Doodle CubHow to play Mahjong Garden
- Press Start, or pick a layout on the garden map. Today's Daily layout is always open.
- Tap or click two matching tiles to clear them. A tile can be taken only when it is free: nothing on top of it, and nothing touching its left side or its right side.
- Number tiles match only the same number in the same suit (Blossom, Fern or Wave). Emblems match the same emblem. Any Season matches any Season, and any Gold matches any Gold.
- Match again within 3 seconds to build a combo up to x5; each match scores 10 times the combo. Clearing under par time gives a time bonus and three stars, and every hint or shuffle you did not use adds 100 points.
- Stuck? Use a hint, shuffle the tiles that are left, or undo your last match. Clear a layout to light its lantern: lanterns open new layouts, new gardens and new tile sets.
About this game
Mahjong Garden is mahjong solitaire with a look of its own: ivory tiles on dark jade lacquer, with ink-brush faces drawn for this game, from koi, moths and fox masks to blossoms, ferns and waves. Every deal is built in reverse, pair by pair, so each layout can always be cleared, though careless matches can still leave you without a move. Work through 48 layouts in six gardens, from the quick 36-tile Stepping Stones to the classic 144-tile Turtle. Each garden adds a twist: pond-shaped layouts, face-down tiles that turn over when freed, long rows with few open ends, a single shuffle, and Night Bloom's six-minute clock with a tighter combo window. Chase combos and par times for three stars, play the Daily layout to keep a streak going, unlock new tile sets, and draw your own Season tiles. If you reload by accident, your board comes back paused.
Controls
| Keyboard | Touch |
|---|---|
| ClickPick a tile, then its match | Tap a tile, then its match (near a small tile, a tap still finds it) |
| HHint | Hint button (thumb) |
| SShuffle | Shuffle button (thumb) |
| ZUndo the last match | Undo button (thumb) |
| ←↑→↓Move between free tiles (Space picks) | Tap the tile you want |
| +-Zoom (or the mouse wheel) | Zoom button or pinch; drag to move around |
| PPause and resume (or Esc) | Pause button (top) |
| EnterNext layout | Next button |
On a phone or tablet: Tap two matching free tiles. Hint, Shuffle and Undo sit under your right thumb (left in Left-handed), Zoom on the other side, Pause at the top. Pinch or Zoom to get closer and drag to move around. On small tiles a tap still finds the free tile nearest your finger, and if two share it a loupe shows both big to choose from. On a tall phone, wide layouts are turned upright so tiles stay big. The thumb layout follows how you play, on any screen (touch laptops too): it comes in at your first tap and goes at your next key press; the pause card has On-screen controls (Auto, Always, Off), Left-handed and Vibrate.
Questions
Is Mahjong Garden free?
Yes. It is free to play in your browser, with nothing to download and no sign-up.
Which tiles can I take?
A tile is free when no tile lies on top of it, even partly, and at least one of its long sides, left or right, is open. Free tiles stay bright and blocked ones are dimmed while Highlight free tiles is on in the pause menu.
Can every deal be won?
Yes. Each deal is built backwards by placing matching pairs only where both tiles would be free, so a full solution always exists. You can still block yourself with the wrong matches; then shuffle, undo, or restart the same deal.
How do stars and the score work?
Each match scores 10 points times your combo, which rises when you match again within 3 seconds (2.5 seconds in Night Bloom), up to x5. Clear a layout within its par time for three stars, within one and a half times par for two, and any clear for one. Time under par and unused hints and shuffles add bonus points.
How do I unlock gardens and tile sets?
Clearing a layout lights its lantern and opens the layouts after it. Six lanterns in a garden open the next garden. The Celadon, Obsidian and Gilded tile sets open at 4, 12 and 24 lanterns.
What happens if I reload the page?
Your current board is kept for this browser tab and comes back paused. Lanterns, stars, best times, Daily results and your drawn Season tiles are saved in this browser.
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