SOFTWARE: Bejeweled 2!!!

I'm happy to say that I have had the opportunity to preview the new Bejeweled 2 game! I got it late last night, and all I can say is if you have other things to do, don't get started playing this game! Bejeweled was one of the first games I ever played on my Visor Deluxe, and I remember playing it for hours. Then when I got my Visor Prism, it was the first game I put on it. The colors were beautiful, and if I ever wanted to show off my color screen, I would open my Bejeweled game and dazzle all who beheld it. Well, I am recalling all of those feelings today, because I am once again under the spell of this captivating game! The new version is great!! The graphics are stunning, the sound is good, and the gameplay is updated and extremely addictive!

I've played all of the games, and enjoyed them all, but my favorite, so far is the timed "Action" game. It is basically the familiar game with a time limit. At first, the timer bar hardly moves, and it's easy to forget that speed is of the essence. The new addition of  "Power Gems" (for getting 4-in-a-row) and "Hyper Cubes" (5-in-a-row) gives new dimension to removal strategy. As each level is completed, the bar drops faster. As I play, I find my heart racing as the indicator comes perilously close to disappearing. Soon the alarm sounds, and the "lights" in the corners start flashing. This serves to induce a sense of panic as I desperately search for possible gem combinations. There have been a few instances when I've been able to completely rebuild my time reserve after the alarm has sounded. That is an acheivement of which I am proud! (OK, I admit, I'm addicted!! ;-) Even as I write this, guess what I want to do? You guessed it!

As soon as I can tear myself away from the "Action" game, I want to further explore the "Puzzle" mode. I was intrigued by it, and am looking forward to continuing to try solving the puzzles. I am impressed by the developers for including this in the game. It is a completely different game than the "matching" game everyone knows and loves. When I get back to it, I'll report further.

If you like Bejeweled, you'll LOVE Bejeweled 2! I highly recommend it! And now, if anyone needs me, I'll be in the living room, with Sparky curled up next to me, playing you-know-what! ;-)

- Jan, Deputy Editor US, (Alpine, UT, USA)

Note to Dr. Andrew Getzfeld: I can't wait to hear your opinion of this game!