I’m really not that into video games – I told you about how Mister wants to get me playing his silly little game with him and how I don’t want to because I’m convinced I won’t be that good at it. Now the silly little game has an add-on – Bejeweled. I was kinda ok with playing Tetris, because it’s the only video game that I know of where I appreciate the kind of skill involved in playing, so Mister told me to go online and check out Bejeweled. Usually I get to around level 6 or 7 before I get stuck with no moves, but I did manage to make it to level 14 and over 90,000 points once. I’ve been playing it quite a bit lately, and it didn’t take long before the idea for this post popped into my head. Here are 7 life lessons you can learn from playing Bejeweled:
- Keep your eyes on the top. In the game, if you focus your attention on the top of the board, you’ll usually have moves left at the bottom. If you focus too much on the bottom, you’ll completely rearrange the top of the board. Keep your eyes on the top – aim high, and you’ll have more success in life.
- Don’t get distracted by shiny stuff. In the game, when you get 4 in a row you get a “power cube.” It’s tempting to make every move possible to use it for another 3 (or more) in a row for extra points, but don’t be hasty about it. If you are distracted with a single goal in mind, you’ll lose sight of the big picture.
- Keep a level head. In the game, I’ve found that when I have the choice between a vertical or horizontal row, I’ll move for the horizontal row. Keep a level head and you’ll have a lot more opportunities come your way.
- Don’t make hasty decisions. In the game, I’ve found that I can get carried away at times and make a lot of hasty decisions. This almost always backfires on me – as the jewels are falling into place, I see a better move that I could have take. Take the time to think about things and examine your options before you make a decision.
- A little strategy goes a long way. In the game, you need too try and see what will happen with each possible move, so that you can set yourself up for more moves. A good life strategy has an eye on the outcome.
- The more advanced you become, the longer it takes to reach your goals. In the game, the higher your level, the longer it takes to reach the next level. This is one of those ironic things about life – it’s easy to move on and move up earlier in life, but the more experience you get, the bigger the challenge. That’s not to say you shouldn’t try, though. I mean, who wants to stay at level 1 forever?
- Don’t over think things. In the game, I’ve found that if I think too hard, I can’t see the possibilities that exist. Sometimes you just have to have fun!
No way!!! I play Bejeweled all the time (besides Majjong). And your strategies are the same as mine. I’ve been playing Bejeweled 2 which has a “never ending” game. My score is in the millions! Of course I do what I can to get a “hyper cube”. Then you have to try to strategize which gem you want to blast to get you the most points! Boo likes the sound and the blasting of gems. Silly boy.
When I get a hypercube, I look at what my options are and just count them. I go for the gem with the largest representation. But I don’t play with sound. Mister has his silly little game going, plus the voice chat with everyone else in the game, plus the radio, so my game sounds would be auditory overload.