Bejeweled Diamond Mine FAQ v.1.0
by Michael Kelehan
mkfaqs2 at hotmail dot com
March 19, 2003
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Table of Contents
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I. Introduction
II. Versions of the Game
III. How to Play
1. Basics
2. Modes
3. The meter on the bottom
4. Hints
IV. Strategies
1. Setups
2. Leveling
3. When you can't find any more moves
V. Version History
VI. Closing
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I. Introduction
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Welcome to the Bejeweled/Diamond Mine FAQ. Why write a FAQ for this
rather simple game? It's been requested at GameFAQs for so long, and
it's been about a year since I've written a FAQ, so I figure, why not?
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II. Versions of the Game
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This FAQ covers these versions of the game:
Bejeweled - MSN Gaming Zone version - http://zone.msn.com/
Diamond Mine - Pop Cap Games' version - http://www.popcap.com/
Bejeweled (Deluxe) - Windows version - either site
So, what's the difference between the versions? Well, between the two
web-based versions, noting, aside from the name. One's on Microsoft's
web space, and the other's on Pop Cap's. My guess is that Pop Cap gave
MS exclusive rights to use the Bejeweled name on the web, so they had
to come up with a different name for the game on their own site. This
must not extend to the Windows version, which they could still call
Bejeweled.
The Windows version, called Bejeweled if you download it from Pop Cap
or Bejeweled Deluxe if you download it from MSN Gaming Zone, has a few
noted differences, which I will list... now.
Web-based Windows
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Three difficulty levels (1-3) Two difficulty levels (Normal,
Time Trial)
Sound effects only Sound effects and decent music
Basic look Pretty look
At level up, jewels clear at At level up, the entire field
random, giving you points clears and all point values
increase
Two clicks needed to swap jewels Two clicks or click and drag to swap
Hints given after time, for free Hints on demand, at the cost of
points and time
Free $20, with free trial
Really stable Sometimes crashes, and crashes hard
If you don't pay for the Windows version, you'll have to wait longer
every time it starts up, until it just refuses to boot at all. Also,
you can only save your high scores after paying. Should you pay for
the Windows version? If you're a big fan of the game, sure. For the
casual fans, though, the web version will do just fine.
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III. How to Play
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<1. Basics>
The object of the game is pretty simple. Switch adjacent jewels to
form rows or columns of three same-colored jewels. When you do so,
said columns/rows disappear. You can only make switches that will
clear something, so the trick is to be able to find moves you can make,
and do it quickly. If you cause a chain reaction, or clear more than
three jewels in one move, you'll get extra points. Press ESC to pause.
<2. Modes>
There are two modes: untimed (difficulty 1 on the web, Normal in the
Windows version) and timed (difficulty 2 or 3 online, Time Trial
offline). Untimed is a more relaxed way to play, and a great place to
start. It doesn't end until you can't make any more moves, because no
switches would clear anything. If you're playing timed, the game ends
when you run out of time on the meter on the bottom. Running out of
possible moves won't end your game; instead, the field will clear and
give you a new set of jewels to work with.
<3. The meter on the bottom>
That meter on the bottom has two functions: fill it up to get a bonus
(both modes), but don't let it fall to zero or you lose (timed). It
fills up with everything you do, but fills up much faster if you do
cool stuff, like clearing four or five jewels in one move or causing a
chain reaction. When you fill it, different things happen depending
on if you're playing online or offline. Online, a bunch of jewels will
explode, giving you some free points and, if you're lucky, causing some
chains. Offline, the whole field is replaced with new jewels, and all
point values increase. After it fills and you get your bonus, it will
revert to zero (untimed) or half full (timed). If you're playing
timed, remember that every level up means it decreases faster.
Leveling up is always a good idea offline, because of how every point
value increases, but online, it can be better to stay low in order to
stay alive.
<4. Hints>
Hints give you a clue as to what jewel to flip next. If you move that
jewel, it'll cause at least three to disappear. Hints happen
automatically online if you haven't made any moves in a while, in the
form of a glimmer on one of the jewels. Offline, you request hints by
clicking the Hint button, but that's not a good idea. Why? It costs
points and, in Time Trial, some of the meter on the bottom.
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IV. Strategies
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<1. Setups>
Try to make moves in such a way that they'll get like-colored gems
closer together, so you'll have more moves to make once the current
move is done. Like, for instance, say you see this arrangement of
greens and blues somewhere...
GGBG-
----B
----B
If you switch the rightmost green with the blue next to it, you'll get
this...
---B-
----B
----B
...and you'll have another move all ready to go.
<2. Leveling>
In general, you'll want to level when you play the Windows version of
the game. Gaining levels gives you a lot more points in the long run.
The bonus isn't so great in the online version, so if the meter's
ticking a little too fast for you on the later levels, it won't kill
you to stay back. Just restrain yourself when you're about to gain a
level, let it go back a bit, then start clearing again.
<3. When you can't find any more moves>
You're staring at the screen, and you can't find where you can make a
move to clear some jewels and move on with the game. Don't worry, it
happens to the best of us. And I can't help you with that, really. I
can, however, help with what comes next: finding ANOTHER one. Since
the field hasn't cleared itself, there's at least one possible move,
and since you're having so much trouble, it's very likely that there's
EXACTLY one possible move. If, after you find that move, it doesn't
give you a new field, chances are a new possibility was just created
from the movement caused by the move you just made.
Okay, I lost you. Look at it this way: when you clear some jewels, the
ones above them fall. That displacement creates new possibilities for
jewel combinations that weren't there when you were mentally combing
the field before. So, before you start looking around the whole play
area, look specifically at combinations involving the jewels that just
fell. There's a very good chance you'll find something, and at a
fraction of the precious time.
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V. Version History
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3/19/03 v.1.0: First version. Any errors, let me know at the above
address.
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VI. Closing
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That about wraps it up. If you have anything to add, be sure to let me
know. Enjoy the game.
This FAQ is copyright 2003 Michael Kelehan. Bejeweled and Diamond Mine
are trademarks of Pop Cap Games. Distribution of this FAQ is permitted
(in fact, it's encouraged), as long as it is kept in its full and
complete form. Don't sell it.
Amazing Games. Many Cheats. Such Wow.
