Saturday, October 17, 2009

New Bejeweled Blitz for Facebook - Updated Tips!

Popcap recently updated the online version of it's popular Bejeweled Blitz game on Facebook. I had previously written a tips and tricks guide for the previous version of Bejeweled Blitz for Facebook and all the strategies are still valid with the updated version. However, with the new version, there also comes a couple of new tactics to help you increase your score.

If you haven't checked out my previous guide yet, please do so and also apply them with the tips below:

1. Blitzing Through

If there is one thing I can say about the new Bejeweled Blitz for Facebook is that it sure lives up to it's name - It's FAST!

You'll notice with the new Blitz is that the speed of the falling gems increase as you rack up the speed bonus. This makes it easier to get speed bonuses but the speed bonus bar also runs down pretty quick, so maximize it while you can. Oh, and the speed bump also makes for good chain bonuses!

2. Last Hurrah!

This isn't really so much of a new tip, but more of a new feature in the new Blitz. When time runs out, you are now given a bonus for each special gem (power gem, lightning, hypercubes, multipliers) that are still on the board. This really allows you to bump up your score before it's game over.

As time wears down, don't bother with that annoying lightning and power cube you can't seem to match. Instead focus on the multipliers and hypercubes (in that order) as the bonus you get in the last hurrah isn't as much as getting multiples for matchs or controlling which gem type to match for the hypercubes (assuming you have a hypercube with a plentiful gem type next to it of course).

And that's it! These two new tips alone is enough to increase most people's Bejeweled Blitz score!

In a way, Popcap have made it easier to attain higher scores. Which I think is why they have decided to retire the 25K badge (even though they credit it to our skill at breaking that bank) and introduced higher score badges. I even have a friend on my ladder who has gotten a ridiculous score of 339K! There isn't even a badge for that!

On a personal note, I have finally managed go break my 200K barrier, though that score doesn't even get me on the top 5 of my ladder anymore! Looks like I've still got some work to do...

Good luck!