PopCap Announces Bejeweled 3, Coming In December

Gem smashers, rejoice! PopCap Games has announced that Bejeweled 3 is coming, and that it'll be out in a month. The casual-games company calls it the series' first true sequel to the game in more than six years (we see how you rate, Bejeweled Twist).

“The challenge in creating a new version of Bejeweled is to innovate and keep it fresh and exciting without losing touch with the game-play that millions of people love. So we’re very careful when we make changes to the core game, which is why it can take so long!” said Jason Kapalka, co-founder and chief creative officer at PopCap and co-creator of Bejeweled. “We've worked hard to make sure Bejeweled 3 retains the classic appeal of the earlier games while bringing a host of exciting new features to the table.”

What kind of new features are we talking about? Here's the scoop, according to PopCap:

-         Classic: Play the most popular puzzle game of the century, with powerful new gems and new ultra-smooth gameplay
-         Quest: Journey through 40 magical puzzles in this multifaceted Bejeweled challenge!
-         Zen: Personalize your experience with ambient sounds and binaural beats — a revolutionary new way to relax!
-         Lightning: Charge up with a heart-pounding, beat-the-clock bout of gem-blasting fun!
-         Secret Games: Unlock 4 all-new games including Butterflies and Ice Storm
-         Badges: Earn up to 65 badges to prove your skills
-         High-definition graphics and high-fidelity audio: Bejeweled is now more dazzling than ever before!
-         Ultra-smooth gameplay: Make multiple matches while new gems fall into place

Bejeweled 3 will be available for download at popcap.com and retail on December 7 for $19.95.

The above image is from Bejeweled 2.