Mahjong video game

A Mahjong video game is a video game that is based on the classical Chinese game mahjong. However, many mahjong video games, especially among those released in Western territories, do not depict the actual game of mahjong but rather mahjong solitaire.

Most commercial games released in this genre are created by Japanese developers for domestic release. Game makers have created dozens of mahjong titles for arcades and home consoles, but none have ever been officially released outside Asia. Some operating systems included a Mahjong game, such as Sun Solaris, Microsoft Windows, OS/2, and Amiga OS.

Game types

Japanese computer mahjong games typically challenge serious players, such as Athena's Pro Mahjong Kiwame series. For example, many Japanese video arcades feature games like Konami's Mahjong Fight Club that feature online play, allowing people across the country to play against one another.

Many computer mahjong games play a variant of the Japanese game known as "taisen mahjong" or "battle mahjong." Here, a single player goes head-to-head against a cartoon character controlled by the software. The game is shortened for faster play, so that each player is only allowed eighteen discards. Scoring is counted as usual. The contest typically ends when one of the opponents' score reaches zero. A good example of this genre is the 1992 Sega arcade game Tokoro San no MahMahjan.

Mahjong solitaire is a puzzle game based on the same tiles. The goal is to match open pairs of identical tiles and remove them from the board, exposing the tiles under them for play. The game is finished when all pairs of tiles have been removed from the board or when there are no exposed pairs remaining.

Notable examples

Title	Game Type(s)	Developer	Publisher	Country	Platform	Release Date
Aki[1]	Single Player	Ambrosia Software			Apple Macintosh
Dynasty Warriors Mahjong[2]	Taisen Mahjong	Omega Force	Koei	Japan	Nintendo DS, PSP, PS2
Hong Kong Mahjong Pro[3]	Single Player	Electronic Arts	Nine Dragons Software	USA	MS-DOS	1992
Jangō Simulation Mahjong-dō 64	Taisen Mahjong	Video System	Video System	Japan	Nintendo 64	July 25, 1997
Kiwame Mahjong DX2	4-Player Classic Mahjong	Athena	Athena	Japan	GameCube	August 9, 2002
Mahjong 64	Taisen Mahjong	Chat Noir	Koei	Japan	Nintendo 64	April 4, 1997
Mahjong Fight Club	4-Player Japanese Mahjong	Konami	Konami	Japan	PS3, PSP, DS, Wii, arcade	2002-2010
Mahjong Hōrōki Classic	Taisen Mahjong	Imagineer	Imagineer	Japan	Nintendo 64	August 1, 1997
Mahjong Master	Taisen Mahjong	Konami	Konami	Japan	Nintendo 64	December 20, 1996
Mahjong Taikai	4-Player Classic Mahjong	Koei	Koei	Japan	NES, PSP, Wii, DS, PS3	1989–2006
Prawdziwy Mahjong [Genuine Mahjong][4]	4-Player Classic Mahjong	B.I.S. Format	B.I.S. Format	Poland	Microsoft Windows	November 16, 2009
Pro Mahjong Kiwame 64	Taisen Mahjong	Athena	Athena	Japan	Nintendo 64	November 21, 1997
Pro Shinan Mahjong Tsuwamono 64: Jansō Battle ni Chōsen	4-player Classic Mahjong	Culture Brain	Culture Brain	Japan	Nintendo 64	November 5, 1999
Yōsuke Ide's Mahjong Juku	Taisen Mahjong	Seta	Seta	Japan	Nintendo 64	April 21, 2000

The player also has the option to play Japanese mahjong (with English text) as one of the various mini-games in Sega's gangster games, Yakuza 2 (PS2) and Yakuza 4 (PS3). Your character plays against three computer-controlled opponents, at various skill levels, gambling with their own in-game money.

References

1. ^ Hiner, Kirk (Jul 15, 2010). "Appletell reviews Aki Mahjong for iPad". Appletell. http://www.appletell.com/apple/comment/appletell-reviews-aki-mahjong-for-ipad/. Retrieved 2010-09-15. 
2. ^ Gantayat, Anoop (February 10, 2006). "Wildest Fantasies Fulfilled: Dynasty Warriors Mahjong". IGN. http://uk.ps2.ign.com/articles/687/687775p1.html. Retrieved 2010-09-15. 
3. ^ Giovetti, Alfred C. (May 1993). Compute! (152): 110. http://www.atarimagazines.com/compute/issue152/110_Hong_Kong_Mahjong_Pr.php. 
4. ^ Maj, Marcin (Nov 13, 2009). "Mahjong dzięki komputerom wkracza do Polski". Money.pl. http://manager.money.pl/hitech/artykuly/artykul/mahjong;dzieki;komputerom;wkracza;do;polski,20,0,557332.html. Retrieved 2010-10-05 (Polish).