Popcap is notorious for bringing popular casual games to Facebook. This game developer doesn’t surprise us much when it brought a rave up version of another popular game titled “Solitaire Blitz.”

The most important difference between a standard “Solitaire” game and PopCap’s Solitaire Blitz is the pace of game, just like standard Bejewel games and Bejewel Blitz. Do read on … there are more surprises.

Basic Gameplay

The game has the standard set up of seven rows of cards, each with one face-up card. Surprise ahead … In Solitaire Blitz, you only have one foundation pile in the beginning, with a random card. The numerical sequences can go either way. So here, you will be able to put either 8 or 10 on top of 9.

It is also possible to start a game with the feeder piles already populated with cards.

Type of Cards

In the game, you will also come across certain cards marked with keys, which unlock new foundation piles. Jokers work like wild cards. Try to hold off using face-up jokers until you don’t have any moves left.

Timer

You get 60 seconds for a round, and the game ends when you run out of moves, clear all the cards, or run out of time.

Beating the clock will be your biggest challenge. Apart from playing fast or using boosts, you should not forget to make use of “Time Lines.” There are four time lines in each round and you get 20 seconds each for uncovering them by clearing up the cards to display the time line completely.

You can use up to three different boost in each round, either to add extra time or increase your score, it’s up to you.

Each round/hand consumes one energy. You get a maximum of 5 energy which refills over time.

Scoring

Other than the regular score for clearing cards from the seven rows to the foundation piles, there are several ways to score in Solitaire Blitz, some of which includes -

• The quicker you complete a round, the higher is your score.
• Scores can be increased by creating chains to earn score multipliers (every card you use from the seven card rows without drawing cards from the deck or making an illegal move adds to your chain. A new chain will start when you draw new cards from the deck).
• If you manage to create a sequence of similar cards across the foundation slots, you get a score boost.

You will also earn cute little items at the bottom of all the seven rows of card. They are yours if you clear the cards to the bottom of the row. These items are converted into silver which can then be used to buy new boosts or other items.

Note: Making long runs is the best way for scoring big numbers. Because there are so many ways to increase your score like winning streaks, multiplier, finding fishes (finding fishes will also increase your level) etc and the timer ticking by, you won’t be caring much about the other ways of scoring.

Social Element

The game includes speed-based challenges, leaderboard, bonuses and gifts, premium items, and a lot of colourful aquatic art style.

Note: You can send one energy per friend per hour.

Final Word

As a long-time Solitaire-based game lover, Popcap’s Solitaire Blitz comes with many surprises and is challenging and addictive, and brings about a refreshing change to the Solitaire game. The only love-hate relation I have with this Facebook game is the energy factor, which forces you to take breaks .

Solitaire Blitz is currently in closed beta on Facebook and will be publicly released in March 2012.

Play Now

Last Saturday, PopCap launched a new version of the Facebook game, Bejeweled Blitz. This new version has a new look, boosts, and coins to make the online game much more fun. The new version was supposed to be launched on the 26^th, but because of technical difficulties (for both PopCap and Facebook), it was only released on January 30^th.

The game is played by swapping gems to arrange at least 3 identical gems in a row. More rows of gems and having special gems, in 1 minute, gives the player higher points. Scores are posted on the leaderboard, although this is reset every week so everyone has a chance to be number 1.

There are 5 new boosts to help get higher points. Each boost lasts for three games and 3 can be active at any time. The 5 are:

• Mystery Gem – Worth 5,500 coins, this boost puts a random special gem on the board at the beginning of the game.
• Detonator – Worth, 2,500 coins, this boost makes all special gems on the board explode so that the player gets all the points of the special gems. It can only be used once in a game.
• Scrambler – Worth 3,500 coins, this boost jumbles all the gems on the board. It may be used twice in a game.
• +5 Seconds – A player can only play a game for 1 minute. However with this boost, worth 5,000 coins, he or she can play 5 seconds longer.
• Free Multiplier – Worth 7,500, this boost puts a multiplier on the board at the beginning of the game.

Bejeweled Blitz is one of the most popular games on Facebook. In fact, many people claim that it is very addictive that is why it has almost 9.5 million monthly active users.