Bejeweled 2 is the second game from Cryptologic to feature a theme based on a popular mobile device game. While the original had a look that was slightly more unusual and reminding the player of the game it was based on, the second title seems to move away from that strategy and instead we get a typical slot machine, that doesn’t have just gems for symbols, using more than a few playing cards to fill the rest of the paytable positions.
Bejeweled 2 has 5 reels, and on them you will find up to 20 paylines selected. The features are not as scarce in this game as in the previous slot, so you get a bonus round that is triggered by a scatter, plus a multiplier wheel and free spins. A jackpot worth $25,000 is offered inside.
Features of Bejeweled 2
This is the more fun game of the two, at least if you look at the number of features that were added to the mix. Among them you will find scatters, free spins, multipliers and a bonus game.
One of the easiest features to cover is called Wheel of Riches. Get it activated, and you will find that you can win a multiplier for the triggering bet. It’s a typical wheel of fortune round, where you are rewarded, but not entertained.
Bejeweled Bonus Game
The Scatter symbol with the Bejeweled game screenshot is the one you want to get, even in random positions, as long as 3 to 5 are around. Having that many present will trigger the bonus game, where you play a real round of Bejeweled. You get a screen filled with gems, the goal being to connect 3 to 5 matching gems, either in vertical or horizontal mode. The gems that are part of a combo explode and new ones will drop in their place. The result can be a cascade of winning combinations. When you no longer have any wins, the round ends and you are taken back to the base game.
Free Games Feature
Free spins tend to be a lot of fun for me, especially in cases like this, where a multiplier is also available for their duration. The exact number of free spins and the multiplier can vary considerably. The number of free spins you receive depends on how many scatter symbols are present. Three to five symbols will mean a round with 15 to 50 free games.
As for the multiplier, the exact amount by which your prizes will grow depends on the Multiplier Wheel that runs before the free spins begin.
Betting options and jackpots
As is often the case, there are two components to the betting system. You get the number of active paylines first (which is the same as the number of coins), and then you have the denomination of the coins. The denomination is in the range of $0.01 to $25, which should mean a maximum bet of $500 (20 paylines/coins at $25 each).
A prize worth 1,000 times what you invested for a single payline sounds pretty good, in this case the big prize being worth $25,000. However, the rest of the payouts aren’t that impressive, probably in order to balance the free spins and their multiplier.
Design and symbols
The design is much closer to that of a typical slot machine, than the previous version of Bejeweled was. You get a beautiful view of icebergs and partially frozen oceans behind the reels, while on them you will notice playing cards and jewels. The design looks shiny, colorful and 3D, but it’s not that impressive if you take a closer look at it.
Symbols: Bejeweled Scatter (scatter), X2 Globe (1,000x), Red Gem (75x), Blue Gem (50x), Green Gem (30x), Ace, King, Queen, Jack and the 10.
Is It Worth Playing?
Bejeweled 2 doesn’t have the same huge prizes that you found in the first game, has cute but ultimately average graphics and it doesn’t stand out in any major way. The free spins feature with up to 50 rounds with multipliers can make up for it somewhat, but I’d still recommend you try the first game of the series instead of this one.
This Bejeweled 2 slot is offered by all online casinos with Cryptologic software, playable either in practice or in real money mode.
