Bejeweled Blitz

	Bejeweled Blitz
	Information
Release date	December 20, 2008

For the version of Bejeweled Blitz released exclusively for Xbox 360, see Bejeweled Blitz Live.

Bejeweled Blitz is the second spinoff, and fourth title in the Bejeweled series. This game is a fast-paced challenge in which players can rack up as many points as they can in one minute.

It was released as Bejeweled Blitz Beta in 2008, and it was updated with new gem textures and graphics and went out of beta in 2009.

Bejeweled Blitz went through a second redesign, and opened for another round of open beta testing in January 2018 for Google Play users.

This new Bejeweled Blitz is available for iOS and Android on February 9, 2018.

History

Bejeweled Blitz first debuted in 2008 on Facebook, as Bejeweled Blitz Beta. The graphics and mechanics based on Bejeweled 2, with its Power Gem and Hypercube designs, and the lack of Star Gems. The game was critically acclaimed, as it was voted "Best Facebook Game of 2009" by IGN and later on added as an add-on for the iPhone version of Bejeweled 2.

On April 5, 2010, a new version of Bejeweled Blitz appeared for the PC, based on the then-in-development Bejeweled 3 engine. Also, gems can be swapped while others were still settling for the first time, with the mechanic also re-appearing in Bejeweled 3.

There were three versions with: 1.0.6.4034 (Initial release), 1.0.6.7260 (Most popular release), and 1.0.9.7400 (Final version with Boosts). Unlike the now-upgraded Facebook version, none of the releases had Keystones, Rare Gems, Daily Spin, nor the two other game modes. These features were alleged to be supposed to be included sometime in 2011 with an update along with some PC exclusive features. However, PopCap discontinued the PC version, announcing a focus on updating the Facebook version as well as the newly released ports for iOS and Android devices.

A second Bejeweled Blitz beta was issued to Google Play-supported Android devices. This open beta is available to all Bejeweled Blitz players with the beta testing feature turned on. The redesign removed the x8 multiplier cap, redone the match sounds while the player is on speed bonus, and features a complete UI revamp.

This redesigned Bejeweled Blitz is released as final on February 9, 2018, for iOS and Android devices as a free update.

Gameplay

Bejeweled Blitz has revolved around the concept of scoring as much points as possible in one minute.

Bejeweled Blitz beta

Early versions of Bejeweled Blitz uses the Bejeweled 2 engine with its graphics and visualizers.

Speed Bonus

It introduces the Speed Bonus, which is initiated when you make three matches in a three-second period that adds an extra 200 points. Every following match made within three seconds adds a hundred extra points to the previous bonus, and caps out at 1000 bonus points. Once at the +1000 stage, the Ignition Meter engages, requiring the player to make sixteen matches with no more than a one-second gap in between matches to fill up the Meter and achieve Blazing Speed, a ten-second bonus where every matched gem explodes like a Flame Gem, scoring extra points.

Multiplier

Multiplier Gems are also introduced, with a x2 multiplier dropping onto the board once 12 gems are detonated in one move. It drops onto a board with its own color, and once matched, doubles the base point count from that match onward. Further Multiplier Gems require 16 or more gems to be detonated at once to be dropped, with its likelihood of dropping decreasing with every multiplier level.

Bejeweled Blitz (2009)

The 2009 update to Blitz received a redesigned interface that will later be reprised in the PC release of Blitz and Bejeweled 3, reusing gem textures from Bejeweled Twist, and introduces the Star Gem, inspired by Twist's own Lightning Gem. The max multiplier level has also been capped at x8. Notably, this redesign introduces the Last Hurrah, where every Flame, Star, Hypercube, and Multiplier Gem will be detonated after the timer reaches zero. Hypercubes will default to zapping the gem in its effective swappable radius of four gems with the least amount of its kind of the board, and Multiplier Gems provide no increases in the factor and merely detonated by its power times a thousand points.

A minor update to Blitz introduces Coin Gems and Boosts. Boosts provide extra help to the player during gameplay, and can be purchased using coins collected from the Coin Gems or the debuting Daily Spin. Each purchased Boost is usable for three consecutive games. For a list of Boosts, go here.

Bejeweled Blitz LIVE

For a more in-depth look, see article Bejeweled Blitz LIVE.

An Xbox Live Arcade exclusive, Blitz Live introduces a variety of Xbox Live-tailored Party modes that allows up to sixteen players in a match at once. This is the first Blitz variant that allows simultaneous multiplayer. Boosts do not appear in this game.

Twist mode

Exclusive to Blitz Live, a Twist mode is available. Forgoing the traditional swapping mechanic for a Gem Rotator akin to the one in Bejeweled Twist, sixty seconds are permitted to score as much points as possible. The Gem Rotator rotates both ways, marking the only occurrence of this in any Bejeweled title to date. Consecutive matches, called Chains, adds small bonus points to every match. A intersecting match in Twist creates a Lightning Gem, and the Supernova Gem makes its own appearance in a Blitz title, formed through a 6-gem match, and is only available in Twist mode. A 5-gem match creates a Lightning Gem similar to Twist.

