Ide Yousuke Meijin no Jissen Mahjong II (Japan)

Ide Yousuke Meijin no Jissen Mahjong II (Japan) is a realistic Mahjong simulation game for the NES, focusing on the Japanese style of Mahjong, known as Riichi Mahjong. Players engage in intense Mahjong matches against computer opponents. The primary objective is to form winning hands (known as "yaku") from the 13 tiles in your hand, by drawing and discarding tiles, until you can declare "Tsumo" (winning by drawing your own tile) or "Ron" (winning by claiming an opponent's discard).

Gameplay revolves around strategically managing your hand. Each turn, you draw a new tile and must decide which tile to discard to move closer to a winning hand. Key actions include: Pon (claiming three identical tiles from an opponent's discard), Chi (claiming three consecutive tiles from the player before you), and Kan (forming a set of four identical tiles). Using these actions requires careful calculation as they expose parts of your hand and can change the flow of the game.

A unique aspect of Riichi Mahjong is the ability to declare Riichi. When you are one tile away from winning (known as "tenpai"), you can declare Riichi, placing a scoring stick on the table and turning your last discard sideways. This allows for higher scoring if you win, but also locks your hand, preventing any further changes. Players must weigh the risks and rewards of declaring Riichi to achieve high scores.

The game likely features different play modes, such as free play, tournament mode, or practice mode. The NES user interface clearly displays your hand, the discarded tiles of all players, and other essential information. Despite being an older console game, Ide Yousuke Meijin no Jissen Mahjong II delivers an authentic and challenging Mahjong experience, requiring players to master the rules and employ sharp strategies to defeat increasingly clever AI opponents.