Mahjong Battle

Mahjong Battle turns the solitaire board into a race. You clear your layout while an automatic opponent clears theirs, and the score depends on finishing faster than they do rather than simply finishing at all.

There is an online multiplayer mode as well, which puts a human on the other side of the same board. Either way the pressure is comparative: a clean, careful run that takes too long still loses. A neighbour from the same shelf is the Alien board.

Tile values matter here in a way they do not on a plain solitaire board. Higher-value pairs are worth more, so the choice between an easy match and a valuable one is a genuine decision. Levels are timed and get harder as you progress, with hints and shuffles on hand for a board that jams. The Link grid occupies the neighbouring slot in the catalogue.

Tile styles and backgrounds can both be swapped to taste. The HTML5 build takes a mouse or a tap on any device, and full screen is worth switching on for a mode where a second spent squinting is a second your opponent is not losing. The list this board belongs to also carries the Connect The Dots board.

1. Select pairs of open tiles on your side of the board to remove them.
2. Favour higher-value tiles when you have a choice, since they score more.
3. Keep an eye on the level timer as the difficulty climbs.
4. Clear your layout faster than the opponent to take the higher score.
5. Switch to online multiplayer if you want a human on the other side.

• Chase value, not convenience — Mahjong Battle scores higher-value pairs above easy ones.
• Do not stall on a hard read — the opponent's board is clearing while yours is not.
• Spend hints early in a close race — a pointer that saves five seconds now beats one saved for later.
• Set the tile style before a match — picking a set you read quickly is a genuine advantage here.
• Use full screen — a race leaves no time for hunting a tile that is too small to see.