Free Mahjong Games Online
Are you a Mahjong fan? If so, you're in the right place! Our extensive collection of free online mahjong games includes addicting titles like Mahjong Dimensions, Mahjong Dark Dimensions, Mahjong Candy, and Mahjong Solitaire. With all of these addicting games, you'll want to play free Mahjong games online 24/7!
Mahjong is an ancient Chinese strategy game that is played today by people all over the world. You can test yourself against other players in live settings or settle down for a session on your own by playing free Mahjong games online.
Our collection of Mahjong variations and different layouts will keep you entertained for hours. Try our free Mahjong games now and start putting your skills to the test!
What is Mahjong?
Mahjong or Mahjongg is fun and enormously popular, a classic Chinese game of strategy, skill, and summation. The classic version of the game uses 136 tiles and requires you to make identical sets and matching pairs from these tiles. Classic mahjong has been played throughout China for centuries, reaching back to the 1800s.
Like our other online memory games, Mahjong is also an excellent game to play if you're looking to improve your memory skills and relieve some stress! Many players choose to enjoy online mahjong games from a large-screen, mobile device, such as an iPad or Android tablets.
While there are a huge number of regional variations to it, the basic principles of many Mahjong games are the same and feature the following tiles:
- 36 characters
- 36 bamboo tiles
- 36 circles (suits)
- 16 wind tiles
- 12 dragons
When you're playing free Mahjong games online you may find that there's a total of 144 tiles. This is because these Mahjong games include the following additional tiles:
- Four flower tiles
- Four season tiles
What is the Objective of Mahjong?
The objective of mahjong is very simple—to get Mahjong!
You have 14 tiles and you get Mahjong by getting all 14 tiles into four sets and one pair. Sets of tiles are called pung or chow and they equal:
- Pung = three identical mahjong tiles
- Chow = three consecutive numbers
- Identical tile pairs (can be any)
You earn points based on the moves you make and the speed at which you make the correct ones. The points you get depend on the version of Mahjong you play.
So, make sure you verify how points are recorded when you're playing free Mahjong. Because if you don't, you might find that your score could end up lower than you expected.
How to Play Mahjong Online
Playing free Mahjong games is a great way to test your ability to think strategically. There are different versions of Mahjong free games you can play online and the simplest way to learn how to play it is to start with traditional Mahjong.
These are the six key things you need to know about playing traditional Mahjong games online:
- Your goal is to get Mahjong by using discarded tiles
- Mahjong is four sets of three tiles and one pair of tiles
- You make sets in Mahjong games in two ways
- Pung
- Chow
- The game starts with all 144 tiles laid out as a "wall" in the center of the game surface
- You have to match these tiles, finding ones that are the same
- You score points by matching ones that are:
- Not covered
- Away from the sides
- Special characters
We have a range of free Mahjong games with a twist. These may feature different rules from the basic version of the game. When choosing one of our Mahjong games, free online, make sure you check how to play the version you're interested in before you sit down for a game. Whether you want to play Mahjongg Solitaire, Dimensions Mahjong, or even Age of Mahjong: Free Alchemy, you can find an action-packed version that you’ll love with Arkadium! Explore the world of Mahjong, 24/7, with games you can quickly immerse yourself in!
Top Tips When Playing Online Mahjong Games
Ready to master free, classic Mahjong challenges on Arkadium? This guide includes tips and tricks for beginners and advanced players alike and is meant to help you make the most out of your favorite pastime.
Concentration is necessary to become a true master of online Mahjong.
But that's not all you need to be able to play games successfully. These top tips will help you make better decisions, score more points, and finish your games faster:
- Always try and match tiles that will reveal the most hidden titles
- Horizontal tiles are harder to remove
- If you have three of the same tile then match the two that unveil the most tiles
- If you get into a situation you can't solve then shuffle the tiles
Our free online Mahjong games are strategic matching games. To play Mahjong, you must remove all Mahjong tiles from the board before time runs out.
There's a catch, though!
You can only select unblocked Mahjong tiles that do not have other tiles to their right or left. It's a race against time — the faster you remove tiles, the more points you score.
Now, go play!
What Mahjong Variants Are Played Online?
Over the last couple of centuries, traditional mahjong evolved into a wide range of games. Several variants are near-exclusively played online, such as Mahjong Dimensions, because they would be difficult to recreate in the physical world. Others, like Mahjong Connect, Mahjong Classic, and Deluxe Mahjong, are readily playable in the physical world.
Mahjong Connect
Also known as Mahjong Solitaire, Mahjong Connect is a variant of the game that requires players to clear a board of tiles in order to win. Creating sets and pairs using one, two, or three lines allow sets to fall into place. Players often choose this mahjong variation when they want to refine their reflex time and their pattern recognition skills.
Mahjong Dimensions
An Arkadium original Mahjong puzzle, this variant of traditional mahjong requires players to manipulate a three-dimensional stack of symbolic mahjong tiles and match pairs of tiles. With no need for multi-tile sets, Mahjong Dimensions emphasizes player pattern recognition, reaction time, and processing speed. As players pass each level, a more challenging tile set is added to the board. Players receive points multipliers for pairing tiles quickly.
How Long Does a Game of Mahjong Take?
If you play a four-person live game of Mahjong then You'll find that hands can often take 15 minutes. This means that a full live Mahjong game takes around four hours to complete.
One of the best things about playing Mahjong online is games can take less time to complete. This is because some of the free Mahjong games you can play have a timer setting.
Games like these may be scheduled to last no more than ten minutes, meaning that they take barely any time at all to play.
What Does Mahjong Mean?
Mahjong means "little sparrows".
It's thought that the game's name comes from the noise the tiles make when they're shuffled, which is said to sound like sparrows talking to each other.
How Do I Say Mahjong?
Mahjong is pronounced, 'maa-zhong'.
To say it correctly you treat it as two separate words that are joined together. This will allow you to correctly accent the two parts of Mahjong, while ensuring that you pronounce it as one word.
The History of Mahjong
Mahjong is a game with a fascinating history.
Traditional Mahjong is an ancient Chinese strategy game with a slightly different concept than our free Mahjong app games.
The ancient strategy game is played with bamboo Mahjong tiles, and was introduced to the rest of the world in the early 20th century. In 2019, the Chinese government cracked down on household mahjong games because many people were using the game to gamble. While the most common bets were worth less than $20, the Chinese government saw this behavior as impure, which made playing even casual and bet-free Mahjong games offline a challenge.
In traditional Mahjong, there are usually four players and 144 Mahjong tiles, based on Chinese characters and symbols. Each player begins with 13 tiles and takes turns drawing and discarding tiles until they form a winning hand.
Mahjong is a strategy game, with many different variations around the world. Start playing for free, 24/7! The Mahjong games you love and crave can be easily accessed online at Arkadium today! Some of our Mahjong free online games include a 3D version, adding an extra dimension to your favorite game and giving you a unique, real-like gaming experience at the click of a button.
If you’re a real Mah-Jongg online game enthusiast, you might enjoy games of all kinds on Arkadium, including other strategy card games that are equally good for stimulating the mind. Get started now!