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This page is about the game mode. For the special gem appear in Bejeweled Twist and Bejeweled Blitz LIVE, see Lightning Gem.
Lightning
Lightning Game Mode
In-game music
Original source
"Collect Time Gems to charge up bonus rounds."
Bejeweled 3, game menu description

Lightning is a game mode in Bejeweled 3, Bejeweled Classic, and the HTML version of Bejeweled (known as Speed). The game mode involves scoring as many points as possible within a one minute time limit, while collecting Time Gems to extend time. Lightning reuses various concepts previously seen in Bejeweled Blitz.

The game mode originally did not appear in Bejeweled Classic, but it became available via an update that was released on July 12, 2012 in the iOS versions as free game mode and February 22, 2016 as a paid game mode in the Android version.

In the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of Bejeweled 3, the icon that represents Lightning in the game menu is a lightning bolt.

Gameplay

Bejeweled 3 PC Lightning Mode How to Play

An overview of the game mode's instructions.

Lightning mode is similar to Bejeweled Blitz and Blitz mode from Bejeweled Twist in which the objective is to earn as many points as possible within a given time limit. By matching gems in quick succession, Speed Bonuses and Blazing Speed bonuses can be earned that award additional points to the score. Furthermore, maintaining Speed Bonuses causes the rate of gameplay to increase in which matching gems can be done faster than normal. It is essentially impossible to run out of moves in this game mode.

Time Gem Intro

The notification that appears when a Time Gem is seen for the first time.

Throughout each game of Lightning, unique Time Gems will randomly drop onto the board. Clearing a Time Gem will add the amount of seconds displayed on the gem to the Time Extension tank. The maximum amount of time that can be stored in the tank at once is one minute (clearing Time Gems when the tank is full yields no effect). When the time limit reaches zero, the stored time is added back to the time limit and the Time Extension tank resets. As the game progresses, Time Gems gradually become scarce, making it more difficult to fill the Time Extension tank each time it empties. When Bejeweled Classic is played on portrait view, the Time Extension tank is replaced by a small widget that is positioned near the lower left corner of the screen.

Lightning Mode Time Up

The Time Extension tank shattering upon time limit expiry.

Displayed above the board is the Timer Bar. Each game of Lightning begins with a time limit of one minute. When the Timer Bar reaches ten seconds and there is no additional time stored in the Time Extension tank, the top and bottom edges of the board along with the Time Extension tank begin to flash a bright red glow and a warning siren can be heard. These effects intensify as the time limit approaches expiry. When the time limit runs out, the Time Extension tank shatters into pieces and the Last Hurrah occurs. The game ends when the Last Hurrah is over.

Upon completing a game of Lightning, a Stats Screen will appear with various information about the finished game, such as the highest Score Multiplier level achieved and the total duration of the game.

In the most versions of Bejeweled 3, Ice Storm mode becomes available by earning a high score of 100,000 or more points in Lightning mode; in the mobile version however, it unlocks Butterflies mode instead.

Note it is possible to extend the play time in a given multiplier by achieving Blazing Speed when there is a handful of seconds left in the Timer Bar. As Blazing Speed lasts for approximately 7 seconds, the timer's speed will slow down to accommodate the full length of a Blazing Speed. This can be incredibly helpful when trying to get a few extra Time Gems to reach higher multipliers. Also note that there is a few seconds granted to make matches between the Time Extension Tank resetting and the Timer Bar starting to count down.

Scoring

Lightning Mode Multiplier Up

The Score Multiplier increasing upon the Time Extension tank emptying.

Similar to other game modes in Bejeweled 3, points in Lightning mode are earned primarily by matching gems. The base values of points awarded in Lightning mode are five times the amount earned in Classic mode and Zen mode. For example, the base value for creating a single match of gems is 250 points in Lightning mode, whereas the base value of the same action in Classic mode and Zen mode is 50 points.

The base value of earning a Speed Bonus is 200 points. Each consecutive match of gems in a Speed Bonus awards a base value of additional points that increase by increments of one hundred. For example, the second match in a Speed Bonus awards 300 additional points, the third match awards 400 additional points, and so forth. The maximum base value of additional points that can be earned by maintaining a Speed Bonus is 1,000.

