A lot of great puzzle games are on Xbox Live these days, from the deep strategy of Plants vs. Zombies to the ridiculously addictive Peggle. Before those two, though, we received Bejeweled 2 from PopCap Games, a simple yet instantly replayable gem-matching game that kept us hooked for hours. This week, the company takes the formula to the next level with Bejeweled Blitz Live, and while Bejeweled 3 it is not (we could use that any day now, guys), this is a suitable alternative. Rather than follow the same pattern as Bejeweled 2, Blitz Live works more on a “twitch” level. Either playing in classic or Twist mode, you’ve got one minute to rack up the best score possible before time runs out. You do this by matching up three gems or more, chaining together combos and destroying “power” gems with score multipliers and elimination abilities. So what are the differences between classic and Twist?
Classic is the “swap one” style of play, where you highlight a gem on the playfield and move it a certain direction, depending on which button you press. Y moves up, A moves down, and so forth. Twist, on the other hand, rotates four gems in a clockwise or counter-clockwise motion, and also doesn’t shift pieces back if they’re out of place. These allow you to set up more elaborate combos, though it takes precious seconds to do so. The choice is yours. Either way you go, Bejeweled Blitz Live plays very well. Utilizing multiple movements with button presses is the smart way to go, as you’re less prone to make errors than you were with just the analog stick. You’ll be addicted in minutes, and shooting for a high score soon thereafter. And that’s where Blitz Live’s biggest aspect comes into play – online support. Leaderboards are continuously updated with high scores between you and your friends, and you can also take part in online duels against fellow players. (It’s playable off-line as well.)
But the best way to go is with the 16-player online Party Mode, where you compete with others and watch the lead constantly shift between high scorers. We love it. The rest of Bejeweled Blitz is just above average. The playfield is easy to see, as are the scoreboards and menu options, but it’s a little plain compared to the stellar backgrounds used in Bejeweled 2. The music’s okay, but since each round only lasts a minute, it doesn’t change often enough to make it worth hunting down the MP3’s. The sound effects are great, particularly the female announcer who warns you how much time you have left. If you’re a dedicated Bejeweled player or you’re looking for a great party game to tackle with your friends, Bejeweled Blitz Live is a smart choice. It’s only 800 Microsoft points ($10), and well worth every penny as you gain new skills and bump up your score into the stratosphere. And we gotta get back to it. Like now.
