PopCap and Bejeweled have become synonymous with the match-3 puzzle genre and casual gaming for a decade. Today, PopCap is continuing its dynasty in the casual arena with the announcement of Bejeweled 3, due out next month. Bejeweled 3 is aiming to mix up the formula set by it's predecessors while staying true to the Bejeweled gameplay.

Jason Kapalka, Chief Creative Officer at PopCap and co-creator of Bejeweled had this to say about the challenge of creating the sequel:

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

Bejeweled 3 is coming packed with a lot of new features including four game modes and four secret games the player will have to unlock. See the full list of game modes here:

• Classic: Play the most popular puzzle game of the century, with powerful new gems and new ultra-smooth gameplay.
• Quest: Journey through 40 magical puzzles in this multifaceted Bejeweled challenge!
• Zen: Personalized your experience with ambient sound and binaural beast–a revolutionary new way to relax!
• Lighting: Charge up with a heart-pounding, beat-the-clock bout of gem-blasting fun!
• Secret Games: Unlock 4 all-new games including Butterflies and Ice Storm
• Badges: Earn up to 65 badges to prove your skills

The Lighting mode sounds a lot like Blitz in Bejeweled 2. Given the popularity of Bejeweled Blitz, it's not surprising they brought an updated version to the sequel. This game sounds amazing and it looks even better in the trailer here:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZME4pxbhic

In the trailer PopCap shows off the new ways to play along with the updated high-def graphics. We also get a glimpse of some of the secret games including what seems to be a poker game. The combination of an addictive card game and Bejeweled might be enough to pull thousands of gamers from Farmville. There was no announcement of the game coming to platforms other than the PopCap website for the time being. However, given the shear popularity of the franchise, it's only a matter of time before you see Bejeweled 3 on other major gaming platforms. Imagine for a second this game on the 3DS!

Bejeweled 3 also has high potential for social integration. The new badges are basically achievements, and what's the point of achievements if you can't share them with everyone?

Are you excited for a new Bejeweled 3? What would you like to see return from previous Bejeweled games? Do you prefer a different puzzle game?

Bejeweled 3 is due out on December 7th on PopCap.com for $19.95 on PC and Mac.