Bejeweled Java game
By JavagamesPublished · 2 min read
Bejeweled Java game is easy to start but harder to keep alive. A useful swap clears gems now and leaves another match available after the board settles.
Choose Normal before Time Trial
Normal lets you study the board without a countdown. Time Trial keeps draining the progress bar, so it suits players who already spot matches quickly. Both use adjacent swaps to make rows or columns of at least three matching gems.
How to make your first swap
- Open Normal from the game menu and look for two matching gems with a third one a single swap away.
- Move the cursor with 2, 4, 6 and 8. Press 5 to select a gem, then press the direction of its neighbour to swap them.
- If you selected the wrong gem, press 5 again to cancel the selection.
- Wait for the falling gems to settle, then inspect the changed area before choosing the next move.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 | Move the cursor; after selecting, swap toward that neighbouring gem. |
| 5 | Select a gem or cancel its selection. |
Find a second match before taking the first
When two swaps are available, compare what will fall into their empty spaces. A lower match changes more of the board above it, which can create new options. That is a useful tie breaker, not a promise that every low match is best.
In Time Trial, an obvious small match is often safer than a long search for a perfect chain. Keep the bar alive first, then improve your scoring as the board changes.
Beginner mistakes to avoid
- Trying to swap gems that are not neighbours. The move must join two touching positions.
- Expecting every swap to work. The normal rules reject a swap that makes no match.
- Planning from the old board while a cascade is still falling. Read the settled layout.
A game to compare
Bejeweled uses a pair of adjacent gems. Bejeweled Twist rotates a square of four, so a familiar looking gap needs a different move. Stay with Bejeweled if you want the simpler swap rule.
Final tip
Start with Normal, read the board after each cascade and look for the move your swap leaves behind.
Sources and edition notes
- Pocket Gamer: Bejeweled Java review. Electronic Arts mobile edition, Normal and Time Trial modes, adjacent gem swaps and cascades.
- Bejeweled original phone help. Bejeweled.17 confirms tutorial, selection toggle and numeric directional controls represented by digit glyphs.