Sorcerer Mahjong Marvels

Sorcerer Mahjong Marvels gives tile solitaire a magic theme, with tiles decorated with mystical artefacts. It is also one of the more clearly bounded games in this section: the developer puts the count at 60 levels, each with a time limit, and finishing all of them completes the game.

Within a level the job is to gather every set of matching tiles until none remain. Only open tiles can be collected, and the developer defines open as having no tile directly beside it on the left or the right. The instructions add two forms of help. A hint button points you towards a match, and you can get extra time for clearing a level. The framing story is about uncovering magical secrets on the way to becoming a master magician, though how much story the game actually tells is not described.

Use a mouse or touchpad, or tap on a touchscreen, to select tiles. Only open tiles are available, meaning those with no neighbour on their left or right. Pick matching tiles to collect them, and keep going until every set is gathered and the level is won. Each level has a time limit; the hint button and extra time are there if you need them.

A tile with neighbours on both sides is stuck until one of them goes, so look along each row for tiles at the open ends first. If the clock gets tight, remember the developer offers extra time as well as hints. A hint is the quicker fix when you simply cannot see a match.

Mahjong-style tile matching with a fantasy theme, in a landscape frame. There are 60 levels, all timed. The developer lists a mouse or touchpad, with tapping also mentioned, plus a hint button and an option for extra time.

Mahjong Dogs also uses a left-or-right open rule against the clock, and turns unused hints and saved time into a bonus. Mahjong Tower HD offers layouts shaped like pyramids and castles.