Review: Bejeweled Twist (DS)

Puzzlers — By Jeffrey L. Wilson on February 21, 2010 at 1:44 pm

I’m of fairly certain mind that no video game developer wants their product associated with drugs (well, at least publicly), but Popcap’s Bejeweled series, in its many incarnations, has been my equivalent of digital crack. The most recent addiction has been Bejeweled Blitz which has devoured the vast majority of may Facebook time. Forget friends, forget updating the status; there’s not much social networking going on when all you can eat, sleep, and breathe is matching colored shapes.

So when Bejeweled Twist was announced, I was naturally curious. Bejeweled Blitz, after all, is my favorite puzzle game of all time–how could Bejeweled Twist compare? It turns out that it’s remarkably solid, although I still prefer the intense pressure cooker structure of Bejeweled Blitz.

Bejeweled Twist differs from other series’ entries by implementing a radically different gameplay mechanic. Instead of simply swapping adjacent gems, you tap a gem, which causes a circle to form around it and three other gems. Tapping the center of this circle causes the entire group to rotate clockwise so you can align matching colors. Unlike other Bejeweled games, you aren’t required to clear a line of gems with each move, which creates a a more deliberate and calculating game of Bejeweled–perfect for those that found the breakneck pace of Bejeweled Blitz too much to handle.

Still, you can’t ponder forever. Clearing lines fills a bonus meter, and each time you do so you gain a score multiplier that goes up to 10x. Missing a match initially drops your meter progress, and with each subsequent miss drops a whole multiplier.

Special gems now include Flame, Lightning, Fruit, Supernova, Coal and Locked, which Flame burns up surrounding gems and torches nearby Coal; Lightning destroys all gems in its vertical and horizontal row; Fruit clear the field of its color; Supernovas wreck their surrounding 3×3 grid; Locked gems won’t vanish until they are matched.

Bomb gems and Doom gems add spice to the game. They have counters that show how many moves you have left to remove them before they activate. Bomb gems tick down in situations where you make no matches; Doom gems tick down regardless of the situation. When they tick down, they don’t explode right away; instead you’re given a chance to defuse the gem through a roulette-style wheel. If the wheel lands on a regular gem then it’s all good. Otherwise, say bye by.

While the gameplay is extremely tight, the visual don’t quite match up. There’s a certain low-end, grainy quality to the graphic that may be a bit surprising to those used to the smooth visuals seen within the PC versions of Bejeweled. The 3D, polygonal quick cuts between boards are awful, but thankfully they’re kept to a minimum and have zero impact on gameplay.

With five modes available (Classic, Zen, Challenge, Blitz, and Battle), Bejeweled Twist offers plenty of options for DS puzzle fans. It’s a more cerebral take on the Bejweled formula – you may have to think several steps ahead to rak up big scores – but for those that prefer that more low-key style of play, it will make for a compelling purchase.

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