Quest for Cathay Kingdom Mah Jong

[b]disclaimer:[/b] I helped with testing off-steam builds before release but bought my own copy when it came out. [b]quest for cathay kingdom[/b] is a unique take on the usual mahjong formula. it's based on the [i]rivers[/i] variant, something [url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/dohi64/recommended/1161360/]shisensho solitaire[/url] does exceptionally well on steam, but in this game [b]only the top tiles are available[/b]. you can, however, [b]switch adjacent tiles[/b] (right click), and match-3 elements let you [b]remove 3 or 4 tiles in a straight line even if they're not on top[/b], as long as they're the same suit, in sequence, etc. double-click the first and the last to do so, possible combinations are described in the menu. levels start with a [b]limited number of moves[/b], running out means game over, but [b]only switching tiles counts and extra moves are awarded[/b] for certain things. the goal is to have fewer tiles left than the number of columns, so if the board is 9x6, the level ends once you have 8 tiles left. there's a counter for remaining pieces, but [b]the game doesn't indicate if there are no valid moves[/b], you have to 'declare defeat' when you reach this conclusion by yourself. [b]no hint, undo or shuffle buttons either[/b], but other mechanics include [b]betting coins earned from levels[/b]. it's only possible during the first 90 seconds after starting a level, that's the only time the clock is relevant and you can click it anytime to turn it off. [b]coins are used to buy specials (joker tiles) and moves[/b] and betting can increase your money faster. moves can also be sold for coins and all this and more is explained before certain levels. [b]4 game modes[/b] are available. the [u]cathay[/u] variant with all the bells and whistles can be played with or without a story (cutscenes are skippable), [u]waterfall[/u] does away with everything but switching tiles, so just match tiles from the top, and [u]match & sequence[/u] only allows removing a sequence of tiles next to each other, but has coins and specials. [b]the story consists of 16 levels[/b], increasing in size and difficulty. doesn't sound like much but you probably won't breeze through all of them on the first try. [b]the other game modes have 10 levels each[/b], but of course tile placement is random and level select lets you replay unlocked stages, so it acts more like a size setting than anything. the game also creates save files to go back to, which I find completely unnecessary, that's what the level select screen is for. graphics are fine, there's a light and dark mode for the tiles, audio is fitting, some really nice tracks to listen to, but [b]the tutorial font is a bit hard to read[/b] and the [b]pop-ups for the dev's previous game and newsletter are really annoying[/b]. they should put both images in the corner instead of constantly moving them on and off the screen. further settings include separate volumes, windowed mode with a resizable window, some languages and story text size. I like mahjong (the matching variety anyway, never played the more social variant) and I like how this game mixes things up and [b]provides a unique but often frustratingly difficult experience at a low price[/b]. worth checking out if you're not looking for something casual, though nothing's stopping anybody from playing easier early levels over and over.

I'm not much of a reviewer but mah jong is one of my favorite casual games. Since the days of the excellent Kyodai (older players will remember) I've played several games of this type, but honestly, it's been a while since I've been excited about a mah jong game. Lately, very few are those who bring something out of the copy of the copy. About his game, Quest for Cathay Mah Jong, regardless of whether you like this game or not, one thing can be said: it tries to make something different and fresh. Everyone knows match-3 mechanics, but here it's mixed with traditional board mah jong rules and a few more things that add variation and difficulty to the game. I'm at level 7 of the story game mode, and it proved to be quite challenging from level 5 onwards. Regarding the story, the narrative is ok. From my point of view I don't think it's fantastic, but it's interesting. It can be seen that it was summarized so as not to be too extensive and this may have taken away depth. As it is written in first person, more facts and details would deepen the relationship with the main character. But the research work to create it was very well done. It vaguely reminded me of the old Jules Verne stories, although this one is based on real events and written much more superficially. The background images are very good and have an artistic treatment in some way. Some are really beautiful. The music is themed and adds some immersion to the story. In addition to the story mode, there are two other game modes that I haven't had time to try yet, but which add even more value to the package. Speaking for myself, it was a purchase worth every penny. I believe this game has more value than what is being charged. And at this price it is absolutely recommendable. I'm having a lot of fun and, apparently, I'll have a lot more.

I had wishlisted Quest for Cathay Kingdom Mah Jong because I have another game from this developer (Word Hunt Fever) that I really enjoyed. I don't know much about mah jong games but I have Shisensho (which I also recommend) which is one of my favorites. After purchasing the game, I opened it just to have a look, and chose one of the other modes just to get a feel for the game... when I realized 45 minutes had passed. So I can say that the game pleased me, and in those 45 minutes of gameplay it was a good experience, which motivated me to write this review, as I recently learned that these reviews help developers on the Steam platform a lot. So it's a way to show my satisfaction with the purchase.

If you like puzzles with combinations, mah jong, mach-3, don't even stop to think. Just buy it. You will certainly have a good time with the game. The price is very fair for what it delivers.

This is a very complete Mah-jong like game! it's uses combinations of Mah Jong board game with puzzle match-3, bets and wildcards with a rich focus on story! Recommended for the fans of the genre!