Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Bejeweled 2: Deluxe builds on the simple yet addictive formula of lining up three or more gems of the same color by swapping adjacent pieces. The core mechanics remain intuitive—click, drag and swap—to create matches while keeping an eye on potential cascades. Reaction time, pattern recognition and a bit of forward planning are rewarded with cascading combos that rack up impressive scores.

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What sets the Deluxe edition apart is its variety of play modes. Classic mode offers a finite board with no time pressure, letting players methodically plan each move. Action mode turns up the heat with a ticking clock that refills as you make matches, while Endless mode removes both time constraints and move limits for a truly relaxing puzzle experience. For those craving a brain teaser, Puzzle mode presents over 50 preset arrangements that challenge you to clear the board in a fixed number of moves.

Special gems and power-ups add another layer of strategy. Matching four in a row produces Flame Gems that explode, five in a row yields Star Gems to clear entire rows and columns, and creating a cross or L-shape spawns Hypercubes that obliterate all jewels of a single color. Chain reactions and clever use of these abilities can swing the tide in your favor, especially in the later levels where the difficulty ramps up significantly.

For mobile users, the iPhone release even includes the high-octane Blitz mode—a 60-second sprint where each match builds toward unique power-ups and Facebook integration lets you compare scores with friends. This social twist adds replay value and keeps the competition fresh, whether you’re striving for a personal best or vying for the top slot among your peers.

Graphics

Visually, Bejeweled 2: Deluxe represents a significant upgrade over the original. The jewels themselves are rendered with dazzling clarity—each gem type has its own distinctive cut, hue and reflective sheen, making matches easy to spot at a glance. Background themes shift subtly between modes, featuring glowing caverns, frosty ice caverns and ethereal night skies that complement the jewel palette without distracting from the grid.

Special effects are where the game really shines. Clearing large matches triggers satisfying explosions complete with sparks, flashes and trailing particles. The screen pulses with light as Hypercubes detonate, and cascading combos are accentuated by fluid animations that highlight each falling piece. All these effects run smoothly, even on modest hardware, thanks to a well-optimized engine.

The user interface is clean and unobtrusive: score displays, timers and move counters are tucked into corners with semi-transparent panels that never get in the way. Subtle sound effects—chimes for matches, deep booms for big blasts—pair with a soothing ambient soundtrack to create an immersive yet unobtrusive audio‐visual package. The result is a game that looks and feels premium without sacrificing performance.

Overall, the graphical polish in Deluxe mode gives every match an extra sense of weight and reward. Whether you’re on a desktop or playing the handheld version, the sparkle and shine of the jewels are bound to draw you in and keep you engaged.

Story

As a pure puzzle title, Bejeweled 2: Deluxe forgoes a traditional narrative in favor of an abstract journey through the world of gems. Rather than characters or cutscenes, the game tells its “story” through progression—each mode introduces new challenges, and each level’s backdrop hints at a different environment where your gem-matching prowess is put to the test.

Puzzle mode, in particular, offers miniature vignettes: each preset board feels like a handcrafted diorama, challenging you to clear specific patterns and unlocking the next layout once you’ve mastered the previous one. In this sense, the rising complexity and thematic shifts between ice, stone and phantom backgrounds create their own sense of movement and accomplishment.

Even without a conventional plot, players quickly become invested in beating personal bests, unlocking the next tier of puzzles and discovering the most efficient ways to trigger massive combo chains. The “narrative” here is entirely skill-driven—you write your own story with every match, every streak, and every scoreboard leap.

For many, this minimalist approach is precisely what makes Bejeweled 2: Deluxe so compelling. Without the distraction of lengthy cutscenes or branching dialogues, the focus remains squarely on the elegance of the puzzle mechanics and the satisfaction of seeing jewels collide and vanish in spectacular style.

Overall Experience

Bejeweled 2: Deluxe is a masterclass in how to elevate a simple concept into a must-own puzzle package. With its wealth of modes, visual polish and refined controls, the game offers something for everyone—from casual players seeking a relaxing diversion to seasoned puzzle fans chasing high scores and leaderboard supremacy.

The learning curve is gentle but deep: you can dive in and enjoy Classic mode within seconds, yet mastering Puzzle and Action modes requires real skill and strategic thinking. Replayability is off the charts thanks to randomized boards in most modes, the ever-tempting lure of combo chains, and social features like iPhone Blitz and online score comparisons.

Priced competitively as a standalone Deluxe edition, the game delivers hours of entertainment without the need for a constant internet connection or distracting microtransactions. It stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of match-3 design and remains one of the gold standards in the genre.

Whether you’re given it as a gift, picking it up on sale, or adding it to your collection of time-tested classics, Bejeweled 2: Deluxe is a gem in its own right—brilliant, accessible and endlessly replayable. It’s a puzzle experience that continues to delight a new generation of players while satisfying nostalgic fans of the original.

Retro Replay Score

7.6/10