PopCap announces Bejeweled 3

Casual publisher PopCap has announced that it will in December release Bejeweled 3.

An assortment of expansions aside, it’s the first proper sequel to 2004 hit Bejeweled 2. The Bejeweled series has sold over 50m units across the globe and has been played by an estimated 500m people for a total of 7.5bn hours.

The new game will include HD visuals designed for modern monitor sizes as well as high-fidelity audio.

Game modes include Classic and Quest as well as new mode Zen, which allows users to customise their experience with ambient sounds and rhythms. Lightening mode, meanwhile, is a more fast-paced times challenge.

In addition, four secret game modes are available to unlock in addition to 65 badges.

"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," PopCap founder Jason Kapalka stated.

"So we’re very careful when we make changes to the core game, which is why it can take so long. 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."