Shanghai II (Japan)

**Shanghai II (Japan)** for the NES is a classic Mahjong Solitaire puzzle game where the primary objective is to clear all tiles from the screen by matching identical pairs. The game presents various tile layouts, each uniquely stacked, creating different challenges for the player.

To remove a pair of tiles, players must select two identical tiles. However, there's a crucial rule: the selected tiles must be "open," meaning they are not blocked by other tiles on both long sides and have no tiles on top of them. If a tile is blocked on one of its sides or covered, it cannot be selected. This requires players to employ strategy and foresight, thinking about which tiles to remove first to unlock others.

The game features a scoring system where players earn points for clearing tile pairs. Special tiles like Dragon tiles and Wind tiles often have slightly different matching rules, where any dragon can match with any other dragon, and similarly for wind tiles, as long as they are "open." Season tiles and Flower tiles can also be matched with any tile within their respective groups.

**Shanghai II (Japan)** offers several game modes, including the traditional single-player mode where players attempt to complete as many layouts as possible, or a Time Attack mode where speed is key. The user interface is simple yet effective, allowing players to easily select and match tiles using the NES controller. Despite its simple graphics, the engaging and highly challenging gameplay has made **Shanghai II (Japan)** a beloved puzzle title on the NES, providing hours of relaxing yet brain-stimulating fun.