Bejeweled: Deluxe

aka: Bejeweled, Diamond Mine
Moby ID: 5095
Windows Specs
Buy on Windows
$0.99 new on Steam

Description official description

Goal

The object of the game is to score as many points as possible by swapping adjacent gems to create sets, either horizontal or vertical, of 3 or more identical gems.

Controls

Swap any two adjacent gems by clicking on one, then the one you want to swap it with. The gems must be adjacent vertically or horizontally (not diagonally).

You must create a valid set of three or more identical gems with each move, or the gems will revert back to their original position.

Sets can be either horizontal or vertical, and can contain more than 3 gems. When you have successfully created a set, they will disappear and new gems will fall into place, possibly creating a chain reaction or 'cascade' of more sets.

You can also swap gems by clicking on one, then dragging it in the direction you want to swap. This can be faster and more efficient once you're used to it!

Hints

You can get a Hint at any time by clicking the purple Hint button on the left-hand control bar. This will cause a gem onscreen to flash briefly, indicating that it can be used to create a set.

However, every time you use the Hint button, you will lose points!

In Timetrial mode, you will also lose several seconds of time.

Options

The Options are accessible from the first game selection screen, or by clicking the Menu button while playing the game. They include:

* Music Volume and Sound Effects: you can adjust these volume sliders separately to fit your preferences. * Fullscreen: If this is checked, Bejeweled Deluxe will use your entire computer screen. If it is not checked, Bejeweled Deluxe will be played in a window. It’s up to you to decide which you prefer. * Custom Cursors: If this box is checked, you will see special custom Bejeweled Deluxe cursors in the game rather than Windows standard cursors. If you have a special theme installed that changes your Windows cursors, you may need to activate this option to see the cursor properly in the game. * Help: This will show you instructions on how to play Bejeweled Deluxe. * High Scores: This will show you your best scores in both normal and timetrial modes.

Game Modes

You can play Bejeweled in either Normal or Timetrial mode. Switch modes by clicking the appropriate button on the left-hand control bar. You will have to abandon your game in progress to switch game modes.

Normal Mode

In Normal mode, there is no timer and you can take as long as you like to make each move. The game will end when there are no more available moves.

Every set or cascade you create will cause the Bonus Bar at the bottom of the screen to increment upwards. When the Bonus Bar is full, you will proceed to the next level.

Each successive level increases the value of all sets and combos!

Timetrial Mode

Timetrial mode is for experienced Bejeweled players who want a fast-paced challenge. In Timetrial, the Bonus Bar at the bottom of the screen continually counts down towards zero. When it hits the bottom, your game is over.

You can replenish the Bonus Bar by creating sets and combos. The bigger the combo or cascade, the more the Bonus Bar will be regenerated.

Filling the Bonus Bar will take you to the next level. Sets and combos are worth more on each successive level, but the timer will also count down much faster!

You can press any key to pause the game while playing Timetrial.

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Credits (Windows version)

13 People

Game Design
Programming
Business Management
Art
Music
QA
Uses ogglib, Copyright (c) 2002 by
  • Xiph.org Foundation
Uses pnglib, Copyright (c) 1998, 1999 by
Uses zlib, (C) 1995-1998 by

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 71% (based on 8 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.4 out of 5 (based on 39 ratings with 1 reviews)

Much more than just a 'Tetris'-clone, 'Bejeweled' is a great new take on the whole 'falling blocks' thing.

The Good

'Bejeweled' is almost certain to become a classic puzzle game. It has all the right elements: it's simple to learn, fun to play, and difficult to master. The premise is simple enough: you have a field of multi-colored jewels (a la 'Columns'). You can switch any jewel with a jewel adjacent to it, as long as that move results in a row of three or more like-colored jewels. That row disappears, and jewels fall from above to fill in the gaps (a la 'Tetris' and every other falling block game). The game ends when you have no more moves left that would allow you to produce a row of three. Simple enough, huh?

But, this is not just another 'Tetris' clone. You advance to the next level by attaining a certain number of points, which fill a bar at the bottom of the screen. When the bar is full, you progress to the next level. Each level requires twice as many points as the last to progress. At the higher levels it can be very difficult to rack up enough points to continue without making combos. Combos, as in 'Tetris', result when falling jewels cause rows of three, which disappear, causing more jewels to fall, which cause more rows of three, and so on, racking up points very quickly. This is where the strategy element of the game comes into play. It is really important to map out what jewels are going to end up where after your planned move.

The regular game is not timed, so it has a very different feel than a more frantic falling block style game. 'Bejeweled' is much more contemplative, even somewhat reminiscent of Go and Mahjong. There is a timed game as well, in which the progress bar falls throughout the round, and you must clear jewels to make it climb again.

This game is shareware, so a person is free to check it out completely before paying for it. I would encourage everyone to register such a quality product, however. It's really a great new take on a classic genre, and I imagine it will appeal to almost everyone who has enjoyed 'Tetris', 'Columns', or any similar game.

**The Bad**

I've really racked my brain to come up with some negatives about the gameplay, but none come to my mind. I've lost a lot of hours of productivity since I've installed 'Bejeweled' on my office PC. I'm sure that's a negative to someone out there, most likely my employer.

**The Bottom Line**

This is a really fun, simple puzzle game that will likely have a lot of mass appeal. It's the kind of game that will have cloned versions of it turning up on cell phones in a few months. There is already a Palm version available.

'Bejeweled' is really a game that everyone should check out. There is nothing to lose, and a great new classic to gain.

Windows · by Entorphane (337) · 2002

Trivia

Gameplay

The gameplay mechanics behind Bejeweled seem heavily inspired by a freeware DOS game called Shariki, created by a Russian student named Yevgeny Alemzhin at Kemerovo University. Although the game is strikingly similar (same rules, same grid size) Alemzhin was never formally credited by either PopCap or King.com.

Sales

Bejeweled has consistently been the most popular game on Microsoft's Gaming Zone for 2001, averaging about 18,000 players at any given time.

As of August 2008, Bejeweled and Bejeweled 2 had sold 25 million units since its launch in 2000. At the same time 350 million copies of the trial version had been downloaded.

Awards

  • Computer Gaming World
    • April 2002 (Issue #213) – Puzzle/Classics Game of the Year
    • May 2005 (Issue #251) – Introduced into the Hall of Fame
  • The Strong National Museum of Play
    • 2020 – Introduced into the World Video Game Hall of Fame

Information also contributed by Entorphane and Kabusi

Analytics

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  • MobyGames ID: 5095
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Contribute

Are you familiar with this game? Help document and preserve this entry in video game history! If your contribution is approved, you will earn points and be credited as a contributor.

Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Kurt Sample.

Xbox added by CalaisianMindthief. J2ME, Dedicated console, Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Android added by Kabushi. Browser, Macintosh added by Xoleras.

Additional contributors: Entorphane, Sciere, Kabushi, BdR, Xuyen Nguyen, Patrick Bregger, SoMuchChaotix.

Game added October 13, 2001. Last modified March 20, 2024.