Bejeweled Twist

Still, some people might overlook these kinds of games because they can be played in minimized windows and don’t require powerful computers to run them. The music sounds like a yoga session, and there aren’t even any characters. It’s just pure puzzling with some excellent modes and few other frills. Sometimes that’s all you need. Personally, I’d usually take random gem swapping over dull bad guy shooting. Unless, of course, the bad guy shooting is done really well. That usually isn’t that case though.

There's certainly more to juggle in Bejeweled Twist, and more than a few ways to play, especially for those looking for a tougher challenge or a high score to beat. Still, it's hard to imagine legions of casual gamers permanently abandoning Bejeweled's tried-and-true simplicity for this shiny new bauble. Nobody really gushes about the many failed, forgotten versions of Tetris we've played all these years. Sometimes a simple set of rules are all a gamer really needs.

Bejeweled Twist is an entirely playable casual game -- even enjoyable -- but it does not pop in the same way as the original Bejeweled games. The new rotation mechanic slows the game down to a degree. Yes, it adds a strategy element to the game that did not exist in previous editions, but that works against the "instant accessibility" factor that's essential for casual games. If you do stick with the game until the rotation becomes second nature, the amount of content will keep you playing for weeks. But you'll never be frighteningly hooked. You can put the game aside at a moment's notice. And that's a real first for a PopCap game.

Despite the silly roulette wheel thing, it's still addictive. I've played it for hours. The other night I was sitting opposite someone and I realised instead of listening to what they were saying, I was wondering what would happen if I rotated their facial features clockwise. And yes, I've been going to sleep at night playing the game in my head. These are all signs of a good puzzler. But thanks to that daft roulette wheel, Bejeweled Twist stops just short of being great.

This game will grow on you, push you to continuously beat your score and between all of its game modes offers virtually unlimited replayability. Is it a refreshingly different as Peggle? No. This is Bejeweled folks, just with a new “twist.” Yes, perhaps we expected more after all this time but the PopCap magic is indeed here – it might just take you a while to find it.