. Save states are stored in your browser (IndexedDB) per game, and you can also use any in-game save the original Mega Drive cartridge supported.
Does Columns III work on mobile devices?
Yes — the Mega Drive emulator runs on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. Touch controls overlay the game; landscape mode is recommended.
Is it legal to play Columns III this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of Columns III. Game files are fetched on demand from publicly-accessible archives. You are responsible for compliance with your local laws and the bring-your-own-ROM principle.
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