Shanghai

Moby ID: 4272
Included in See Also

Description official descriptions

Shanghai is one of the first video game adaptations of the tile-based game played with the Chinese mahjong stones - essentially a puzzle game that has little to do with real mahjong rules.

The gameplay involves 144 tiles, each depicting different images, which have to be removed by matching them into pairs. The tiles are arranged in a gridded pattern, which is higher near the centre. A tile can only be removed if it has no tile next to it on at least one side.

This computer implementation can generate a random board layout to take on and features five preset challenges, some of which have time limits of five or ten minutes, as well as a multiplayer mode.

Spellings

  • 上海 - Japanese spelling

Groups +

Screenshots

Promos

Credits (Amiga version)

Designed by
Amiga adaptation by

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 80% (based on 24 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 63 ratings with 0 reviews)

Be the first to review this game!

Discussion

Subject By Date
Project Manager Brad Fregger (11) May 15, 2008

Trivia

Extras

Some boxed games had a Shanghai postcard as bonus Front - original game cover artwork. Back - Game title and subtitle. Offer to a free demo disk for $3.00 at the specified address. Blank space for recipient’s address and stamp.

Graphics

Shanghai is one of the few PC titles that supports 16 colors exclusively in Tandy / PCjr computers.

Origin

Apparently inspired by a Chinese game called "the Turtle" or "Destroy the Turtle", played with Mahjongg tiles, Brodie Lockhard implemented the first digital version of mahjongg solitaire in 1981 on the PLATO system (released for free, played via a CDC-721 touch screen terminal, according to Wikipedia), which in turn led to a commercial online version run by the Control Data Corporation in 1983 before this, Activision's 1986 home version, made the biggest splash yet.

Awards

  • Amiga Power
    • May 1991 (Issue #00) - #44 in the "All Time Top 100 Amiga Games"

´* Computer Gaming World + November 1996 (15th anniversary issue) – #146 in the “150 Best Games of All Time” list * Happy Computer + 1986 - Runner-up as Best Game Idea of the Year * Power Play + Issue 02/1992 – Best Lynx Game in 1991

Information also contributed by Pseudo_Intellectual

Analytics

MobyPro Early Access

Upgrade to MobyPro to view research rankings!

Related Games

Shanghai Mini
Released 1999 on Neo Geo Pocket Color
Shanghai Pocket
Released 1998 on Game Boy, Game Boy Color, WonderSwan
Shanghai II
Released 1990 on TurboGrafx CD, NES, Game Gear...
Shanghai III
Released 1993 on Arcade, SNES, 2020 on Nintendo Switch
Shanghai: Shōryū Sairin
Released 2000 on Arcade, PlayStation
Shanghai Dragon
Released 2002 on Windows
Shanghai: Sangoku Haitōgi
Released 2002 on PlayStation 2
Shanghai: Great Moments
Released 1995 on Windows, Windows 3.x, 1997 on PlayStation...
Game no Tetsujin: The Shanghai
Released 1995 on PlayStation, SEGA Saturn, SNES

Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 4272
  • [ Please login / register to view all identifiers ]

Contribute

Are you familiar with this game? Help document and preserve this entry in video game history! If your contribution is approved, you will earn points and be credited as a contributor.

Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Brad Fregger.

Commodore 64 added by Quapil. NES added by Ƒreddƴ. Wii added by Michael Cassidy. Arcade added by Rik Hideto. Sharp X1, PC-98, Sharp X68000, PC-88, FM Towns added by Infernos. TurboGrafx-16 added by Kaminari. Lynx added by Allyson Alt. Amiga added by Martin Smith. Apple IIgs added by ZenicReverie. Atari 8-bit, Macintosh added by Terok Nor. TRS-80 CoCo, Amstrad CPC added by Servo. SEGA Master System added by Игги Друге. MSX added by koffiepad. Apple II added by Garcia. Atari ST added by Belboz.

Additional contributors: Martin Smith, Garcia, Neville, Patrick Bregger, Jo ST, Infernos.

Game added June 11, 2001. Last modified February 13, 2024.