Shanghai: Second Dynasty Demo

Mahjong is probably one of the most popular oriental games to have spread to the rest of the world, especially when it comes to video games. The rather simple rules and the flexibility when it comes to models, colors, and symbols really comes in handy on a computer, because it offers the players the possibility to change between a variety of layouts and enjoy a different experience every time.

Shanghai: Second Dynasty contains both the classic Mahjong and the Shanghai, along with a variety of other spin offs on the same idea. The rules might change a bit from one variation to the other, but the underlying concept is the same in all of them and it only takes a couple of minutes to get used to a different approach, as long as you are open to learning new things.

As far as the collection or related games included in the package, it is possible to switch between Power Dragon’s Eye, a two player version of Shanghai, Pandamonium, and a Dynasty mode. Some of these modes support two players as well, so you can enjoy them together with a friend, by taking turns to move the pieces around.

In order to mix up the experience from one session to the other, the game comes with a large collection of tile models and layouts for the background, split into categories to make them easier to spot. Hence, there are special tiles for grownups and for children, as well as a handful designed to make both categories happy. Whether you are looking for a classic Mahjong theme, or you are much more comfortable with astrology and tarot tiles, there are plenty of options to choose from.

The layouts can be changed as well, although these are grouped into categories like easy/normal/advanced. However, there is also the option to create and import your own layout, in case you are feeling particularly creative. Thanks to the satisfactory 2D graphics, your contraptions should be rendered as nicely as possible.

All things being equal, Shanghai: Second Dynasty is not exactly a revolutionary game, nor does it improve on the genre in any way. However, its simplicity and the large number of available game variations should make it a good choice for anyone who’s a fan of Mahjong, as well as those who want to learn how to play the game.