Hardcore gamers that we are, it’s not often we sit down and consider the game that our moms, grandmas, or great-aunts have been playing for years. Yes, I’m talking about the Grandpappy of casual games, the big mamba-jamba, the original: PopCap’s Bejeweled.
Bejeweled hasn’t changed much over the years, and that’s because it hasn’t needed to. Even with the sequel, Bejeweled 2, not a whole lot was added because the formula just worked. Bejeweled arguably invented the casual game genre. Before Bejeweled took over office and home computers everywhere, the only time-waster was Microsoft Solitaire. Because of Bejeweled (in its original incarnation, a Flash-based game,) Macromedia Flash became entrenched as a platform for web-based gaming. Bejeweled is serious business. With such a grand and storied ancestry, Bejeweled 3 has a lot to live up to.
I admit that I wasn’t exactly excited to review Bejeweled 3. While I do enjoy colorful and compelling casual games as much as the next person, I just never got into the “match 3” genre. Bejeweled bored me. Still, I have a good relationship with our friends over at PopCap, and I felt like I should at least give it a fair shake.
The newest entry to the franchise has full support for true high-def shininess: up to 1920×1200 resolution, with 3D acceleration support. Of course, if all you have is a non-gaming laptop, it’ll still work, it just won’t have all the new ultra -special effects. It also has a quest mode with several new game types.
There are all kinds of new 3D effects for high-end computers
Bejeweled 3 still contains the original “Classic” game mode, where you simply match three gems at a time in an attempt to get more and more combos until you reach the limit that takes you to the next level. You are playing for high score here, and there is no time limit. You can, however, get to a point where there are no valid moves, which is when your game ends. You can build special gems to help you along your journey, such as exploding gems, lightning gems, and “Hypercubes” which destroy all gems of a single color. Connect two Hypercubes together for the ultimate “all clear” nuke; it’s a sight to behold.
When you beat a level in Classic, the whole board shatters in a most satisfying manner
Classic can get boring, though. To that end, PopCap has given us a new Quest mode which brings all sorts of new gametypes to the table, and this is where things get interesting.
The quest mode brings many game types to the table. In “alchemy” you have to flip tiles, in “balance” you have to balance the number of blue matches you make with the number of red matches you make, and so on. There are tons of different game types here.
In addition to the Quest mode there are four all-new game types, which are Butterflies, Diamond Mine, Poker, and Ice Storm:
- Butterflies: Certain jewels are “butterflies” and move towards the top with every turn. There is a spider at the top who will eat them. You have to make sure they don’t reach the top by making matches with them or clearing the stack below them so they fall back down. It gets hairy, trust me.
- Diamond Mine: My favorite mode. You have to make matches at the bottom that clear the soil and dig up treasures. A short time clock for each level ensures frantic and stressful action.
- Poker: Ugh. Frustrating, intense, and very difficult. Make matches like Poker hands. Get pairs, full houses, or flushes to get major points.
- Ice Storm: The most stressful of all modes. Ice quickly rises up the columns and you have to make matches in those columns to make the ice floe go back down. It goes fast.
Playing through the quest mode and the new game modes will get you badges, which are achievements to brag about, trust me. They’re not easy to get.
Some of the platinum and elite badges are pure madness to get
After you’ve stressed out on the craziness that is Balance, Ice Storm, and Butterflies, you can take a chill with “Zen Mode.”
Zen mode is a bit creepy. It has ambient breathing modulator sounds so you can regulate your breathing. It can do affirmations, and not the Jack Handey-style ones… these are legit (read: hippie and weird) self-help type of snippets such as “I am not what I eat” and “I am beautiful”. They appear briefly on the bottom of the screen… I guess it’s supposed to be some kind of subliminal thing. I found it contrived and way too house-wifey for my tastes. Luckily, you can turn them off.
Not an easy one to get, trust me.
Overall, for $19.95, you get quite a bit of casual game here. If you are looking for a great time-waster, pick-up-and-go with no commitment, Bejeweled 3 may be up your alley. Even the grumpy “I don’t like match 3” folks like me can find something to enjoy here. Just ask my roommates and kids, as every time they walked by my computer for the last few weeks they saw me playing it.
Wait… I guess that says it all.
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