Classic iPhone game corner: Bejeweled Blitz review

In the first of a series of looks back at classic games for the iPhone and iPad, we try to work out what made Bejeweled Blitz so successful. Here’s our retro review.

While researching this review, I kept hearing that it was addictive – incredibly addictive, apparently. I tested this by asking my wife (who is fond of match-three puzzle games) to take a look. An hour she had beaten my high score and was showing no signs of stopping. Probably quite addictive, then.

So moreish that they might as well plug it directly into your addiction centre, Bejeweled Blitz takes the ‘match three’ mechanic of a billion App Store puzzles and squashes it into minute-long blasts of dazzling colours and crazy point tallies. You have to swap coloured jewels within a grid (swiping intuitively with a finger) so that three or more line up; the matched jewels will disappear and more will drop down to replace them.

It sounds incredibly simple, and it is. But the tense gameplay, constant drip-feed of rewards (rare gems, boosts, coins and level-ups) and competitiveness-provoking Facebook integration combine to make a game that will expand to fill any time period you let it near.

For more classic gaming action, check out our feature ‘The 50 best games ever for iPad & iPhone’, in issue 66 of iPad & iPhone User magazine, out now.