Review: Mahjong Escape – Ancient China puzzle game

Mahjong Escape is both a standard mahjong solitaire game – there are 126 layouts to choose from, at three difficulty levels – and an attempt to update the game with an adventure theme.

The aim of the game, as usual, is to match the tiles, both by the kind of tile (bamboo, seasons and so on) and by the numbers they carry – so the bamboo seven must be matched with another bamboo seven. When two tiles are matched they disappear, opening up more of the board. Levels are completed by clearing the board.

In addition to the standard game there's an escape-themed campaign that takes the player through several parts of China with changing backdrops and different tile layouts each time. It's quite a good way to spice things up, even if it's not the most exciting adventure we've ever played.

There are several tile sets to choose from, and it's possible to cheat using the hint or shuffle buttons (the latter adds 20 seconds to your time). The program will automatically suggest a hint if left for a while, though this can be turned off.

Graphics are fine but nothing special, and the sound is unobtrusive, apart from the annoying faux-Chinese music, which can easily be turned off.

It's true that there are several good mahjong websites that have free playable games, but the versatility of this edition makes it a good choice for tile addicts or those who want to branch out from crosswords or sudoku.