A Slot With a Mahjong Twist 🀄

For those who may be unfamiliar, mahjong is a tile-based game of strategy, luck, and skill that originated in China before spreading to other parts of the world. Considering how old Chinese culture is, it might be surprising to know that mahjong was developed in the 19th century, so while it is an old game, it is not as ancient as some might think. Adding to its collection of Asian-themed slots, developer Pragmatic Play has once again drawn inspiration from the popular game of mahjong to create Mahjong Wins — a game full of tradition, tumbles, Gold symbols, tumble multipliers, and free spins with higher multipliers than the base game.

Remember those internet cafes where gamers would pay to play games like Counter-Strike online? Maybe there were (or still are) mahjong cafes where people gathered to enjoy a game or two. If so, it is easy to imagine them having an atmosphere similar to Mahjong Wins, which has a strong Asian feel. The game features floating dragons, a tasteful circular-patterned background, and a soothing Chinese-style soundtrack. There is also voice-over commentary at times, but since it sounds like Chinese, it is difficult to make out what the lady is saying. In the middle of the screen is a grid filled with mahjong tile-like symbols, and the overall presentation is polished and well put together.

Mahjong Wins slot – base game

Bet selection is surprisingly limited for a Pragmatic Play slot. Stakes start at 20 p/c per spin and go up to $/€24. Yes, that is twenty-four, not a typo for two hundred and forty. The math model is recognisably Pragmatic Play, though, with 5 out of 5 volatility and a solid 96.48% return to player (RTP). Offering 1,024 ways to win, Mahjong Wins is played on a 5-reel, 4-row gaming board.

Since the paying symbols are based on mahjong tiles, describing each one would be tricky, so let's keep it simple. There are 8 regular paying symbols, worth 0.5 to 5 times the bet for a five-of-a-kind winning combination. When winning combinations land, they are removed from the grid by the tumble feature. Empty spaces are filled as new symbols drop down from above, and the tumble sequence continues until no more wins appear. The wild symbol also helps create winning combinations. Wilds can land on reels 2, 3, and 4, and substitute for all symbols except the scatter.

Mahjong Wins: Slot Features

Mahjong Wins slot – free spins

Working alongside the tumble feature is a rising win multiplier, which is available in both the base game and the free spins round. Another feature to look out for is the Gold symbols.

Gold Symbols

At random, regular pay symbols marked in gold may land on reels 2, 3, and 4. When a winning combination includes gold symbols, those symbols turn into wilds for the next tumble.

Tumble Multipliers

A series of multiplier values runs along the top of the reels. In the base game, the win multiplier starts at x1 and increases to x2, x3, and x5 after consecutive tumbles. It then stays at x5 for any further tumbles in the same sequence. The multiplier resets at the end of the tumble sequence.

Free Spins

Landing at least 3 scatter symbols awards 12 free spins. During free spins, the multiplier starts at x2 and increases with consecutive tumbles to x4, x6, and x10, staying at x10 for any further tumbles in the same sequence. The multiplier resets to x2 at the start of each new free spin. Landing at least 3 scatter symbols during the round awards another 10 free spins.

Mahjong Wins slot – free spins

Mahjong Wins: Slot Verdict

While it may not be everyone's cup of green tea, Mahjong Wins is hard to beat in terms of presentation among mahjong-themed online slots. It looks good, sounds good, and plays smoothly. If it feels familiar, that may be because you have played another Pragmatic Play mahjong slot called Mahjong Panda. Mahjong Wins is more or less a reskin, with the same features, stats, and gameplay. Much depends on how you feel about mahjong itself, but even players unfamiliar with the tile game who are looking for a strong Asian-themed slot may want to give Mahjong Wins a try.

The game brings several good features together in one place. Many of them work hand in hand: tumbles interact with Gold symbols to create wilds, increase the win multiplier, and continue until no more wins appear. If you are lucky enough to trigger free spins, the multiplier values increase to a maximum of x10, which could come in handy on a grid with 1,024 ways to win. Each feature fits neatly with the others, the mahjong tile symbols look appealing, and the game creates a distinctly Chinese-inspired atmosphere. The icing on the mooncake is the potential to win up to 5,000x your bet.

For anyone looking for a mahjong-themed slot, there are several options on the market, including Mahjong 88 by Play'n GO. Mahjong Wins is also worth a look. It does not offer much that Mahjong Panda has not already done, apart from a different setting without the pandas, but it delivers its features in a polished and enjoyable way.