Bejeweled 3 Review

There’s something enormously satisfying about lining up and knocking  things down in the name of entertainment: dominoes, tenpins,  pedestrians… Well, maybe not the pedestrians [i beg to differ - Ed.],  but you get the idea. Nearly a decade ago, PopCap must have realised  they were onto a winner with Bejeweled. It wasn’t the first Match 3 game  out there but the simple, addictive little puzzler soon found its way  into the hearts and handhelds of casual gamers everywhere. We were  treated to further enhancements in Bejeweled 2 and Bejeweled Twist, and  most Facebook dabblers will be aware of the high octane blast that is  Bejeweled Blitz. In December Santa brought us Bejeweled 3, so we were  keen to see whether PopCap had managed to make a good thing even better.

For the benefit of those unfamiliar with the genre, the purpose of Match  3 games is to swap one tile (or gem, in this case) with an adjacent one  to form a row of three identical gems, which removes them from the  board. New gems drop in from the top as you play, and matches of four or  more produce ‘power gems’, which can be used to destroy gems in bulk –  often in spectacular fashion. Strategy plays an important role, however  there’s also a fair amount of luck involved, since you don’t know what  will be dropping in next. A seemingly humble three tile match can result  in a screen clearing chain reaction (cascade) of epic proportions.

The game is comprised of four main modes, with four unlockable modes.  While they all involve gem matching in some form or another, each is  different enough that it could be a complete game in its own right. Some  modes, such as Lightning and Quest, feature unique gem types.

The best thing about Classic mode is that it comes with no strings  attached. There’s no time limit, no storyline to keep track of, and no  increasingly difficult layouts; it’s just you and a grid full of gems.  What you do get is an instant replay button to savour your most  spectacular feats in glorious slow mo; and plenty of positive feedback  providing further proof of your gem matching awesomeness. Having such  praise heaped upon you is a surefire cure for even the crappiest day at  the office.

Lightning mode is very similar to Bejeweled Blitz, where the object is  to accumulate as many points as possible within a one minute time limit.  You can buy extra precious seconds by matching certain tiles, but  eventually you’ll crash and burn. The pace and pressure of this mode is  enormous, and as the name implies, lightning quick reflexes are  required.

Quest Mode incorporates a mixture of timed and un-timed mini games –  each with a specific objective, such as clearing a minimum number of  gems within a set number of moves, or clearing an equal number of red  and blue gems without upsetting a delicately balanced pair of weights.  Some of the mini games are easy, while some are challenging enough to  require several attempts. Further stages in the quest are unlocked as  you play, and you can replay the individual games once the quest is  completed; however there’s no real incentive to do so.

Zen mode is one of our favourites. Essentially an updated, ‘New Age’  version of the Endless mode found in Bejeweled 2, it is excellent for  chillaxing without the pressure of a time limit or the risk of running  out of moves. We particularly liked the optional extras, such as the  ambient sounds, and the mantras which appear onscreen as positive  textual affirmations. The breath modulation option encourages you to  synchronise your breathing with the audio and/or visual prompt. You may  scoff at seeing the instructions to “breathe in… breathe out” (we did),  but breath control is a known relaxation technique. The jury is out on  the binaural beats, however, the use of which comes with a health  warning. Apparently some people can experience muscle twitches,  dizziness and hallucinations. For us, the feature was simply a  headache-inducing background noise, which interfered with our  concentration and enjoyment. Thankfully you can choose which of these  options – if any – you wish to include in your Zen experience.

And if four very different themes weren’t enough for you, time spent  playing each of the main modes unlocks four further modes: Butterflies,  Poker, Diamond Mine, and Ice Storm. The latter two are timed and the  former require some careful strategy to remain in play as long as  possible. Variations of each feature as mini games in Quest mode. There  are also badges to collect for specific achievements, such as clearing  10 levels in Classic mode, or nailing that elusive six-tile Supernova  gem.

The high-definition graphics are a real treat, with clean lines and  vivid hues in abundance. Layout is simple without being stark, and it’s  easy to distinguish between the individual gems - even in Butterflies  mode, where the gems have different shapes. Swaps and cascades flow  smoothly, and SFX are lavish. A lot of time has been spent creating  pleasing backgrounds, and there’s a neat psychedelic ‘wormhole’ effect  between levels (shades of Doctor Who). Synth-tastic music loops  seamlessly between a number of tracks, each with its own distinctive  melodic and rhythmic theme. No doubt about it, in the audio-visual  department, Bejeweled 3 is one slick production.

Is it worth investing in? We think so. There are plenty of similarities  between the latest and previous incarnations, but PopCap have achieved  their brief of introducing innovative ideas while maintaining the  classic Bejeweled gameplay we know and love. It’s the kind of game  you’ll go back to again and again, spending far longer than the quick  five minutes you originally intended. Well recommended… and not just for  the casual gamer. Bejeweled 3 is available as a download for around $25  and in some stores for around $30.