Bejeweled
From Casual Games Wiki
| Bejeweled | |
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| Developer(s) | PopCap |
| Publisher(s) | PopCap |
| Distributor(s) | PopCap |
| Release date(s) | 2001 |
| Genre(s) | Puzzle |
| Platform(s) | PC, Mac, cell phone, smartphone, PDA |
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Bejeweled is a popular puzzle game first developed by PopCap in 2001 as a free browser game and later expanded into a deluxe downloadable version. It is the first title in the Bejeweled series and is often credited as one of the pioneering titles in the casual game industry.
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[edit] Description
Bejeweled is played on a grid filled with colored gems. The object of the game is to score points by swapping adjacent gems to create horizontal or vertical groupings with three or more gems of the same color. When a grouping is created, the player earns points, the gems disappear, and new gems fall from above to fill the empty grid squares. When the Bonus Bar at the bottom of the screen is full, players proceed to the next level. Extra points are earned by: creating a "cascade" where two or more sets line up for a chain reaction; creating rows of 4 or 5 gems; completing two or more rows simultaneously. The game ends when there are no valid moves.
In the "Time Trial" mode of the deluxe version, players create matches while a timer is ticking down. When the timer reaches zero, the game ends.
[edit] Background & History
Bejeweled was most likely influenced by the Shariki game, written in 90x by Russian developer Eugene Alemzhin, which had nearly identical gameplay.
Bejeweled, originally a web-based Flash game called Diamond Mine, was an early success among casual players and is often credited as a pioneering title in the casual games industry. Bejeweled was inspired by a simple Java game with the same basic premise, but expanded and enhanced by PopCap's development team.
PopCap licensed the free web version of Bejeweled to Internet gaming sites and later created a deluxe downloadable version. In subsequent years Bejeweled has been ported to many platforms including smart phones, PDAs, cell phones, and CD ROM. On September 12, 2006, Bejeweled was released as one of the first games for the iPod.
Bejeweled was awarded Computer Gaming World’s Puzzle Game of the Year award in 2001 and inducted into the Computer Gaming World Hall of Fame in 2002 as the only puzzle game inductee since Tetris. The popularity of Bejeweled has spawned countless derivative titles, collectively known as "match three" games since they all revolve around the mechanic of creating a three-in-a-row line of identical pieces.
Recently, skill games like Bejeweled have been retooled for head-to-head gaming sites where players can earn cash prizes or join tournaments. Bejeweled has also been adapted as an adver-game for brands such as K9 Advantix.[1]
