Bejeweled
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Bejeweled (or Diamond Mine) is a popular puzzle game first developed as a browser-based game by PopCap Software in 2001.
The rectangular area of play starts filled with colored jewels. The player must swap adjacent jewels to get three or more jewels of the same color to line up horizontally or vertically. When that happens, the player earns points, the lined-up jewels disappear and are replaced with new jewels that fall from the top of the screen. The player can only swap jewels if it results in three or more jewels lining up. The game is very much like Tetris Attack.
The game was an incredible success for PopCap, which had only formed in 2000. PopCap created partnerships with well established Internet gaming sites such as Microsoft Gaming Zone to host Bejeweled as well. The game has also been ported to other platforms, including Bejeweled Deluxe for Microsoft Windows. Astraware has produced Bejeweled for PDAs on the PalmOS, PocketPC and Smartphone platforms.
Recently, skill games like Bejeweled have been retooled for head-to-head gaming sites like SkillJam. Players can play in "vs." games for cash prizes or join tournaments. The popularity of such sites is linked to the fact that skill gaming for cash in the U.S. is not considered gambling—as winning does not rely on chance. Many online casinos have begun to create skill gaming sites to complement existing properties and to provide more advertising oppurtunities.
In 2004 Bejeweled 2 Deluxe was released, adding extra game modes and features to the game.
See also
External links
- PopCap Games (http://www.popcap.com/index.php)
- Bejeweled for PDAs (http://www.astraware.com/all/default/bejeweled)