Play Honkaku Mahjong - Tetsuman II (Japan) Online

Game Overview

Honkaku Mahjong - Tetsuman II is one of those SNES games that flew under the radar unless you were really into mahjong—and I mean really into it. No gimmicks, no power-ups, just straight-up riichi mahjong with all the little rules and quirks that make the Japanese version so addictive.

The first thing you’ll notice is how stripped-back it feels. The tiles are crisp, the background music is this low-key synth that somehow makes you focus harder, and the AI doesn’t mess around. I lost my first few hands embarrassingly fast before realizing I’d forgotten about furiten. Classic rookie mistake.

What I love is how tactile it feels despite being on a controller. There’s something weirdly satisfying about the sound of tiles shuffling through the SNES speakers, like a digitized version of the real thing. And yeah, the sequel tweaked some of the original’s clunkier bits—discard tracking is smoother, and the CPU players actually bluff sometimes.

It’s not for everyone, but if you’ve ever wanted to practice mahjong without hunting down three friends willing to learn, this is as close as it gets. Just be warned: you might start eyeing your coffee table and wondering if it’s big enough for a real set.