Bejeweled 3 Message Board

We've reviewed the multiplatform release Dungeon Defenders (which is excellent, by the way), and that only leaves Bejeweled 3 for XBLA in Brief this week. It's ... well, it's Bejeweled.

There are new Xbox Live Arcade games released every week. We realize that our readers are busy, attractive people, and may not have time to download and examine each and every new XBLA game. You've got busy, attractive person stuff to do, after all. Not to worry though, because we've done the work for you, downloading every single trial game and giving you a taste of what to expect. Watch XBLA in Brief every week to see which games deserve a closer look. When you have the time, of course.

#bejeweled Bejeweled 3 is an excellent video game. Normal people play it on computers. But special people—people who work at PopCap, the studio behind the Bejeweled series—get to play it on a massive touch-sensitive TV right in the lobby of their headquarters. More »

PopCap Games said today it plans to launch console versions of Bejeweled 3 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, both at retail and through digital services Xbox Live and PlayStation Network...

As if everyone didn't need yet another time sink, PopCap Games has announced plans to bring Bejeweled 3 to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and DS. On the consoles, that means both retail and digital versions of the match-3 puzzler, reaching both Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.

All versions of the game are scheduled for the fourth quarter of the year, otherwise known as the holiday season. It's unlikely all will actually drop on the same day or week, but having every version available in a reasonable timeframe is a solid solution to buying the game ten times.

You know, like I did with Peggle.

And while I'm not one to haphazardly quote press release factoids, the math wizards at PopCap claim more than eight billion hours have been spent playing Bejeweled. Plus, a new Bejeweled is reportedly sold every 4.3 seconds. A little piece of my soul dies every 4.3 seconds, too.

Bejeweled 3 is currently available on both PC and Mac, in case you don't want to wait around.

It's happening all over again. The colors. The puzzles. THE MADNESS.

PopCap Games announced today that Bejeweled 3 will drop on DS, PS3 and Xbox 360 (in retail, PSN and XBLA versions, respectively) during the last quarter of 2011 in North America and Europe. If you haven't already declared PopCap Games the enemy of global productivity, the company now reminds you that the Bejeweled games are purchased "at the rate of one copy every 4.3 seconds."

The developer and publisher of such time-sinks as Plants vs. Zombies and Peggle has already given us a glimpse into the future of its cuddly, iron-fisted domination of free time. The company recently began its huggable assault on Android devices, is funding a $3 million Spicy Horse project and continues to put the pieces in place for further Facebook control. Fear the power of a PopCap IPO, friends.

At approximately 3:00pm ET, Joystiq blogger Richard Mitchell was assigned an article regarding the Bing search engine now including playable games in its search results. For example, if a user were to search the term "blackjack," the results page will include a playable version of blackjack embedded directly in the search engine itself. Furthermore, players can log into either Facebook or Windows Live to compare scores with friends.

Mr. Mitchell is believed to have begun a game of Bejeweled 3 for research purposes. He has not been heard from since. Should any reader discover the whereabouts of Mr. Mitchell, please contact Joystiq immediately. For the sake of your loved ones, it is recommended that you do not examine the list of available games after the break.

Dozens of PopCap's titles are on sale through January 2 -- from Alchemy to Zuma's Revenge. The sale covers all PC and Mac downloadables, excluding the recently launched Bejeweled 3 (it also doesn't extend to any game bundles). Still, even sans its new puzzler, there are plenty of gems to be had.

#pc Bejeweled 3 is a wonderful game, a collection of mostly great riffs on the pure gameplay concept of matching gems. But two modes — Lightning and Ice Storm — are tough. More »

#review I've played Bejeweled. You've probably played Bejewled. The guy next to you on the bus or the lady and your mom and your neighbor have probably played Bejeweled. Everyone's been satisfied. But everyone should know: Bejeweled 3 is better. More »

World's most popular puzzle game series celebrates 10th Anniversary with first sequel in six years.

Matching madness.

#pc For some video gamers, December 7, 2010 is the world-stopping release day for the next World of Warcraft. There's another mammoth computer game coming out that day, a sequel you may not have thought you needed: Bejeweled 3. More »

#gameface Foregoing a lavish, star-studded party, PopCap's Bejeweled 3 launch party was held in a North London living room, with only a secretary, a grandmother, a librarian, a banker, and a father in attendance, representing the series' diverse fanbase. More »

International video game launch takes place in North London living room.

Bejeweled 3 launched in North London living room.

PopCap to unleash another epic timesink.

#popcap Bejeweled 3, the first "true sequel" to the popular decade-old matching game that more than half a billion people have played, hits PopCap.Com and retailers on Dec. 7 for a nickel shy of $20. More »

Get your jewel on.

Long-anticipated sequel to world's most popular puzzle game will take match-3 genre to new heights.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.