In the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Bejeweled 3, the base values of points awarded in Lightning mode are 50 percent higher. The base value for creating a single match of gems is 375 points. The base value of earning a Speed Bonus is 300 points, and each consecutive match of gems in a Speed Bonus awards a base value of additional points that increase by increments of one hundred fifty. The maximum base value of additional points that can be earned by maintaining a Speed Bonus is 1,500.

In all versions of Bejeweled 3, the base value of clearing a Time Gem is the same as creating a single match of gems (250 or 375 points, depending on the version of the game). When the Time Extension tank is full, the base value of clearing a Time Gem increases and the amount of points earned differs depending on the type of Time Gem cleared; clearing a +5 Time Gem awards a base value of 1,500 points, while clearing a +10 Time Gem awards a base value of 2,750 points. It is currently unknown if these increased base values occur in other versions of Bejeweled 3.

Displayed above the Time Extension tank is the Score Multiplier. Each time the Time Extension tank resets, the Score Multiplier increases by one. The current multiplier level multiplies all base values of points in Lightning mode accordingly.

Badges

Icon Name Description
Bejeweled 3 High Voltage High Voltage Achieve specific high scores in Lightning.
Bejeweled 3 Final Frenzy Final Frenzy Earn specific numbers of points during the Last Hurrah in a Lightning game.

Achievements/Trophies

Icon Name Description Value
Lightning Storm Lightning Storm Get a ×5 Score Multiplier level in Lightning. 10G (Xbox 360 version)
Bronze Trophy (PlayStation 3 version)
Blazing Speed Blazing Speed Obtain a Blazing Speed bonus in Lightning. 10G (Xbox 360 version)
Silver Trophy (PlayStation 3 version)

Trivia

  • This game mode would serve as the main basis for the arcade version of Bejeweled.
  • The backgrounds in this game mode alternate between a set of predetermined backgrounds.
    • However, in the Nintendo DS version of Bejeweled 3, the background is always the same.
    • In Bejeweled Classic, the background featured in Lightning mode is instead a unique backdrop that is not seen anywhere else in the game. An interesting characteristic about this background is that when the Score Multiplier increases, the backdrop flashes brightly for a few seconds like a real lightning bolt.
  • Similar to the PC version of Bejeweled Blitz, the tempo of the music in Lightning mode increases each time the Score Multiplier increases. When the Timer Bar reaches ten seconds and there is no extra time stored in the Time Extension tank, additional instrumentation is added to the music to intensify the situation.
    • In Bejeweled Classic and the HTML version of Bejeweled, the tempo of the music in Lightning mode is always constant throughout the game (and also goes with the warning instrumentation throughout) with no other additional instrumentation being added in when the time limit is about to expire. The music also begins and loops differently than it does in other versions of the game.
  • Pausing the game anytime in Lightning mode causes the gems on the board to vanish, but they reappear whenever the game is resumed. This most likely happens to prevent "cheating."
  • If the game is unable to give any valid moves, a bug occurs in which stored time in the Extension Tank is added to the Timer Bar, but also tricks the game into thinking that the Time Limit has expired, breaking the Speed Bonus chain and triggering the Last Hurrah. The player can still play if there's still time left on the clock, albeit with several side effects. The game will still end once the time limit fully expires.
    • This could possibly be due to the fact that Classic and Lightning share the same music for when the game ends.
    • An instance of the bug happening can be found here, which is done via gemwipe.
  • According to evidence found inside the game files of Bejeweled 3, it seems that the original name of Lightning mode was Speed.
  • Unlike the PC version of Bejeweled 3 Lightning, Bejeweled HTML Speed had the "30 seconds" voice when the Timer Bar reaches 30 seconds.

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning
Japanese 電光石火
Denkousekka
Lightning Speed
Spanish Relámpago Flash of lightning
French Éclair Flash
German Blitzschlag Lightning Strike
Italian Fulmine Lightning
Portuguese Relâmpago Lightning
Chinese 闪电
Shǎndiàn
Lightning

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