Computer mahjong

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Computer mahjong is the field of artificial intelligence (A.I.) dedicated to creating a computer program that plays mahjong, a popular tile-based game. Most games released in this genre are created by Japanese developers for domestic release. Game makers have created dozens of mahjong titles for arcades and home consoles, but none have ever been officially released outside Asia.

Japanese computer mahjong games fall into roughly two categories. One is intended to challenge serious players, such as Athena's Pro Mahjong Kiwame series. For example, many Japanese video arcades feature games like Konami's Mahjong Fight Club that feature online play, allowing people across the country to play against one another. The other type is datsui-mahjong, also known as adult strip-mahjong, which shows victorious players graphics featuring women in varying stages of undress.

Many computer mahjong games, particularly the pornographic ones, play a variant of the Japanese game known as "taisen mahjong" or "battle mahjong." Here, a single player goes head-to-head against a cartoon character controlled by the software. The game is shortened for faster play, so that each player is only allowed eighteen discards. Scoring is counted as usual. The contest typically ends when one of the opponents' score reaches zero. A good non-sexual example of this genre is the 1992 Sega arcade game Tokoro San no MahMahjan, which is emulated in MAME.

Another form of computer Mahjong involves the playing of multiplayer Mahjong for money or for free on the Internet against other players. Gambling versions of this game can be found at sites such as Ladbrokes and Mahjong Club, non gambling versions are popular on the Chinese mainland where gambling is illegal. Most gambling versions of Mahjong are based on software from Mahjong Mania.

Mahjong solitaire is an entirely different computer game that uses the same tiles.