Mac Games – reviews and game downloads

Have you ever watched old men playing mahjong? They smack the tiles down with a loud clatter. Apparently mahjong translate to clattering sparrow. Mac game Smack Mahjong with its many layouts and different tiles has a lot to offer when it comes to this type of play.

The goal of the play is to clear the game board of all the tiles by making matches of 2 of the same tiles (or the same set). The tiles are formed in different patterns such as the blimp, chains, buildings, fence, etc. There are many options to choose from. Tile types can be changed to whatever you may like. The available tiles are highlighted so you know which tiles can be used to match. Tiles must be free on 2 sides to be able to make a match. You do not need to know which tiles are available since they are highlighted with the unavailable tiles in shadows. It’s very clear and easy to identify, except the black tile set. These dark tiles are difficult to make out and it becomes a challenge just to figure out which tiles are usable.

The mahjong classic tiles are the 4 seasons, directions (north, south, east and west), numbers in Chinese characters, flowers and foliage. The flower tiles and season are a set of tiles known as 8 guardians. There are a lot of inner meanings to this game, but the play in Smack Mahjong will guide you on the instructions and make your time fun and entertaining to spend a relaxing afternoon.

The background scenes are very plain and simple. Making the background subtle helps you concentrate on the game at hand. My favorite part of this game is the highlighted tiles. This makes finding the right tile so much easier. In addition to the beautiful tiles, you get good music (somewhat Asian like and repetitive) and good sound effects. Try this basic mahjong game for a great time.

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Spend a relaxing day tackling the 144 tiles in Mac Mahjong puzzles with its Chinese characters and pictures. The object of the game is to pair tiles to remove from their layered positions and clear the board. Tiles surrounded by 2 or more sides will not be able to be moved so you must think ahead and plan your strategy before diving head first into the midst of the game. However, with that being said, you must move quickly and efficiently for the true nature of the play to take effect.

The game has 4 modes: Classic, Shuffle, Math and Word. Classic you remove pairs of tiles at a time. With 2 groups of tiles, the 2 tiles to pair can be any 2 tiles from one group. If you are stuck, you can use the hint button, but will not get points for the pair made with the hint. Shuffle is similar to Classic but if there are no more moves to be made, you can shuffle the tiles to present more options. Just keep in mind only 3 shuffles are allowed. The Math mode has tiles with numbers and symbols that are used in arithmetic expressions. The Word mode has images of letters and is played like the Math mode except with words.

At first glance Mahjong looks plain and simple, but in getting past the Classic mode, you get a lot more to this game. I liked the easygoing play of Classic and Shuffle. The Math and Word is a little more challenging but fun. The tiles are nicely done, sound effects appropriate and the variety of games interesting. Try it out for a more than a relaxing adventure into the Mac game Mahjong.

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Ancient Tri-Jong is not your average Mah Jong game! Quite the contrary, it is kind of like a hybrid between a solitaire game and a Mah Jong game. Let me explain. The object of the game is to remove all the tiles, but not by matching like-tiles. In order to remove a tile, you must choose either a higher or lower card than the (what I will call) “main tile.” This “main tile” is initially given to you, but as you remove cards, they replace the old tile and become the new “main tile.” For example, if you start with a 9, you can choose either a 10 on an 8 to remove from the board. If neither of these cards are available, then you can click the “main tile” to receive a new one. It’s really not that difficult (although my explanation may be a little confusing haha).

At first the game is a little confusing, but it soon becomes addicting. There is no time limit in the main Quest game, but scores are determined on how quickly you finish as well as combinations (how many cards removed in a row). It is not easy to pass each stage though, as the stack of “reload” cards is quickly diminished as you get near the end of the level. Luckily, there are over 150 levels to choose from, so you can practice on many different stages, as well as stages you can create yourself. The coolest part of this game was the option to use your own music. Playing the demo, I wasn’t able to figure it out completely, but there was a built in soundtrack bar at the bottom. Being able to control the sound right in the game is something that definitely appeals to me, and allows you to listen to anything from Beethoven to Iron Maiden. I would give this game three and a half stars of out five.

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