Bejeweled Blitz (2018)

Featuring yet another redesign, this version of Blitz was first unveiled on January 18 to select Android Bejeweled Blitz players. Sounds, graphics, and menus have all received a facelift, along with the removal of the x8 multiplier cap.

The multiplier cap was reinstated in the February 8 final release, along with the feature that renders all Boosts free.

List of Free Boosts

Scrambler

At an earlier version, it scrambles the board. Occupying the bottom-right square during gameplay, usable twice per game. In the newer, the player can upgrade this to make more uses per game. And, give the player additional +200 (2 moves) to the Blazing Speed meter.

Detonator

Detonates every Special Gem on the board when activated and usable once for earlier edition. For now this boost can be used twice per game. Plus, the player will given an upgradable multiplier bonus. (Note: During this boost is being triggered, all other boosts' activity will be paused until any special gems on board that affected will detonated, and the timer will not stop unless any Star Gems or Hypercubes being triggered.)

Multiplier

Drops a free Multiplier Gem onto the board at the start of the minute in earlier version. Now this boost can give a multiplier gems on the board multiple times instead of just from start. This boost will trigger after cooldown, the pause time between two automatic activation. If the player use this boost, the ×8 multiplier cap will be removed. (Note: Equipping this Boost is not recommended to any non-score based Blitz Champions contests.)

Extra Time

Instead of just adds an extra five seconds to the timer after the original minute runs out, this boost also giving an upgradable score bonus during that duration. However, this score bonus aren't affected by the multiplier count.

Mystery

Drops a random Flame Gem, Star Gem, or Hypercube onto the board every match made in an upgradable chance instead of from start.

Color Blast

This boost is a special boost. This boost can transform any random 20 gems in the board to the gems of the color of previous match. Color Blast only activate if the player make certain number of matches, when this is upgradable. To unlock this, unlike the classic boosts that the player unlock them by playing certain number of Weekly Leaderboard games (unless in Facebook version, while unlocked by default), the players need to upgrade any 3 other boosts to Level 5, or by paying 12,500 Gold Bars.

Rarifier

Transform all color-like gem to equipped rare gems. Can only be used with certain rare gem, and can be triggered after cooldown that can be upgraded. Using this boost with certain rare gem which does not represent any color or without rare gem will make the boost non-functional. Unlocked by playing 100 games of Blitz Champions (mobile) or by having 5 boosts at level 5 (Facebook) or by paying 15,000 Gold Bars.

Hocus Focus

Targets any random 2×2 area on the board. If any gems in the target cleared, a multiplier that determined in the middle of target area will be applied to the current multiplier count. Triggers automatically after upgradable cooldown once at a time, so if the target appear, the player must to clear it before this boost starts another triggering session. This boost can be unlocked by staying at least 10th position in any 25 Blitz Champions contests. (Note: If a multiplier count rises, unlike the Multiplier Gem, the multiplier in target won't rises. It has a sequences: ×5, ×8, ×11, etc. It won't remove the ×8 multiplier cap.)

Resources

There are 5 different resources in Bejeweled Blitz:

Coins

Usable for harvesting Rare Gems (except on PC version), equipping Boosts (earlier Facebook, Mobile, and PC version only), retrying Daily Challenge, purchasing 10 seconds Encore extra time, Joining fee of special Blitz Champions contests (cost not repayed on retry, while other contest joining fee are free).
Earned by gameplay, Rare Gems end-of-game bonus payouts, Daily Spin, Daily Challenge, Chests, Bonus Events, paying Gold Bars (currently not available), paying real money, keystones (Facebook version only), watching an advertisement video (Mobile version only), Blitz Champions contest rewards.

Shards

Usable for upgrading Boosts.
Earned by Rare Gems end-of-game bonus payouts, chests, Events featuring Shards, Blitz Champions contest rewards.

Diamonds

Usable for Boosts' special upgrades.
Earned by Boosts' normal upgrading, chests, Blitz Champions contest rewards.

Gold Bars

Usable for purchasing Extra Spins, chests, extra coins, hurry paying for Special Boost.
Earned by Free Chests, Boosts' special upgrading, paying real money, Events featuring Gold Bars, Blitz Champions contest rewards, Community events.

Tokens

Usable for Party Mode entry fees.
Earned by keystones, paying real money.
This resource is only applicable in the Facebook version.

Trivia

The boosts are more expensive in the online version. One popular combination costs 16,000 coins in the online version, but only 9,000 in the offline version.
Scoring discrepancies exist as well. In the Facebook version, the base value for a Flame Gem is worth 1,050 points or multiples thereof. In the PC version (and Bejeweled 3 as well), the same detonation is worth 1,250 points or multiples thereof.

This game may have likely been inspired by the Blitz mode in Bejeweled Twist.

Gems can be swapped while others were still settling. However, this does not occur while a Hypercube or Star Gem is being triggered.

Bejeweled Blitz uses cats as a recurring theme.
- In Daily Challenge mode, you can earn Star Cats for each score level you achieve.
- In the stats screen (Facebook only) there is a button with a cat face on it. Clicking the button plays a "meow" sound. The stats page also tracks how many meows you've meowed from clicking that button and this Rare Gem only.
- Clicking the "share score" button on the end game screen (Facebook only) will occasionally pop a tooltip that looks like a cat.