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As the sequel to the biggest selling PDA game of all time, Astraware's Bejeweled 2 has a lot to live up to, including the expectations of fans that want their favorite falling gem game to keep gameplay simple.

According to the company, the new version maintains several features that addicted so many to the original (including yours truly ), while adding a slew of others to mix things up a bit.

Astraware CEO Howard Tomlinson asserts, Bejeweled 2 has "a fantastic new look, and Hyper and Power Gems to add an extra level of play to those who crave more strategy to their game."

With Bejeweled 2, you also get four standard modes—classic, action, endless, and the all-new puzzle mode—plus new graphics, background images, in game transitions, and special effects. In addition, players can unlock five special bonus modes as they progress through the standard modes.

Bejeweled 2 joins a market that media research consultant Screen Digest reports will generate $1 billion dollars in revenue this year and $6.4 billion by the end of the decade.

The company is banking that Bejeweled 2 will lead the way to same sort of success next year as the previous addition did over the last several. Tomlinson said, "Bejeweled 2 takes the Bejeweled phenomenon to the next level, and will become our flagship PDA product moving into 2005."

There are Palm and Pocket PC (240 x 320 pixel resolution) editions of Bejeweled 2 for sale now, with Windows Mobile for Smartphone and VGA (640 x 480 pixel resolution) Pocket PC editions expected to ship in 2005. It goes for $19.95.