Screenshots
Stack Columns
宝石方块：Stack
Stack Columns is a puzzle game released by Sega in 1994 for arcades. Players manage falling sets of three colored gems arranged in a vertical column. The objective is to match three or more gems of the same color either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally to clear them from the playfield. Rotating the order of gems within each falling column is the core mechanic. As the game progresses, gems fall faster and the playfield fills more quickly, increasing the challenge. Stack Columns supports competitive two-player mode, allowing head-to-head play on adjacent screens. The game features multiple stages with increasing difficulty and a score-based progression system. Sega built the gameplay on mechanics familiar from the original Columns series but added the stacking twist.
- Developer
- Sega
- Released
- 1994
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Puzzle
- Rating
- 4.8 / 5 (4.5K)
- Last updated
Stack Columns Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for Stack Columns on our in-browser Arcade 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 |
|---|---|---|
| ↑ | Joystick Up | Move up |
| ↓ | Joystick Down | Move down |
| ← | Joystick Left | Move left |
| → | Joystick Right | Move right |
| X | Button 1 | Primary action (jump / confirm) |
| Z | Button 2 | Secondary action (attack / cancel) |
| S | Button 3 | Tertiary action |
| A | Button 4 | Quaternary action |
| Q | Button 5 | Fifth button |
| W | Button 6 | Sixth button |
| 5 | Insert Coin | Insert coin |
| 1 | 1P Start | Start / Pause |
Coin and Start are convention "Insert Coin: 5" and "1P Start: 1". Some arcade boards expect specific button mappings — check the in-game prompts on coin-up.
Rebind any key from the EmulatorJS in-game settings menu (gear icon → Controls). A connected gamepad auto-maps to the same buttons.
Stack Columns Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of Stack Columns on Arcade before you dive in — recommended for getting a feel for the game's pacing, story beats, and difficulty curve.
Watch longplay on YouTube
"Stack Columns" Arcade longplay 1994
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Stack Columns released?
Stack Columns was released in 1994 for the Arcade.
Who developed Stack Columns?
Stack Columns was developed by Sega, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
What type of game is Stack Columns?
Stack Columns is a Puzzle game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play Stack Columns for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — Stack Columns runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play Stack Columns in the browser?
No. Stack Columns streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in Stack Columns?
Yes. Save states are stored in your browser (IndexedDB) per game, and you can also use any in-game save the original Arcade cartridge supported.
Does Stack Columns work on mobile devices?
Yes — the Arcade emulator runs on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. Touch controls overlay the game; landscape mode is recommended.
Is it legal to play Stack Columns this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of Stack Columns. 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.
