Bomb Gem

	BOMB GEM
	Bejeweled 3; Twist;
	Information
Appearance(s):	Bejeweled Twist; Bejeweled 3

"Watch out! If this Bomb Gem ticks down to zero it will explode, ending your game!"

— Bejeweled Twist, mouseover description

Bomb Gem is a type of gem that appears in Bejeweled Twist and Bejeweled 3. It is a basic type of gem that has a dull, metallic outer casing with bolts and spikes on it. It resembles an underwater mine.

Overview

Displayed on the front of the Bomb Gem is a large number. When a move is performed, the number will decrease by 1. The player must match and destroy it before the counter ticks down to zero.

In Bejeweled 3, the counter can count down either in moves or seconds. Bomb Gems can be set up to 20 moves or 60 seconds. The Disarm Spinner does not appear in this game, so once a Bomb Gem reaches zero, it explodes and ends the game.

In Bejeweled Twist, its counter can be extended by 10 moves if a Fruit Gem is detonated, unless it is the same color as the Fruit Gem; in this case it would be destroyed. Should the player fail to match the Bomb Gem before it ticks down to zero, they will be given one last chance to destroy it. This is done using the Disarm Spinner. If the player manages to land on "the gems", thus matching away and successfully disarming the Bomb, any other Bomb Gem's counters will be increased by 6, however if the player lands on the danger signs, the Bomb Gem will explode, ending the game.

However, if a Bomb Gem reaches zero in Blitz and Survivor, the bomb explodes without the oversight of the Disarm Spinner.

Appearances

Bomb Gem Intro — The notification that appears when a Bomb Gem is seen for the first time in *Bejeweled Twist*.

In Bejeweled Twist, Bomb Gems appear in all game modes, with the exception of Zen. They are seen once the player reaches level 2 in Classic mode, as well as being regularly dropped onto the game board in Blitz. They will also appear on the puzzles of Survivor in Challenge mode.

In Bejeweled 3, Bombs Gems are only seen in the Time Bomb quests in Quest mode. In the Chinese version, they also appear in the exclusive Time Bomb modes.

Trivia

If 3D Acceleration is enabled, Bombs will glimmer with a black glow. This effect is easier to notice on the bomb spinner.
The behavior and concept of Bomb Gems were most likely inspired by the Bombs that appear in Bejeweled 2, as they both have similar appearances and characteristics.
The steam emitted from the four corners of a Bomb Gem causes molecular distortion. This graphical effect is first observed when the bomb ticks down to 8 moves/seconds, becoming more noticeable as the Bomb Gem approaches zero. At this point, the number on the Bomb Gem will start flashing red.
The sound of a Bomb Gem exploding is slightly different from that of a Doom Gem.
In Bejeweled 3, Bomb Gems are also known as Time Bombs.
According to evidence found inside the game files of Bejeweled Twist, it seems that Bomb Gems were originally known as Counter Gems.
In Bejeweled Twist, the Bomb Gems were slightly smaller than the Bomb Gems in Bejeweled 3, but the text displayed on them was larger in proportion to their size.
Whatever the color the Bomb Gem is, its perimeter will glow in the same color.
If you use a Fruit Gem to extend a Bomb Gem by 10 moves, it is possible for the number of moves on it to go over 20.
It is possible to modify one of the XML's to change the default number of moves on the bomb gem, and/or not make it count down one move when starting the next level. One instance where it will be achieved is by changing the number of moves to 35.
- The highest possible number of moves that can be on a bomb gem, if extended by hacking, is 2,147,483,647; if extended by a Fruit Gem, the number on the bomb will just flash red (as it does when the bomb ticks down to 8 moves) and it will not count down any further with any move.