General FAQ ----------- Intro ----- Aussie Gamer here, this Columns Crown FAQ for Gameboy Advance was originally written 05/03/02, or if I was American it would be 03/05/02. This is just a short FAQ on what the Magic Gems are, and a short description taken from the game on what they actually do. Magic Gems are earned in all three Survival, VS-CPU Mode and Flash Columns game modes, and are used in the VS-CPU Mode. I'll also give a few tips on how to claim some gems, techniques and post high scores if people get into it. If you would like to contribute to this FAQ, then e-mail me at my public e-mail address which is: steve3456@hotmail.com and you will get mentioned on this very FAQ! How cool is that!? Now on to the guide. Contents -------- 1. Magic Gem List 2. Tips - Survival Mode - VS-CPU Mode 3. Chains and Other Techniques 4. High Scores 5. Outro 1.Magic Gem List R = Requirement of jewels removed ---------------- 1. Barrier - Creates a one-time defensive shield. R: 39. 2. Copy - Copies the rival's magic gem power. R: 21. 3. Delete - Clears many jewels from your field. R: 36. 4. Exchange - Switches field with your rivals. R: 42. 5. Freeze - Stops your rival from rotating. R: 18. 6. Gray - Turns your rival's jewels gray. R: 27. 7. Hell - Adds 2 rows to your side and 5 to your opponent's side. R: 48. 8. Invisible - Hides your rival's jewel drops. R: 19. 9. Jynx - Adds 2 rows to you & 4 to your rival. R: 48. 10. Laser - Erases a column of rival's jewels. R: 15. 11. Meteor - Drops black rocks on your rival. R: 32. 12. Nora - Completely clears your field. R: 48. 13. One More - Gives your rival 4-jewel drops. R: 24. 14. Press - Removes three rows from your screen. R: 41. 15. Quake - Shakes up your rival's field. R: 12. 16. Reverse - Turns your rival upside down. R: 18. 17. Speed - Speed's up your rival's drops. R: 12. 18. Triple - Takes away 3 rows from your field. R: 41. 19. Up - Bumps your rival's field up 2 rows. R: 35. 20. Vacuum - Steals bar energy from your rival. R: 33. 21. Wall - Creates a wall in the rival's field. R: 37. 22. X2 - Doubles the next magic gem drop. R: 48. 23. Yellow - Gives you only yellow jewels. R: 26. 24. ??? - Triggers a random gem power. R: 24. 2. Tips ------- Survival Mode ------------- In Survival Mode, here's some ways that'll get you a Magic Gem if you're stuck: 1. Do a 7 chain link or higher. 2. Clear your entire playing area. 3. Get a C rank. 4. Get a B rank. 5. Get an A rank. 6. Clear 9 jewels simultaneously, 3 of each colour. Eg, R = Red, B = Blue, Y = Yellow R In a single jewel drop - BRR YBB YY -------- VS-CPU Mode ------------ A fast victory against the computer opponents wil earn you more gems. Here's a real good tip for a quick victory. Earn the "Exchange" gem in one the other two modes, as well as either "Wall", "Speed" or another Gem that makes it difficult for the rival to place jewels. Set the exchange gem at first position, and the other Magic Gems after. Start the match by purposely filling up your play area, whilst getting the occassional jewel match to fill up your bar energy. When your play area is almost full, and with your bar energy almost at the max, make a jewel match to trigger the Magic Gem drop. Make a match with that gem, and BOOM! Your almost- full play area has been swapped with your opponent, and you are the likely victor. The comnputer almost never gets out of it, and to make it harder for your rival, make some more jewel matches to raise your bar energy again. Use one of your other magic gems like "Wall" which blocks part of your rival's play area - it makes it just about impossible to lose. 3. Chains and Other Techniques ------------------------------- Chains ------ Setting up chains is an easy task on easy mode, but with the fast speed of hard mode, can be a bit tricky, especially the more complex 5+ links. Here's a basic guide to setting up a 3 link chain. Key - R = Red B = Blue P = Purple Y = Yellow X = Any, as long as it won't interfere with the chain. Here we go: 1. Get a two coloured drop, and drop it in the first row with the different colour on top. Eg, a double Blue with a Purple. First drop - P B B --------- 2. Next, stack another Blue jewel on top of the Purple. Second drop - X X B P B B --------- 3. Second row drop a jewel, with a Purple in the middle. Third drop - X X B PY BP BY --------- 4. If the outside colours match (both are Yellow), stack a jewel of the same colour on top. Fourth drop - XX XX BY PY BP BY --------- 5. In the third row, put another Purple jewel in the middle. Fifth drop - XX XX BY PYX BPP BYR -------- 6. Whatever the bottom jewel colour is in the third row (Red), make a jewel match. Six and seventh drops - XX XX BY PYXXX BPPXX BYRRR -------- Once you put the last Red jewel in place, a 3 link chain will result, including a cool double jewel match for the last link. If this is set up high in the play area, you can continue adding to the chain. Get a high enough chain reaction and you'll receive a Magic Gem. Ultimates ---------- Don't let the look fool you, they're really not that hard to do. Just keep stacking the jewels until you get the desired colour. Again, X doesn't matter as long as you don't accidentally clear some of your jewels. An ultimate setup using Orange jewels - OX XO XO OX OX XO XOXOX OXXXO --------- Now, you can use an Orange jewel facing down to remove most of the jewels, but what you really want is a double or triple Orange drop, which will clear all Orange jewels - 13, which is I think the most cleared at one time for a single colour. Final result using a double Orange drop - OXOXO XOXOX OXOXO XOXOX OXXXO --------- Then - XXX XXXXX XXXXX ------- Who knows, if you're really lucky (or incredibly skillful) some of the remaining jewels will also match - maybe you'll even score yourself a freak chain. 4. High Scores --------------- E-mail me if you have a best score and I'll post it. And please be honest. Survival: Best Chain: 8 - Aussie Gamer, Bananaman 007 Best Rank: A++ - Aussie Gamer Most Jewels Removed: 2209 - Aussie Gamer VS-CPU Mode: 12'55"21 - Aussie Gamer Just in case anyone's wondering, after I achieved the A++ rank, the Report Card said: "Almost a Columns Master! Now you just have to be one with the jewels". 5. Outro --------- Thanks to Dewater for the Jynx description, and Bananaman 007 for the Hell and Press Magic Gem descriptions. Sega for making this game. This document Copyright 2002. I don't care if you distribute it or whatever, as long as I get credit for it, and you don't sell it. www.gamefaqs.com - www.a2zcheats.com are the only website I give permission to use this FAQ. Columns Crown is a trademark of Sega CO., LTD. Nintendo Gameboy Advance is a trademark of Nintendo CO., LTD. Have a nice day.