As part of the ongoing Sega Ages series on Switch, Ichidant-R and Columns II are hitting Western shores for the first time. Both of the classic titles are available today for 7.99 USD, exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. While previous entries in the Sega Ages catalog have focused on bringing over entries in well-loved franchises, today's move gets a little deeper into Sega's catalog.
The only Columns game to never get a release stateside is now available in English. Columns II: The Voyage Through Time is functionally unchanged from the legendary Columns, the match-three gameplay where you match gems, fossils, and disks in order to progress through levels. Columns II does come with a few neat pack-ins as well, such as a versus mode where two players play on one Switch, sitting across from one another, or the "Flash Columns" mode where you can unlock new characters. Though its predecessor spawned countless imitators and clones as well as being the Sega Game Gear pack-in, Columns II never quite enjoyed the same success.
The other game coming as part of this dual release is Ichidant-R. A wacky minigame collection that was originally only available in arcades, it would later get ported to the Game Gear, Mega Drive, and Saturn, though only in Japan. The second in the Puzzle & Action series, it sports a medieval theme for the two player characters, though the minigames are anything but. Its arrival on the Switch brings with it four-player local play, or two-player online play.
Some of the next games set to come to the Switch include Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Shinobi, G-LOC: Air Battle, and Herzog Zwei. If anything, the Sega Ages series allows Sega to flex some of their expansive, curated catalog on the most popular console currently. Usually coming packed with several features to boost longevity, Sega's attitude, and M2's impeccable emulation work have made Sega Ages a success. Ichidant-R and Columns II are available now for download on the Switch.
What do you think of Sega bringing games westward that never were released under the Sega Ages banner? Do you plan on picking up either of these? Let us know in the comments below!
