Shanghai Dynasty

Mahjong Shanghai Dynasty – How to Play

Game Type:

Mahjong Solitaire

Theme:

Classic

Tiles Used:

Traditional Mahjong Set

Time Limit:

No time constraints – play at your own pace.

Tile Set & Matching Rules

Mahjong Shanghai Dynasty is played with a classic set of tiles, including:

Dots
Bamboo
Characters
Winds
Dragons
Flowers & Seasons

To clear the board, find and match identical tiles. However, tiles can only be selected if at least one of their sides (left or right) is free and they are not covered by another tile.

Special Rules for Flower & Season Tiles

Flowers: Any flower tile can be paired with another flower tile.
Seasons: Any season tile can be matched with another season tile.

Game Modes & Difficulty

The game offers two modes for different levels of challenge:

For Kids: A simplified version using 32 tiles from a single suit (e.g., Bamboo or Numbers).
Shanghai Mode: The full 144-tile challenge, arranged in the Turtle formation for a more strategic experience.

No Undo & No Hints

Unlike some other Mahjong games, this version does not allow undoing moves or using hints. If there are no available moves, the game will notify you, and you’ll need to restart.

No Timer, No Scorekeeping

There is no countdown timer, so you can take as long as you need to think through your moves. Additionally, there is no scoring system—the main objective is simply to clear the board.

Controls & Interaction

Mouse Users: Click on two matching tiles to remove them.
Touchscreen Users: Tap tiles to select and pair them.

Game History & Development

The original version of Shanghai Dynasty was developed by Quicksilver Software and published by Activision in 1997 for Windows 95 and macOS 7.
In 2001, Petr Mizerov created a Flash-based version, which later influenced the development of Mahjong Titans.
To ensure continued playability on modern devices, the game was later recreated using HTML5 technology.

Enjoy the challenge of Mahjong Shanghai Dynasty and see if you can master the board!