Relax With In-Poculis Mahjong Master
Some time ago I talked about my fondness for the game, Kyodai Mahjong – it really is a well executed game with a number of mini games for variation – the years of love that has been placed on its development really shines through. Recently, I was pointed to another Mahjong game called In-Poculis Mahjong Master so I downloaded it to take a look at how it differs, the version I tried was version 2.65 which offers 120 levels of play and 6 different themes.
If you have never played Mahjong before In-Poculis web site has a good, basic, explanation:
The Mahjong or Shanghai is a memory game where you have to select identical tiles to make them disappear.
In-Poculis obviously has a number of similarities to Kyodai, and in some areas is not quite as polished, however it has some novel features that really lift game play and enhance its appeal. One of these is the tile layout selection. In Mahjong tiles can be arranged in well known combinations, each with their own particular challenges, and there are a number of layout options to choose from. In Kyodai I do tend to stick to the same layout style however, in In-Poculis you are actively encouraged to try out other tile layouts with a map style game play on the front selection screen. These are also themed into six main areas including Halloween, Easter and Christmas – giving it a nice thematic feel.
In-Poculis has a better indicator as to which tile you have selected – with it clearly highlighted by a dramatic ring image. The Help file includes a useful and quick introduction to the rules of play with some useful images to get you going quite quickly. There is a similar 2D/3D mode in In-Poculis and it is very pleasant but, as with Kyodai, 2D is all I really need to enjoy the game. The constant swivelling of 3D can be something of a put off – but that is just my taste and I know others prefer the 3D look. The musical score is very pleasant in In-Poculis with music to match the theme of each type of game.
Other than beating a particular time for clearing the board you also earn points, and can ramp this up quickly with combo’s such as four of a kind (two identical pairs) or straights. If you can no longer match a pair the game board automatically reshuffles the tiles.
If you just want to play the game without the extra scoring you can maximise the game board and hide the scoring features out of the way.
In summary In-Poculis has a number of aspects to make it stand apart from similar games like Kyodai and it is well worth a try, especially as there are versions for both Windows and Mac. The game is updated regularly so watch out for new enhancements and improvements.
You can learn more about In-Poculis, and their Sokoban game, at their website at www.in-poculis.com.