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PopCap revamps Bejeweled on iOS, sends Bejeweled Blitz freemium
Very similar to the way EA has revamped its Tetris app recently, PopCap Games (now owned by EA) has decided to revamp its Bejeweled offerings on the iPhone, taking the various versions of the world's brightest match-3 game gem and concentrating them down into a few offerings. There will be two Bejeweled games on the App Store after all is said and done. Bejeweled Blitz is going to go to a freemium model where players can earn coins to unlock content (or just buy it outright via in-app purchase); the app will also take advantage of full Facebook integration. Bejeweled 2 is being reinvented as Bejeweled for iPhone and iPod touch, featuring three gameplay modes, full Retina Display graphics, and a host of various social and profile features. Bejeweled for iPhone will be 99 cents on the App Store. I've been waiting for PopCap to release Bejeweled 3 on the iPhone, but it looks like this is the best we're getting -- the new app has a Zen mode in it, plus all the achievements and ranking the latest PC game comes with. Odds are that if PopCap is bringing other updates to the iOS version, it'll be through this app, not through an official Bejeweled 3 port. Interesting that there's no iPad coverage yet, either -- I for one wouldn't mind playing Bejeweled on my iPad, too. But it certainly seems like PopCap and EA are getting their ducks in a row before the holidays, laying out out their biggest properties so they can be found (and purchased) by players with shiny new iPhones and iPads.
TUAW's Daily Mac App: Bejeweled 3
Fancy an addictive, fun, casual game for your Mac? Look no further than the classic Bejeweled, now back in its third iteration on the Mac. Played either in full screen or windowed, the standard game hasn't changed, you still match three or more gems in a row to clear them from the board. There are four different play modes to choose from: classic, which you just match the gems until you can't make any more moves, levelling up as you go; Zen, where the board is shaken up if you can't move; Lightning, where you have to match against the clock; and Quest, where you have to complete a set task or puzzle to progress. Four secret modes are also available to unlock like Poker, a cross between gem matching and the classic card game, which are unlocked by playing the four regular game types. Bejeweled 3 has all sorts of fancy gems, which explode, zap and annihilate the gems, while the explosions and sound effects are joined by an announcer who blasts out "Excellent" and "Awesome" when you get on a roll. The game even has a fairly decent midi sound track to it. If you're a fan, the whole experience really draws you in so be prepared to waste a good hour or two before you know it. As with most modern games Bejeweled 3 also comes with achievements in the form of 20 badges to collect, including five "Elite" badges, while you can level up with experience points gained from playing each of the games. Bejeweled 3 is available from the Mac App Store for the rather dear US$19.99, but if you've played the free online version and want the ads gone and a native experience, Bejeweled 3 for Mac delivers in droves and there's even a free trial to test it out.
Bejeweled 3 (probably) coming to iOS
Here's some good (if obvious) news to kick off your weekend right. PopCap Games' Garth Chouteau says in a recent interview that yes, in case you were wondering, they will probably bring Bejeweled 3 to iOS. The latest version of the original gem-matching masterpiece was released on PC a while back, but many players held off in order to buy it on iPhone and iPad. Chouteau says that while "we're traditionally somewhat slow to adapt our games to other platforms after launching them on PC/Mac... Bejeweled 3 for iPhone/iPad is probably something we'll do...eventually...!" I can't say I blame PopCap for taking its time -- of course they want to sell copies of the desktop app, and with a game as simple as Bejeweled, I'd imagine most people would rather play it in a mobile form. But even though they go slow, PopCap eventually hits as many platforms as possible, so we'll see Bejeweled 3 on iOS at some point. The company is organizing a meetup at the Game Developers' Conference in San Francisco later this month so perhaps "eventually" will be sooner than we think. I'll be there in person, and if there are any new iOS games to speak of you'll be the first to know.
