Bejeweled Twist (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, Windows)

BEJEWELED TWIST puts an intriguing new spin on the now-classic "match-three" puzzle genre. While the goal of the game remains to match three gems of the same color -- and thereby eliminate them from the gameboard -- the method by which you do so is entirely new. Rather than guiding falling jewels or swapping their positions on a grid, you rotate the jewels in groups of four, twisting sections of the gameboard in order to line up same-color patterns. You can play with or without a time limit, and with or without "time bomb" gems that will end your game if they are not eliminated before their timers run down.

Fans of "match-three" puzzle games will definitely appreciate the ingenious new gameplay format of Bejeweled Twist. Puzzle fiends will get that thrill they're looking for whenever they manage to line up a row of same-colored gems, but the rotation aspect forces them to think in a whole new way. It's a great puzzle game in that it seems so simple at first, and then slowly reveals itself to be a much deeper, more complicated strategy game. Kids who are not into this style of puzzle game may not be brought into the fold by Bejeweled Twist, as there's no major change in the format throughout, but for the right kid, this can be a great new brainy pastime.

Available on: Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, Windows
Not available online
Genre: Puzzle
Developer: PopCap Games
Released on: February 2, 2010
Price: 19.99
ESRB Rating: E for (No Descriptors}